R.I.P Bridgestone Firestone CC

[buckeyefl]

Three of the best architects in the game today give their opinions on Firestone. Spoiler alert: they don't like it. I guess they must be ignorant too.

 

https://www.linksmagazine.com/golf-course-architects-review-firestone-cc-south/

 

Your reading comprehension is beyond compare.

[destingolfer]

Just returned from 3 days at Firestone for the 3rd year in a row. I have learned to appreciate the course now more than ever. It may not be the best made for TV course, but wow...watching in person at this course makes you really appreciate the layout. And major props for allowing the fans the best access to tees/greens I have ever seen. The ropes are close on many holes, like it is at East Lake. Stellar venue that I hope to play one day.

[15th Club]

I'm known among my friends as being a bit of an architecture and history freak with golf courses; I had heard Jack Nicklaus' gripe that Firestone South was "boring," and Geoff Shackelford's mild sarcasm about the course.

 

I was invited to play there, and was prepared with those presumptions.

 

I'll be forever grateful to my host for inviting me; I really like the course and I think that the green complexes are very interesting. It's a very good golf course with tour-level tees and greens and fairways, in my view, and I really enjoyed playing it. The staff were all wonderful and the atmosphere of the club was great. btw, it looked very dry this week and played as firm and fast as I have seen it in a long time; if July hadn't been so dry in northeast Ohio, the rough would have been more defensive because that is some of the gnarliest, juiciest bluegrass rough you will ever see anywhere.

 

We've come a long way (or perhaps, gone back a long way in our understanding of golf course architecture philosophy) since Robert Trent Jones, Sr. restyled the course as the 1960's began.

 

I am just thankful and appreciative of Bridgestone/Firestone Co., and all of the Firestone members in having shared this course with us for years and feel privileged at having been there to play on two different occasions. I'm glad the Champions Tour is headed there.

[Big Ben]

So moving on to the future after the Champions PGA. Where does Firestone go from here? Can you see it hosting another Tour event??

[Schley]

I don't see them getting another tour event unfortunately, there is just too many good venues and the PGA Tour is in love with TPC courses to reduce overhead.

 

Glad the champions tour is heading there. Will be a good venue for them as they tend to be more accurate off the tee.

[Tiptx1122]

I just read about the heckler at the final day of the tournament yelling crap at Tiger as how stupid can people be. He got escorted out after Tiger's caddie gave him money to leave as you can google it and read it for yourself . Who ever you were I hope you got 4 flat tires when you left as maybe Ohio doesn't need to have such an Awesome tournament like that as I know he may not have been from Ohio but Wow!

[Shilgy]

Firestone a great course, they said.

 

Lots of imagination here.

 

 

I take it you don't like St Andrews either?

[tfeith]

All these guys saying Firestone isn't that great of a course. What kinda of courses are you playing that you can look down on Firestone. Are you guys members at Augusta? lol Pretty sure i heard a quote that Tiger Woods said "this is basically our 5-6th major we play". And good job PGA Tour, why would you only have one event in the home state of the Golden Bear?

[joekelli]

I love the South course as it is.(yes I have played it) But I wonder if they decide to put some money into reworking a few of the boring holes in hopes of luring another event? With Dan Gilbert owning the Cavs, I wonder if there is a chance of the Quicken Loans tournament being moved here at some point? Seems like a good fit with Tiger being involved!

[Ole3wiggle]

I love the South course as it is.(yes I have played it) But I wonder if they decide to put some money into reworking a few of the boring holes in hopes of luring another event? With Dan Gilbert owning the Cavs, I wonder if there is a chance of the Quicken Loans tournament being moved here at some point? Seems like a good fit with Tiger being involved!

 

Dan Gilbert moved the Quicken Loans National from the D.C. Area to Detroit.

 

My feeling is the next PGA TOUR event at Firestone CC will be a major.

[raynorfan1]

I love the South course as it is.(yes I have played it) But I wonder if they decide to put some money into reworking a few of the boring holes in hopes of luring another event? With Dan Gilbert owning the Cavs, I wonder if there is a chance of the Quicken Loans tournament being moved here at some point? Seems like a good fit with Tiger being involved!

My feeling is the next PGA TOUR event at Firestone CC will be a major.

 

I don't see how they pull that off. Akron is <2 hours from Oakmont, so the odds of Firestone getting an Open ahead of Oakmont are not good; with the PGA in mid-May, Akron temps are only in the mid 60s, and you'd be a few weeks ahead of The Memorial.

 

I guess a PGA Championship is a possibility...

[BNGL]

It’s been discussed at least from what I was told while I was in the airport catching up with one who’s in the loop of those discussions. Trouble is it won’t be anytime soon, at least 2027.

 

I love the South course as it is.(yes I have played it) But I wonder if they decide to put some money into reworking a few of the boring holes in hopes of luring another event? With Dan Gilbert owning the Cavs, I wonder if there is a chance of the Quicken Loans tournament being moved here at some point? Seems like a good fit with Tiger being involved!

My feeling is the next PGA TOUR event at Firestone CC will be a major.

 

I don't see how they pull that off. Akron is <2 hours from Oakmont, so the odds of Firestone getting an Open ahead of Oakmont are not good; with the PGA in mid-May, Akron temps are only in the mid 60s, and you'd be a few weeks ahead of The Memorial.

 

I guess a PGA Championship is a possibility...

 

Oakmont has it in 2025.

[tfeith]

I love the South course as it is.(yes I have played it) But I wonder if they decide to put some money into reworking a few of the boring holes in hopes of luring another event? With Dan Gilbert owning the Cavs, I wonder if there is a chance of the Quicken Loans tournament being moved here at some point? Seems like a good fit with Tiger being involved!

 

Dan Gilbert moved the Quicken Loans National from the D.C. Area to Detroit.

 

My feeling is the next PGA TOUR event at Firestone CC will be a major.

 

I don't think Firestone has the room for the crowds of a major. I went to Oakmont for a practice round ( in 2007) pretty sure it was a tuesday and i would guess there was more people there that day then on a sunday at Firestone. Would be amazing to have a major in the good ole OH-IO!

[tannyhoban]

I love the South course as it is.(yes I have played it) But I wonder if they decide to put some money into reworking a few of the boring holes in hopes of luring another event? With Dan Gilbert owning the Cavs, I wonder if there is a chance of the Quicken Loans tournament being moved here at some point? Seems like a good fit with Tiger being involved!

 

Dan Gilbert moved the Quicken Loans National from the D.C. Area to Detroit.

 

My feeling is the next PGA TOUR event at Firestone CC will be a major.

 

I don't think Firestone has the room for the crowds of a major. I went to Oakmont for a practice round ( in 2007) pretty sure it was a tuesday and i would guess there was more people there that day then on a sunday at Firestone. Would be amazing to have a major in the good ole OH-IO!

 

Sure they do. They've done it. And hosting the WGC/World Series wasn't podunk.

[raynorfan1]

I love the South course as it is.(yes I have played it) But I wonder if they decide to put some money into reworking a few of the boring holes in hopes of luring another event? With Dan Gilbert owning the Cavs, I wonder if there is a chance of the Quicken Loans tournament being moved here at some point? Seems like a good fit with Tiger being involved!

 

Dan Gilbert moved the Quicken Loans National from the D.C. Area to Detroit.

 

My feeling is the next PGA TOUR event at Firestone CC will be a major.

 

I don't think Firestone has the room for the crowds of a major. I went to Oakmont for a practice round ( in 2007) pretty sure it was a tuesday and i would guess there was more people there that day then on a sunday at Firestone. Would be amazing to have a major in the good ole OH-IO!

 

Sure they do. They've done it. And hosting the WGC/World Series wasn't podunk.

 

Golf has changed a lot since 1975...and the US Open draws about 2x the WGC (200,000+ vs. ~80,000...but over a couple more days).

[tannyhoban]

I love the South course as it is.(yes I have played it) But I wonder if they decide to put some money into reworking a few of the boring holes in hopes of luring another event? With Dan Gilbert owning the Cavs, I wonder if there is a chance of the Quicken Loans tournament being moved here at some point? Seems like a good fit with Tiger being involved!

 

Dan Gilbert moved the Quicken Loans National from the D.C. Area to Detroit.

 

My feeling is the next PGA TOUR event at Firestone CC will be a major.

 

I don't think Firestone has the room for the crowds of a major. I went to Oakmont for a practice round ( in 2007) pretty sure it was a tuesday and i would guess there was more people there that day then on a sunday at Firestone. Would be amazing to have a major in the good ole OH-IO!

 

Sure they do. They've done it. And hosting the WGC/World Series wasn't podunk.

 

Golf has changed a lot since 1975...and the US Open draws about 2x the WGC (200,000+ vs. ~80,000...but over a couple more days).

 

I get that. This area handles both the WGC and the football HOF ceremonies same week year after year. As for the course, it can handle the extra traffic.

[DatSliceDoe]

It could easily handle a major. I've been to the tourney a few times and there is plenty of extra room. Granted, you won't be able to see much, but is that really any different than any other major?

 

[youraway2]

I thought they already had a major in OH, the Memorial. I know, but it should be.