Brooks chimes in on PGA tour return

[QuigleyDU]

I don’t know if anyone has read this. Say what you will about Brooks, but here, he is not wrong. The players are going to shoot much higher scores due to no gallery help. I for one am kind of excited to see it.

Brooks Koepka on no fans at PGA Tour events: 'Guys are going to lose balls'

[bscinstnct]

Ha! That’s going to be funny.

 

As far as no fans, yes, gonna be bizarre for the players and viewers.

 

But, BK shouldn’t have to think too far back when he was in high school, college, the Euro Tour and even when he first got on the PGA Tour,

 

And basically played with no fans following him. I think he will find his competitive fire to win is still the same.

[gvogel]

Brooks whining again.

[wolvverine]

Would love to see a PGA tour player lose their ball after hitting a so-so drive because no one is there to find it for them. It happens to every weekend warrior golfer. Also can't stand 'grandstanding' so take that away and we'll see how many guys are still smashing 3 woods into par 5's on the back nine with grandstands directly behind them because they know their ball will go no more than 10 yards over the green.

Before all the hate flows in, I know these guys are amazing and the best golfers on the planet but you can't tell me never losing a ball in play and being able to hit into a grandstand isn't an advantage that isn't truly a part of the game of golf that everyone plays.

[Ashley Schaeffer]

Like a modern day Nicklaus, this one.

[Ashley Schaeffer]

I totally agree.

[1s1k]

Hate to say it but Bruce is probably right on this. Idk about much higher scores though, they are pro's for a reason. We shall see.

[tiderider]

i assume he'll use this as motivation by saying the tour didn't seek his opinion before issuing a schedule ...

 

and he's a bit incorrect about the fans, though the point is the same ... they don't help the pros find their ball ... they stop the ball from careening off into worse positions ...

[caniac6]

The guy with the lowest score is still going to win.

[the bishop]

I'm sure some balls will get lost. But we won't see as many balls come to favorable resting spots when they fly into the galleries and end up on trampled grass. I would expect scores to rise more due to that than actually gettng lost.

[isaacbm]

granted we don’t play courses with rough as long as the PGA tour on a regular basis, but other than hitting the ball in a pond, I’ve gone for weeks without losing a ball. I don’t see players losing golf balls on a regular basis going to be the difference between who wins and loses.

[GoGoErky]

Won’t be the first time they have done it and it didn’t affect scoring to much at the At&T National the day after a storm destroyed the course

[MattyO1984]

That’s an aspect that I must admit, I hadn’t even thought about. Good take from Brooks and I can’t see how he could possibly be wrong with it.

[straightshot7]

They will just mow it so there is no rough. Can't have these pros searching for balls all day on TV. I assume the spotters will still be out there also.

[golfandfishing]

I don’t think they are going to lose balls at a clip that would be noteworthy, but..... now that their scuds will have to be played where they come to rest you are going to see guys throw fits. Phil, YJS, DJ and others that are used to firing wayward shots into greens and dropping green side will need to rethink Par 5s and any approaches into Par 4s coming in hot out of the rough/trees/etc. I can’t wait to see Phil push cut a 3 wood wide left somewhere and not get any TIO relief.

[KrazyTrain18]

The atmosphere without fans will get some taking used to but it's far better than not resuming at all. The grandstanding and lost ball thing is going to be interesting but I have no issue with it, players have been abusing the grandstands with free drops after abysmal shots.

[Creedo77]

They won't mow down the rough with or without spotters

[QuigleyDU]

You didn’t read it did you?

Not whining at all just saying it will be weird. Also that players are going to lose balls due to no gallery to help.

imagine the situation where a bunch of fans moved a giant boulder for Tiger. But now they are not there. He has to pitch out to the fairway because he can not progress down the hole.

also the lack of grandstands. So no grandstanding and dropping.

And he is right.

[DLiver]

It will be interesting to see how many volunteers they have at the tourneys. The course is going to look weird without galleries and ropes. No marshals needed. Maybe some spotters. Shotlink definitely--needed for TV. Player transport and volunteers for storm evac as well. Beyond that, no stands, no concessions, way fewer support facilities like portable toilets, etc. It certainly will be a lot easier to get to the tournament site.

[MtlJeff]

It doesn't come off as complaining. Just kind of matter of fact stuff

I think he is over-estimating though. Just because a fan helps you find a ball does not mean you would not have found it. I played Torrey Pines when it had long rough, only hit like 2 fairways and didn't lose a ball the whole day. These guys are pros they aren't hitting it off the planet a lot.

maybe a shot here and there. I don't think it will meaningfully change anything.

[Hawkeye77]

Now I know why it has seemed so quiet the last few weeks!

[tiderider]

there should be a stat on tio relief per season ... maybe use it to revise the scoring avg just for the sake of the vardon title ...

[straightshot7]

Maybe not to the level of the fairway, but they can and may make it very short. Many tournaments already had short rough to begin with.

[platgof]

So much for Tiger's gallery.

[caniac6]

Just hit it in the fairway.

[bogeyk]

I think it would be awesome if they could utilize drones since there won’t be fans on the course.

[Darth Putter]

He needs to try to get a PGA Tour Commissioner fired before we compare him to the GOAT.

[Creedo77]

They won't make changes just because fans aren't there to find a stray golf ball.

Why would the tour want to make it easier for the players? Not sure what tournaments you're referring to but PGA Tour rough is anywhere from 2 to 4 inches on a regular basis

[deadsolid...shank]

The Open Championship( if they were playing it), I could see lost balls. Maybe even the US Open. Especially if they don’t have spotters out there.

[golfandfishing]

The tour has spent the better part of this century making it easier for players.