Did 2020 finally show the golf world that Augusta is just a rather average course?

[caller]

Next April comes around and if we see normal "auGUSTa" wind and greens playing faster, we will have different conversation.

 

Just because DJ played excellent, the course isn't "easier".

 

The big course can be set up as hard as anyone can imagine.... the big people are razor focus on "growing" the game. 

They have the huge resources to do so at any given moment. Enjoy it while they allow the high speed chasing back nine. 

 

 

[golfandfishing]

I think I’ll never to learn to engage with people like this on the internet. I’d never even entertain this topic in real life, if it came up in a round of golf where I got paired with the OP the rest of the day’s conversation would be limited to “No, I didn’t see where that wound up”. “You can drop up there” and “Please pick up now”. But on the internet?  Well, here we are at 4 pages and counting. I’ll never learn......

 

* edited to remove a potential insult. 

Edited November 16, 2020 by golfandfishing

[chippa13]

4 hours ago, bladehunter said:

Southern tracks ?  We’ve identified the issue.  Hate for this tournament because it’s “ ours”.    Lol.    Folks. As a southeastern United  states native , this ^ is why we love and cling to Augusta and the masters so much.  And it’s why it was built  in the first place.  To combat the elitist northeastern attitudes.   For Jones to have something that “ they “ couldn’t claim.  A place for him to play and not be their “ spectacle “ to watch.  The greatest inland course in the world was the goal.  It’s debatable. But it’s certainly in the conversation. 
      Now that’s not  me painting all from the northeast with that brush.  There are many here ( Richard for one ) who are not that way.  But ..... the red headed step children of the country are aware of the idea that says that anything from here is inferior and can’t possibly be considered up to snuff with the true blue blood roots. 

I thought the South clung to Augusta because they were so good at keeping the minorities and women out. 😏

[BNGL]

2 hours ago, FakeClubPro said:

 

I was born in the south and live there.   Augusta just needs to be spruced up with sand traps at 300 yards not at 240 yards where Gentleman Jim Hootie hit it 240 yards back in 1950 where they have the sand traps now. The bombers just blast it by those sandtraps.

 

Add water going across the fairways on more holes.  My local muni has a par 4 (built in the 1940s) with 410 yards from the tips.  There is water at 280 yards and the water about 25 yards wide.   The green has sand traps all around.   This is a tough hole for a muni.   Augusta needs some tougher holes.

 

Augusta cut down the Eisenhower tree and other trees.  They should plant more trees. 

Augusta has huge wide fairways and the trees are mainly pine which are easy to play around.  High handicappers can hit off of pine straw.  They was want a pretty course for TV and it is beautiful.  It seems like a nice place for the CEOs who can become members.  They want Jim Nantz in hushed voices talking like he is in church while slow southern style piano music plays in the background.   And where were the mockingbirds you usually hear during The Masters?

 

Still, an amazing tourney by Dustin Johnson.  Cameron Smith and IM also gave it a great run.

 

I love how the DJ haters can eat crow now.

To be fair, they didn’t just decide on a whim to cut down the Eisenhower Tree on 17. That particular loblolly pine was removed after suffering extensive damage during a storm in 2014, along with several other pines on the property. 

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, chippa13 said:

I thought the South clung to Augusta because they were so good at keeping the minorities and women out. 😏

Lol. Will take a better troll job than that to get me to bite.

[cardoustie]

The Op knows next to zero about golf.  Impossible to debate.  Must be trolling hard

 

Just so glad Bryson was not winning this thing.  His story is wearing me down because all the people that know jack about golf think they are experts .... when really they have zero knowledge and appreciation of historical perspective and design changes / updates

 

Bryson had a good US Open.   

 

The funny thing is if Tiger had thrown 20 under on the board people would be losing their minds.  It's OK that Tiger ran away with a previous Masters and a Pebble US Open, but when DJ (by far the best player right now) does it, it's less impressive somehow.  Gimme a break, give the man props when due

[dlygrisse]

48 minutes ago, cardoustie said:

The Op knows next to zero about golf.  Impossible to debate.  Must be trolling hard

 

Just so glad Bryson was not winning this thing.  His story is wearing me down because all the people that know jack about golf think they are experts .... when really they have zero knowledge and appreciation of historical perspective and design changes / updates

 

Bryson had a good US Open.   

 

The funny thing is if Tiger had thrown 20 under on the board people would be losing their minds.  It's OK that Tiger ran away with a previous Masters and a Pebble US Open, but when DJ (by far the best player right now) does it, it's less impressive somehow.  Gimme a break, give the man props when due

Shhhhhhhhh.....be very quiet, we don't want the truth to get in the way of their narrative.  

[Gobe3]

1 hour ago, cardoustie said:

The Op knows next to zero about golf.  Impossible to debate.  Must be trolling hard

 

Just so glad Bryson was not winning this thing.  His story is wearing me down because all the people that know jack about golf think they are experts .... when really they have zero knowledge and appreciation of historical perspective and design changes / updates

 

Bryson had a good US Open.   

 

The funny thing is if Tiger had thrown 20 under on the board people would be losing their minds.  It's OK that Tiger ran away with a previous Masters and a Pebble US Open, but when DJ (by far the best player right now) does it, it's less impressive somehow.  Gimme a break, give the man props when due

Well said!

[Shakespeare]

Back in the 70's...Tom Weiskopf said that Augusta was a easy 67 everyday except during the Masters ...mostly because of the pressure and the crowds.

[Tanner25]

No, it was playing wet and it is faster in April. 

 

Also, ask Tiger that question as he was coming off of # 12 on Sunday.

Edited November 16, 2020 by Tanner25

[Fairway14]

Augusta National is about the longest course played on Tour each year, and it also has the most severely sloped greens. No Tour pro considers Augusta  to be an "easy" and, or, "average" course.

[Golf10]

Define average course.  Augusta is a top 15 course in the world, although lately it has been dropping in the rankings.

 

It was wet and that made it easier.  Now is the course easier with modern equipment?  Of course, especially with four par 5 holes.  They've had to add many trees to combat distance.  Alister MacKenzie would be rolling in his grave if he say how claustrophobic the course is now.  That being said the course is far from average.

[cardoustie]

ANGC could be set up so 70 was an incredible score

 

They don't hide the pins and grow the rough though because they know back 9 action is part of the excitement of the event

 

Holes 13 & 15 could be played in 6 shots total or 13 shots total .... 

[smashdn]

21 hours ago, cardoustie said:

The funny thing is if Tiger had thrown 20 under on the board people would be losing their minds.  It's OK that Tiger ran away with a previous Masters and a Pebble US Open, but when DJ (by far the best player right now) does it, it's less impressive somehow.  Gimme a break, give the man props when due

 

This has nothing to do with Tiger, but do take into consideration that T2 at -15 were Cameron Smith and Sung Jae Im.  There was only one other major winner in the top 5.  DJ won fair and square and played the same course as everyone else, but for whatever reason the collective cream did not rise to the top and apply any pressure on him.  At least no more pressure than he applied on himself.

 

5<12

5<15

[BlackDiamondPar5]

OP sighting 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2020 by BlackDiamondPar5

[dlygrisse]

They could just do what the USGA does.  Change par on #13 and #15 to 4, and now DJ is only -12 for the week. Much of the field is over par. 
 

Now exciting “birdies” are just pars that they had to grind out with blood and guts. /S

 

 

its a great challenging course, anyone who says otherwise really doesn’t understand golf. 
 

 

[johnseg]

What most have said is absolutely true. The Masters is about the back nine on Sunday. That is what makes the course and tournament great. A simple mistake on #12, a short par 3, and you can lose the tournament.

 

Not many tournaments better.

[Shilgy]

2 hours ago, smashdn said:

 

This has nothing to do with Tiger, but do take into consideration that T2 at -15 were Cameron Smith and Sung Jae Im.  There was only one other major winner in the top 5.  DJ won fair and square and played the same course as everyone else, but for whatever reason the collective cream did not rise to the top and apply any pressure on him.  At least no more pressure than he applied on himself.

 

5<12

5<15

Hmm, if the top 5 was always filled with major winners....we would never have first time major winners. Most guys need their first taste of major competition to be in the mix and see where there game stacks up. Im and Smith did that quite capably. Next time they are in the mix they will be more able to close the deal.

This event did have 7 major winners in the top 12.

[johnseg]

50 minutes ago, Shilgy said:

Hmm, if the top 5 was always filled with major winners....we would never have first time major winners. Most guys need their first taste of major competition to be in the mix and see where there game stacks up. Im and Smith did that quite capably. Next time they are in the mix they will be more able to close the deal.

This event did have 7 major winners in the top 12.

Or they could go on to really never be heard from again. It is funny watching old Ryder Cup matches on Golf Channel where different players are named as future major championship winners. It is tough to win any tournament but when you talk about 4 specific tournaments a year it becomes much more difficult.

[smashdn]

58 minutes ago, Shilgy said:

Hmm, if the top 5 was always filled with major winners....we would never have first time major winners. Most guys need their first taste of major competition to be in the mix and see where there game stacks up. Im and Smith did that quite capably. Next time they are in the mix they will be more able to close the deal.

This event did have 7 major winners in the top 12.

 

My remarks didn't have anything to do with how well or how poorly Smith and Im played.  It was about who was (or who wasn't) pushing DJ.

[freowho]

1 hour ago, Shilgy said:

Hmm, if the top 5 was always filled with major winners....we would never have first time major winners. Most guys need their first taste of major competition to be in the mix and see where there game stacks up. Im and Smith did that quite capably. Next time they are in the mix they will be more able to close the deal.

This event did have 7 major winners in the top 12.

Hmm, unnecessary attempt to belittle someone.

Oops.

[bscinstnct]

4 hours ago, smashdn said:

 

This has nothing to do with Tiger, but do take into consideration that T2 at -15 were Cameron Smith and Sung Jae Im.  There was only one other major winner in the top 5.  DJ won fair and square and played the same course as everyone else, but for whatever reason the collective cream did not rise to the top and apply any pressure on him.  At least no more pressure than he applied on himself.

 

5<12

5<15

 

Yes, you can’t compare DJs win to TWs 12 shot win in 97 or 15 shot win in 2000

 

It would be like DJ being -30 this year, lol

 

Look, it was soft and DJ took advantage of conditions that favored him. But, that’s the point, he did it. 

[Circaflex]

On 11/15/2020 at 12:49 PM, 1s1k said:

No. Augusta and the Masters is about tradition. We all know there are harder courses.

Well said.

[Shilgy]

2 hours ago, freowho said:

Hmm, unnecessary attempt to belittle someone.

Oops.

If that was what I looked like I will apologize. Wasn’t intent. Most guys do need a taste or two of major contention to close the deal.

[gandrukat]

I wouldn't say average but November definitely isn't the best time to showcase that course.  I was surprised to see so many pine needles on 16, figured they'd have a crew with blowers out there in between groups.  Overall the course was still pristine and better than anything I'll ever play on. 

[PorkChopExpress]

Augusta and Masters is all about tradition. There just wasn’t drama this year coming to the finish like there normally is. Heck the broadcast was looking for something but had nothing. 
 

[QuigleyDU]

If anything. I would argue this year showed what a great course it is. It allowed great players with different skill sets to compete. DJ an long bomber, Cam Smith a fairly inaccurate and short driver but has an amazing short game. 

That shows it is a great course not a terrible one.. Your thinking is everything that is wrong with golf and why everyone things distance is the problem. 

[manku]

20 hours ago, smashdn said:

 

My remarks didn't have anything to do with how well or how poorly Smith and Im played.  It was about who was (or who wasn't) pushing DJ.

 

DJ didn't even know where he stood on the 18th hole (he figured he was winning...that's it)...how is having Rory, JT and Rahm breathing down his neck going to matter if he isn't scoreboard watching?  Especially with no crowds and roars.

 

The world's clear #1 golfer runs away with a major and people are trying to diminish his achievement.

 

Some people are never pleased!

[llewol007]

Its not about difficulty. Think of the build up that Bryson had about his distance destroying the place. Didnt happen. Masters is about the whole mystique and tradition that it has built up and earned. The place is beautiful and I would be happy to watch the Masters year after year. The course was the same for everybody and not everybody had the same results as those who got to play on the weekend. 

[Barfolomew]

If Augusta ain't a hard course why is there a 1000 page thread with most sayin a scratch couldn't shoot under 85 or something and all the dudes sayin they could get lit up lol.... pick a side sheep