Augusta National golf club - 2023

[Golferpaul]

On 3/31/2023 at 8:39 AM, So_Cal said:

Disagree.  When they go for it it will actually be a challenge brining in more variance.  Hole had become boring and too easy with modern equipment for pros. 

Here are the totals for hole 13 last year.  It will be interesting to see how this year goes.

 

 

But if you want boring, look at hole 15 last year.  13 was much more exciting last year.

 

 

Hole 15 had 57% pars.  Hole 13 had 49%.  Statistically #13 was much more interesting than #15.

Edited April 2, 2023 by Golferpaul

[So_Cal]

14 minutes ago, Golferpaul said:

Here are the totals for hole 13 last year.  It will be interesting to see how this year goes.

 

 

But if you want boring, look at hole 15 last year.  13 was much more exciting last year.

 

 

Hole 15 had 57% pars.  Hole 13 had 49%.  Statistically #13 was much more interesting than #15.

Fair point.  15 could be more exciting without the hurting wind like last year. 

[Carson33]

Rory McIlroy said he hit 5-wood/ 8-iron on 13 last year and then Driver/ 5-iron in a practice round with the new tee.

 

Sorry guys, 5-wood/ 8-iron on a par 5 is not a “momentous decision” and is NOT exciting golf.

[So_Cal]

4 hours ago, Golferpaul said:

Here are the totals for hole 13 last year.  It will be interesting to see how this year goes.

 

 

But if you want boring, look at hole 15 last year.  13 was much more exciting last year.

 

 

Hole 15 had 57% pars.  Hole 13 had 49%.  Statistically #13 was much more interesting than #15.

Now that 15 has more length they should take out a few of the pines they planted.  The original design didn’t have them.  That would allow more guys to go for it. 

[Golferpaul]

11 hours ago, Carson33 said:

Rory McIlroy said he hit 5-wood/ 8-iron on 13 last year and then Driver/ 5-iron in a practice round with the new tee.

 

Sorry guys, 5-wood/ 8-iron on a par 5 is not a “momentous decision” and is NOT exciting golf.

How do you define "exciting golf"?

[PracticeSwinger]

1 minute ago, Golferpaul said:

How do you define "exciting golf"?

I know the question wasn't directed at me but still... having to fit in a 310ish drive, only to have a sidehill lie with 230 in to a tourney fast and firm green, a creek in front and no real bailout area... now, if you can: pull both these shots, and have the balls to do so... you merit an eagle look and gain 1.5ish shots on the field that laid off - if you can't pull it off, then you might be giving 2 strokes to those that played it safe... that's exciting to me

[Carson33]

10 minutes ago, MtlJayMan said:

I know the question wasn't directed at me but still... having to fit in a 310ish drive, only to have a sidehill lie with 230 in to a tourney fast and firm green, a creek in front and no real bailout area... now, if you can: pull both these shots, and have the balls to do so... you merit an eagle look and gain 1.5ish shots on the field that laid off - if you can't pull it off, then you might be giving 2 strokes to those that played it safe... that's exciting to me

THIS!! IF someone makes eagle or even birdie by going for it on Sunday, then it would be exciting. If someone hits 5-wood/ 8-iron and makes eagle...blah.

[Golferpaul]

6 minutes ago, Carson33 said:

THIS!! IF someone makes eagle or even birdie by going for it on Sunday, then it would be exciting. If someone hits 5-wood/ 8-iron and makes eagle...blah.

My definition is a little different.  I don't care what clubs they hit.  I think having a wide range of outcomes is exciting.  When it is possible to see eagles through double bogeys, that's exciting.  You could see a 4-shot swing on Sunday afternoon at #13.

[Hankshank]

What iconic shots, save putts, do you remember from holes 17 and 18? Iconic as the shot all over the world, It is, Spieth@raes creek,  Phil@pine needles?

 

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Hankshank

[mat562]

17's a bit of a filler hole, but Lyle's 7-iron whack on 18 was pretty memorable for me. 

[So_Cal]

10 minutes ago, Golferpaul said:

My definition is a little different.  I don't care what clubs they hit.  I think having a wide range of outcomes is exciting.  When it is possible to see eagles through double bogeys, that's exciting.  You could see a 4-shot swing on Sunday afternoon at #13.

Everyone has different takes.  I hit those clubs on my local mid length par 4 with a forced layup.  I want to see the best players tested not babied. 

[FriedEgg]

just make em play some of those solid (not wiffle) plastic practice balls on 13

 

or

 

make them play a grass green real golf ball

[mat562]

On 2/16/2023 at 6:55 PM, Ferguson said:

 

I let my son take my old Airbus to college. 

 

 

Is he still flying it now, with Gary Player miles on it, like Scheffler and his Chevy Suburban?

 

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by mat562

[smashdn]

On 4/2/2023 at 9:42 AM, Titleist99 said:

'"Your scorecard distance is going to suffer if you have two short par fours on there.  Next thing you know your course is under 7200 yards and people are writing it off before they ever see it."

 

You learn something new everyday.  LOL! First time ever hearing this in my entire golf life.🤣 And this why you have to buy more land,,,,😄

 

Slip over to GCA and see what the architects have to say about their conversations with owners/investors and distance.  You have to attract golfers to your course.  Marketing it to the right clientele is important.  If the owner wants a club/course that will be attractive as a professional golf venue, less than 7200 or so is going to hurt your case.  It isn't that it can't be overcome, it is that is has to be overcome.

[Titleist99]

5 minutes ago, smashdn said:

 

Slip over to GCA and see what the architects have to say about their conversations with owners/investors and distance.  You have to attract golfers to your course.  Marketing it to the right clientele is important.  If the owner wants a club/course that will be attractive as a professional golf venue, less than 7200 or so is going to hurt your case.  It isn't that it can't be overcome, it is that is has to be overcome.

Even if true, this still doesn't rise to the "have to" level.....more in line with the "want to"

in the bleak hope of landing a PGAT event. Let's not confuse the two...

 

A great venue do not have to be long, only challenging by design. IMO

[Ferguson]

54 minutes ago, mat562 said:

 

Is still flying it now, with Gary Player miles on it, like Scheffler and his Chevy Suburban?

 

Well played.

[jdl]

 

[PracticeSwinger]

13 minutes ago, jdl said:

 

I'll take 1955, with my 2023 driver, please...

[sir_shanks_a_lot]

that pic doesn't do justice to how much more elevated the tee is, along with farther back.  

[Carson33]

5 hours ago, Golferpaul said:

My definition is a little different.  I don't care what clubs they hit.  I think having a wide range of outcomes is exciting.  When it is possible to see eagles through double bogeys, that's exciting.  You could see a 4-shot swing on Sunday afternoon at #13.

That’s awesome! Thank you.

Edited April 3, 2023 by Carson33

[ahenderX]

Bryson’s question/answer session was painful to watch. 

[TLUBulldogGolf]

1 hour ago, jdl said:

 

 

1955 is basically how it still looks at the replica course near me. Pines are a bit taller but they are more off the fairway and corner.

[PracticeSwinger]

8 minutes ago, TLUBulldogGolf said:

 

1955 is basically how it still looks at the replica course near me. Pines are a bit taller but they are more off the fairway and corner.

No wonder Ben Hogan never missed a fairway haha

[smashdn]

5 hours ago, Titleist99 said:

Even if true, this still doesn't rise to the "have to" level.....more in line with the "want to"

in the bleak hope of landing a PGAT event. Let's not confuse the two...

 

A great venue do not have to be long, only challenging by design. IMO

 

When you are sitting across the table from a guy who is wanting to hire you to build his dream course you can explain that to him and see how it is received.

 

Join up over on GCA and let those architects know that the experiences that they are relating are because they aren't being strong enough with the guy footing the bill.

 

 

Again, we aren't talking about golf reality necessarily, we are talking about the reality of marketing golf, and that is a big difference.  It is all fine and good to have a great 6600 yard course but you are going to fight an uphill battle getting certain people (sometimes influential people) to show up to see for themselves.  Whether you need to, want to, have to, whatever, it's irrelevant.  The reality is it exists.  

 

https://archive.lib.msu.edu/tic/holen/article/2001sep20.pdf

 

 

[Titleist99]

35 minutes ago, smashdn said:

 

When you are sitting across the table from a guy who is wanting to hire you to build his dream course you can explain that to him and see how it is received.

 

Join up over on GCA and let those architects know that the experiences that they are relating are because they aren't being strong enough with the guy footing the bill.

 

 

Again, we aren't talking about golf reality necessarily, we are talking about the reality of marketing golf, and that is a big difference.  It is all fine and good to have a great 6600 yard course but you are going to fight an uphill battle getting certain people (sometimes influential people) to show up to see for themselves.  Whether you need to, want to, have to, whatever, it's irrelevant.  The reality is it exists.  

 

https://archive.lib.msu.edu/tic/holen/article/2001sep20.pdf

 

 

"Whether you need to, want to, have to, whatever, it's irrelevant.  The reality is it exists."

 

Of course, it matters when you have the CEO of the USGA get on national television and say that he recommend that the game of golf nerf it's golf ball because golf courses have to buy land to keep up with the distance touring pro are hitting the ball. We know that they don't .......so facts matter, and the fact is course owner just want to build longer and longer courses because they want to.

[jimecherry]

18 minutes ago, Titleist99 said:

"Whether you need to, want to, have to, whatever, it's irrelevant.  The reality is it exists."

 

Of course, it matters when you have the CEO of the USGA get on national television and say that he recommend that the game of golf nerf it's golf ball because golf courses have to buy land to keep up with the distance touring pro are hitting the ball. We know that they don't .......so facts matter, and the fact is course owner just want to build longer and longer courses because they want to.

And none of those owners feel like building courses in markets that have lost courses so I couldn't give a **** what they think about this. 

[smashdn]

Regarding hole 12.

 

 

[PracticeSwinger]

37 minutes ago, smashdn said:

Regarding hole 12.

 

 

Good little piece... when they started talking about dispersion tilt I thought Scott Fawcett would get a b*ner watching it - and then he pops up on screen haha

[Titleist99]

On 4/3/2023 at 3:41 PM, jdl said:

 

Obviously, 1953 is how the architect intended the course to play.....

We should take the course and the golf ball back to that time...🤣

[Greg_B]

On 2/16/2023 at 12:00 PM, monty09 said:

 disagree

True, you can complain. If you’re a sitting US President, you might even get away with it. But that doesn’t mean the club will do anything about your complaint, as was the case with President Eisenhower. Ike had a chronic fade/slice off the tee, and on 17 often ran afoul of what came to be known as the Eisenhower tree, a loblolly pine on the left side of the fairway.

 

At a club meeting in 1956 he proposed cutting it down. Masters co-founder Clifford Roberts ruled him out of order and immediately adjourned the meeting.

 

In other instances, members suggesting changes to the course or facilities would be pleased to see them implemented upon their return to the club, until they found the bill for the cost of the renovations in their locker.