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I've been thinking about this for a while, and before you give a resounding no, hear me out.
If the PGA tour were to dial back their tournament courses to <7000 yards, and play more parkland style courses with forced layups and dog legs, rather than moving to more and more ridiculously long tracks in an effort to prevent certain players from simply over powering, I think it could possibly level the playing field for men and women to play together.
e.g. on a 450 yard par 4, it's 275 to the end of the fairway before a hazard of sharp dog leg. Minjee Lee can hit a driver if she wants (265.764 yards avg) where as Rory Mcilroy maybe hits a 3 iron. At the end of the day they both have roughly 175 to the green. The course style prevents the long hitters from over powering the tee shot, and going driver/wedge on every hole where some of the ladies may be hitting driver/7 iron.
Some of the benefits in this scenario seem to far outweigh the encumbrance:
1. The LPGA gets a heck of a lot more of the spotlight (this is huge in my book)
2. Companies can stop selling "distance." If driving the ball 350 yards is no longer important on tour, R&D can focus on the finesse aspect of the game
3. No more talk about dialing back the golf ball. It just wouldn't be necessary if you're not overpowering the course.
4. Great, shorter, courses that have been taken out of the rotation over the years can make a come back.
5. No more of this garbage bifurcation talk. If courses on tour play similarly to the course we play at home, we all get to play the game the way it suits us best using the same equipment and tech.
So what do you think? I know there's more to it, but let's start a discussion here.
Bonus talking point* is it something you want to see?
If the PGA tour were to dial back their tournament courses to <7000 yards, and play more parkland style courses with forced layups and dog legs, rather than moving to more and more ridiculously long tracks in an effort to prevent certain players from simply over powering, I think it could possibly level the playing field for men and women to play together.
e.g. on a 450 yard par 4, it's 275 to the end of the fairway before a hazard of sharp dog leg. Minjee Lee can hit a driver if she wants (265.764 yards avg) where as Rory Mcilroy maybe hits a 3 iron. At the end of the day they both have roughly 175 to the green. The course style prevents the long hitters from over powering the tee shot, and going driver/wedge on every hole where some of the ladies may be hitting driver/7 iron.
Some of the benefits in this scenario seem to far outweigh the encumbrance:
1. The LPGA gets a heck of a lot more of the spotlight (this is huge in my book)
2. Companies can stop selling "distance." If driving the ball 350 yards is no longer important on tour, R&D can focus on the finesse aspect of the game
3. No more talk about dialing back the golf ball. It just wouldn't be necessary if you're not overpowering the course.
4. Great, shorter, courses that have been taken out of the rotation over the years can make a come back.
5. No more of this garbage bifurcation talk. If courses on tour play similarly to the course we play at home, we all get to play the game the way it suits us best using the same equipment and tech.
So what do you think? I know there's more to it, but let's start a discussion here.
Bonus talking point* is it something you want to see?