Fix The Distance Issue on Tour (w/o Altering Equipment)

[Canadan]

I think you are making a huge leap. What most have proposed is far from that.

In @golfunfiltered's defense, he's already of the impression that golf needs a rollback. This is barely even a skip, let alone a leap, by comparison

 

[aljaklaw]

It also takes away the skill of shaping the ball from the tee. If it's going to stop close to where it lands, you can hit any shot shape you want regardless of contours.

And sometimes I think people forget that the pro's get a lot of roll, because their balls are flying super fast with very little spin.

I think you would be surprised at some of their spin targets.

 

[Bethpage Hack]

Higher healthier rough,

 

[mtbloco]

A lot has been said about the USGA Distance project, and many would agree that tour based distance has become a bit of a problem.

Do you believe we can alter the design of a course to accommodate the new rather significant numbers being projected by the 'new' PGA Tour golfer? Here are a couple potentially viable solutions that would make distance be a bit more difficult to achieve;

- More doglegs, with impossible cutoffs
- Crazy tight fairways at a certain distance
- Bunkers or water at a certain distance
- Angled fairways at a certain distance (which at tour firmness would launch most balls into rough)
- Set up uneven lies or basically fairway moguls at a certain distance

Distance is a skill. So is accuracy. So make risk rewards that promote distance on if you can place it i tight spaces. And also reward all players that can target golf their way around a course.

sure it’s cool to see a monster drive from time to time. But I’m all for more severe penalties for miss hit.

 

[MattyD-MPLS]

I keep flip flopping back and forth on this issue. Does something need to be done? Probably. Will it be a long drawn out process? Probably.
It will probably be a combination of things between Agronomy, equipment and course design.

 

[Badger_Golfer]

Grow the rough, narrow the fairways and grow up the fairways a bit to limit roll.

 

[tequila4kapp]

For the pros it absolutely can be dealt with through layout and course design. Remember the President’s Cup? Oakmont. Merion. Olympic Club. There are courses that do it already.

 

[Phil75070]

I honestly don’t think it’s out of the question, courses started Tiger proofing, for one guy who played there once a year. I don’t think it’s a needed step though.

Tiger proofing was just a matter of adding length where there was room for another tee box. It also put even more of a premium on distance having just the opposite impact on the game.

 

[WLG1952]

I like the idea of dog legs, but I think that would be too costly to implement on existing courses. New courses being built, this would be the way to go.

Building hazards at distances to take away the value of longer drives would be feasible cost wise.

On another note. If this Premier League takes off, I could see quite a few of the longer pga/epga hitters moving to that tour. Longer drives would then be less of a problem for the pga tour.

 

[PatsFan]

A lot has been said about the USGA Distance project, and many would agree that tour based distance has become a bit of a problem.

Do you believe we can alter the design of a course to accommodate the new rather significant numbers being projected by the 'new' PGA Tour golfer? Here are a couple potentially viable solutions that would make distance be a bit more difficult to achieve;

- More doglegs, with impossible cutoffs
- Crazy tight fairways at a certain distance
- Bunkers or water at a certain distance
- Angled fairways at a certain distance (which at tour firmness would launch most balls into rough)
- Set up uneven lies or basically fairway moguls at a certain distance

I think they could setup the courses differently. More like US Open conditions but the pros would complain endlessly.

 

[BigMac]

I think they could setup the courses differently. More like US Open conditions but the pros would complain endlessly.

I don't know if I'm alone in this or not, but from a spectator's perspective I find those 'bloodbath' rounds almost unwatchable. It's no fun watching the best golfers in the world struggle their way around a course hacking 15-yard shots out of shin-high rough and 4-putting on greens that are like an ice rink. Not sure how many other people agree with that, but it could adversely affect the Tour's viewership (which ultimately affects their profits).

If I wanted to see people struggling, hacking the ball around and playing bad golf, I could take a lawn chair and cooler down to my local course on any given weekend.

 

[NoGoal]

I don’t think altering designs is needed. They need to tweak the courses they play on now.

Grow the rough at regular tour events
Don’t cut the fairways so short = less run
Make the fairways narrower
Make the greens faster
Play harder courses

 

[LICC]

For the pros it absolutely can be dealt with through layout and course design. Remember the President’s Cup? Oakmont. Merion. Olympic Club. There are courses that do it already.

The players ate up Royal Melbourne. You just didn’t see scores because of the match play format. I would prefer bifurcation to making the courses tricked up and one-dimensional.

There is bifurcation already, just not with equipment. Recreational golfers are not playing the same setups that pros play. We would get wrecked playing courses from the tees/distances the pros play. And the green speeds they play change the game tremendously. One time I played a course where the greens really were running close to 14, and it is a very different game than greens running at speeds that recreational golfers normally play. If the pros had to use smaller clubheads or some other limits, but recreational golfers could still use the bigger clubs, I don’t think that would be an issue.

 

[Scorp]

Someone says move the tee boxes back. They're being moved back. And Jack Nicklaus complains about having to design an 8,000+ yard course. Yeah, complain about "having to design" a course. Just say NO! Jack. But I doubt he will. $$ talks.

Someone says water the fairways. Great idea. But what about courses in tougher areas where water isn't as plentiful? Or making the environmentalists upset...

Someone says let the fairways grow. Great. Let the rough grow too. I played a course one time in Ohio where my ball landed in the rough. The grass was so thick I couldn't find it. I lost a few on that course because of the rough. I wish my lawn would grow like that.

Someone says roll the ball back. That's not the point of the discussion but! Let's say... USGA rolls the ball back using a tour only version. Amateur need not apply. Ball manufacturers spend millions in R&D to lose their investment? Maybe they could make some non conforming balls that help with a slice or hook. And go far. No limits maybe...

Someone says modify the course. Can all courses afford to make changes like are being suggested? I'd be interested to see a new course designed for PGA and LPGA pros that is only 5,000 yards. Take driver entirely out of the picture. Narrow fairways. Deep bunkers. Difficult course.

Here's something interesting... Tom Doak was intervied on the fried egg podcast... and he mentioned he found a site that he thought would have been perfect for a complex 2 level green... or something like that. Lots of undulations. You know, cool stuff. And he was told the PGA won't put a pin anywhere with a slope greater than 2%. Put the pins in more difficult areas for the touring pros and make them either really fast or really slow.

 

[Smiter]

9,000 yard courses should be enough......

Yes said a little tongue in cheek. I realize it’s not the point of this thread but there’s already inherently more risk the longer you are. If you’re 8* left with a 330 yard drive you’re in trouble. If you’re 8* left with a 175 yard 8i you’re probably still in the fairway.

Distance and controlling it is a skill. Should they think about making the greens easier for the poor putters too? How’s about putting the pin in the center of every green for those that aren’t so great with their irons?

If anything in the theme of this thread make it more risky the further you go. Progressively longer rough the further out you go?

 

[Golf Ghost]

Tougher green complexes. These guys play of massive greens, majority over 6000 sq feet, with little angulation and slope. Let it be smash and gouge, but make it that the second shot actually has to be precise.

 

[93civiccpe]

I still don't think we have a problem..