holding back the pros

would any of you golfers out there like to offer your opinion, of how or what should be done to stop the pros tearing up courses???

I look forward to youre opinions

dont you think they should all play with the same type of ball

1) Make the rough thick.

2) Put difficult parts (rough, sand, etc) where a driver would land - make it more risk/reward.

3) Forget about making courses any longer... it'll bring scores down, for sure, to have 780 yard par 5's, but it's not necessarily useful.

Absolutely not. I also think they should stop lengthening courses. All that does is benefit the longer hitters.

If anything they should add more sand and more water and make going for it more risk/reward.

ROUGH. Thick, deep rough. Deep enough so you can't see your damn shoes.

i.e. The US open setup for the whole season...then make the open a forest.

They need to put more OB's out there - did you see Tiger and Retif hitting the ball miles off line this weekend? Not fair, on my course i am OB if i hit 20 yards off line on many holes! Getting relief from hospitality stands - that should be OB.

Golf is so dull to watch now compared to a few years ago and so much less skillful. A 460 yard par 4 is now drive wedge, 9 iron for these guys (and without hopfeully coming across as boasting, me as well). Its just a joke - that kind of length would have been driver mid iron not long ago. I think they do need to introduce a tournament ball. Also although it will never happen, I think lob wedges should be banned - they make the short shots so much easier (i do love mine however!).The skill is being taken from the game.

nick

Tighten the fairways, thicken the rough, does anyone remember Carnasty 1999? I enjoyed every hack!!

I agree.

I have to disagree with your last statement. It's like saying that astroturf took skill from american football, or bigger goalie pads took skill from hockey. It's irrelevant.

Now, with evolving equipment, and better athletes (how many pro golfers are in horrible shape these days?) obviously there's going to be some shorter shots. But average scores haven't dropped... when that happens, I think we can toss a look at the panic button.

Lowpost - I suppose you are right in that the scores haven't dropped that much. I just miss the days when Olazabal and Seve etc could conjure amazing shots with a sandwedge that almost any one with a 15 handicap can now produce easily with a lob wedge! (that being said did you see Tiger back spinning a lob wedge from about 30 yards yesterday?? the man is a short game genius).

I think its a fair comment of mine to say the game is less skilful now. We now have drivers with bigger sweetspots, that help straighten hooks and slices. Balls that go much further and do not curve as much. These are facts. If you want proof the game is easier now just go and buy an old wooden driver from some junk store and go hit that!

However if that is part of golf evolution, and if we don't evolve we stand still, then I guess we just accept it as progress and enjoy it and the new challenges it brings (ie 500 yard par 4's)! so I take your point but will still yearn for the "good old days!"

nick

As long as its not a tricked up ball, I dont think it matters what ball they use or that they use different ones

I think it comes down to longer grass.
1) You shouldnt be able to hit a 3 iron out of the rough.
2) There is no need for a stimpmeter reading of 7 on a fairway, its gives roll of about 50 yrds, knock that down to the 5 that I get at this time of year and see what happens.
3) If you hit it into a tent then tough - penalty. If I hit it into a lake Im penalised, its bloody easier to see that the tent was there!
4) Shorter fairways with hazards, dog legs that you cant just hit over everytime as you yawn.

For the most part, Nick, IMHO, I think equipment has helped golfers gain distance, and maybe a bit more accuracy. True, with cavity back irons and 460cc drivers, we get more distance on mis hits, but I can still (and ocassionally DO still) slice my driver - to the point where if I swing hard enough, I can get the ball to go dead straight for ~ 100 yards, then make a 90º right hand turn and head OB.

It still takes plenty of skill to find the sweet spot repeatably, to consistently hit that half-wedge 35 yards, to read greens and get your lag distance down.

Now amount of equipment modification will make that possible (well, maybe the 35 yard wedge shot - if you can get a 78º wedge on the ball).

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I don't think they need to change a thing. The championship course they play are hard enough. If you ask me I think they should get easiers course to play on. I would love to see a championship at my home course just to see how the pros would rip up that course.