Golf - ever play a tournament course?

BobM · « **on:** 23 Apr 2013, 07:47 pm »

Ever play a US Open or British Open course, or one of the private courses on the PGA tour schedule? How did you score? Did you find it significantly harder than the course you usually play? Was it prettier, or just harder? Did you play championship tees or the "whites"?

Just curious if your thoughts line up with mine.

I grew up on LI playing the Bethpage courses, the Black course included. Played it this past Sunday BTW. Yes, it is hard, maybe +5 strokes over my regular game. It is long, even from the white tees, and you just find yourself in trouble all the time. But it is enjoyable and pretty but every shot counts. One slip and ... trouble. And the hills to climb; sometimes I'm ready to putt with my heart still beating furiously in my chest from the climb to the green. All part of the fun, I guess.

I've played a few others over the years (not many though) and I find the same thing, every shot counts. Not enough to be in the fairway, but if the hole demands the left side then you will have trouble if you are on the right. Either a blind shot to the green, or a tree in the way, or an impossible trick bending shot to get there, or sand back and front of your approach requiring perfect distance.

Most of the regular courses I play seem to allow errant shots without penalizing you too much. Recovery is easier. I think that's the deciding difference IMO.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 Apr 2013, 08:18 pm »

I grew up in Oakville, where the Canadian Open has been held frequently over the years at Glen Abbey. I have played Glen Abbey a couple of times, mostly in scrambles, but have played it from the blues on my own card. I am a 16 hcp, but played worse there. The water and OB found me more than I would like to admit, it was a fun experience though, getting a feel for it.

I have also played Hamilton G&C a few times, the site of last years Canadian Open. The course is a killer for me. Not a flat lie to be found in the darn place! Amazing to see those guys play great approach shots that I can only dream of.

Similar experiences at Harbour Town in HH. I have played TPC Myrtle Beach, not a PGA course, but one that has held NC tourney's. I did better there interestingly, where I carded an 86, which for me is good. The greens were fast, but I was able to keep it in the fairway that day.

I like playing courses I have seen on TV, and even more I like watching PGA rounds on TV after playing the course, because I can relate to it more.

ted_b · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 Apr 2013, 09:17 pm »

Many. Harbour Town (12+), Firestone (8+), Copperhead (5-6), TPC Sawgrass (5-6), Canterbury (4), Kapalua Plantation (5), TPC Scottsdale (2), TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas (5+), Pebble Beach (2), Torrey Pines, Inverness, TPC Blue Monster, Kiawah Island and several more. I shot a 74 at Torrey Pines South the afternoon after I was promoted to a VP position at Oracle years ago, and was waiting for a redeye flight back to Cleveland. THAT was a good day.

rodge827 · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 Apr 2013, 09:25 pm »

Quote from: mcgsxr on 23 Apr 2013, 08:18 pm

I have played TPC Myrtle Beach, not a PGA course, but one that has held NC tourney's. I did better there interestingly, where I carded an 86, which for me is good. The greens were fast, but I was able to keep it in the fairway that day.

When I played there it was our last day of a 5 day trip. We had 12 guys and throughout the week every score was posted to handicap and it was our Championship round for all the cash. Played terrible and don't remember the score, but hey the beer was cold!

The Senior Tour did play there for a while, so maybe it should count.

I live about 20mins from the Seaview Resort where the LPGA plays the Shop-Rite Classic. It's a Donald Ross design that reaches out to the marshes of Absecon. It's not a very long course but if the wind is up and your flatstick anit workin' you will be in for a long day. I have had the chance to play the course on the Monday after the tournament. It was much more enjoyable and easier to play when in tournament condition.

saeyedoc · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 Apr 2013, 09:28 pm »

A lot depends on how they set the course up. I was a member at Oak Hills, it used to host the TX open and hosted a senior event until fairly recently. They would actually cut the rough down for the seniors so they didn't look like fools trying to hit out of deep Bermuda and some holes were shortened. The greens would be lightening fast though. It's still amazing how consistent they are. Oak Hills is a tough course, but fairly short by today's standards.
They would hold a tournament for the members the day after the tour event and keep the pins in the same spots, very difficult.

ted_b · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 Apr 2013, 09:50 pm »

Very true. My 74 at Torrey South was not from the tips; not white but not the pro tees.

I played Inverness (Toledo) the week after the '93 PGA Championship, and played it from the pro tees (some of which were newly created). Not a freaking chance.

And the course was beat to death, of course, with all the PGA sized divots (the rough and spectator areas were amazingly well kept though). The greens had to be 13+..like glass, but true as hell. Two playing partners putted off the green from within 10 feet at least twice.

paul canady · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Apr 2013, 10:52 pm »

I like both courses at Torrey and they are very fair but Bethpage Black is rated as one of the toughest courses in the U.S. and would love to take my new R1 out for a spin there. You have to bend the ball on the Black course off the tee or hit it on a frozen rope to the correct spot. If you don't you are bending your next shot.
Two of my friends played Bethpage Black and one of them is a plus two and the other is 5 handicap. The plus two shot an 87 from the tips but never saw the course before. He said he could play the course everyday and not get bored. He has played Torrey many times and his best to date is a 69 from the tips there.

I have played Greyhawk Raptor in Scottsdale, PGA Stadium in Palm Springs, Dove Mountain Tucson, Torrey Pines, Montreaux in Reno. The PGA has stopped at all of these and they are great course. They all have there difficulties but the toughest course I have ever played is called The Dragon which is located close to Portola in Northern Cal. It is actually Clio CA. Their motto was " send me your heroes". It was so hard that people just stopped playing and then they had management issues which closed the course for awhile. Now they are restructuring the course to make it more playable and changed the name to Nakoma. The fly over on this course is pretty cool but they don't show just how much it really slopes in the fairway and greens. No straight putts or flat lies. They shortened the course by about 500 yards from the tips and it still has a 144 slope rating compared to the 152 slope rating that Bethpage Black carries. U.S. Open slope rating is probably in the 160's.

http://nakomagolfresort.com/Golf/DailyFees/tabid/2378/Default.aspx

timind · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 12:08 am »

No, but I did caddy at one when I was a kid.
Do they still use caddies at country clubs like back in the 60s?

vinyl_guy · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 01:07 am »

I grew up in Denver and have played Cherry Hills Country Club many times. Cherry Hills has been the site of 3 U.S. Opens, including 1960 when Arnie charged from 7 back on the back nine to win. The club also has hosted two PGA Championships and several USGA amuteur tournaments. I have also played Castle Pines where they played the International, and Columbine Country Club, site of two PGA Championships. I have also played both courses at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, site of two U.S. Women's Opens and a Men's Senior Open. Each course features a nine designed by Donald Ross and one by Robert Trent Jones.

Last spring I played TPC Scottsdale in March from the white tees (about 6100 yds) and shot 80. I broke 80 a couple of times at Cherry Hills and a couple of times at Columbine. I also have played a couple of LPGA courses, Meridian Valley in Kent WA and Columbia Edgewater in Portland OR and shot in the 70s. I generally try to play from tees that put the yardage between 6,000 and 6,300 yards.

Laura

rklein · « **Reply #9 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 01:23 am »

Played Firestone once (of course the South course!) We played our own ball and I was all full of myself as I was only three over after 6 holes. That is until I got to a 165 yard par 3 and ended up in a pot hole bunker. After my fourth attempt to get out and on the green, I flew the ball out and ended up about 20 yards past the green.

We won't even talk about the 635 yard 16th hole....

Also played Canterbury about 5 times. They still use caddies there.

Randy

Doublej · « **Reply #10 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 02:10 am »

Rhode Island Country Club. Every green was crowned, made of glass and well protected. I think I shot a 65...on the back 9.

WireNut · « **Reply #11 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 02:28 am »

I live on a golf course, 10 years now, but have never played. Should probably take it up i guess.

SoCalWJS · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 03:14 am »

Sounds like there are some serious and very good golfers in here!

I've played Pebble Beach, Plantation, Princeville (used to host a tournament), and La Jolla South Course. They all kicked my behind pretty good - 10 or more stokes over my average. Plantation had a steady 25+ MPH wind and I didn't handle it well. When I played La Jolla, they were starting to set it up - rough was getting THICK, grandstands were being assembled - tough conditions. I seemed to be a club short on most shots, no good idea as to why. Pebble was just too incredibly beautiful - tough to focus.

I need to practice a LOT more.....

*edit - oh yeah. Played Silverstone in Napa a few months ago - used to hold a Tournament there as well. Maybe 5 strokes over my average.

JLM · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 09:53 am »

Played Warwick Hills (former Buick Open site near Flint Michigan) in a charity scramble two weeks after the PGA had been there. The PGA winning scores most years were typically -20, but damn those greens were fast. I was a new golfer then, but my impression, other than fast greens, was pretty ordinary (not that long/tough).

Also played Three Tops at Tree Tops, Gaylord Michigan (mockups of 9 signature par threes) where ESPN used to show a two day skins contest that always had the pros miked and included Fuzzy and Fred Couples. By then I was a better golfer and playing my own ball, so made for a better comparison to them (and tons more fun). It was a beautiful fall day in northern Michigan (leaves turning color, deer steps from the greens, and good friends to share a couple of hours with).

murphy11 · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 12:53 pm »

I have played Medinah, Harbour Town and Torrey Pines in the US (prob more I've forgotten) and many in the UK including St Andrews Old Course, Turnberry, Carnoustie, Royal Lytham and others. Remember all of the courses are played by members or players of varying abilities so they all have many tee boxes and pin placements on the greens. Almost any course is playable by the average golfer when setup normally for non-tournament conditions.

In Scotland you see almost as many people on or around the course walking dogs as golfers. St Andrews has a walking path that cuts across the 1st and 18th fairways and the town owns the course. This is true for many if not all of the Scottish public courses and almost all of them are public. I had drinks with a guy after playing the Old Course and he said in '99 the townspeople were up in arms because they raised the yearly fee for the Old Course(s) from 91 pounds to 95 pounds ... per YEAR for the townspeople.

BobM · « **Reply #15 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 02:05 pm »

I think the speed of the greens is what truly separates an enjoyable round from a frustrating round. This past weekend the greens were fast and hard, because they haven't really started growing yet. I hit some great shots to the middle of the green, and they all rolled to the back. Not even a ball mark. If they were summer greens the ball would have stuck for me just fine.

Yeah, I've putted off the green from about 15 feet away on some really fast courses. Hard to adjust after playing public courses most of the time. Then going back to the public course afterwards and every putt is left 5' short.

The pro's rarely leave a putt or a chip short. Short never goes in the hole.

woodsyi · « **Reply #16 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 04:45 pm »

I had a chance to play a few local courses like Robert Trent Jones GC, Congressional and Avenel which have hosted PGA events. Little further out I played Bulle Rock in Maryland that hosted either LPGA or Senior events and Golden Horseshoe in Williamsburg, Va. In West Coast, I got to play both Torrey pines, Reviera and Pumpkin Ridge which I believe held US Amateur. In my travels, I got to play Penha Longa in Portugal which held Euro events. I am planning a Scottish trip soon. I have also played a bunch of resort courses that are really good and challenging. Championship courses make you concentrate on every shot. You have to think a new at a new courses whereas you kind of play mindlessly at your home course because you are so used to it. You don't even think about club selection off the tee because it's so routine. Having to plan a course of action every hole, choosing clubs, executing different shots as required: all make it fun to play at a new courses especially when it's challenging.

Most of all, I am just happy to play every weekend. I play with the same guys at the same place at the same time every weekend but it never gets old. When carryovers build and the pot grows, I still get tense even though it's chump change we play for.

Go out there and play!

Audioclyde · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 05:42 pm »

I've been fortunate to play a pretty good number of courses where Tour events have been held (including So. Hills here in Tulsa--I'm a member of a different club, but usually get to play SH 6-7 times a year). I'll never forget my 1st experience of playing a tournament setup--at Bay Hill on the Monday following Arnold's tournament back in the early 90's. We were there for Sat. & Sunday of the tournament (which was also the first PGA tournament I'd attended in person). After watching the pros, and hearing everyone talk about the speed of the greens, when I got on the green on 1 and went to hit my first putt (about an 18' for par

), I left it about 8-9 feet short 'cause I'd psyched myself out so much about the speed of the greens!!

Played Spyglass from the tips once....I agree with Dan Jenkins, it's 150 acres of unplayable lie!! Especially from back there, it didn't matter how well I drove it, it seemed I always had 200+ uphill left!!

Randy

jhm731 · « **Reply #18 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 06:28 pm »

Quote from: woodsyi on 24 Apr 2013, 04:45 pm

Most of all, I am just happy to play every weekend. I play with the same guys at the same place at the same time every weekend but it never gets old. When carryovers build and the pot grows, I still get tense even though it's chump change we play for.

Whenever Michael Jordan gets on the golf course and his friends ask the stakes of the game–how much money they’re betting against one another–rumor has it that his stock response is: “Whatever makes you nervous.”

PS, here's the view from my listening room:

paul canady · « **Reply #19 on:** 24 Apr 2013, 06:47 pm »

Quote from: jhm731 on 24 Apr 2013, 06:28 pm

PS, here's the view from my listening room:

Nice! I live on a golf course that closed do to the economy and was not managed properly. They asked residents to pay $29 a month to keep the course open and to keep property value stable. Most of the residents voted no so they closed.

Now I have a driving range in my back yard with a synthetic putting green to follow in the near future.