Category: Hot Topics

Augusta to be Lengthened

Augusta National is being lengthened yet again. Yawwwwwwn. When will these people ever learn that it ain’t distance that’s dropping scoring averages?

HootieAccording to various reports, Augusta National is going to be lengthened from 7,290 yards to 7,445 yards for the 2006 Masters, making it the second longest course in major championship history. Tees at holes 1, 4, 7, 11, 15, and 17 (pars 4, 3, 4, 4, 5, and 4) will be moved back.

The longest course in major history was Whistling Straits, which measured 7,514 when it hosted last year’s PGA Championship. Said Augusta National Chairman Hootie Johnson of the changes:

Since the first Masters in 1934, this golf course has evolved and that process continues. Our objective is to maintain the integrity and shot values of the golf course as envisioned by Bobby Jones and Alister Mackenzie. Players’ scores are not a factor. We will keep the golf course current with the times.

Hootie Johnson has also floated the idea – on several occasions – of having a special “Masters ball” that travelled shorter distances in an effort to reign in the obscene distances today’s pros are hitting the ball.

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The Sand Trap – A New Take

The Sand Trap: now with a tad less news and a bit more commentary on the news, right alongside a new schedule and a dose of new columns.

Over the past few months, The Sand Trap has wandered a bit off course. For example, our daily recaps of PGA and LPGA action. That’s news you can get elsewhere.

The Sand Trap is heading in a new direction. Instead of news, you’ll get commentary on the news. We’re moving to a new publishing schedule, and I’d like to step through it with you. Comments are welcome.

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Campbell Not Being Given his Due

A reader writes in with some poignant thoughts on the 105th U.S. Open and the media reaction to a Campbell victory.

We received an email from The Sand Trap reader Bruce Hardie on Tuesday, and we’d like to share it.

I’m a fan of The Sand Trap and you and the rest of your writers should be congratulated.

I’m surprised, and maybe even a little hurt, by some of the reactions to Michael Campbell’s win. Some of the press seem to think that he was some second rate scrub who got lucky.

Ned Barnett says “Campbell’s win was great for his career, his bank account and his family, but it wasn’t great for golf… The leaderboard was full of little-known international players who are little-known for a reason.”

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Pinehurst Pity Party Planned for Vijay

Vijay Singh is one of the best in the world, but does he really believe that nobody else could break 100 on a U.S. Open course?

Pinehurst US OpenAs the world’s best golfers tee off at Pinehurst No. 2 this morning, I’m still chuckling about a wayward shot world No. 2 Vijay Singh fired off in the media tent yesterday. Vijay obviously doesn’t practice humility or common sense as much as he does his golf game.

So Vijay rolls into the media tent. No one ever expects him to have much of interest to say, and he obliges with all the boilerplate comments about the great shape Pinehurst No. 2 is in, etc.

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On Location at the 2005 U.S. Open – Wednesday Practice Round

Dave Koster checks in from Pinehurst and the Wednesday practice round at the 2005 U.S. Open.

This report comes to us from Pinehurst #2 courtesty of Dave Koster, scratch golfer, North Carolina resident, and friend of The Sand Trap.

Pinehurst is a special place. There is no doubt about it. I have been there only one other time. I played #5 and got to enjoy watching a good friend of mine play a game of croquet at their famous courts. That was during a cold day in December a couple years back. My second trip was different.

Fast forward to June 2005. The word of the day: Hot. Well, maybe there are two words of the day. The first is ‘Hot’ and the second should be ‘Water’. One was in high demand and the other was not. I think that you can guess which one is which. That’s enough about the weather and reminiscing about times past. On to the good stuff.

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First Look at the Callaway HX Tour 56 Golf Ball

The HX Tour golf ball — also known as the Callaway Black — has been one of the top balls on tour for more than a year. Now it has a new sibling: the HX Tour 56.

HX56 SideOne of the worst-kept secrets in golf equipment this year is that Callaway Golf has a new ball being tested on the pro tours. While the HX Tour ball has been a staple on tour for more than a year, Phil Mickelson has been very public in his praise of this new prototype ball, code-named HX Tour 56.

While the HX Tour 56 ball is generating a lot of buzz, not many details about the ball have come out. But The Sand Trap was fortunate enough to score a few sleeves of the new ball for some testing prior to the HX Tour’s scheduled mid-summer retail release. Did it live up to the HX Tour reputation?

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Jack’s Tournament on the PGA Tour Contraction Chopping Block

The Memorial – due to Jack’s reputation with the powers-that-be – may find its neck on the chopping block come “contraction” time.

Memorial Jack Nicklaus HeadshotJack Nicklaus has built a fine career for himself, and one of the crowning jewels in his lustrous golden cap is his own tournament, The Memorial. With one of the strongest fields in non-major golf, Jack’s tournament is regarded by many as one of the best of the season.

That view, I’ve come to learn, may not be shared by the Tour elite. I’m not talking about Tiger, but Tim. Not a guy from Fiji, but a guy named Finchem. PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and his very astute, very capable team of executives haven’t lost much love for Jack Nicklaus through the years. In fact, it’s safe to say they never really had much to begin with.

In fact, Nicklaus is so far on the outside of Finchem’s camp that, should the PGA Tour season contract this winter, The Memorial may find its neck on the chopping block.

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Player says New Equipment is Ruining the Game

Gary Player wants to take away the metal clubs used by pros and put wooden clubs in their hands. My reaction? Nice knowing you, Gary. Have fun in La La Land.

Gary Player SwingingI’ve got all the respect in the world for Gary Player. His record is spotless. Oh, well, except for that cheating thing. But really, Gary Player, a brilliant guy and a great player with a good head on his shoulders. Oh, well, except for those stupid comments he made last week.

Gary Player is asking governing bodies to impose “drastic” restrictions to the equipment used on the professional tours. Says Player, a short hitter even in his prime, “There’s not even a debate. There must be a premium on driving.” New equipment is “ruining the game of golf.”

Player elaborated, saying “I play on the Champions Tour now, and there are guys on it who are shooting scores that they could never shoot when they were young men. It just doesn’t make sense, and it’s ruining golf.”

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Tiger Woods: Driving Analysis

An animated graph details Tiger Woods’ driving statistics from 2000 to 2005, as well as the rest of the PGA Tour.

It’s common knowledge that Tiger Woods has gained a lot of distance with his new large-headed Nike driver. Right? I mean, c’mon, we saw him hit some absolutely huge monsters at Doral, didn’t we?

In the face of statistical analysis, well, that’s not necessarily true. Paul Kedrosky has plugged in the numbers, and here you can see Tiger Woods’ driving statistics in 2000 and 2005 (red dot). While his accuracy has dropped considerably, his yardage hasn’t increased substantially. What’s worse, the rest of the PGA Tour (indicated in 2000 by blue dots and in 2005 by green) has dramatically increased with little overall impact to driving accuracy:

Tiger Woods Driving Comparison

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