The Distance Debate - Comments from a caddy @ the PGA

[NCGolfer]

I got this in an email this morning. Interesting stuff. Makes you think a bit.

> From Fred Funk's caddy, Mark Long:
>
>
> Watching the Golf Channel...they seem obsessed with the yardage on
> the card. But maybe they don't realize how short the course played
> today???
>
> (for instance, they keep harping on the brutal 500 yard par four 6th.
> We had 5 iron in there, almost 6. Is that brutally long to you???)
>
>
> Here's Fred's breakdown...and he's one of the shorter hitters, so...
>
> Driver, 6 iron
>
> Rescue, 7 iron
>
> Driver, wedge out of rough, 9 iron
>
> 5 iron
>
> Driver, 8 iron
>
> Driver, punch out of rough, wedge
>
> Driver, 5 iron
>
> Driver, 9 iron
>
> 4 iron
>
> Driver, 7 iron
>
> Driver, 6 iron
>
> 4 iron
>
> Driver, 7 iron
>
> Driver, 9 iron
>
> Driver, 8 iron
>
> 3 iron
>
> Driver, Rescue, wedge
>
> Driver, 3w (par five)
>
> OK, so the longest club into a par four was a 5 iron. Granted, we
> were in the rough on 3 and 6, which probably would have been 3 or 4
> iron seconds...but the course just didn't play long at all today.
>
> Fred struggled a bit off the tee first 6 holes. Twice in the
> gunch...and first cut 3 times. I told him to get a little closer to
> it (actually noticed that on the range, but he was striping it, so I
> kept that quiet until something really needed to be tried) and he
> toed his right foot out a little which really helped. Balance looked
> a lot
> better after that.
>
> Hit 14 greens. Best shot of the day, on 11, went over...hit it too
> good. But made a great up and down there, then a good 10 footer on 12
> for birdie, and that got him going.
>
> Back nine was really there for the taking. KPerry tripled 7 and then
> shot 31 on the back. He and Fred were combined +6 after 9 holes...and
> finished combined -2. Pretty good stuff.
>
> You sure feel good breaking 70 to start a major. Out early
> tomorrow...it will play a little longer, but greens will hold a touch
> better and putt a bit better, so...
>
> Fred hit it pretty solid overall...and made a couple of putts. I
> think that will continue...

[Rickins]

Well, from my perspective...

Actually, beyond Phil winning, what tickles me is when a "classic" course has a major champion winning at -4 as opposed to -14. Equipment be damned... (Can I say that?)

Hopefully I won't give offense but, I'm tired of the pros griping about course conditions when the vast majority of us would "sport wood" just to be be let through the front gates of the courses they play. From the interviews I saw, and to their credit, the players I watched, Fred Funk among them, saw Baltusrol as a fair test of a professional golfer's skill. Good.

I'm happy to see a venerable course hold up under the onslaught of high-tech, millonaire "gadgetry". (Did I just "soap-box"?)

Rick

P.S. Fred Funk is one of the very few pros I think I'd like to play a casual round with. I hit driver, he hits 3-iron...you know...

[iacas]

I'm happy to see a venerable course hold up under the onslaught of high-tech, millonaire "gadgetry". (Did I just "soap-box"?)

Except, of course, that Baltusrol was the longest par-70 major course in history, and has a 650-yard par 5... right?

But I'm just picking on you. I agree. It held up just fine. The leaderboard is a good one, too, so the course properly weeded out the weaker players.

[Sando]

Thanks for sharing NCG. Is Mark Long a friend? Nice to have connections. Funk is definitely a regular guy.

I heard Monty talking on the TV about others touting him as so accurate into the green. His point was that because he was in the fairway off the tee that allowed him to hit as many greens as he did. Accuracy off the tee makes a long course shorter. Obvious stuff but easily forgotten.

[iacas]

Thanks for sharing NCG. Is Mark Long a friend? Nice to have connections. Funk is definitely a regular guy.

Wasn't Monty like +10 in two days and missed the cut????

[Sando]

Heh. Yeah, he must have been referring to his old self...

[Rickins]

But I'm just picking on you. I agree. It held up just fine. The leaderboard is a good one, too, so the course properly weeded out the weaker players.

You pick on me all you like, Erik. Keeps me on my game.

Rick