mp33man

I would agree with this with this eception, in the case of most sports the defenders are getting bigger and stronger at the same rate as the offensive players whereas in golf you are playing against the course. In an effort to combat longer hitters we have in lengthened courses which in some cases either changes the layout or makes them all together obsolete... if we are ok with some of our games oldest and most historic courses becoming obsolete then you are correct, "so long as everyone is playing by the same rules, it doesn't matter". My only issue with the above is that we pride ourselves and take such pride in the fact that our game is so steeped in tradition history and yet we are so willing to throw tradition and history out of the window all in the name of watching the long ball.

I will say that $70 for a set of mp33 is fantastic, if they are in decent shape. I am on my third ser since college and have tried many different types, manufactures, and shaft combos and always end up going back to my old set up... that being said I will agree with David that they can make the game tough as a higher hadicapper (I am speaking as a fellow higher handicapper, no judgement here).

I agree with David that central Florida has more courses than anywhere but that you do have to work to find a good one. That being said there are tons of semi-private courses that you can get onto for reasonable rates. I also like NC/SC. Wilmington and Charlotte areas in particular are littered with cool little courses that are in good shape.

I actually think that I was agreeing with this? I was making the point that the big three sports argument doesn't work with the idea that equipment advances have changed the game exponentially. The biggest change in the big three sports, as iacas listed, has in fact been the ability of the athlete himself/herself. The physical condition of golfers has also been improved but technological advances in equipment have made it tougher for the courses to "play defense", the only way for a grass, sand, and water opponent to improve is to increase in length (giggity), height, and bunker/water amount. This has rendered some of the games great courses obsolete/irrelevant to the best of tour players (this was my last point that golf seems to embrace tradition better than the rest but has not done so with equipment advances).

Already bought water and canned food. Don't wait till people get crazy, right?

I voted yes. I don't know that this argument works due to the fact that 1) the basketball (leather), hoop (still 10' and nylon), and basketball floors (still wooden) have remained the same. The athletes have gotten stronger, jump higher, dunk more often, can carry the ball instead of dribble but the equipment has remained fairly true to its roots. No equipment change has made 12' hoops necessary. 2) The football (leather with laces), and shoes have remained the same. Football helmets and pads have changed alot but mostly to protect the athlete. Football players have become much stronger and faster but again there hasn't really been an equipment change that has made it necessary to make the field 150 yards long (they did move the goalposts to the back of the endzone, good move :). 3) Baseball is, I think, the best example of this point in that the ball ( leather with laces), with exception to the deadball era, has remained the same. The bats (wooden) have remained the same, and I believe that they are starting to use wood again in College next year. When I was playing they were already starting to limit the aluminum bats in an effort to protect the game and the player, even at the highschool level. Older fields are still usable because of these reasons and the only way that players could find an edge was by pumping themselves full of cow roids. I should retract a little though. I don't think that the ball is the only issue but I also don't believe that hitting the ball as long as tour pros do is in keeping with the way that the game was meant to be played (part fives should not be driver - 8 iron holes). Equipment advances have changed the way that older/shorter courses are played and I would think that golfers would be pissed about that because our game is the ultimate game of tradition/history. That being said, I almost feel that the R&A and USGA have let it get to a point of no return and to change now would do more damage than no change at all.

College football and Oktoberfest... or Oktoberfest and college football. Separately or together, by far the best time of the year.