2020 PGA Tour

[hippo10]

Got any footage of the other 140 odd players in the field addressing the ball while in the rough?

Because if everyone does it that makes it ok?

[Johnny Canuck]

Because if everyone does it that makes it ok?

I’d say because the rules permit you to address your ball in the rough it’s ok.

[markTHEblake]

Anyone watching on Foxtel Go?The CC ( closed caption) is on and i cant turn if off as there is no icon and it covers up the ball or hole, incredibly annoying.I am watching on Ipad airplay to Apple Tv. The CC is not showing on the ipad

I’d say because the rules permit you to address your ball in the rough it’s ok.

Funnny that 🤣

[PerryGroves]

Some of the footage on social media this week has been insane. Greens that roll like concrete, rough that is 3 foot off the green and 4 inches deep.

Anyway, I am backing Will Zalatoris for a top 10. Go the Korn Ferry striper

Zalatoris top 10 was my only bet too. Would be great to see.

Great tipping lads, what sort of price did you get.

I don't watch much golf these days so hadn't heard of him, obviously got some game.

[Ron Burgundy]

Great tipping lads, what sort of price did you get. I don't watch much golf these days so hadn't heard of him, obviously got some game.

$10. Seemed like good value. He’s absolutely killing it on the KF tour. Getting screwed by the COVID induced reach around season so likely won’t be able to get to the PGA tour for another year.

[petethepilot]

Well that was a fun watch!?
72 hole stroke play shits me.
I may be an outlier but matchplay at pro level is much more interesting!

[chappy1970]

I'm not a fan of De Shampoo, but you have to hand it to him, he was steady the whole tournament.

Watching some coverage on the US Open app this morning, the commentators were suggesting that being a muscle-bound gorilla was potentially the new norm, as the length Bryson has off the tee, just gives him too much of an advantage.

This, IMO, is a complete knee jerk reaction. Every golfer has their day and today was Bryson's. This doesn't mean that the tour needs to change courses, because the Hulk is playing. He may go out and miss the cut in his next tournament.

When Tiger streaked the field and won by plenty, it didn't mean that courses needed to be set up more difficult. He is just a once in a generation player.

[Matt 3 Jab]

Agree chappy, they didn't need to lengthen and toughen the courses, bit they did. And here we are, where length is needed to really compete. It's become a driver's game.

Not saying short hitters don't compete BUT they are at a massive disadvantage.

When when the rough is thick, it's easier to hit a wedge from it than a 7 iron. Playing into the hands of the longer hitters.

RM showed that good design doesn't have to be long. But American courses rely on the thick rough around the greens, where run off short grass is the most difficult to chip off.

[oldracer]

Really enjoyed it, interesting that Wolff outdrove BAD all day but where the hulk did shine was gouging his required yardage when he was in the rough, takes strength. Glad he won.

[markTHEblake]

When Tiger streaked the field and won by plenty, it didn't mean that courses needed to be set up more difficult. He is just a once in a generation player.

They did react to Tiger. Augusta was beefed up in a big way after he lapped the field in his first masters.A distinctive characteristic of Winged Foot is relatively few trees. Seemed to make hardly any difference to missing a fairway by 2m or 10. Players would have been more conservative otherwise. I can see one way that golf can BDC proof courses is by making wider fairway misses more penalising with perhaps lots of undulations.

[3Puttpete]

They did react to Tiger. Augusta was beefed up in a big way after he lapped the field in his first masters.A distinctive characteristic of Winged Foot is relatively few trees. Seemed to make hardly any difference to missing a fairway by 2m or 10. Players would have been more conservative otherwise. I can see one way that golf can BDC proof courses is by making wider fairway misses more penalising with perhaps lots of undulations.

To do this you’d have to get rid of crowds. They’ll be back sooner or later

[CanuckDownUnder]

Change the characteristics of the ball and there will be no need to redevelop courses.If you could do that With COR then you should be able to restrict with ball design.Play with range balls for real...

[Ferrins]

Has anyone won a PGA event with one of the smaller ball makes like Vice, Seed, Snell ,Vision and such?

[Stuart]

As Matt, MTB and others pointed out, missing the fairways was a given for all players in the field this week. So missing it and leaving yourself a wedge is much easier than missing it and having a mid-iron.

So, I reckon (and have done for many years) that they got the whole 'graduated rough' concept arse-about ever since they tried to 'Tiger' proof courses. Rather than making the rough longer the further you are from the centre of the fairway, but consistent along the length of the fairway, they should graduate the length of the rough UP the sides of the fairway.

Using a 400 metre par 4 as an example: there should be literally no rough from the tee box up until the 250 metre mark. It then gets progressively longer from 250 metres until it is 10 cms (or whatever) deep at the 300+metre mark. If you can bomb it straight, you get a huge advantage. But shorter hitters are not penalised anywhere near as much, as they are still hitting a controllable shot from the short-stuff all the time.

[3Puttpete]

Change the characteristics of the ball and there will be no need to redevelop courses.If you could do that With COR then you should be able to restrict with ball design.Play with range balls for real...

Because the ball goes too far?What’s the maximum distance any player should be able to hit the ball?

[Matt 3 Jab]

Because the ball goes too far?What’s the maximum distance any player should be able to hit the ball?

I think it's not about the ball itself going too far, but not spinning enough.

As people have said, Bryson or tiger (or jack or GN in their days) hit it longer than most, BUT if you make the ball spin more, the harder you hit it the more risk it'll be way left or right. Good for them if they can control it, but look out if they can't!

Bryson may still be the longest BUT he could also hit a few OB.

And the weather (mainly wind) would have greater influence on shots.

#makespingreatagain

[3Puttpete]

I think it's not about the ball itself going too far, but not spinning enough. As people have said, Bryson or tiger (or jack or GN in their days) hit it longer than most, BUT if you make the ball spin more, the harder you hit it the more risk it'll be way left or right. Good for them if they can control it, but look out if they can't! Bryson may still be the longest BUT he could also hit a few OB. And the weather (mainly wind) would have greater influence on shots.#makespingreatagain

The shorter hitters will hit it further off line too

[Matt 3 Jab]

I'd disagree but just me personally.

Go grab a few balatas as hit a few in the fairway with a controlled swing and then try and blast a few.

Yes you'll get a couple youll smash straight but some may be well offline

That for me would be the risk / reward off the tee

Then into greens the same thing.

I don't think something HAS to be done, I like professional golf to be different, but it's one idea

[3Puttpete]

I'd disagree but just me personally.Go grab a few balatas as hit a few in the fairway with a controlled swing and then try and blast a few. Yes you'll get a couple youll smash straight but some may be well offlineThat for me would be the risk / reward off the teeThen into greens the same thing. I don't think something HAS to be done, I like professional golf to be different, but it's one idea

I get it but Bryson swinging at 75% to maintain control is still somebody else swinging at 100% to keep up. I’m with you though, I don’t see a problem with it but if people want to control how far somebody hits a ball, the only option is to designate landing hitting zones for each shot. I think that’s what the drive, pitch and putt mob do. Either that or design courses with a bunch of islands forcing them to leap frog their way up each hole.

[Ron Burgundy]

Bryson wouldn’t swing at 75% just out of principle.

The point is not to regulate how far everybody is able to hit it, it’s to make hitting it a long way riskier. Driver used to be to hardest club to hit for pros. Now it’s the easiest, because the club heads are huge and forgiving, and the ball doesn’t spin. Make the ball spin again, make club heads smaller with reduced MOI and tighten up the CT testing and then we’re back in business. Otherwise we wake up in 20 years and we’re already at drive, pitch and putt at the pro level.

Let amateurs use whatever they want and tighten it up for the pros. They use control balls in every other ball sport, why not golf. The equipment is bifurcated in other sports too.

[exmrblonde]

I don’t really like this guy, but definitely has some interesting content sometimes that perks up my nerdy side.
This one I found particularly interesting where he tests the new ball/balata theories.
I think it addresses a lot of what this discussion is about.

https://youtu.be/CnghW8eHjJU

[Matt 3 Jab]

Baseball is a classic equipment bifurcation sport. No one cares

[3Puttpete]

Bryson wouldn’t swing at 75% just out of principle. The point is not to regulate how far everybody is able to hit it, it’s to make hitting it a long way riskier. Driver used to be to hardest club to hit for pros. Now it’s the easiest, because the club heads are huge and forgiving, and the ball doesn’t spin. Make the ball spin again, make club heads smaller with reduced MOI and tighten up the CT testing and then we’re back in business. Otherwise we wake up in 20 years and we’re already at drive, pitch and putt at the pro level. Let amateurs use whatever they want and tighten it up for the pros. They use control balls in every other ball sport, why not golf. The equipment is bifurcated in other sports too.

Phrase it however you want but isn’t the ultimate aim to get them to stop hitting it so far?

[3Puttpete]

Baseball is a classic equipment bifurcation sport. No one cares

Baseball is run by team owners who pay employees. Pro golf is run by pro golfers whose only concern is making more money as easily as possible. They’re more likely to bifurcate to disregard any restrictions the official rules of golf contain rather than impose restrictions on themselves.

[Matt 3 Jab]

I wouldn't mind if they did that either. Make the PGL or whatever it's going to be unlimited COR, 8500+ yard courses par 75 whatever brings the $$$ in for tv, AND have the Open championship regulated by R&A and roll it all back for that part of the season. And the Masters can do whatever they want too.

You can only make money off what people want to watch and what TV deals you can do.

Having someone shoot 60 vs a good back 9 on a Sunday with 7 people on contention and the possibility of shot making and a different winner each week depending on course and wind and firmness would get me to watch over the current situation each week. But I'm nothing look paying them millions to run a 'charity' so I don't really have a say in it