ST Alpha - "So at the risk inciting Hunting's ire, it seems to me that the PGA created their own problem that DeChambeau exploited -- (edited)" (Reading a Post)

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So at the risk inciting Hunting's ire, it seems to me that the PGA created their own problem that DeChambeau exploited -- (edited)

Posted by JD (aka Jason Dean) Sep 22 '20, 17:40

So if I read the coverage correctly, the PGA set up Winged Foot to penalize the big swingers and try to reward accuracy with super narrow fairways and super high rough. Specifically to penalize just swinging away and reward accuracy. What they seemingly ended up with is a course where nobody hit the fairways, everybody was in the rough and it turned out that the guy who was in the rough closer to the green made out the best of it.

As a side note, for the limited coverage I watched it seemed to me that Dechambeau could more than serviceably putt so he's not like the guys in those driving contests?

My vague following of the sport is that this is an ongoing effort for years and years in trying to Tiger proof courses. If they keep trying to add length to courses, I don't think they're going to stop the big hitters. They're just going to unearth the big hitters with all around games. Kind of like the NBA is undergoing an evolution with regards to 7 footers. The evolution to the 3 point line hasn't completely gotten rid of taller players (though the Rockets gave it a try) but instead has self selected players like Davis and Jokic who are tall and can shoot from deep and pass.

If they really want to try to even out the field, maybe they should go shorter? Like way shorter? Make it so that 50%? 80% of the field can make the initial drive which negates the ability to hit it 400+ yards?

Responses:

The can make all putting greens Poa grass-- -- nm - flavorize Sep 22, 19:02
It's stupid they have been going for all those 260-yds par 3, 500-yds par 4 and 680-yds par 5. There are alternatives on how to force a guy to go - Marlowe Sep 22, 18:15 2
- Make the par 4’s 310 yards with trouble long and sides. - Will Hunting Sep 22, 18:19 1
  - You can make use of inclination, break down fairways, do what you said. One of the most famous Par 3's in The Open rotation is 100yds. Pebble Beach - Marlowe Sep 22, 18:39
Oh and if they really wanted to DeChambeau proof things, they should institute a shot clock, er, swing clock? Stroke clock kind of sounds dirty -- nm - JD Sep 22, 17:46 4
- yeah, watching him is brutal -- nm - Beaker Sep 22, 17:51
- They have one. They never use it unless you’re an amateur they can penalize. -- nm - Will Hunting Sep 22, 17:48 2
  - Then they should enforce it. I mean isn't this the sport that pros routinely call penalties on themselves? -- nm - JD Sep 22, 17:54 1
    - Part of the problem for them is if they do call it, the players get pissy and then they start looking elsewhere. There is nothing to - Will Hunting Sep 22, 18:03

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So at the risk inciting Hunting's ire, it seems to me that the PGA created their own problem that DeChambeau exploited -- (edited)

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