Traveler's Championship

[Chin Diesel]

Let's try this again and I guess keep it focused on golf.

Course has gotten easier and it needs some more muscle. It is somewhat geographically constrained but there's room to do some stuff to make it more challenging. Adding bunkers at 310-325 yards is kinda boring. One thing is for certain on every tour event. If there is no wind and fairways and greens are soft. These guys are going low no matter what. They'll hit 5-iron in to a green from 220 and stick it with no roll.

Here's some things I'd do.

Overall they need to toughen it 1-1.25 shots per round to lower the final score to somewhere in the mid-teens.

My top changes would be:
1. On the northeast corner of the course near 10's green, 11 and 12's tee. Clear out the trees and make 10 a Par 5 dogleg left. You can add 70-80 yards. Change 11 180 degrees. Instead of 11 a northeast shot, make it southwest. You can then move 12's tee back 30-40 yards. There is a maintenance access road which would have to be re-routed a bit to the north closer to the parking lots in the fields.
2. Move #9 tee box directly to the left of the #8 green. that will add 50-60 yards to that tee shot and keep players from flying tee shots over the dog leg. Need to make an adjustment on Field Rd but that shouldn't be hard either.
3. #16. Make it 10-15 yards longer. Essentially a one club lengthening. You can move the green complex a bit further up and make the lake adjust to have the same shape and contour.
4. #17. Need a bunker to the left of the green or the back of the green. Right now players can bail out left, right or back. Too many options for them.
5. #14. There are some trees behind the green which can be removed to lengthen it 30-40 yards.


I'm sure this will require moving some dirt around, but it's doable. You can plant new trees to replace the cut down trees (and yes I realize it takes time for new trees to mature). One thing the property does have is open fields around the perimeter for all the parking to add some yardage.
6. #8. Room to add a tee box 20-30 yards further back. Not sure if the big tree impacts it, but there's room.

 

[NJHusky]

I’ve never been so can’t comment specifically, but having small creeks that traverse the course or close to rough at key distances work better than bunkers imo. most bunkers really arent a penalty for these guys…water on the other hand.

 

[cullaville]

Since all the players are playing the same course difficulty is relative.

 

[cohenzone]

In general i agree that the course yields winning scores that suggest the course isn’t as challenging as it could be. But there are plenty of very good players who don’t go exceptionally low. What specific changes are possible to toughen up a few holes i don’t know. I think moving 17 green away from the lake would make the hole easier for these guys without other gimmicks. Some balls do find the water now

The old 9 hole course had 2 very steep up hill holes. When the tour bought the place and changed the lay out, it took steep hills away and ran back nine fairways along the side of the hill

I got to play this course once years ago in a fund raiser that was on a dangerously hot day. The event kept bringing ice water and cold towels out to the players. I was lousy but managed 2 pars, 10 and 16. 16 was the only hole we got to use the tournament tee box. Hit a 6 iron right over the flag to about 20 feet. One of my more memorable golf holes. Not sure i can reach with a driver now.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

The greens and surrounding areas need to be modified. Downhill elevation changes on approaches would be nice but they screwed that up a long time ago.

 

[controlfade]

Just adding length will not correct it, the course is just too easy for these guys today with the equipment they have and players are soo much physically better. The course needs a major renovation, with all the houses they have built and with a bunch of holes having tee boxes backed up to the property line it will require a major change.

 

[uconnfan68]

In general i agree that the course yields winning scores that suggest the course isn’t as challenging as it could be. But there are plenty of very good players who don’t go exceptionally low. What specific changes are possible to toughen up a few holes i don’t know. I think moving 17 green away from the lake would make the hole easier for these guys without other gimmicks. Some balls do find the water now

The old 9 hole course had 2 very steep up hill holes. When the tour bought the place and changed the lay out, it took steep hills away and ran back nine fairways along the side of the hill

I got to play this course once years ago in a fund raiser that was on a dangerously hot day. The event kept bringing ice water and cold towels out to the players. I was lousy but managed 2 pars, 10 and 16. 16 was the only hole we got to use the tournament tee box. Hit a 6 iron right over the flag to about 20 feet. One of my more memorable golf holes. Not sure i can reach with a driver now.

The course was always 18 holes, at least back to the mid 50s. #2 was a very uphill par 3, now a very short uphill par 4. Not really drivable because of risk/reward, not distance. Old course #15 was a long par 5, with steep downhill the last 150. Old #18 was a par 3, going over the gorge that now holds the 18th green.

I’m not convinced they can add enough distance to make it that much more difficult. If they can take driver out of people’s hands, they make it easier for the whole field. It would have played much harder if we didn’t have so much rain.

 

[McLovin]

Is the scoring really a concern? I think the low scoring (and the possibility of seeing a player in the 50s) makes it fun. A lot of the years the leaderboard is tight on Sunday and makes for a great event down the stretch.

13 times, since it became the Travelers in 2007, the winner has won by 1 stroke or in a playoff.

The scoring hasn’t stopped fans from coming, players from coming or the PGA making it one of their big purse marquee events.

Since it always comes after the US Open, I bet it’s fun for the players to go out there and just tear it up after being brutalized the week before.

 

[cohenzone]

Just adding length will not correct it, the course is just too easy for these guys today with the equipment they have and players are soo much physically better. The course needs a major renovation, with all the houses they have built and with a bunch of holes having tee boxes backed up to the property line it will require a major change.

They could do stuff like narrow the fairways and thicken the rough but regular members would hate that if that were a regular playing condition. The only other tournament course I’ve played was Harbour Town. You could see why the pros eat that one up. Kind of disappointed that you can only see their famous lighthouse from the last hole.

 

[LIuconn]

With its spot in the schedule right after the US Open, I doubt the players want to play a brute right after a US Open test. Now that it's a Signature Event (for how long?), they can make changes to toughen it up some.

Or roll the ball and drivers back so tee shots don't carry 340 and preserve courses the way they are? Just a thought

 

[Palatine]

They made changes on six holes and the scoring was virtually the same. Hell even I could easily make that course tougher. But the PGA guys just sniffed around the edges. Bad job guys.

 

[alphasigko]

IMO that was a very embarrassing look for CT on the 72nd hole yesterday.

 

[Waquoit]

IMO that was a very embarrassing look for CT on the 72nd hole yesterday.

Of course you do.

 

[superjohn]

IMO that was a very embarrassing look for CT on the 72nd hole yesterday.

What the hell was Connecticut supposed to do to prevent it?

 

[uconnfan68]

They made changes on six holes and the scoring was virtually the same. Hell even I could easily make that course tougher. But the PGA guys just sniffed around the edges. Bad job guys.

It was easy because it was saturated by inches of rain. Pros eat those conditions up... anywhere and everywhere.

 

[CTBasketball]

It was easy because it was saturated by inches of rain. Pros eat those conditions up... anywhere and everywhere.

TPC River Highlands is also historically one of the easiest courses on the tour.

If you like birdie after birdie mindless golf yes by all means tune in. If you’re a purist who’s into tactical decision/shot making, don’t.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[DemonDeac22]

The course had great greens and soft conditions, a recipe for low scores. The week after the US Open isn’t the time to have a super hard course so I’m okay with it having lots of birdies. Players like the course, the practice area and the hospitality to them and their caddies. I say leave it as is and enjoy the quality of play, the high number of birdies and the bunched-up leaderboards.

 

[superjohn]

The course had great greens and soft conditions, a recipe for low scores. The week after the US Open isn’t the time to have a super hard course so I’m okay with it having lots of birdies. Players like the course, the practice area and the hospitality to them and their caddies. I say leave it as is and enjoy the quality of play, the high number of birdies and the bunched-up leaderboards.

Agreed, it works. It's easily one of the most popular events every year for players and fans.

 

[IndyLives]

The closing water-view holes are visually breathtaking. Wish they could make water a bigger threat to scoring however on these holes. I think only Tony F. hit it in the water that cost him a chance to win & it looked like a total misread of the wind. They also need to do something to 18 to make it harder - cant make it a drive and wedge.

But overall, this course is a nice change of pace from the U.S. Open the week before. Its a good test and exciting to play/watch for being the 3rd shortest course on the Tour. No major complaints, except from Rory last year. Where was Rory this year??? - Gutless.

 

[storrsroars]

Where was Rory this year??? - Gutless.

He's not playing competitively until the Scottish Open, then The Open the following week. I don't blame him one bit.

 

[Excalibur]

IMO that was a very embarrassing look for CT on the 72nd hole yesterday.

Because four New Yorkers stormed the green?

 

[Excalibur]

The closing water-view holes are visually breathtaking. Wish they could make water a bigger threat to scoring however on these holes. I think only Tony F. hit it in the water that cost him a chance to win & it looked like a total misread of the wind. They also need to do something to 18 to make it harder - cant make it a drive and wedge.

But overall, this course is a nice change of pace from the U.S. Open the week before. Its a good test and exciting to play/watch for being the 3rd shortest course on the Tour. No major complaints, except from Rory last year. Where was Rory this year??? - Gutless.

They have already done what they can with 18. They lengthened it some time ago and nothing changed. The Fairway has also narrowed significantly since the late 2000s.

The current crop of players has broken professional golf. The winning score at Sawgrass was -20. Do they need to redesign the whole thing there, too?

 

[JayKoz]

TPC River Highlands is also historically one of the easiest courses on the tour.

If you like birdie after birdie mindless golf yes by all means tune in. If you’re a purist who’s into tactical decision/shot making, don’t.

“Mindless golf”?

Talk about a terrible take.

 

[Chief00]

Just adding length will not correct it, the course is just too easy for these guys today with the equipment they have and players are soo much physically better. The course needs a major renovation, with all the houses they have built and with a bunch of holes having tee boxes backed up to the property line it will require a major change.

They overbuilt the houses for a quick buck, which limits their long term options.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

The scoring has improved as the field was reduced and improved with the better players.

 

[uconnfan68]

TPC River Highlands is also historically one of the easiest courses on the tour.

If you like birdie after birdie mindless golf yes by all means tune in. If you’re a purist who’s into tactical decision/shot making, don’t.

You think making birdies is easy? Doesn’t seem like you understand much about the game.

 

[CTBasketball]

You think making birdies is easy? Doesn’t seem like you understand much about the game.

With the club technology and the easiness of that course, birdies aren’t hard at TPC River Highlands. In fact only three golfers finished over par (96% finished under par). 38 golfers were at least -9 (54% of the field).

So yeah, the players did not have any problem finding birdies all weekend.

“Mindless golf”?

Talk about a terrible take.

Grip it and hit it. When you can drive greens on a lot of Par 4’s you just sort of sit back and smash. There’s really no consequence for missing a shot here, the bunkers aren’t detrimental and the rough is forgiving.

 

[uconnfan68]

With the club technology and the easiness of that course, birdies aren’t hard at TPC River Highlands. In fact only three golfers finished over par (96% finished under par). 38 golfers were at least -9 (54% of the field).

So yeah, the players did not have any problem finding birdies all weekend.

Grip it and hit it. When you can drive greens on a lot of Par 4’s you just sort of sit back and smash. There’s really no consequence for missing a shot here, the bunkers aren’t detrimental and the rough is forgiving.

“Grip hit and hit it” is not tactical. There is 1 drivable par 4 there. They actually made changes to force layups off the tees on some holes. Again, perfect greens, combined with excess water will result in lots of birdies, everywhere.

 

[LIuconn]

Metrics show that over the long haul it's advantageous to be as close to the hole as possible. So bomb and figure it out is the correct way to play most courses, unless the penalty is too strong (ob, water, etc)

And yes, birdies are easy and expected at this course. That's why T-31 was -10.