Traveler's Championship

[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.

 

[storrsroars]

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

Just to put this in some perspective, Scheffler won the Player's Championship with a -22. The four guys tied for 31st were at -7.

At the PGA, Schauffle won with -21. Nine guys tied for 26th at -9. Another four tied for 35th with -8.

Five tournaments have had lower winning scores, including two won by -29.

The mean average winning scores through 28 events this year is -18.42. The median is -19.

So what are we really talking about?

 

[uconnfan68]

Just to put this in some perspective, Scheffler won the Player's Championship with a -22. The four guys tied for 31st were at -7.

At the PGA, Schauffle won with -21. Nine guys tied for 26th at -9. Another four tied for 35th with -8.

Five tournaments have had lower winning scores, including two won by -29.

The mean average winning scores through 28 events this year is -18.42. The median is -19.

So what are we really talking about?

The old Tiger course at the former International in Bolton, MA, is about 8000 yds. Maybe they should make new courses like that? 300 yd par 3? 700yd par 5? Par 4s between 500-600yds? Played many years ago, not from the tips, and couldn’t imagine who could, and I was still halfway decent at the time. It would just suck the life out of the game for most of us.

 

[LIuconn]

Plenty of 500+ yard par 4s at last week's US Open. Torrey Pines can go to 7700 yards.
The problem is the ball goes 350 in some conditions for the average tour player, and the equipment is allowing them to hit it further at higher ball speeds.

Pros & aspiring pros aren't playing the same game as recreational players

 

[Excalibur]

Plenty of 500+ yard par 4s at last week's US Open. Torrey Pines can go to 7700 yards.
The problem is the ball goes 350 in some conditions for the average tour player, and the equipment is allowing them to hit it further at higher ball speeds.

Pros & aspiring pros aren't playing the same game as recreational players

And even with all that length, the winning score would have been 10 under or better if they didn't make the greens unplayable.