Flashback: 2001 Course Changes Preview

Thanks to reader Sean for this enlightening flashback to 2001, in advance of the first wave of significant course changes.

Augusta National Golf Club will undergo a major facelift to make the Masters a tougher test next year, club chairman William "Hootie" Johnson said on Wednesday.

Johnson said four or five of the par-fours on the course would be lengthened and strengthened to respond to improvements in golf ball and club-making technology that have helped players hit longer than ever.

"We do plan to make extensive changes," Johnson said on the eve of the 65th Masters.

"It's just that we think that several of our par-fours are a little weak, and we are going to try to strengthen them."

Bunkers may also be altered or moved and some teeing areas could be shifted to require a more difficult shot off the tee, he said.

Johnson, who would not specify which holes would be changed under the direction of architect Tom Fazio, said the club needed to keep up with technological advancements.

"This equipment is making a huge difference, and we are going to make an attempt, as we always have, to try to keep the golf course current with the times," he said.

A new ball being used extensively on the tour this season has made long hitters out of players regarded as short hitters, noted Johnson, who was worried the trend could render classic courses such as Augusta National obsolete for the professionals.

"I hope that the equipment can be addressed," he said.

No, this is not a late April Fool's post. Why do I have the bad feeling he'll be saying that again in 2008? Sorry...continue:

"We can't go on like we are going. Another decade or two, I don't know where we might be and I don't know the answer to how that is going to be approached."

Johnson said toughening-up Augusta was not in response to scoring, even though Tiger Woods set new standards for low score (18 under par) and margin of victory (12 strokes) with his Masters triumph in 1997.

"It is not in response to scores," the club chairman said. "It's just that we, and I think any of us, probably hate to see people hitting sand wedges to 425-yard par-fours."

Ah, and the comments from players:

Six times Masters champion Jack Nicklaus and 1976 winner Raymond Floyd said changes were necessary.

"You need to make changes if people are hitting nine-irons and wedges into the par-fours," said Floyd.

"They've always made changes and have tried to stay ahead of the curve. But this time I think the curve got ahead of them."

Nicklaus said tournament officials have to do something because the new balls being used are changing the face of the game.

But Nicklaus said he wished restrictions would be placed on the balls instead so that classic courses like Augusta National would not have to alter their design.

"It's absurd," said Nicklaus. "It's so simple to just restrict the golf ball. If they don't change it soon, they'll have us teeing off from downtown somewhere and hitting up to here.

"There is nothing wrong with Augusta National. It shouldn't be diminished by a golf ball."

Short hitters have benefited from the technological advances by drawing closer to the big hitters in terms of distance, but stretching Augusta National further could put them at a distinct disadvantage.

"I think it will only benefit the longer hitters," said Loren Roberts.

Gee, where would he get an idea like that!?

Hal Sutton agreed. "Bobby Jones intended players to hit five-irons into some greens," he said.

Sutton also said that moving back tees, rearranging bunkers and the like would take away one of the charms of the Masters, which has been staged at Augusta National since its inception in 1934.

"If you keep changing the golf course, I'm not sure how you can compare results over time. The course is truly set up for the big hitters."

Rocco Mediate also believed the long hitters would benefit. "It takes a lot of people out of the running because it's just too long. On number one, if you can carry the bunker, 285 yards, you've got a seven-iron in. But guys who can't, have to hit a three-iron. You try going into number one with a three or four-iron and you have no chance."

Comments

[Sean Murphy]

Mark O'Meara
Specifically, I think holes like the first and the now not so-short fourth would have been better left alone. Now, our opening tee-shot has to fly more than 330-yards just to make it over the bunker at the top of the hill. So a guy who carries the ball about 275 yards has really been taken out of the equation. That's just one example of where the power player 'who already has an in-built edge' has his advantage multiplied by the extra course yardage.


Rocco Mediate also believed the long hitters would benefit. "It takes a lot of people out of the running because it's just too long. On number one, if you can carry the bunker, 285 yards, you've got a seven-iron in. But guys who can't, have to hit a three-iron. You try going into number one with a three or four-iron and you have no chance."


Ok, lets do the math, in 2001 it was a 285 yard carry to clear the bunker on the right of the first hole. Now the opening hole requires an "Over" 330 yard carry to clear the first bunker. Thats a 45 to 50 yard carry increase in 5 years. They spent millions on the golf course back in 2000 so that it would play somewhat equal to what they were use to seeing back before golf balls became nuclear. Now 5 years later, and millions of dollars more, what are we seeing. A joke of a golf ball that is ruining the game, and driving up the costs of playing golf. How can you grow the game when you have an extra 600 to 800 yards of golf course to maintain without jacking up the greens fees?

How does Joe Amateur know when its time to take up a new sport? It occurs during pro-am days where he is placed off of the ladies tees, about 60 yards from the Championship Tees, then Joe Amateur arrives at his ball off the tee only to find himself 60 yards behind his professionl. His family and friends have left him at the turn because its too embarassing to watch, his manhood has been called into question, there is no conversation between him and the pro because there is no yelling allowed on the golf course, and then he starts thinking, I've paid $8,000 dollars today to be out here getting completely humiliated for what? I beat my pro on three holes using my net handicap!

Now I really like this part:

"It is not in response to scores," the club chairman said. "It's just that we, and I think any of us, probably hate to see people hitting sand wedges to 425-yard par-fours."

I wonder how Hootie felt about watching a player "Spring" his drive over a lake at Bay Hill where he had 89 yards flip sand wedge into a 560 yard par 5? LoL's

And then this part is intriguing:

Short hitters have benefited from the technological advances by drawing closer to the big hitters in terms of distance, but stretching Augusta National further could put them at a distinct disadvantage.

The golf balls of today made everyone longer, only it gave bigg hitters an "Incremental Distance Advantage" since todays drivers and golf balls are focused completely around speed being the main issue.

Maunuacturering golf balls with Harder Cores is what has these two players on the right path to a solution.

FRED FUNK - At the 2006 Players Championship: "it's sad because I think they've lost control of the game...I'm just adamant about the way the game has gone really since 2002, since this last generation of golf ball...bring one golf ball back that's talked about or bring the golf ball back, just go back to the golf ball we had before this last change, and it would narrow down that gap between the long and the short.

TOM KITE - In Golfweek's Forecaddie, March, 2006: "If the manufacturers continue to run the game, I think the game is in for a long, tough road. The rule-making body (USGA) is not making rules for the game. The manufacturers are, and their No. 1 goal is to sell product. Everything is based on speed. It's not based on ball-striking. If you want a good game, you can go buy it."

Sportsmanship, Integrity, and Courtsey, its all been flushed for a golf ball manufactured for increased club head speeds.

The USGA has a restriction on Face Give, Why is there not a Compression standardization on golf balls? Either the USGA and R&A set a compression standard on golf balls, or go back to your once strigent posisition on clubfaces having "Spring like Effects" built into the clubface, and those spring like effects being "Deemed Illegal".

You can't get a Hard Core Golf Ball to "Spring" off of a Driver face if you stop allowing the club face to give in the first place. Right Ernie?

ERNIE ELS - In the February, 2003 Golf World: "I am not totally against technology but they do have to put a governor on the golf ball ... perhaps even the administrators should just consider bringing back wooden-headed clubs."

You think Ernie realizes that there is a super spring taking place?

[J.P.]

At $8,000 a pop, can we have some more of that please?

[St. Pete]

Could I please have a box of those rocks (pro v 1 x) for $60 dollars, that really don't help me hit it one yard farther. Oh, and can I pick up the latest $600 buble headed driver that hasn't increased my club head speed or ball speed one bit. I want to look good when I get to the track.

[Frank]

Someone bring back the noodle or laddy, quick.