Fazio Responds To Criticism

From Ed Sherman in the Chicago Tribune:

Tom Fazio, the architect who oversaw the latest changes at Augusta, said there are options.

But the first seems to be pushing back the tee markers.

"How many times do you hear, `You want a player to hit every club in the bag?'" Fazio said. "Well, if you want to see a player hit a 5-iron, what length par-4 would you make it for Vijay Singh to hit a 5-iron? I remember growing up as a kid where 440 yards was a long golf hole."

Herb Gould in the Chicago Sun-Times: 

"It's normal. There's always controversy when changes are made to old courses,'' said Fazio, citing Chris DiMarco's duel with Woods last year as evidence that shorter hitters still can compete at Augusta National.

"Who almost won the tournament last year?'' Fazio said. "Do you consider [DiMarco] to be a medium-length or short hitter? After the tournament, look at the list, the players and their lengths.''

And if claims that only the longest hitters can compete prove to be true?

"How many times has Jack Nicklaus won here?'' Fazio said. "Was he considered the longest hitter of his era?''

Told yes, Fazio said, "Things haven't changed much.''

 From Damon Hack in the New York Times:

In one area of the shade, Tom Fazio, the course architect who oversaw the lengthening of Augusta National to 7,445 yards, was being grilled by reporters, including one who bluntly told Fazio that he did not like the changes.

"I've been doing this for a long time," Fazio said. "I'm used to hearing criticism."

 And who was the berator? Hank Gola in the NY Daily News has the details:

Tom Fazio has not been the most popular man at Augusta National this week. He is the designer, who, under directives from club chairman Hootie Johnson, stretched Bobby Jones' old backyard to what many feel is over the edge.

Yesterday, for instance, he calmly stood under the 150-year-old oak tree outside the clubhouse while current BBC commentator and former European Tour player Ken Brown berated his work to his face.

"I think there was a Rembrandt here, a masterpiece and (abstract expressionist painter) Jackson Pollack has gone around the edges painting," Brown said passionately. "I don't any longer see (Bobby) Jones' and (Alistair) Mackenzie's signature here. I see someone else's."

"I submit to you that it is," Fazio countered. "You are entitled to your opinion."

He really needs to get a new line. 

Comments

[Josh Hoisington]

The Rembrandt comment is a good one, because what do museums do when these modern, extra-bright new lightbulbs make the painting a little harder to see?

No, not turn down the lights, they get a guy to go in and add some beiges. To preserve Rembrandt's original vision.

[Smolmania]

The criticism is always going to be there, and Geoff you'd know this better than I, but it seems to me that it's the customer who should be criticized, not the architect. Isn't he supposed to be doing what the customer has asked him to do. If Hootie and the boys want players to hit 5 irons into 11, as long as the ball goes this far, what other options does an architect have? You can disagree with what occurs, but frankly the personal attacks seem a bit heavy handed to me.

[Geoff]

Smols,
I think he opens himself up--as Hootie has--when he invokes the name of Jones and MacKenzie. Remember, this is a man who referred to the "so-called" Golden Age architects throughout his book, and now insists he is upholding their vision. That's hard to do when you have no respect for the people the came before you.

Now, that would not be a problem either since as Fazio would say, he's "entitled to his own opinion." However, considering that his design style is sort of a MacKenzie rip-off, a little respect would go a long way.

Yes, the client is the one calling the shots. But still, the club looks to him for ideas. So he is going to be open to criticism.

[Smolmania]

Fair enough, but I get the impression from some of the things I read that he's some kind of evil fiend trampling on Bob Jones' grave. I mean, it is a golf course. Do I think he's made a case for respecting the historic roots of Augusta National? Clearly not. But what do we expect him to say? I guess if he and Hootie were going to honestly come out and say that we may have ruined this joint, but we did it because the USGA's been sitting on their asses doing nothing about the stupid golf ball for the better part of a decade, everybody would be happier? Certainly makes for nice grist for the mill so to speak.

[Geoff]

Smols,
Fazio has stated that he's all in favor of the power game and distance so don't look for any pronouncements that the USGA needs to do something.

He has little respect for Jones, MacKenzie or the other old architects and made that clear in his book. That's fine, but don't to their golf courses preaching that you want to restore their vision while you are writing that they were overrated. That's kind of silly!