"From the 1997 Open to the 2005 Booz Allen Classic, when you used the Shot Link, the players hit it 49 yards longer over that period."

Larry Bohannan talks to Rees Jones about all things Rees. On Torrey Pines:

Not everyone is going to like the course. The ones who don't play as well won't like it as much," Jones said. "I think in the case of Torrey Pines, the players are going to be enthralled by it."

Specifically, Jones said the players should like the Open greens at Torrey Pines far more than the Opens in recent years.

"(Torrey Pines) doesn't have the pitch to the greens like Oakmont did (this year)," Jones said. "So if you get above the hole you really get a chance to make the putt a little bit more."

This next part really speaks to why we need drug testing since we know this is all thanks to the extra lifting:

Jones said in his research and work on renovating the courses for Opens and PGA Championships, his understanding grows of how good top professional players have become.

"We did Congressional over for 1997 (the Open), and now we are having to add a lot of tees for 2011," Jones said. "Atlanta Athletic Club, we did for the 2001 PGA. For 2011 we had to push the bunkers out, re-bunker the course and add length."

Jones says statistics back up the need for stretching golf courses out for major championships.

"From the 1997 Open (at Congressional) to the 2005 Booz Allen Classic, when you used the Shot Link (measuring system), the players hit it 49 yards longer over that period," Jones said. "In championship golf, we had to upgrade the golf course. We just took Oakland Hills back 350 yards. And now it is a challenge for these guys."

I found this odd: 

Scores are almost guaranteed to be more under par at Torrey Pines than at other recent Open courses, but for a reason Jones himself discounts.

"They are going to play it a par-71 at Torrey. The last couple of years it has been a par-70," Jones said.

Now, according to my PGA Tour media guide, they've always played Torrey at par-72. Eh, minor details!

"So it will be a chance to be more under par, which doesn't mean much.

Much.

"Still, the greens at Torrey are challenging. There can be this little terrace in the back that can be hard to access because they spin the ball so much."

Having the high-profile nickname of the Open Doctor and having his work critiqued and criticized by the game's best players isn't a burden, Jones believes.

"It's very beneficial. I've got three of the next four Opens, I've got three of the next four PGAs," Jones said. "The scrutiny of the golfing world is intense. If you do a good job, you get a lot of credit."

Comments

[Phil the Author]

Geoff,

Not having seen the interview or read what was written, when you wrote"They are going to play it a par-71 at Torrey. The last couple of years it has been a par-70," Jones said... Now, according to my PGA Tour media guide, they've always played Torrey at par-72. Eh, minor details!"

Is it possible that Rees was talking about US Open venues being par-70's rather then Torrey Pines for the PGA Tour?

[Chuck]

I think Walter Driver just sent Rees an e-mail from his Blackberry: "Rees, you haven't got our data. Wait! You HAVE got our data! How'd you get our data? Nobody is supposed to have our data!"

[Geoff]

Phil,
Definitely possible. But I also know he is not happy about the change to par-71 and may be referring to the last few years of the plans to play it was par-70 before Mike Davis (wisely) changed 18 back to a par-5. Only Rees knows what he meant!

[Phil the Author]

Geoff,

The reason I asked was because it seemed that your criticism (at least I assumed it was such) of this comment appeared based on what you wrote, "Now, according to my PGA Tour media guide, they've always played Torrey at par-72."

Just reading the blurb I immediately felt he was refering to US Open score of 70 and not PGA Tour 72. I didn't know if you had reasons to believe that he was refering to the PGA Tour par, that was all.

[Geoff]

Phil,
To be honest, I really don't know. I assumed he was referring to Torrey Pines and it's always been Par 72. Why the par of recent Open venues would have anything to do with Torrey, I have no idea. I hope Rees doesn't think of it that way.

My suspicion is that perhaps he was thinking of the plan over the last few years to play as a par 70 and he was referring to the change to 71.

[John M]

On that "they hit it 49 yards longer in 2005" number: was the course set up the same in both years? I would expect the U.S. Open to set up a lot tougher, narrower, more penal with much heavier rough. If so, I doubt the comparison means much.

Does anyone believe top golfers are hitting the ball 50 yards further than they did 10 years ago?

[Sid Coulling]

When PGA Tour statistics are discussed, it is common to dismiss the driving distance numbers as unreliable. How is this any different? Also, is it 49 yards longer for the longest hitters? The shortest hitters? The longest drives, or average drives? In all events or, the US Open?

[R. Thompson]

Sid, it must be a total average (+ 49yrds) for the field. My math could be wrong but I believe you add up total driving distace for each contestant in the field then divide 156 into the total distance, assuming its a 156 contestant field. Looks like Rees has done this for every PGAT event and Major beginning with the 1997 Open at Congressional through the 2005 Booze Allen Classic. The USGA keeps hiring Rees as an Open doctor so I'm sure his numbers are USGA numbers, hahaa!

Pushing out bunkers and adding 350 yards doesn't sound to me anyway that todays urethane golf ball is within the USGA overall distance standard of 294 yards. Or has the USGA changed the distace number to usher in illegal balls? Pitty the courses that aren't USGA worthy of a Rees Jones make over, paid with USGA Championship money.

[ian andrew]

Does this mean Fazio has 4 of the next 4 Masters using the same logic?

[John Sullivan]

What a waste of time. And money. All this so called improvement for a minute group of golf pros for only ONE week a year at a very small amount of courses. This is so far removed from reality as to be comical. Not to forget it will take even longer to complete a round. How about 6 hours instead of 5 and a half. This is classic WHO CARES !!!