When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
Michael Buteau looks at the business side of Pinehurst No. 2's restoration and, well, so much for the post 2005 U.S. Open play boost according to Robert Dedman:Fascinating because it should encircled with a giant Ground Under Repair line.
I finally studied the morphing of the Eisenhower and Zaharias courses at Industry Hills for the LPGA's KIA Classic and to my shock, they are playing quite possibly the worst par-4 in southern California and maybe all of Earth: the infamous ninth of the Zaharias, which I believe is the 10th on this week's Eisenharias layout.
I think the aerial speaks for itself, but if this Google Earth view of the 308-yard ninth doesn't excite the senses, let me help with a few details.
It begins with a magical walk down an asphalt path from the eighth green. At the tee the player will find not one, but four protective screens to guard the neighboring houses from a snap hook. The difficult-to-locate landing area offers neither strategic angles of attack nor spectating room on this coin pocket of the former landfill's mountainside. Good luck this week, ladies!
**The art department sent these 9th hole images in from a few years ago.
Thanks to Ron Whitten for Tweeting Demorris Lee's profile of 98-year-old Innisbrook designer Larry Packard who still lives in Tampa and attends the tournament.Former T&L Golf writer Tom Dunne visits Pinehurst and pieces together a compelling look at some of the course changes.
The Restoration of Pinehurst No. 2 from outandback on Vimeo.
Matty G reports that the Whistling Straits developer and Pete Dye recently made a trip to Bandon Dunes and also stopped in at a site south of the resort to look at the Crook family land that has long been considered for a development.The new Masters Journal is out and and usual it's an impressive publication, but this year it's a must-have for MacKenziephiles due to the inclusion of the original hole diagrams and green complex watercolors that appeared in the hard-to-find original program.
But I've been pulling my hair out trying to figure out this unlabeled page 101 image. Anyone care to guess what old hole we are looking at? I'm pretty sure it's Augusta based on the trees, bumps and the whacky shape of the green, which screams MacKenzie.
**You can by the Masters program through the official website.
Good news...the remote and otherworldly The Machrie is open for play while they look for a buyer, reports Anthony Pioppi.
Thanks to reader Jordan for noticing the appearance of Golf Digest's Augusta National Change Tracker, which debuted on the iPad and is now viewable online.
Jordan notes: "The trees look like a disease that is slowly taking over the place."
Kevin Robbins posts some new photos of Pinehurst #2 and after seeing Coore and Crenshaw's work, asks a very salient question....naturally, I'd love to hear a review from anyone who plays it anytime soon. The special #2 website offers a poll for those who do play it and there are plenty of photos and videos worth checking out.
That's Howard Ward's reaction to seeing the revitalized Pinehurst No. 2. And that reaction is precisely what had been lost over the decades.
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
