• The KillerFrogs

Masters Golf Pick-em Game

M

Mean Purple

Active Member
Michael Milton's Jaw said:
Unless it has changed, Augusta will have none of that on the course. No CBS signs, no cables on the ground, no port-a-let’s, no cell phones, no cutoff jeans, no expensive food & drink.

The club is run by billionaires, who had the stones to not admit Bill Clinton and the year the protestors threatened their 3 advertising sponsor, they just had no sponsors that year and no ads on the telecast.
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I saw on the Masters facebook page that Jim James, August's head of hospitality is retiring. I'm sure he appreciates how they have kept things in check. Can't imagine being the guy who has to follow him. But I imagine it's a dream job for those who majored in the hospitality/resort-hotel/ management business.
 
JogginFrog

JogginFrog

Active Member
Mean Purple said:
I gotta be honest, my knees would be shaking even hitting into the 15 green, and then more so pitching back, even in a casual non tourney round. I know I would fly it. And I'm sure I would stone hand it coming back. I'd likely double bogey at best, because I would chicken out and chip or bump and run going opposite of the bunker to avoid rolling back to the water.
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It's the only hole I can think of where run-of-the-mill ams look at a bunker and see an oasis of safety. And I'm talking about third and fourth shots.
 
M

Mean Purple

Active Member
JogginFrog said:
It's the only hole I can think of where run-of-the-mill ams look at a bunker and see an oasis of safety. And I'm talking about third and fourth shots.
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A friend played a round out there sometime around Thanksgiving one year. I inquired about how much he enjoyed it. He basically said it was a wonderful time and said he shot one of his worst scores in years but didn't care. Granted, one of his worst scores is where many ams would love to be on average.
His mindset is what I've come to take even on an affordable muni course. Funny how age changes ya.
 
JogginFrog

JogginFrog

Active Member
gohornedfrogs said:
There’s no place that creates drama better than Augusta. It’s the greatest tournament course by a wide margin. There’s no other place that tests the risk / reward proposition like it, and no other place tests their decision-making like it, either. What a tournament. Wow.
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It's always amazing to see how varied the hole-by-hole scores are when they show players' cards.

And the data backs you up. I ran hole-by-hole score variances for the 2025 Masters, 2024 PGA and 2024 U.S. Open. The latter two were almost identical, averaging .405. The Masters was .434 -- much greater risk/reward.

On top of that, 8 of the 9 highest-variation holes were on the second nine (avg variance: .485). The drama is real.
 
Zebra Frog

Zebra Frog

KMA
HToady said:
While spectating The Masters this weekend, I noticed no hospitality suites adjacent to the holes. I know from my personal attendance at Colonial, and the Byron Nelson, at the course dujour, that hospitality suites are all over the place, the worst being on 13 at Colonial. I have always thought of these (and I have been in them) as noisy and disrecpectful, a way to sell more alcohol over actually being there to watch golf. I never saw on during the Masters broadcast. I assume they have them, but they don't appear to have any with a spectator view of the course. It's great to know that there is a major sporting event, that is focused on gratifying the sport, as opposed to selling booze for money....any thoughts for those who have been in person?
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They have refreshment stands, but are situated in the trees and at least 75-100 yards from a fairway. The course is even more spectacular in person and tv doesn’t come close to how undulating the greens are. The reason you see the same hole placements every year is those are about the only places available.
 
T

The Artist Formerly Known as PhormerPhrog

Full Member
T

The Artist Formerly Known as PhormerPhrog

Full Member
JogginFrog said:
Rose is one of my favorite people in golf. Saw him play for the first time in 2002; even among the best golfers in the world, his swing stood out. He ascended to number 1, floundered through a bad equipment deal, and came back. He always speaks with class and humility, and he gives back very generously, personally bankrolling the English women's developmental tour. Today, it was great to see his remarkable drive, skill, and control at age 44.

And still, I was cheering for Rory to finally finish the career grand slam.
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His grace and situational awareness on 18 will be one of my more memorable golf moments ever. A true gentleman of the sport and life. Golf is bigger than him and life is bigger than golf. I can't say enough good things about him.

Just last week, Gretzky was just as gracious and happy for Ovechkin to break his record. Sure, he would have like to have kept the record and Rose would have liked to have won the Masters but both were true gentlemen and recognized the honor that it was to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Truly remarkable to witness this twice in one week.
 
M

Mean Purple

Active Member
JogginFrog said:
It's always amazing to see how varied the hole-by-hole scores are when they show players' cards.

And the data backs you up. I ran hole-by-hole score variances for the 2025 Masters, 2024 PGA and 2024 U.S. Open. The latter two were almost identical, averaging .405. The Masters was .434 -- much greater risk/reward.

On top of that, 8 of the 9 highest-variation holes were on the second nine (avg variance: .485). The drama is real.
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Amazing how that course has stood the test of time.

FYI, on a different side not. Another golf Disney world that you can go check out anytime is that PGA headquarters, course, pub with hitting bays, etc. over in Frisco. Pretty cool place.

They have a katy ice trail type place with some hitting bays. Course aint cheap. But there are some stores, etc.
 
M

Mean Purple

Active Member
Zebra Frog said:
They have refreshment stands, but are situated in the trees and at least 75-100 yards from a fairway. The course is even more spectacular in person and tv doesn’t come close to how undulating the greens are. The reason you see the same hole placements every year is those are about the only places available.
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@Zebra Frog see principle 4.

The elevation change on the course is pretty cool.

Speaking of greens, anybody been watching the Western Intercollegiate on Golf Channel. 2nd round this evening. final tomrrow.
It's at Pasatiempo again. The 16th green renovation looks awesome. Looks like the renovations (which they did in segments I think) is done. Another Mackenzie great. It hink his house is still along the 6th there.

And the greens look like they have his signature approach. Pretty cool how Marion Hollins secured all of that.

Santa Cruz is just a cool place to begin with.

Edit;
Found this: (Dr. MacKenzie nailed all 13 with Augusta and Pasatiempo
Alister MacKenzie’s 13 Principles

  1. The course, where possible, should be arranged in two loops of nine holes.
  2. There should be a large proportion of good two-shot holes, and at least four one-shot holes.
  3. There should be little walking between the greens and tees, and the course should be arranged so that in the first instance there is always a slight walk forwards from the green to the next tee; then the holes are sufficiently elastic to be lengthened in the future if necessary.
  4. The greens and fairways should be sufficiently undulating, but there should be no hill climbing.
  5. Every hole should be different in character.
  6. There should be a minimum of blindness for the approach shots.
  7. The course should have beautiful surroundings, and all the artificial features should have so natural an appearance that a stranger is unable to distinguish them from nature itself.
  8. There should be a sufficient number of heroic carries from the tee, but the course should be arranged so that the weaker player with the loss of a stroke, or portion of a stroke, shall always have an alternate route open to him.
  9. There should be infinite variety in the strokes required to play the various holes — that is, interesting brassie shots, iron shots, pitch and run up shots.
  10. There should be a complete absence of the annoyance and irritation caused by the necessity of searching for lost balls.
  11. The course should be so interesting that even the scratch man is constantly stimulated to improve his game in attempting shots the has hitherto been unable to play.
  12. The course should so be arranged that the long handicap player or even the absolute beginner should be able to enjoy his round in spite of the fact that he is piling up a big score. In other words, the beginner should not be continually harassed by losing strokes from playing out of sand bunkers. The layout should be so arranged that he loses strokes because he is making wide detours to avoid hazards.
  13. The course should be equally good during winter and summer, the texture of the greens and fairways should be perfect and the approaches should have the same consistency as the greens.
 
dawg

dawg

Active Member
gohornedfrogs said:
There’s no place that creates drama better than Augusta. It’s the greatest tournament course by a wide margin. There’s no other place that tests the risk / reward proposition like it, and no other place tests their decision-making like it, either. What a tournament. Wow.
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You nailed it: Augusta has the best risk/reward layout. Great shots will give looks at eagle and bird, average ones roll away from the hole, poor ones wind up in bunkers or Rae's Creek, and it's usually set up for scoring on Sundays. Add in that we all know the course so well having watched The Masters every year, the famous and infamous shots played at every hole over the years... just adds to the drama.

I'll also add that the limited commercials really make it so much more enjoyable to watch. The US Open is a slog with its seemingly 50/50 ads to golf ratio.
 
JogginFrog

JogginFrog

Active Member
Mean Purple said:
@Zebra Frog see principle 4.

The elevation change on the course is pretty cool.

Speaking of greens, anybody been watching the Western Intercollegiate on Golf Channel. 2nd round this evening. final tomrrow.
It's at Pasatiempo again. The 16th green renovation looks awesome. Looks like the renovations (which they did in segments I think) is done. Another Mackenzie great. It hink his house is still along the 6th there.

And the greens look like they have his signature approach. Pretty cool how Marion Hollins secured all of that.
Click to expand...
The two-part Fire Pit mini-doc on the restoration of the 16th green is worth a watch. The before-after digital scans show how playability has improved with two new pinnable zones. I appreciated that Jim Urbina was not afraid to voice some of the fear involved in overhauling an iconic green. The restoration honors Mackenzie's design while keeping modern maintenance in mind.
 
M

Mean Purple

Active Member
JogginFrog said:
The two-part Fire Pit mini-doc on the restoration of the 16th green is worth a watch. The before-after digital scans show how playability has improved with two new pinnable zones. I appreciated that Jim Urbina was not afraid to voice some of the fear involved in overhauling an iconic green. The restoration honors Mackenzie's design while keeping modern maintenance in mind.
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yeah, his push to do the front 9 first was smart.

they got 16 back to the original within a tenth of an inch. considering the new subgrade and drain work, that's impressive.
 

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