OT- PGA-Colonial

[Putt4Purple]

You do realize the way the fans are routed right now is due to construction? you keep saying this over and over as if they setup for last year was a permanent thing and not due to the HUGE ASS CONSTRUCTION site where the new building sits....

Other than that - the only change in fan routing over the last 30 years is on the 7th hole where you can't walk behind the green anymore to get to 8 tee area, you have to walk up 9 to see the 8th green

The construction is an issue around the clubhouse but I’m referring to 9,12,13,14,15,17. Not constructed related.

 

[frog525]

I know about 6 tour players for non-golf related reasons - they all actually liked the changes but said the course needs to mature into them since you could see a lot of inconsistency in the new transition areas. So who are all the "we don't like the changes" pros exactly?

Start with a couple Dallas based pros that are pretty high profile. One for sure will not be playing colonial this year

 

[Mean Purple]

Start with a couple Dallas based pros that are pretty high profile. One for sure will not be playing colonial this year

who?

 

[Mean Purple]

Went to Colonial for the first time in many years last year. Parked at Rockwood, had no special credentials (no corporate tents etc.), could only get close to a few greens, not spectator friendly, empty corporate tents is a bad look for television, I will not go back. I still love the event and hope we can keep it but going to see it live is no longer available for the average Joe.

what day did you go? I was there all 4 days of the tourney and there were plenty of folks. And the weekend was packed, and I still got view near the greens, fairways and tee boxes.

 

[Wexahu]

who?

If I were a tour player and a member asked me what I thought of the course changes I would give a polite, politically correct answer. But I think when you spend $30+ million on a once-in-a-generation renovation there shouldn't be a "but" after your answer as to whether or not you like the changes.

It was just a very underwhelming renovation IMO. And it's not just Colonial, I see others as well. The current design trend, call it minimalist or whatever you want to call it is not good and I don't think it will age well. If I wanted to build a great golf course Gil Hanse wouldn't get a call. I know others don't share my opinion because he keeps getting jobs, but he produces very underwhelming results. Again, IMO.

 

[FroggleRock]

If I were a tour player and a member asked me what I thought of the course changes I would give a polite, politically correct answer. But I think when you spend $30+ million on a once-in-a-generation renovation there shouldn't be a "but" after your answer as to whether or not you like the changes.

It was just a very underwhelming renovation IMO. And it's not just Colonial, I see others as well. The current design trend, call it minimalist or whatever you want to call is not good and I don't think it will age well. If I wanted to build a great golf course Gil Hanse wouldn't get a call. I know others don't share my opinion because he keeps getting jobs, but he produces very underwhelming results. Again, IMO.

110% this. I walked the course twice last year, and I walked away confused on what the overall “vision” was supposed to be. He made a few holes slightly longer, lowered the greens, and cleared out decades old beautiful trees for shrub areas. My lasting impression was that Hanse effectively made it feel more like a muni course. Just gutted the character of the course completely. He should be jailed for what he did to #13.

Edit: and on top of that, he rid of trees along the Trinity, so now you see the entirety of the giant rail yard. Just baffling.

 

[gohornedfrogs]

Since it's Houston Open week, anybody hearing anything down there?

I imagine that they must be feeling a little uneasy about the schedule, at least. With the introduction of the Miami Open as a Signature Event, this spot on the schedule would be perfect for Miami in the future. It's two weeks after the Players, and two weeks before the Masters. Some may disagree, but I think this is where Colonial missed the mark. This was the opportunity for it to be a Signature Event and get a prime spot on the schedule. But that ship sailed when Harbour Town got the nod, and then they reconstituted the event in Miami at Doral.

As it is now, there will be three consecutive Signature/Major events starting in late April, early May. Miami, Quail Hollow and then the PGA Championship. Some major names will skip one of Miami or Quail Hollow. This week's spot on the schedule is primed for them to move a Signature Event there.

I'm still puzzled by the RBC Heritage being a Signature Event the week after the Masters (or even one at all). It's a very good course, but do they really attract the fans and corporate support in Hilton Head with only Savannah and Bluffton as nearby population centers? I'm not sure it's drawing the field they expected, either, but we'll see.

 

[Wexahu]

Since it's Houston Open week, anybody hearing anything down there?

I imagine that they must be feeling a little uneasy about the schedule, at least. With the introduction of the Miami Open as a Signature Event, this spot on the schedule would be perfect for Miami in the future. It's two weeks after the Players, and two weeks before the Masters. Some may disagree, but I think this is where Colonial missed the mark. This was the opportunity for it to be a Signature Event and get a prime spot on the schedule. But that ship sailed when Harbour Town got the nod, and then they reconstituted the event in Miami at Doral.

As it is now, there will be three consecutive Signature/Major events starting in late April, early May. Miami, Quail Hollow and then the PGA Championship. Some major names will skip one of Miami or Quail Hollow. This week's spot on the schedule is primed for them to move a Signature Event there.

I'm still puzzled by the RBC Heritage being a Signature Event the week after the Masters (or even one at all). It's a very good course, but do they really attract the fans and corporate support in Hilton Head with only Savannah and Bluffton as nearby population centers? I'm not sure it's drawing the field they expected, either, but we'll see.

The "Signature Event" thing has been bad for the tour IMO. Create a schedule and let each event be the best version of itself, attract the best fields they can, etc. Virtually all the top players playing more or less the same schedule gets boring. And it absolutely sucks for the non-signature events. It would be nice if they could mix up the schedules just a bit so the same tournaments aren't played in exactly the same weeks every year too, which would further diversify the fields and bring about varying weather and course conditions. But I know that isn't logistically possible, oh well.

The whole thing just seems to be getting stale.

 

[bronco]

what day did you go? I was there all 4 days of the tourney and there were plenty of folks. And the weekend was packed, and I still got view near the greens, fairways and tee boxes.

I think Thursday. I was referencing the corporate tents around the greens. They looked empty on tv

 

[gohornedfrogs]

The whole thing just seems to be getting stale.

That's what Rolapp is trying to solve, yet I think his solution may be worse than the problem itself.

He's only looking at it primarily through the lens of TV contracts. Fine. That's a big part of the picture. But condensing a schedule to accommodate TV has introduced the potential for a whole slew of additional unintended consequences relating to players, sponsors and tournament organizers. I think he's having problems getting buy-in on his vision and that's why he's now saying it may be 2028 before things change.

 

[Mean Purple]

I think Thursday. I was referencing the corporate tents around the greens. They looked empty on tv

depends on the green, I think. the one par 3 is always packed.
the others were pretty good, but it goes in waves. those guys have their clients come out in shifts, basically. and they can walk around the course. I had a pass for the famed par 3 at a friend's tent all 4 days. which was cool. food was great.
That's how I got visit (briefly, very briefly) with SD. He was there. The Mayor was there.

Some of those corp tents are actually under a member.

 

[ShreveFrog]

 

[ShreveFrog]

LOLZ! Golf Channel just said they're cancelling their "Happy Hour" segment with Smiley Kaufman because of the Tiger Woods crash.
(Sorry to have derailed Colonial chat.)

 

[ShreveFrog]

 

[Sweat Equity]

Painkillers and a lead foot are a hell of a combo.

 

[ShreveFrog]

Sheriff: Tiger appeared impaired and was arrested for DUI. Refused urinalysis.
Tiger’s Range Rover clipped the trailer of a pressure washing vehicle traveling in same direction.
Sheriff said Tiger was lethargic at scene. Agreed to breathalyzer but refused urine test.