Tour players are amazing putters from 5 feet and in. Stats reveal that, but who needs stats, all you really need is the eye test when you are watching weekend golf coverage. Are they better putters than we are? What if I told you the system was rigged for making putts?
If you love Tour golf like I do, and you’ve been watching for many years, you may have noticed something odd. There are greens on the PGA Tour where entire sides are not even used for hole locations. Let’s examine for instance the 13th hole at Kapalua.
The 13th hole is a straight away par 4 that plays up the hill and generally back into the prevailing wind. For the last 20 years, the pin (all four days, mind you) is always on the far left side. Either a middle or back location. Why is that?
Coddling Putters
If you’ve watched enough golf, it’s clearly because that green is extremely sloped. If these Tour guys are the best in the world, and the PGA Tour is running out of options (rough, length, firmness, etc) to challenge the players, why not use some tougher hole locations? Tom Doak summed it up best as he was explaining the renovation of Memorial Park in Houston, a public course which will now be asked to host the fall version of the Houston Open.
The Tour said it will not pin any area with greater than 2% slope. In other words….they only put pins where it’s flat.
Golf Course Owner Guy’s Version of Tom Doak’s Explanation.
Makes sense. You rarely see a Tour player playing excessive break on a short putt. Pretty much everything 5 feet and in, is inside the hole. Throw in perfect green conditions, kind of makes sense a lot of short putts are holed.
Not a Fair Fight
Your experience is the opposite. If there is any slope in green, generally the superintendent’s crew finds it, cuts a crooked hole in the side of it, and then forgets to mow the greens. I’m telling you, it’s not a fair fight. Stop comparing yourself to the Tour, and just enjoy chasing the little white ball.
Nick: I thoroughly enjoy your “journalism.” I anxiously await the next version from the Golf Guy and I read everything you put out there. I don’t get out to your course much because I hold a dual membership at my course of play. However, every time I do get onto the RSPGL, I thoroughly enjoy myself, the play, the outstanding course layout and conditions and the meals (snacks, lunch and dinner) are all outstanding and I must say, at reasonable prices. Thanks for the continuous info, commitment and interest in your players!
Respectfully, John L. Breuninger
That is very nice of you! We do our best, we just need people to find the time to enjoy. Already thinking about next months articles, stay tuned.