FBR Rant...here goes...

[emc]

The flip side of that is that when they make the courses tougher like they did at Shinnecock and to some extent Winged Foot it makes the golf SOOOO boring. Dont get me wrong I love the US Open but this year and in years past it has been really tough to watch until the final round. It is just such BORING golf. I love the Masters because it allows for scoring and I love the British because we get to see different players and different styles of play.

I loved every minute of Shinnecock and Winged Foot, because you knew the players were being tested to their very limits and had to play the superb golf to stay level par. The bad shots were then cruelly punished. Great TV I thought

 

[SiberianDVM]

Jeez, I take a day off to hack my way around a golf course, and all hell breaks out on Shottalk. Mighta known Rock would be the instigator.

Personally, I like the FBR. But I liked watching Dubai as well. I wouldn't want every tourney to be as rowdy as FBR 16th, but it's like cayenne pepper: a little bit goes a long way.

 

[BigJim13]

I loved every minute of Shinnecock and Winged Foot, because you knew the players were being tested to their very limits and had to play the superb golf to stay level par. The bad shots were then cruelly punished. Great TV I thought

Its not that I don't think the players should be tested, but there was one green at Shinnecock ( cant remember which one at this point ) that many of the WORLDS top players could not keep a ball on and they were hitting 8-9-SW into the hole. That is not fun to watch IMO, there is no skill involved in that, just luck. I like to see players have to hit shots, like a punch 9i from 110 that flys low under the wind, does a one hop and stop. Thats good golf IMO, not the silly golf that the USGA seems to like at the US Open.

The FBR is a typical Non Tiger tour event as I see it. The rough is low, and long ballers are rewarded. I guess I have to agree with Rock on this one mainly because I am so sick of other professional sports. Golf isnt like the other pro sports and that is what makes it better. After all when is the last time you heard about Tiger, Phil, Ernie etc getting charged for steroids, amphetamines, weapons, and i could go on and on but I think we all get the point.

 

[gunning4u]

I like the FBR and the 16th, I would love to go there looks like fun. It was a nice finish today, Quinny’s choke job was classic and big props to Bags for coming through in the clutch. For all you Euros that think Dubai has a better field, get real and put down the hookah. You take Tiger and Ernie out of the field and who left just a bunch of guys that are too scared to come over and play the real tour, just face it they play for chump change. You guys might have the Rider Cup but the only reason is because you have to gang up and get players from around the whole damn world to beat us.

THESE COLORS DON’T RUN…. SHAKE AND BAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dave.]

Winged Foot WAS good golf,just because the course was hard daesn't make it boring,it was a fascinating tournament imo.A course doesn't have to be easy to encourage good golf.

 

[emc]

I like the FBR and the 16th, I would love to go there looks like fun. It was a nice finish today, Quinny’s choke job was classic and big props to Bags for coming through in the clutch. For all you Euros that think Dubai has a better field, get real and put down the hookah. You take Tiger and Ernie out of the field and who left just a bunch of guys that are too scared to come over and play the real tour, just face it they play for chump change. You guys might have the Rider Cup but the only reason is because you have to gang up and get players from around the whole damn world to beat us.

THESE COLORS DON’T RUN…. SHAKE AND BAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!

So Stenson, Casey, Norman, Garcia, Monty, Howell, McIlroy (The new phenom), et all aren't as good as Jeff Quinney, John Rollins, Charles Howell? Maybe they don't play fulltime on the US Tour because they see golf as a worldwide game, and play all over the world on different tours? You remember in Geography the teacher told you there was land beyond America? She was right you know........

 

[Fourputt]

For all you Euros that think Dubai has a better field, get real and put down the hookah. You take Tiger and Ernie out of the field and who left just a bunch of guys that are too scared to come over and play the real tour, just face it they play for chump change. You guys might have the Rider Cup but the only reason is because you have to gang up and get players from around the whole damn world to beat us.

THESE COLORS DON’T RUN…. SHAKE AND BAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at a person's profile before you start waving the flag. I'm as American as you are. Active duty in the US Army from 1969-1971. It's not un-American to prefer the traditions of the game. They even commented during the broadcast that there are a number of PGA Tour pros who skip the FBR just because of the circus. Many of the Euro's choose not to play over here because of the 15 event requirement to play on the PGA Tour, not because of fear... get real. They actually have feelings of loyalty to their home tour, not to mention wanting to stay closer to friends and family. You really don't want the Europeans over here full time.... you probably wouldn't like the results.

And the Ryder Cup is EUROPE (not the "whole damn world") against the US. The Presidents' Cup brings in the rest of the world (but not Europe).

 

[BigJim13]

Winged Foot WAS good golf,just because the course was hard daesn't make it boring,it was a fascinating tournament imo.A course doesn't have to be easy to encourage good golf.

I agree, I thought Winged Foot was a pretty damn good tourney for the most part. It was one of the more dramatic final rounds of all time. Shinnecock on the other hand was a little out of hand. I like it when the pros play hard tough courses, just not when it gets to the point of hitting thru the clowns mouth

 

[JEFF4i]

Okay, here's the trick. Balance. I know how Rock feels, this game was a sport for gentlemen and ladies, and expected a higher class of behavior. The beauty of it is, anyone can play, but there's a pre-supposed way of acting out there, to me anyway, that means everyone is quiet and respectful.

Sure, you can have fun, and sure, as a spectator you can get riled up for your favorite player. But, it's a thin line when making stadium event holes. One, in one tournament a year, fine. It'll be fun, something to look forward to for the change of pace, but I just don't see it stopping here.

So the balance is, make the fun hole, that attracts the yahoos. As long as they are quiet and decent when it counts, I'm fine. But if they start making a lot of holes that way...well...I just can't say that it's right.

 

[Coach]

It's not much different from The US Open at Bethpage Black.

Way off on that "Black" comment. Classy NYers just having some blue collar fun. Not like the left coasters, rowdy just for TV.

 

[Sandpiper3]

Way off on that "Black" comment. Classy NYers just having some blue collar fun. Not like the left coasters, rowdy just for TV.

Whats the english term for contradicting terms?

 

[SiberianDVM]

Whats the english term for contradicting terms?

Oxymoron.

see also: honest politician

 

[Hybrid-Heaven]

If you think it's good for the game, then we have different ideas. Look at the mass of nobodies on the leaderboard. It's like watching semi-pro football or minor league baseball. The PGA Tour isn't going to do anything to improve its prospects with that sort of field. The only real "star" in that field is Vijay, and he isn't popular enough to be a big TV draw, especially when he's well back on the leaderboard. And the big money comes from TV, not from the live gallery. It's not just the boisterous fans that make this tournament an also ran, but it's those those fans that will help to keep it that way.

You'd think for how many times you post that at least once you'd be right about something! Not only was Vijay there, but Mickelson, Toms, Olazabal, DiMarco, Immelman, Ogilvy, Cink, and Weir....hardly the John Friggin Deere Classic!

 

[NBGolfer]

I see nothing wrong with that tournament, actually I like watching it. I think it’s great to have fun with crowds like that. Golf is a gentlemen’s sport, but it’s also a sport none the less and different venues offer different things. I don’t find much difference in the stadium style over people lining the fairways and greens anyway. I tell you what, I would like a chance to step up and hit one in front of all those fans. As for people yelling and getting into it, there is not one person golfing there who doesn’t know that’s coming and most have lots of fun with it. It’s just like golfing with your buddy and when he hits a bad shot giving him a little lip, that’s can have the same effect and is that any more gentlemen like? They are pro’s and in any other sport fans are allowed to voice opinions. I think it’s great.

 

[LyleG]

Hybrid and NBgolfer

I agree with both of you 100%