DGPT Discussion - Waco Charity Open

[Chaser0909]

I have been watching a lot of the Waco Charity Open this week, and really enjoy seeing the mix between sparsely wooded, and heavily wooded holes. It has been good to see other people moving up and down the leaderboard that we generally do not see, and I am wondering your opinion as to if yall believe that the woods have something to do with it, or the absence of someone like Paul, Nate or JohnE from the MPO division.

Obviously it is harder to film this style of event, but I am interested in your thoughts as to the need/desire/benefit/detriment/etc of playing on courses that are more wooded like Brazos East in Waco.

Comparing a course like this to something like Winthrop, it seems like style of course forces more skill/technique vs. the alternative that has fewer trees, but requires the golfer to land within the OB lines. This is not to take away from something like Winthrop with all of the OB, etc. but it seems like a course with fewer trees more favors the hyzer/crush shot, where as Waco forces shot selection/shaping more.

- Would you rather see the pros play in more wooded/technical courses or wide open courses?
- Do you feel like the wooded course layout significantly affected the video/spectator experience?
- Is it possible that a course like this would prevent pros from making the trip, and opting out due to its potential effect on ratings/payout/etc if they know it is a difficult course?
- Other thoughts?

 

[JC17393]

I have been watching a lot of the Waco Charity Open this week, and really enjoy seeing the mix between sparsely wooded, and heavily wooded holes. It has been good to see other people moving up and down the leaderboard that we generally do not see, and I am wondering your opinion as to if yall believe that the woods have something to do with it, or the absence of someone like Paul, Nate or JohnE from the MPO division.

Obviously it is harder to film this style of event, but I am interested in your thoughts as to the need/desire/benefit/detriment/etc of playing on courses that are more wooded like Brazos East in Waco.

Comparing a course like this to something like Winthrop, it seems like style of course forces more skill/technique vs. the alternative that has fewer trees, but requires the golfer to land within the OB lines. This is not to take away from something like Winthrop with all of the OB, etc. but it seems like a course with fewer trees more favors the hyzer/crush shot, where as Waco forces shot selection/shaping more.

- Would you rather see the pros play in more wooded/technical courses or wide open courses?
- Do you feel like the wooded course layout significantly affected the video/spectator experience?
- Is it possible that a course like this would prevent pros from making the trip, and opting out due to its potential effect on ratings/payout/etc if they know it is a difficult course?
- Other thoughts?

The Waco course is no more or less wooded than at least half a dozen other stops on the tour (NT and DGPT), many of which the guys you named have not only played repeatedly but also had great success in doing so. The wooded-ness or difficulty of the course isn't at all why guys like McBeth, Sexton and McCray are elsewhere this weekend.

Those three are all in Florida at a well-renowned event. McCray because he seems to always play that event (in his home state, after all). McBeth and Sexton flew to the east coast after the Memorial because a) that's where home is and b) that's where their tour trailer is and they kinda need it to get going on the rest of their schedule.

I believe McBeth and Sexton's plan after picking up their trailer was to do a bunch of their Beast Challenge clinic events across the southeast in between playing at Throw Down the Mountain and the next DGPT. I have to think running a dozen or so clinics in a variety of states over a 3-week period is more advantageous than staying in roughly the same geographic area where doing that many might suffer from saturation.

 

[Chaser0909]

The wooded-ness or difficulty of the course isn't at all why guys like McBeth, Sexton and McCray are elsewhere this weekend.

I am sorry if it was inferred that the woods kept them away. I was more wondering if the woods created the opportunity for guys like Conrad, Seaborn, Laitala, Barsby, Brown, Keith, Tillman to be in the Top 10 15 holes into the final round, or if they are there because McBeth, Sexton, McCray are not around. (Not that the above mentioned guys are bad, just doesn't seem like they are commonly seen at the top of the charts.

 

[DiscJunkie]

Being from N. Carolina, I have enjoyed the mix of open and wooded holes at Waco.
Particularly enjoyable is the risk/reward aspect of some of these wooded hole layouts.
I am a proponent of any and all layouts that have an increased risk/reward factor.
Also enjoying the Eagle/Simon commentary.

 

[araytx]

Doesn't this belong with the Tournament threads, perhaps combined with the other W.A.C.O. thread?

 

[air show]

More good DG down in Florida. Looks like Sexton leads Mcbeth by one going into the final round.

http://www.pdga.com/tour/event/30524