A single shot can have some elements of chance involved, but a tournament involving hundreds of shots removes that element. I suggest you take a look at the law of large numbers. Once you wrap your head around that, you'll understand there is no luck involved in an event involving multiple rounds. It's pure and raw skill, 100%..
I love the USDGC and the course from the footage I have seen. I enjoy that it gets into everyone's head and there is an element of gamesmanship between the course designers and the players. I love that they haven't folded to the pressure from the pro players to make the course more standard and basic. There has been a long standing history of this place being "different", and I hope they keep that going as long as possible.
I have not been to the course before. For those that have, is there room available to continue to stretch the course out as the players go farther and farther? Perhaps smaller baskets could be an option one day. That would have some players probably have a full scale nuclear meltdown, which would only make it even better.
Luck is a major factor when we are talking about a shot or two. While there are hundreds of shots, one player could get 65% of the lucky bounces or rolls. While another player could be unlucky for that week and get 35% of the lucky rolls or bounces. Then you have to consider that most of these events comes down to less than a handful of shots, many times 1 shot can be the difference.
While we will never remove all elements of luck, we should try and determine the best player for the week. Not have luck being a deciding factor like in Portland (KJ).
I personally have played in events where I have ended up OB by less than a foot 5 times in 1 round, which when you factor in the stroke, plus drop zone, ends up being a swing of 5-10 shots just on one round. "Yeah you should have thrown it better, throw it in bounds." Yeah yeah sure. I hit a harder packed part of the green and skip OB by 6 inches while my competitor doesn't.
I've also been lucky and thrown terrible shots multiple times in a round and end up winning, my shots were simply greasy or I hit the right tree to kick me back in bounds and the shots parked.
Just look at 888 for instance. One player skips hit the curb and lands in. Next player skips, hits the curb and ends up taking a 10 after throwing OB a couple more times. Eagle a few years ago in case you forget for example.
All the narrow rope lined fairways and greens, bricks under the basket, skipping off the parking lot on 888 are only increasing the luck factor.
Heck even Jerm won the USDGC without even playing a final round. Would he still have won or was he lucky? I'd bet he wouldn't have won, but there he is with a title. No offense of course to Jerm. He earned it and got lucky by having the last round cancelled.
