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Debating the long and short of it

As courses are lengthened to combat technology, some argue that helps golf's long hitters.

By BOB HARIG

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 14, 2001

TULSA, Okla. -- At 642 yards, with room to stretch it back even more, the par-5 fifth hole at Southern Hills Country Club is the longest in U.S. Open history. A handful of the 156 players who begin the 101st U.S. Open today might hit the ball far enough to reach the green in two shots.

Guess which prominent player is among that group?

Tiger Woods begins his pursuit of a fifth consecutive major championship on a course that has been home to two previous U.S. Opens and three PGA Championships, the last in 1994 when Nick Price won his second straight major.

Some 130 yards have been added to the course since, including moving the tee back about 40 yards at the fifth and pushing a tee back at the 18th to stretch an already brutal par-4 finishing hole to 466 yards.

It is the latest example in an ongoing trend in men's professional golf: the push to lengthen courses to combat modern equipment and technology. And it is especially prevalent at major championship venues such as Southern Hills, opened in 1936 and designed by Perry Maxwell, who never could have envisioned such change in the game.

"They're making these courses too long," said Price, a firm believer that technology is hurting golf. "It seems the longer you hit it, the better off you are. That's sad."

In addition to the changes at Nos. 5 and 18, players will be tested by the longest par 4 in Open history, the 491-yard 16th, which plays as a par 5 for the members.

Overall, the course will measure 6,973 yards, which is not the longest in Open history but still plenty stout for a par-70 layout that will have just two par 5s.

"I guess they're going to guarantee that Tiger wins," Clearwater's John Huston said. "If they want to bring everybody else into the game, they ought to start shortening the courses. I've got a lot better chance against him on a shorter course. Even on a longer course, he still hits a shorter iron in. And I'm not saying he wouldn't do just as well on a shorter course. ... As well as he's playing, he's going to be tough to beat no matter the course."

"I don't think adding yardage is the way to go," Robert Allenby said. "Why don't more places narrow the fairways, grow up the rough and shave the greens so they're hard and fast? That will make it tougher. When you lengthen the golf course and Tiger Woods is in the field, that's like giving cotton candy to a little kid. ... It just opens things up for him. He outdrives us by 20 yards, so it's only good for him."

"Tiger-proofing" is the latest term added to the golf vocabulary. The definition entails lengthening and strengthening courses, ostensibly to the detriment of the game's longest hitters, such as Woods, Phil Mickelson, David Duval, Vijay Singh and Davis Love.

In essence, however, those holes make it easier for the long hitters to prevail over those who don't hit as far.

"You don't Tiger-proof a course," said Jack Nicklaus, who saw Woods annihilate the par 5s at his Memorial tournament two weeks ago, playing them in 14 under par for the week. "The more you go back on the course, the more the advantage is to Tiger. Last year at St. Andrews, Tiger drove it 20 yards past all the bunkers. There weren't any bunkers in play. He had a big old wide fairway to hit into."

"They're starting to realize that the longer they make it is actually to our advantage," Love said. "I hope every hole is (the length of) a 500-yard par 5 because it shrinks the field down some."

According to United States Golf Association officials, there has been no edict to strengthen Open courses because of Woods. Although he played Pebble Beach in 12 under par a year ago, the two runners-up were 3 over. A year earlier, Payne Stewart's winning score at Pinehurst was 1 under.

"We're not doing anything one way or another for Tiger Woods, or any other player," said Tom Meeks, who sets up courses for the USGA. "We've lengthened Open courses before Tiger Woods, during Tiger Woods, and we'll do it after Tiger Woods."

And it probably won't matter much. During a practice round this week, Woods bombed a drive around the corner at the fifth hole, leaving himself a shot at the green. "I had 280 yards to the front," said Woods, who hit the green in two. "No big deal."

Asked what club he used, Woods smiled and said: "I hit a little cut 6-iron in there."

He was kidding. Wasn't he?

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