Always a great time playing Torrey post PGA event.
I played the South course after the 2008 US Open. I lost over a dozen golf balls. Anything that went into the rough was lost. You might find a few other balls but never yours. There’s also a local rule where you can check the spot where you think your ball landed for 2 minutes tops, and if you don’t find it, you drop a ball with no penalty.
Edit: fixed the year
@Ashby
You pretty much have to play like this on these types of courses. If you don’t have volunteers or fans watching every shot, it can be tough
Sam said:
@Ashby
You pretty much have to play like this on these types of courses. If you don’t have volunteers or fans watching every shot, it can be tough
Can confirm this. Long ago, I played Brown Deer which used to host the Greater Milwaukee Open. Easy course generally, but even back then, those guys were making tons of birdies. The only defense the course had was letting the rough grow wildly long.
I played there a day or two after the tournament ended, and pulled out a blade of grass that was about 9 inches long. The rough was all like that, and I lost a lot of golf balls that day, which usually wouldn’t happen.
@Sloan
Great course though
Sam said:
@Ashby
You pretty much have to play like this on these types of courses. If you don’t have volunteers or fans watching every shot, it can be tough
It really is only rough like this just before and after the tournament. They cut the rough back quite a bit during regular play. The greens are always tricky, but tee to green it’s much more forgiving in summer. You can spray it a bit on most holes and still be okay.
Playing around tournament time is a unique experience. Not something I’d want to do all the time but it can be a rewarding challenge now and then.
@Ashby
Yep. I’ve played Bethpage Black many times and even a few times with the NYFD in scrambles.
Broke 100 every time except once, under 95 three times with a low of 91. Played after the PGA championship and lost balls like they were nothing. The rough was way over 8 inches. Definitely no joke. I shot 106 with a few ‘we know it’s here, no penalties.’
But that 2019 course was the best I have ever seen.
@Ashby
Glad it wasn’t just me.
@Ashby
Uh oh better watch out, all the golf purists are going to be upset with you for breaking the rules. Just mentioning the ‘gallery rule’ is insulting to the game!
…Except we all know that the pros would be racking up penalties left and right on that course without all the cameras and volunteers looking for every ball.
How much harder is the course after a PGA event? I heard stories where scratch golfers barely broke 100 with the tour conditions, especially because of the rough.
Tal said:
How much harder is the course after a PGA event? I heard stories where scratch golfers barely broke 100 with the tour conditions, especially because of the rough.
It’s very tough, especially the rough… you are lucky just to find your ball.
@Owen
I can believe this. It must be nice to have tons of volunteers searching for every ball
@Owen
Exactly - I played the North Course on Tuesday and the rough was tough there too. From what the staff said, it was the same conditions as the Farmers a couple weeks earlier.
@Channing
The fairways were like plush carpet! The greens were firm, fast, and very true!
@Channing
They were great - conditions were fabulous. The greens might have been a little slow, but I can’t complain about the fairways or greens. Just expect slow rounds with each group spending time finding balls in the rough. Our round took about 5 hours and 15 minutes.
Channing said:
@Hale
Oh that’s slow, not ideal for a twilight round. But I always look forward to Torrey anyways
We had a 12:18 tee time and finished just as the sun set on hole 18.
Tal said:
How much harder is the course after a PGA event? I heard stories where scratch golfers barely broke 100 with the tour conditions, especially because of the rough.
I played South about a month after the Farmer’s Open last year. Just looking at these pictures makes my wrist and forearms hurt.
Tal said:
How much harder is the course after a PGA event? I heard stories where scratch golfers barely broke 100 with the tour conditions, especially because of the rough.
It’s different but I played TPC Scottsdale the Thursday after the WM this year. I’m a 2 handicap and shot 81. The rough isn’t as major of an issue on that course, it’s the greens that are tough. They were lightning fast and our forecaddie mentioned they had slowed down since Sunday.
Tal said:
How much harder is the course after a PGA event? I heard stories where scratch golfers barely broke 100 with the tour conditions, especially because of the rough.
It’s not as tough as you’re saying, but I think that’s from the pros’ tees because at Torrey, they are about 700 yards longer and you can’t play them. I usually shoot between 1 and 3 and have scored between 73 and 83 in the weeks leading up to and after the event. It’s definitely tougher; the rough is harsh, and anything over 130 yards I struggle to reach the green, but you can still play without blowing up your score on most holes.
I’m heading there in a month to celebrate my 40th birthday. I can’t wait