Rickie Fowler - backwards hat

[tnc200]

Please tell me what's wrong with Whistling Straits?

Keep this in context, I'm a guy that plays in the 90s, plays 1 or 2 rounds a week and a couple nights at the range. I've played maybe 20 courses total in my lifetime. And this is just my jealous opinion. A course like Whistling Straights is a carnival ride. Dye and the developer built a course with very little regard to the average golfer. Overly brutal hazards, and unrecoverable lies ruin a golf tourney. Gimicky to say the least, and at what was it $275 walk on. Seems more like course designed solely for a tour event, making that event more of a spectacle of guys getting in trouble and not being able to recover, and that is through Dye's design. Look at the last Masters and how fun it was to watch Choi and the others scramble and still stay in contention. I don't think we will ever see that from WS. I'm not a big fan of Dye to be fair.

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

Keep this in context, I'm a guy that plays in the 90s, plays 1 or 2 rounds a week and a couple nights at the range. I've played maybe 20 courses total in my lifetime. And this is just my jealous opinion. A course like Whistling Straights is a carnival ride. Dye and the developer built a course with very little regard to the average golfer. Overly brutal hazards, and unrecoverable lies ruin a golf tourney. Gimicky to say the least, and at what was it $275 walk on. Seems more like course designed solely for a tour event, making that event more of a spectacle of guys getting in trouble and not being able to recover, and that is through Dye's design. Look at the last Masters and how fun it was to watch Choi and the others scramble and still stay in contention. I don't think we will ever see that from WS. I'm not a big fan of Dye to be fair.

I have to disagree to some point. I understand what you are saying, but I've been very fortunate to have twice played Crooked Stick in Carmel Indiana which is a Pete Dye gem. The course can be set up hard for the pro's and set up fair for the rest of us. There is a set of tee's for everyone. Just move up and have fun.

Back on topic......Rickie is just a kid. Let him be a kid.

 

[blugold]

Keep this in context, I'm a guy that plays in the 90s, plays 1 or 2 rounds a week and a couple nights at the range. I've played maybe 20 courses total in my lifetime. And this is just my jealous opinion. A course like Whistling Straights is a carnival ride. Dye and the developer built a course with very little regard to the average golfer. Overly brutal hazards, and unrecoverable lies ruin a golf tourney. Gimicky to say the least, and at what was it $275 walk on. Seems more like course designed solely for a tour event, making that event more of a spectacle of guys getting in trouble and not being able to recover, and that is through Dye's design. Look at the last Masters and how fun it was to watch Choi and the others scramble and still stay in contention. I don't think we will ever see that from WS. I'm not a big fan of Dye to be fair.

As off topic as this is - Whistling Straits has two courses, The Straits and the Irish. The Irish is much more amateur friendly. The Straits course (I've never played it), is a course that does not favor a scrambler. I agree. But it is a course that Dye made to be insanely punishing to inaccurate golfer.

But Pete Dye has made some fantastic courses. I was lucky enough to play one already this year.

Back to topic. Any course member that asks Fowler to turn his hat around, is perpetuating the stuffy golfer persona. And in the long run, it will hurt the game.

 

[tnc200]

Please tell me what's wrong with Whistling Straits?

Also I was really rooting for Watney, then a fans camera or shout and he sent that shot into the water. His drop killed the hole then he lost it from there. Seemed like 1 errant shot cost him a run at it anyway.

 

[coolbreeze]

It does and you live with it. And of course we wont even get into how bad galleries ruin the course and the areas around it. Then you deal with the fact that the amount of guys all taking huge divots from the same exact area all day and the course is a disaster after they leave for weeks in some cases.

JB, this is totally off topic, but when your private course is closed for 3 weeks or 4 weeks for a tour event and you can't play but are paying dues, are there any reciprocals with other courses in the area so you can still play without paying extra?

 

[packersfan]

In my eyes, there is nothing wrong with a backwards hat. I think it's more ridiculous some of the outfits seen out on tour rather than a hat turned around. As was said many times here already, being so uptight and stuffy about these things are some of the reasons golf is viewed by many (many young people especially) as too boring and too rigid to be enjoyable. I say back let him be as long as his attitude and actions (the things that REALLY matter) stay as classy as they have been thus far.

 

[Mustng5]

I can totally understand the Masters but not the other tournament, and definitely not a member in a parking lot. Its just a hat and he wasn't on the course with his hat backwards. I was also raised to remove your hat when coming indoors and to remove your hands from your pockets when talking to someone. But in the parking lot, I mean come on give me a break.

 

[Vegan702]

He should keep it forward so we don't have to see the uni-brow! Surprised his publicists haven't recommended trimming that thing!

 

[Esox]

He should keep it forward so we don't have to see the uni-brow! Surprised his publicists haven't recommended trimming that thing!

No doubt. HiDef and that hairy forehead snake do not get along.

Kevin

 

[blugold]

No doubt. HiDef and that hairy forehead snake do not get along.

Kevin

Kind of like all those videos of Seve.

 

[tnc200]

Maybe he should go back to the Anna Nordqvist look. I'm not sure who he reminds me of more. It is troubling me:laughing:.

 

[the_paulo]

I've got to chuckle. How this debate ended up about the best way to wear a hat, and totally missed the rules part. If you choose to play at a club, you agree to the rules. Kinda like ticking the 'terms and conditions' box when signing up to a forum.

 

[No_Three_Jacks]

Im sure some do. I can tell you as a former member of a tour course as well as working with both my previous profession and setting up the THP Golf Outings, MANY courses close both prior and post. It depends on the course and location and type of grass of course.

But that still goes back to what I said previously. A member is paying full dues for the entire season, yet get a month with no golf or even in your case a half of month with no golf.

I also forgot to mention that these courses that are closed for PGA events usually have a "sister" program with another course where they get membership for that month or very reduced rates. My home course does it for the University Club which hosted the Zurich pro am and SEC tourneys and we alos do it with TPC Louisiana who host the Zurich. So members at these courses aren't exactly paying for nothing for the month you were talking about. Have you heard of this?

 

[JB]

I also forgot to mention that these courses that are closed for PGA events usually have a "sister" program with another course where they get membership for that month or very reduced rates. My home course does it for the University Club which hosted the Zurich pro am and SEC tourneys and we alos do it with TPC Louisiana who host the Zurich. So members at these courses aren't exactly paying for nothing for the month you were talking about. Have you heard of this?

Not all, but some do. That is correct, but it is not the same as playing the course you belong to. Club storage, familiarity, etc...
Im not saying its a bad thing to have a tour stop. It can be a great thing. However from a membership perspective, unless there is equity involved and the tour stop is there at time of sale of equity, many members do not feel that way.

 

[CharlieMoy]

Alot of memberships feel a tour stop is just an annoyance. Your course gets shutdown for a period of time, gets trashed, then they pick up and leave and youre left to clean up the mess.

 

[pjcedog]

I've got to chuckle. How this debate ended up about the best way to wear a hat, and totally missed the rules part. If you choose to play at a club, you agree to the rules. Kinda like ticking the 'terms and conditions' box when signing up to a forum.

He is there to play by the PGA Tour's rules, I don't think these players can be expected to read each host clubs by laws and regulations in order to play in a tournament at their venue. Sorry but I think it is wrong to chastise or even mention this to a tour player.

 

[pjcedog]

Actually tour events due absolutely crucify courses. PGA National for instance closes the Champion course several weeks before and several weeks after the Honda to work on teh course. That is a full month that dues are still to be paid, but the course is unplayable.

But that would not be kept secret when a person goes in to join that club correct? I mean choosing to join that club I would think would be a decision a person would never make without knowing that that was going to happen every year, that the golf course would be unavailable for a month or a few weeks because of the event.

 

[JB]

But that would not be kept secret when a person goes in to join that club correct? I mean choosing to join that club I would think would be a decision a person would never make without knowing that that was going to happen every year, that the golf course would be unavailable for a month or a few weeks because of the event.

It depends if they join the club that already has the tour event or not. Or if it arrives after joining.

 

[Ole Gray]

Private clubs prefer hats off in the restaurant or bar I believe. Personally I think Fowler looks kinda foolish, like a moto x wannabe on a golf course. If he was really cool he'd point the bill off to one side.:laughing:

yep. A little Uncle Daddy's sweet tea and that is a lock :thumb:

 

[the_paulo]

He is there to play by the PGA Tour's rules, I don't think these players can be expected to read each host clubs by laws and regulations in order to play in a tournament at their venue. Sorry but I think it is wrong to chastise or even mention this to a tour player.

Maybe DJ should have tried this defence after grounding his club last year!

I certainly read the local rules for each club I play at. I don't see why another player shouldn't, just because of their status.

 

[pjcedog]

Maybe DJ should have tried this defence after grounding his club last year!

I certainly read the local rules for each club I play at. I don't see why another player shouldn't, just because of their status.

You are confusing rules of golf with club rules, those are two completely separate things.

 

[pjcedog]

It depends if they join the club that already has the tour event or not. Or if it arrives after joining.

So if someone were to pay out six figures to join a club they would have no opportunity to have any say in whether the club hosted a tournament or not? Hard to believe, I am not saying you are wrong but it is hard to believe.

 

[JB]

So if someone were to pay out six figures to join a club they would have no opportunity to have any say in whether the club hosted a tournament or not? Hard to believe, I am not saying you are wrong but it is hard to believe.

Depends on the equity and the club and who has voting rights. It happens all the time. Find a club that hosts a tournament and you will usually find unhappy members that their club is "demolished" for up to a month.

 

[IceyShanks]

Depends on the equity and the club and who has voting rights. It happens all the time. Find a club that hosts a tournament and you will usually find unhappy members that their club is "demolished" for up to a month.

That's a good point, there's a tournament around here and it shuts down the course for a couple weeks and I know of quite a few members that aren't happy they can't play the golf course, they pay fees to play on, but they also get to sit on their back patios and watch a tournament from there!

 

[the_paulo]

You are confusing rules of golf with club rules, those are two completely separate things.

huh? so, since a player is bound by PGA rules, they are no longer bound by local club rules? I just don't understand that. If I enter someone's house, no matter who I represent, I abide by their house rules. Maybe I'm just different.