The Memorial (Jack's Tourney)

[ScriptOhio]

Asking those in the area, maybe members? Are members still resigning from Murfield because it's too darn hard? A decade or so ago, had a friend tell me that many members were chasing memberships elsewhere because the course was designed for championship play mainly. Note, when Jack designs a course for we mortals, he give us a 'bail out' area, or a high risk-high reward way to play the hole. On the hole visuals, don't really see that. I've only played seven of Jack's courses, so certainly not an expert. Jack still draws the top professionals for the Memorial, though.

According to this article, he's still making it tougher:

Jack Nicklaus plans to Make Massive Changes to Muirfield Village

Some courses, like Augusta National, have been forced to purchase adjacent land and/or have worked out deals with neighbors for land use. Jack Nicklaus is fortunate that Muirfield Village GC has sufficient land to be able to make changes now, and he’s getting ready to do just that. On the Fred Couples PGA Tour Radio show this week, he detailed some of what he has in mind for alterations at one of his quintessential courses.

Nicklaus began by saying that they had already intended to redo the greens after the tournament this year and admitted that a 15- minute conversation about greens led him into quite an expansive and expensive renovation of most of the course.

In addition to redoing all 18 greens, they will resurface fairways and redo many bunkers. Several bunkers will be added strategically.When talking with Couples, Nicklaus mentioned that he was adding 30 yards to the first hole, a lovely downhill par four. They are also moving the green to the left.

On the fourth hole, an additional 20 yards will be added. Currently, the hole is a stout, 200-yard, par 3.

On the 5th hole, a par five with a fairway split by a creek, the landing area will be enlarged. In addition, for the tournament, the hole will become a par 4, changing the overall par of the course to 71 instead of the current 72.

Golfers currently use a 3-wood or iron off the tee to avoid the creek. With the hole playing just 527, the second shot is a mid-iron. The way the hole plays has changed over the years. It is now, due to the equipment improvements, become a very short par five. However, the tilted green has long been one of its strengths. In the first year of the tournament, Tour players were sometimes hard-pressed to keep the ball on the putting surface.

On the 6th hole, another bunker will be added to Muirfield Village, Nicklaus told Couples.

The 9th green will be modified.

On the back nine, the 11th will be lengthened 20 yards, and the green will be moved.

The 15th will get 30 more yards, and the edges of the golf hole will be smoothed out so that the creek on the left comes into play more often.

The finishing holes will also get a few tweaks here and there.

All this and more will happen before the 2021 Memorial Tournament.

According to Nicholas LaRocca, the general manager of the club, sub-surface heating and cooling will be installed for the greens.

Entire article: https://progolfnow.com/2020/07/16/jack-nicklaus-changes-muirfield-village/

 

[calibuck]

Gotta wonder what the assessments will be for the members for these very expensive changes (about $20-35,000 to replace a green). The course rating will probably go up 5 points. Any BPer a member at Muirfield?

 

[LitlBuck]

Gotta wonder what the assessments will be for the members for these very expensive changes (about $20-35,000 to replace a green). The course rating will probably go up 5 points. Any BPer a member at Muirfield?

I do not think that money is an issue for anyone who belongs to Muirifield so this renovation will probably be a drop in the bucket to the members.

I think that it is ironic that Jack thinks that golf balls are made too good these days and guys are getting too much distance from them and then he goes and lengthens his course in addition to making it even tougher.

 

[calibuck]

Between improvements to the balls and probably more so, the golf sticks themselves, more length is probably needed. I hit a two generation newer driver (Ping) than I currently play, and got an additional 15-20 yards. Most of the par 4's are still unreachable for me, but for the younger, bigger stickers that can make the difference between using a 7 iron versus a pitching wedge into a green. Net effect is lowering scores. I guess that Jack wants to keep Muirfield a 'pro' course, rather than making play enjoyable for the membership. Given that many (most?) of Muirfield members are older, and thus able to afford the dues and monthly fees, he's probably taking some of the pleasure out of the game for them. Maybe I'll have my club pro make a reservation for me at Muirfield when go back to visit daughter.

 

[LitlBuck]

Between improvements to the balls and probably more so, the golf sticks themselves, more length is probably needed.

that is what he wants to eliminate and he wants to make his course a championship course the hell with the members they probably could care less anyway they are making deals not playing golf

 

[ScriptOhio]

 

[ScriptOhio]

Shoots a 68 (-4) in opening round.

Don't know Bo Hoag? Well, he knows more about Muirfield Village than anybody playing at the Memorial

Bo Hoag might be largely unknown among golf fans, but the second-year PGA Tour member is living large at this week’s Memorial Tournament.

Hoag, 32, is a local guy who should feel more at home at Muirfield Village Golf Club than anyone but tournament founder and host Jack Nicklaus. His late grandfather, Bob Hoag, was one of Nicklaus’ closest friends and a founding member of Muirfield Village. Bo not only played plenty of golf here, but he also attended the Memorial on several occasions, working the driving range and hounding players for autographs.

Hoag attended the same high school in nearby Upper Arlington where Nicklaus went, so he has that going for him. And like both Nicklaus and his grandfather, Hoag played college golf at Ohio State. Suffice it to say, he heard so many fans shouting the familiar “O-H” salutation during Thursday’s opening round that he lost count, even though he couldn’t make the proper response, “I-O.”

Hoag did make a decent statement with his clubs, though, shooting a four-under-par 68 despite a bogey on the final hole. It was the kind of round that largely has been beyond his grasp for most of the last four months while missing eight of 11 cuts, including a string of seven straight that he ended three weeks ago at the AT&T Byron Nelson in Dallas.

“I feel like I kind of have that home-field edge,” said Hoag, who is playing in his third Memorial on a sponsor’s exemption, having debuted in the tournament in 2012 when he was just starting his pro career. “Did everything pretty nicely. Put the ball in the fairway, hit some good approach shots, and I rolled the ball well. Didn’t make too many mistakes and made it pretty stress free.”

Entire article: https://www.golfdigest.com/story/me...hoag-local-muirfield-village-opening-round-68

 

[calibuck]

Sorry I don't keep up, but does anyone know the names of tOSU golfers that now make their living on Tour? Always want to cheer a Buckeye, but lose track once the Buckeye sports information machine doesn't track them. We've had some good ones, but (I don't believe) anyone notable after John Cook. Now even he doesn't play on the senior circuit anymore, and is spotty as an announcer. Thanks in advance. Go Bucks anywhere and everywhere.

 

[Thump]

Sorry I don't keep up, but does anyone know the names of tOSU golfers that now make their living on Tour? Always want to cheer a Buckeye, but lose track once the Buckeye sports information machine doesn't track them. We've had some good ones, but (I don't believe) anyone notable after John Cook. Now even he doesn't play on the senior circuit anymore, and is spotty as an announcer. Thanks in advance. Go Bucks anywhere and everywhere.

Ryan Armour

 

[morbitzerker]

Sorry I don't keep up, but does anyone know the names of tOSU golfers that now make their living on Tour? Always want to cheer a Buckeye, but lose track once the Buckeye sports information machine doesn't track them. We've had some good ones, but (I don't believe) anyone notable after John Cook. Now even he doesn't play on the senior circuit anymore, and is spotty as an announcer. Thanks in advance. Go Bucks anywhere and everywhere.

Bo Hoag, born in Columbus, graduated from tOSU in 2011. Currently, -4 and tied for 6th. Tees off at 4:29 for round 2.

 

[calibuck]

Thanks guys. Now for bonus points, are these guys on Sponsors exemptions, or did they qualify? I know that Jack likes to pump up tOSU golfers by giving them a chance to shine at the Memorial. Haven't seen either Bo or Ryan's name on any leaderboard....Not important, just idle musing. Do appreciate it though.

 

[Thump]

Absolutely sick for Rahm.

 

[Steve19]

When I moved to SA, I brought a set of McGregor a 3 handicap and a set of McGregor Tourney Custom clubs. A colleague at J&J had played for one of the SEC teams and tried (but failed) to get on the tour. So, he asks me to play with another friend, Nick, who he said was going to try to get on the Tour but was not really all that good. I had never played a seaside links course but felt good at -1 after 3 holes. Mark was also at-1 and his friend was even par. When we headed into the wind, I hit a wedge that got pushed straight up in the wind and ended up 2 meters behind me. The friend put his approach two feet from the hole and began a five birdie run and it was over. I remember telling Mark that I thought the guy had a chance to make the Tour and that I'd appreciate a heads-up before I got my ass kicked like that again. Glad to see him acknowledged at the Memorial this year.

 

[Jake]

Absolutely sick for Rahm.

 

[ScriptOhio]

According to a release from the PGA Tour, Rahm was subject to contact-tracing protocols beginning Monday due to coming in close contact with a person who was COVID-19 positive. Rahm was given the option to remain in the tournament and had to undergo daily testing. Rahm had tested negative every day until Saturday when a test he took after his storm-delayed second round ended.
It came back positive at 4:20 p.m. ET. A second test on the sample came back positive at 6:05 p.m. ET.

It is not known if Rahm is fully vaccinated. If he had been, he would not have been subject to daily testing.
“If someone had been fully vaccinated, and fully vaccinated under our protocol is, and it’s defined by the CDC, is 14 days past the full cycle of a vaccination. They do not have to test as a result of being a close contact,” Levinson said. “Unless they have developed symptoms.”

https://golfweek.usatoday.com/2021/06/05/jon-rahm-positive-covid-19-memorial-six-shot-lead/

Well, that's a bummer for Rahm. Needles to say, I can name 1,674,000 reasons why he should have gotten the vaccination.