Did Aronimink Just Play the PGA Tour for a Major?
by Ryan Ballengee on Jul 5, 2010 2:06 PM EDT
in Pro Golf
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PrintFirst impressions are important. Aronimink had a very significant opportunity to make a modern first impression to golf fans, pro golfers, and PGA Tour brass by serving the first of two instances as host of the AT&T National. The words and phrases that were used to describe Aronimink from the onset of tournament week were huge. "Major ready," "better than Congressional," "fun" - they all come to mind.
From the variety of holes to the perilous, large, undulating greens, this Depression-era classic succeeded in impressing everyone involved with the tournament. Tiger Woods and his foundation were looking to identify a course that could temporarily host this tournament that mirrored the design era of Congo. Aronimink did that and, in several cases, seems to have overshadowed it.
Not only did the AT&T National win, but Aronimink may have won, too.
Larry Dorman of the NY Times spoke with David Boucher, Aronimink club president, who talked about the club's goals for hosting this tournament. In no uncertain terms did Aronimink talk about their ultimate goal for getting back into the golf consciousness: for their track to host a major.
"Certainly our goal would be to have a PGA Championship again," he said, "and, if we were going to dream, to have an Open."
Aronimink has hosted a single major: the '62 PGA. The club has long existed in the shadow of Merion - the true supreme track in the Philadelphia area. It will host the Open in three short years. Merion will get its major moment for the first time in 32 years and, in my opinion, likely for the final time. The other great Philly club has the length and property space to host a major.
This is certainly not a new idea. Quail Hollow has made no bones about its desire to bring the PGA Championship to their course by the end of the decade, and that they have been using their tenure on the PGA Tour schedule to showcase their club and the city of Charlotte.
Ridgewood CC will host The Barclays for the second time in three years this August. The club has not been as explicit in its desire to have one of the two traveling American majors, but it could well be a desire.
In one sense, this could be a developing trend that the PGA Tour could use to enhance its course line-up each year. Many foreign-born players complain about the mundane nature of architecture through stretches of the Tour schedule. Matching a need to identify new venues with the desire of clubs to get in front of the likes of the USGA and PGA of America, the PGA Tour could be the beneficiary. Ultimately, that means that fans also will be treated to better courses, more intriguing styles of play, and even more entertaining golf.
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I really enjoyed watching the golf at Aronimink – what a beautiful course !
But the PGA Tour doesn’t run any of the Majors. The Masters is run by Augusta National. US Open by the USGA. THE Open, of course, by the R&A, and the PGA by the PGA or America.
And tell those foreign born players to go home if they don’t like the courses on Tour. Nobody likes whiners – and if the courses are that easy, why aren’t they winning all the time ? Unlike the UK, we’re not a small-ish island with so many courses on the beach where the wind and weather are the protection. There are great courses on the PGA Tour schedule just like there are great courses on the European Tour.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
A course has to have some difficulty
to identify the top players…an easy track and they all shoot 65’s, such great ball strikers they all are. When the course makes the pros think more, use imagination, etc…the cream rises to the top . The courses that Internationals might be on about would be the ones lacking this…usually the drive and wedge to the green types. I do like the dig at me court, shows you do have some stubborn fight in you, lol. You probably know the we too have some fine inland courses here , but many are not used now, length being one factor and the fact they are tucked away from good transport facilities, etc.
Very true on the parkland and resort courses. It’s just tough to make long courses when land is at such a premium. The one parkland course that I don’t understand being used is the course for the Scottish Open that so many players use as a warm up for the British Open…which is played on a completely different style of course. I was surprised more guys didn’t go with Paddy over to Ireland to play on a links course.
You are so right on the better players usually coming out on top on the tougher courses – especially when the greens are lightning quick. All of these guys can play – but slower greens bring more players into the mix. The best putters make the putts on faster greens.
I haven’t seen any of the inland courses in the UK – but I’d like to. All we played in Scotland were very old links courses because we don’t have anything like that here. The youngest course we played was Southerness, on the west coast, heading back to Manchester to go home. It was built in 1947.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
"Nobody likes whiners" CG
so why start an entire thread with a whine? Of course there are incredible courses on the PGA Tour schedule; whoever suggested otherwise?
WOW....did someone get up
on the wrong side of the key board this morning? Hmmm?……STUB
I for one enjoyed...
Watching the late afternoon coverage on Saturday and Sunday. Plenty of talent in the field and a great variety of players getting well deserved face time on TV for a change. Some please tell me what the Heck is wrong with the friggin Golf Channel beyond the obvious? Jimenez, Canizares and Molinari ready to tee off for the playoff in the French Open and the best TGC can do is move on to the AT&T for coverage of Tiger who was t-35 at that time. What a friggin joke TGC is. “Golfs Home” my ass. I was sittin gin the clubhouse with about 45 guys watching and they switched over. Man O Man I thought there was going to be a mutiny. I know for a fact several people e-mailed TGC to complain about this type of trasparent bias they have over there. Shamefull if you ask me. You can bet dimes to donuts if Tiger was in that playoff they would have let in roll on. jumpn/progolf
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
I can't have donuts on my diet......how
about dimes to foul tasting supplement drinks and chicken flavored cardboard…….:)
Tiger in the playoff……surely you jest…maybe a playoff to make the cut….lol
The Saints ARE the SUPER BOWL CHAMPS....WHO DAT!
Good......
When it comes to diets…..I am in the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” camp……:)
The Saints ARE the SUPER BOWL CHAMPS....WHO DAT!
I lost 6 pounds last week
But that was “cash weight” from my girlfriends shopping spree at LL BEAN. DOH !!!
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
Jumpin...English or
American currancy? yuk, yuk, yuk……STUBO
I hate playing links courses
especially when the wind is blowing on this island, but I love to watch the pros do so. Give me an inland course, lots of trees to to infuriate those who strike long, wayward shots. Who criticised Aronimink, Court? I didn’t read anything along those lines.
Do you live inland, Wendy ? (sorry – my UK geography is a little rusty)
Umm – nobody criicized Aronimink – why do you ask ? Eas talked about players saying that US courses are boring, but didn’t specify courses.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Couldn't live more coastal, CG
Portsmouth – next stop south is France – if I ignore Isle of Wight in the way – but prevailing winds are normally SW this time of year so blowing inland. No links courses this area either (have played them in north of France – hopeless – me I mean ). I mistakenly thought you were suggesting Euro Tour players had criticised US courses such as Aronimink, but now realise it was a little spat between you and Easing re course complexity.
Hey wendy
My summer place up in New Hampshire is only one town over from Portsmouth. Lets play 19.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
ah – got it…and I get to watch concerts from the Isle of Wight on a cable channel. Looks like a lot of fun.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Might look like a spat Wendy
But court is just trying to bait me…he’s ok though, once he looks past Ohio and beyond the US shores…just has to remember to take of his blindfold :)
That's a state just east of Indiana.....
I would have thought you would know that……:)
The Saints ARE the SUPER BOWL CHAMPS....WHO DAT!
No matter who said it......it's still east of Indiana.
The Saints ARE the SUPER BOWL CHAMPS....WHO DAT!
Don't mis quote me court
I said they may be refering to SOME US courses..drive and wedge courses which of course applies everywhere. Accurate reporting…remember ?
According to you,
some foreign players were “whining” about how easy US courses were. I simply suggested they might be on about some of the drive and wedge courses that required little imagination, shotmaking etc. Don’t know why you wanted me to single out any, but you could single out some of these players who said US courses were easy.
ah – but according to you – it was the European players complaining about the courses. It’s not the courses that are boring – you can hit driver and wedge on courses in the UK, too. Need proof ? Tune in to watch St Andrews. It may not be the smartest way to play, but there will be guys doing it.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
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