TGC Tour - Arnold Palmer Invitational

[MainStGolf]

Well I played round 2 tonight. A MAMMOTH improvement over round one, but still disappointed with my score. I had two holes that I went brain dead on the greens. Just hit some REALLY poor putts to take a couple of doubles late. Glad to have that one out of the way and on to next week :-). All I got to say is thank goodness for handicaps this week ;-). I definitely played to my 20 this week.

[Mike80]

Just finished my 2nd round. Shot 42 - 49 (+19). With my 1st really bad round, my total score is way up there! Hopefully my handicap can help a little...lol. Glad this tournament is done. I did not enjoy this course at all. The greens were ridiculous! Hopefully we can test courses out first before picking them. This one should not be on our list.

When looking at the leader board in TGC, how can I see the NET score for everyone. It shows everyone's actual score without their handicap applied. Otherwise I have no idea who's leading until the score is posted on the website with scores. Let me know if there is a setting I need to adjust. Thanks!

[avantix]

Just finished a practice round, loved the layout but the greens wouldn't hold a ball coming in with any club. I found putting to be somewhat ok, not the easiest and I did sink a few but a couple of holes were just ridiculous. So many approach shots landed 2-3 feet from the pin and then rolled 30+ feet. In 20 years I've never seen that happen even on some courses that I've played that were 12+ on stimp meter. I even subconsciously reached for my laser at one point to see slope adjusted distance LOL

Ready for round 1 tomorrow

[ks-man]

Played much better in my second round than my first. Managed to shoot an 84 after my earlier 98. Played against Bubba22 and WBond (and beat them both ) I agree with most people's complaints about the greens being difficult for the simulator but didn't mind it too much since we are all playing the same course. DDawg is actually a well respected designer over at the HB Studios forum and this course is considered a good one. Guessing the pros might feel this way after playing a rough round at Augusta.

[wbond]

Nice job. Do you know if you played against my 1st or 2nd round? If 2nd, did you catch either of those two hosel rockets? Those were nice.

[MainStGolf]

Yeah I don't mind a difficult course now and then. It really reminds me to keep working on my game. My driving was SO much better in round 2 which really helped the scores. Most of the putting woes were of my own making not the greens. I'd definitely play the course again. The scenery was nice. I liked that a hole or two had a big giant tree that made you think about your tee shots. Couple of dog legs the same. I saw you got me by a couple of strokes in round 2. I think I finished with an 86, but I think I got you by one stroke overall ;-).

[Bubba22]

Nice ks-man.

[st_golfer]

DDawg is actually a well respected designer over at the HB Studios forum and this course is considered a good one. Guessing the pros might feel this way after playing a rough round at Augusta.

It's totally different designing for console players versus simulator players. Simulator players aren't hitting 90% of fairways (it's probably 90% of the dead middle of fairways for console players) and well above 50% GIR. The console game is a joke, it's not real golf. Simulator golf is not real golf either, but it's a million times closer to it than console golf is.

So how does one make it harder for players that can hit laser straight shots every time? You make even the slightest mistake overly penal. The first cut of rough tends to be tiny or non existent. You guard the hell out of the greens to allow for almost no spots to have a shot land short and roll on. You make the greens themselves mini roller coasters with unrealistic undulations. All fine and good for players who only have to figure out the daunting concept of "thumb back, thumb forward" to "hit a golf ball". Not good for the people actually using their body to swing a real golf club.

TGC designers building for sim players should be required to have to play their courses via a simulator first before releasing. And the tour needs to stop using console courses for the simulator tour events. My home course IRL has a slope and rating of 72.4 / 135. It hosts an LPGA event annually, hardly an easy track. And yet my RL handicap is almost 10 strokes lower than my TGC handicap, which includes the ability to hit off a flat perfect lie every time. That's because in real life, golf courses are at least a little forgiving for the less than perfect shots. Simulator courses should at least take that into account.

And I played the sim friendly Magnolia from 6700 last week. Shot 27 strokes better than I did at this track.

[mthunt]

It's totally different designing for console players versus simulator players. Simulator players aren't hitting 90% of fairways (it's probably 90% of the dead middle of fairways for console players) and well above 50% GIR. The console game is a joke, it's not real golf. Simulator golf is not real golf either, but it's a million times closer to it than console golf is.

So how does one make it harder for players that can hit laser straight shots every time? You make even the slightest mistake overly penal. The first cut of rough tends to be tiny or non existent. You guard the hell out of the greens to allow for almost no spots to have a shot land short and roll on. You make the greens themselves mini roller coasters with unrealistic undulations. All fine and good for players who only have to figure out the daunting concept of "thumb back, thumb forward" to "hit a golf ball". Not good for the people actually using their body to swing a real golf club.

TGC designers building for sim players should be required to have to play their courses via a simulator first before releasing. And the tour needs to stop using console courses for the simulator tour events. My home course IRL has a slope and rating of 72.4 / 135. It hosts an LPGA event annually, hardly an easy track. And yet my RL handicap is almost 10 strokes lower than my TGC handicap, which includes the ability to hit off a flat perfect lie every time. That's because in real life, golf courses are at least a little forgiving for the less than perfect shots. Simulator courses should at least take that into account.

And I played the sim friendly Magnolia from 6700 last week. Shot 27 strokes better than I did at this track.

If you want my advice, stick with the RCR courses. They are usually a lot better for simulator play. Some of the console courses are pretty silly. None of the designers make courses for sim play. They are all made for console then some designers get convinced to create a sim version which is just a shorter set of tees. Starting with the spring tour no courses are being added without being tested in a real ball hitting simulator. It's an improvement.

[st_golfer]

If you want my advice, stick with the RCR courses. They are usually a lot better for simulator play. Some of the console courses are pretty silly. None of the designers make courses for sim play. They are all made for console then some designers get convinced to create a sim version which is just a shorter set of tees. Starting with the spring tour no courses are being added without being tested in a real ball hitting simulator. It's an improvement.

That is solid advice for sure. And I like hearing that about the spring tour. I may or may not finish up this tour but will definitely jump in the spring tour knowing this.

[mthunt]

I just finished my first round. Oh boy. I thought you guys were exaggerating. Warning: don't ever let your guests play this track. They'll tell everyone your sim is garbage. lol

The greens not holding issue is the slopes. When the ball lands on a slope it's going all over the place.

[keither5150]

If that course was the demo for TGC........ I would be playing E6 right now. I hit a 9 iron on 17, I thought that I would smash a 9 iron so I don't end up in the back. I landed about 2 yards by and rolled 47 feet uphill towards the back of the green. Starting my first tournament round now. I have not seen the 70's on this course yet

[keither5150]

Finished first round 14 over..... still stuck in the 80's

[st_golfer]

Well, played this course for hopefully the last time ever. Did have a 19 stroke improvement over round 1. Still about 10 strokes over my expectations. But hey on the bright side I have a nice fat handicap now that I'll be using to pound you guys with later. ;-)

[keither5150]

It would be a great course if the greens were normal. Just shot a 77 but took an extra 10 or 15 minutes sitting and down and studying the grid before putting. I just unfavorited it..... unfavorited unfavored .... nope still not a word. Out of sight and out of mind. Next course looks great. http://www.eastlakegolfclub.com/golf/course-tour/

[Vincent_Vega]

Probably been asked and answered already but will next week actually be match play format or is the tournament just named that to match the PGA event? I'm guessing it won't be since that would require someone deciding seeding.

[mthunt]

Not match play.

[mthunt]

Probably been asked and answered already but will next week actually be match play format or is the tournament just named that to match the PGA event? I'm guessing it won't be since that would require someone deciding seeding.

Not match play

[SwingHarder]

Limited time this week so played both rounds back to back last night. 82-84, so scores are in line with my handicap, but too many doubles due to dumb mistakes. On the plus side, that's the most 300+ yard drives I've ever had in a 2 round stretch.