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Robert Bicknell
Source: Vietnam News
Under normal circumstances, golf courses are usually remodelled,
revamped or upgraded on an average of every 10 years due to the amount of
wear and tear on them. People tend to forget that golf courses are a
living breathing thing and get tired, just like you and I.
However, due to the impact of modern technology, such as
titanium-headed drivers and supercharged golf balls, many golf courses do
not provide the level of challenge that the original designer intended
when the course was first built.
The American Society of Golf Course Architects predicts that there will
be a significant increase in the number of golf facilities remodelling in
the near future.
Technology is not the sole reason for upgrading or remodelling. Courses
which are 20-years old or more face increased competition from newer, more
modern facilities opening up in the same area. It’s become a matter of
upgrade or perish.
While upgrading gives clubs the opportunity to change unpopular or
dangerous holes, remodelling a popular course, if done incorrectly or
poorly, it can turn a popular tract into a cow pasture if the players
don’t like it.
Nowadays, "wanna-be" golf course designers touting their ideas and
looking to make their "mark" in the golf world are a dime-a-dozen and can
destroy a great layout. The most famous courses usually hire a well-known
designer to do the re-modelling, but even then it can backfire because
these "superstars" also have their own favourite styles.
The top designers usually have trademark features to their courses,
such as the inverted saucer greens of Donald Ross which reject more
approaches than a supermodel in a singles bar, or the infamous railroad
ties of Pete Dye, who also has a notorious habit of building greens which
have barely more slope than is detectable by the human eye…it might look
flat but when the ball veers off track it leaves you grinding your teeth.
When building a golf course, it pays to be careful.
Speaking of new technology, Callaway just launched the latest
reincarnation of the Big Bertha, which has a 454cc head, the largest ever
offered by the company.
Oh man, can’t they leave well-enough alone? 454cc is approaching tennis
racquet status and is so big that even Stevie Wonder can hit the damn
thing. I can only wonder if the ultra-thin, refined titanium face conforms
to the rules covering "spring-like effect".
Other hot items which are perfect for Vietnam’s golfers are the new
Nike Cold Weather and Wet Weather gloves. According to the literature,
both gloves employ a micro-fibre synthetic leather palm with a tire
tread-like pattern that channels water away from the glove, which is
perfect for rainy-season in the south.
The Cold Weather glove is strategically lined with a densely woven,
quick drying micro-fibre fleece engineered to keep the wind and cold out
and body heat in and the cuff prevents heat from escaping in that
area. Again, perfect for the winter in the north.
Which Pro Shop will be the first to get these items is anyone’s guess.
The race is on…
It speaks well that the qualifying school for the Asian Tour has an
unprecedented amount of hopefuls this year, including a player from Laos.
According to Asian Tour officials, almost 500 players registered for
this year’s Q-school, unfortunately, after checking the lists, I couldn’t
find anyone from Vietnam…
Give us time…give us time…
Given the disaster caused by the Tsunamis and earthquake which
decimated South Asia last December, I wonder which golf course will be the
first to hold a Charity Tournament to benefit those people in need.
Golfers in Vietnam have the reputation of being very generous when it
comes to charity events, especially participants in the Swing For Life
events held each year.
While charity golf tournaments worldwide struggle to raise US$20,000,
the SFL raises over $50,000 each time. Very impressive by anyone’s
standards.
Perhaps, now is the time to shatter all previous records…
It’s just a thought.
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