No Win: Setting Up A Ryder Cup Course

Cara Robinson and I summed up the Justin Rose/course setup comments on Morning Drive today if you want the quick version.

However, the subject is worth delving into on multiple fronts:

A) how setup effects matches

B) the entertainment side

C) how hole locations are used to thwart distance

We knew from 2012 post-mortems that Team USA lamented a 17th hole pin placement that favored Europe. So this time around the task force Task Force "Task Force" 2016 Ryder Cup winning-TASK FORCE set parameters (low rough, fast greens) and left the rest to the PGA of America's Kerry Haigh.

While Hazeltine is strategically no Old Course, it was shocking Sunday to see almost no interesting hole locations. Nearly were all centered and whatever angles of importance there are at Hazeltine were rendered useless.

Rees Jones' par-3 17th features a strange, clumsily-constructed green complex with almost no character, only a few intriguing hole locations and zero interest if it were not set by a lake. Yet, somehow Sunday, the hole location induced zero risk-reward element in flirting with the water.

Justin Rose summed all of this up in his post-round comments:

Setup-wise, this course can be as tough as you want it to be, there's no doubt about it. I think today, I think if we were all to be honest about it, I thought the setup was incredibly weak. I thought it was very much a Pro-Am feel in terms of the pin placements. They were all middle of the green.

I don't quite understand that to be honest with you, world-class players, 12 world-class players here and 12 world-class players here in 30 minutes time, and we want to showcase our skills. We want to be tested. For example, the water holes out there, all the pins were as far away from the water as possible.

I mean, the pin on 17 is an absolute, you know, a joke. It's a 9-iron into the middle of the green and you stiff it. So with a match on the line, you kind of feel like you want to have something -- you want a player to step up a little bit more than they have to.

Even 18, if you hit a good drive down there, you've got a wedge into the green, and if you hit a wedge to the middle of the green, you're within 12-foot of the pin. So I just felt coming down the stretch, it was a little soft.

Some saw this as sour grapes, but Rose seemed to be speaking as a veteran of match play who understands what kind of dynamics might be introduced when the course is a third element.

Rory McIlroy is quoted by GolfDigest.com's Brian Wacker as lamenting the hole locations when combined with this week's low rough, but McIlroy also ultimately chalks up the situation to home field advantage.

“Bad tee shots weren’t getting punished as much as maybe they should have been."

Rickie Fowler, who beat Rose Sunday, defended the setup when asked.

Q. In the European presser a few minutes ago, Justin Rose said that he -- he was very critical of the setup. He said it was weak and considered it to be similar to a Pro-Am. Your thoughts on that? Did you sense that from him? What were your thoughts on the setup?

PHIL MICKELSON: (Laughing).

RICKIE FOWLER: The setup was, I don't think it was easy by any means. Him and I didn't play as well as we would have liked to. We didn't make many birdies on both sides. I felt like it was an even match between the two of us. Obviously, as you could see, no one was ever more than 1-up.

It was easier for some; this guy next to me (turning to Phil) he made a few birdies. He's been playing well all week. I wouldn't say that the setup was easy, by any means.

I thought that the PGA did well all week, Kerry Haigh and the staff. Depending on whether it be a foursomes or a fourball match and then into singles, they did a good job preparing the golf course, getting it in the right condition and with where the hole locations were.

Obviously when it comes down to singles, it's fair. Everyone's playing the same ones. So I thought it was a good setup today and it worked out just fine for us.

And there is the Ryder Cup course setup conundrum. Whether it's the Golf Gods, karma or just simple overanalysis, getting cute with setup can be unproductive. Try to do too much--the USA has tried the high-rough, narrow fairway approach too--it backfires.

Erring on the side of too little means taking the setup role and some strategy out of the equation, which seems like a better way to go than trying to be clever.

On the entertainment front, players were allowed to make a ton of birdies, exciting for fans and interesting to watch on TV. This is, after all, an exhibition. We were entertained.  And unlike in a penal setup, players were winning holes through their play and rarely by the mistakes of their opponent. Easier and more shallow it may be, but also more rewarding to watch.

Finally, and this is in no way to detract from the 63s that Sergio and Phil would have posted in their 19-birdie battle Sunday, but we got to see with a round of golf featuring a bunch of "pro-am" pins on immaculate greens, today's players can render a course harmless. It was a reminder of just how much tucked hole locations are used not to offset distance gains.

So the Ryder Cup proved entertaining because we got to see what today's players could do on a once-massively difficult course without facing pin placements designed to prevent birdies.

Comments

[ol Harv]

Hard to argue with how they set it up in terms of excitement. But I can see Rose's point. And isn't it ironic that Phil laughed when he heard what Rose said because it sounds like the exact type of comment Phil would have used himself if the tables were turned.

[Big Ed Mustafa]

Wasn't the course set-up the same for both teams?

[Greg]

For a final day of the Ryder Cup, I found the set up rather bland and boring. I can see Rose's point about the pin placements as they all seemed to be near the center of the green. And the 17th lacked any real drama thanks to the center-green placement of the pin and its muni course distance. I think the relative ease of the course made for a less than exciting finish despite the US victory.

[DRM]

Rose's comment was 100% sour grapes. He won a gold medal on a very easy course in Rio and I don't remember him complaining about that one. He also shot -1 on Sunday, which would have lost against every American player. He made 2 birdies the entire day. I could understand Sergio making a similar comment after posting 9 birdies, but Rose didn't back up his comments with good enough scoring on the course to prove that it was so easy.

[Sari]

I do agree that the pin on 17th had no drama attached to it. But otherwise, hey it's a home field advantage set up. Who can forget Seve setting up the17th at Valderrama with rough across the landing area to prevent the longer Americans from going for the green in 2?

[Neil Young & Geraldo]

My first thought when I saw the pin on 17 was: "Why isn't it tucked over there in the right corner?"

I'm not sure how the easy pins played to our (the Americans) advantage, but if they did, good for us! We have been late to the game in using statistics to pair teammates (and possibly setting up the course) so I am 100% in favor of the TASK FORCE focusing more on the quant side of things.

Overall, this was an incredible event and more riveting in many ways than the majors have been lately.

[KG]

Course set ups with strategic options or risk/reward shots bring another element to the match. Pin placements can be part of that, do you risk going for the tucked pin? Whistling Straits, while not a favorite has many holes where their are lines of charm, espically to some of the pin placements. Players can attempt to get an advantage by choosing a more aggressive line from the tee on several holes. I think that makes the match not just target practice but also one of nerves. Augusta's back nine is still a fine example. Would help if the broadcasters explained this better when it does happen.

[CG]

DRM's comment is spot on (although I wouldn't go as far as sour grapes). Rose was -1 and played poorly. If the setup was so easy, why didn't he score better? I also think the bland setup made for many birdies and excitement on the greens. While golf enthusiasts might have wanted a tougher setup with better shot making, I think the general viewing public got an exciting day of gold due to the "bland" pin placements.

[BrianS]

For 2016 Season, here were the Strokes Gained putting ranks:

2. Speith
9 Phil (pretty amazing at 46)
20 Koepka
25 Zach
28 Kuch
32 Moore
33 Snedeker
36 DJ
40 Reed
46 Walker
64 Fowler
125 JB Holmes

Euros start at 134 - Rose, 135-Rory, 168-Sergio. The rest are either not on the PGA Tour, or rank off the charts.

The best Euro at Putts per round, Chris Wood(28.7) would rank about 40th on the PGA Tour stat list. That would be below 6 guys on the US team.

Clearly the USA was much stronger in putting, and I am sure they recognized that, thanks to their "Stats Guys"

So the US wanted to let their players get on the green and start putting. No different than rewarding good drivers with narrow fairways and high rough.

[GolfOutsider]

It was all strategic, like it always is. Fri/Sat you could still hit the green regardless of where you hit your tee shot. Sunday upped the ante - you could hit it close regardless of where you hit your tee shot. Sergio yesterday aside, US team knew they were much better putters.

Unfortunate part is we end up w/ some pretty uninteresting set ups in the name of him field advantage. (e.g. In 2010 Celtic Manor was made as dull as can be.). But its not changing anytime soon

[Pops pacific]

I believe when it's played on European soil, I do believe the
European 's slow the greens down to favor their team. I think someone said if your team possess
the better putters wouldn't you set it up so they would be able to use the
Putter to the best of their ability? I think complaining about
course set up is somewhat of a none starter!

[Ellis]

Of course, had the pins been cut in more intersting locations, the softness of the greens would have mitigated their impact.

[PGT]

Brian S +1 nailed it.

[Brad Fritsch]

I'm a little confused about the 17th pin placement comment. I saw a few guys miss the green, several with long putts from long/left, and very few shots that were close. The "good" shots were about 10 feet from the hole (Mickelson, Garcia, Moore).

[Matt H.]

Where is Cara? That's a dude talking to you in the video clip.


Interesting post. Good complement to the upbeat comments from the clip.

Thanks for the putting stats @Brian's

I'm surprised Koepka was so high. He did play well.

[Mike U]

Brian's post was very interesting. Makes a ton of sense.

[Benseattle]

"This is, after all, an exhibition." Oh really? Well, name me one golf event that's NOT an exhibition. I don't care if you name the Ryder Cup, the Masters, PGA, British Open Solheim Cup or whatever... golf is an exhibition because golf is entertainment. It's not making laws, it's a not rocket launch, it's not brain surgery Without golf as entertainment the world would change not one iota. Same goes for Broadway or stand-up comedy, television or film. It's a diversion. Yes, most of these are an art form but they doesn't change lives. Events like these simply take us away from the real problems of the world for a few brief hours. Exhibition? That includes just about everything except WORK, doesn't it?

[Hawkeye]

Brian is spot on. Soft, fast greens, easy pin positions and rough that is easy to recover from makes it a putting contest, and then the US wins. Of course a home team should use course setup to their advantage! I

[Tiny Toon]

BrianS,

Good stuff. Makes sense, and also makes sense in regard to Rory's showing...as his stats are misleading...he struggled with the flatstick for most of the season, until he turned to that guru guy over the pond, switched his putter...and has been putting great for the past few weeks.

[Center Cut]

+ 1 Brian S - Can't blame the US captain for setting the course up like that, good risk management.

[Alex H]

7 groups made it to 17 on Sunday. Total score: -3, with two birdies coming from Phil and Sergio. Rose himself made par. Doesn't sound like there was a whole lot of 'flipping' and 'sticking' going on...

[JS]

The advance prep of the course had Phil's name all over it...for better or worse...

Sunday's tee and hole locations was certainly geared at birdies and excitement...not sure how a center pin favors one team over another.

[munihack]

I think the setup is a direct reflection of what BrianS found in the stats- as it should be. I didn't realize the advantage on the greens was so great. This is the very thing the task force was meant to optimize. And when the teams are evenly matched this kind of thing matters in the outcome. For the last 3 decades we have watched the Europeans subtly find small advantages that give them an edge and I am happy the U.S. swallowed its swagger a little to match them at it. The the next edition is in France. The U.S. players should make sure they enter the French Open so they can get some reps at Le Golf Club Nationale.

[BradL72]

It's amazing how often the Euros get a pass from the US golf media. The ultimate course tricked-up tactic was by Seve in 1997, where he cut off the fairway on Valderrama #17 to counter Tiger. I recall a lot of comment, but very little carping there, and that setup was not even consistent with the hole design. At least the US put the pins on the greens.

[Streaky Putter]

The USA is smart to tour the RC into a birdie fest. The Oakland Hills set up was brutal and played into a par/bogey fest. (STUPID).

On a personal level I don't care how a hole is won, but it's also more entertaining to see birdies win holes, not pars. Some people prefer the Masters and some prefer the mind-numbing US Open setups. To each his own.