Solheim Cup spectator tips?

[enisthemenace]

I don't know if the course is hard enough or if the members would go for it, but it would be great if Des Moines Golf could get the Women's US Open out there someday. As always Central Iowa provide the fan support for these one off events - like the US Senior Open before this - is strong.

On an unrelated note -- man were Mel Reid's shorts tight, especially the white ones she wore on Friday....not that there's anything wrong with that!

They did host the US Senior Open a few years ago. I've only had the opportunity to play the south course...once...and it was about a month and a half ago. It was in fantastic shape, as I'm sure it always is, and probably moreso as they were preparing for this.

My impression of that particular 18:

- Very well manicured; pristine
- Greens were somewhat difficult, but weren't really rolling that fast on that day. It did rain a bit overnight, prior to teeing off and a little during the first couple holes
- Personally, I didn't find anything spectacular/unique about the course. The layout was pretty easy to navigate, and it's on the shorter side

I know they used a combo of both courses, and as mentioned, I have only seen the south course, so maybe there is more to the north course. As you mentioned, I just don't think it's really difficult enough. I will not take anything away from the work the grounds crew does out there. They do an amazing job.

In my opinion, Harvester and TCI are more difficult courses and both have a lot more character.

 

[BillyClone]

Went Saturday with my daughter and niece - had a great time. Our strategy was to pick a spot, watch all the groups play, then skip ahead four holes and grab another spot. Worked out great!

Arrived early and watched the morning foursomes tee off on #1, then picked spots on #5, #9, and #15. In the afternoon, we started on #3, then #7, #12, and #15. Got to see Lang hole out on #7 for eagle as well as Kerr hole out on #15 - just stupid luck to be at both of those spots!

The course looked great but I was more impressed with the people. Polite, happy, friendly, and helpful - had good interactions with the volunteers and fans. I liked the fact that the players interacted a bit with the crowds - mostly just waves and smiles, but at least acknowledged the cheers. Perhaps it's just the nature of the event, but I really felt the women golfers appreciated the support and they tried to convey that attitude even as they were playing. Loved when the captains would come by and literally thank everyone for their support - seriously, Inkster and Lopez would come by and shake hands, sign autograghs, stop for selfies, wave, and say "thank you" to all the gallery. Very classy.

After now attending only a handful of professional golf events, I have formed a strong opinion regarding the TV crews that work these events: Golf TV crews are d!cks.

I realize they have a job to do, but these guys really are a-holes in the way they go about things. Plowing their carts through crowds, blocking views of the one side of the green that the gallery has viewing access to, callous, rude, and arrogant. As we sat at the 12th green, they came flying through in their cart and bumped the legs of a chair that basically knocked down an old guy - just kept on going. People were pissed. Similar instance as the crowd was moving between 3rd green and 4th tee - drove a cart right through the middle of the mass of people, yelling "cart, cart, cart!" while brushing people's arms, knocking bags off shoulders, etc. Some guy threw a water bottle at them but they just kept going. We were standing next to some old ladies sitting in scooters at the 5th green. Tripod guy comes and sets up right in front of them. One of the old gals asks if he could move it just a couple feet to the right - he says "I got a job to do. Move your scooter." The place was packed - those scooters weren't going anywhere. Tripod guy caught some flack from the crowd for that one. I'm sure they can't please everyone, but 2/3 of the green was inaccessible to the gallery - they wouldn't have blocked anyone's view from there. Hell, the friends, captains, and family that get to walk inside the ropes were considerate enough to crouch down or sit around the green. I just felt the TV crews could have done more to cause less disruption for people.

Anyway, was a fun time. Would probably support a regular LPGA event if Des Moines had one.

 

[J-Diggy]

They did host the US Senior Open a few years ago. I've only had the opportunity to play the south course...once...and it was about a month and a half ago. It was in fantastic shape, as I'm sure it always is, and probably moreso as they were preparing for this.

My impression of that particular 18:

- Very well manicured; pristine
- Greens were somewhat difficult, but weren't really rolling that fast on that day. It did rain a bit overnight, prior to teeing off and a little during the first couple holes
- Personally, I didn't find anything spectacular/unique about the course. The layout was pretty easy to navigate, and it's on the shorter side

I know they used a combo of both courses, and as mentioned, I have only seen the south course, so maybe there is more to the north course. As you mentioned, I just don't think it's really difficult enough. I will not take anything away from the work the grounds crew does out there. They do an amazing job.

In my opinion, Harvester and TCI are more difficult courses and both have a lot more character.

Greens have always been the thing that made the course hard. At '99 Open only one or two of the seniors broke par for the week so it held up pretty well. But they have softened the contours on a few of the greens to make them more playable so that probably wouldn't be the case anymore.

They played this week at 6900 yards or so but could stretch that out if they needed to by 300-400 more very easily.

I think the biggest issue is the fairways are just too wide. The rough was 5" tall this week but rarely were the players in it. If they could tighten up the landing areas it would make it much more penal.

Regardless -- some great golf played this week and a really fun, well-run event.

 

[ZJohnson]

Trust me the course can play much more difficult than that. They got almost an inch of rain Saturday night which changed how they were going to set up on Sunday. If they were to host a USGA top-tier event(which they most likely will...US AM) the fairways would be much firmer and smaller and the greens will be insanely fast. This wasn't set up to have the ladies shoot even par, it was set up for birdies. No one wants to play a Solheim/Ryder Cup where the greens are running 14 on the stimp and fairways are dead. Much more exciting for the fans as well. Ryder/Solheim's are all about getting the crowds involved.

 

[Tre4ISU]

Trust me the course can play much more difficult than that. They got almost an inch of rain Saturday night which changed how they were going to set up on Sunday. If they were to host a USGA top-tier event(which they most likely will...US AM) the fairways would be much firmer and smaller and the greens will be insanely fast. This wasn't set up to have the ladies shoot even par, it was set up for birdies. No one wants to play a Solheim/Ryder Cup where the greens are running 14 on the stimp and fairways are dead. Much more exciting for the fans as well. Ryder/Solheim's are all about getting the crowds involved.

Yeah, these team competitions wouldn't be a whole lot of fun if everyone is just trying to make par all the time.

I haven't played DMCC yet but just by watching on TV, you could make that into a beast.

 

[Tre4ISU]

I don't know if the course is hard enough or if the members would go for it, but it would be great if Des Moines Golf could get the Women's US Open out there someday. As always Central Iowa provide the fan support for these one off events - like the US Senior Open before this - is strong.

On an unrelated note -- man were Mel Reid's shorts tight, especially the white ones she wore on Friday....not that there's anything wrong with that!

All in on Mel Reid. She's a killer out there.

 

[enisthemenace]

Yeah, these team competitions wouldn't be a whole lot of fun if everyone is just trying to make par all the time.

I haven't played DMCC yet but just by watching on TV, you could make that into a beast.

I think @J-Diggy points to how it could be more difficult. Give less fairway, and speed up the greens. They I think I saw the greens were rolling at 11.5 this weekend though (probably slower on Sunday), and I'm not sure you would want much more than that. I didn't really see the extra 300-400 yards that could be added. Again...I've only played/seen the south course in person, so I could be wrong there.

 

[kcdc4isu]

They did host the US Senior Open a few years ago. I've only had the opportunity to play the south course...once...and it was about a month and a half ago. It was in fantastic shape, as I'm sure it always is, and probably moreso as they were preparing for this.

My impression of that particular 18:

- Very well manicured; pristine
- Greens were somewhat difficult, but weren't really rolling that fast on that day. It did rain a bit overnight, prior to teeing off and a little during the first couple holes
- Personally, I didn't find anything spectacular/unique about the course. The layout was pretty easy to navigate, and it's on the shorter side

I know they used a combo of both courses, and as mentioned, I have only seen the south course, so maybe there is more to the north course. As you mentioned, I just don't think it's really difficult enough. I will not take anything away from the work the grounds crew does out there. They do an amazing job.

In my opinion, Harvester and TCI are more difficult courses and both have a lot more character.

I have played the north course at DMGCC and both The Harvester and TCI. Neither of the last two courses would be good courses for an event like this. They are too spread out and don't have very many good areas for viewing an event. The last Solhiem in the US in Colorado was not a very viewer friendly course. This course set-up was so much better than CO. Agree you could making the fairways narrower for the event but I guess do you want to see scoring or players fighting the course?

 

[Tre4ISU]

I have played the north course at DMGCC and both The Harvester and TCI. Neither of the last two courses would be good courses for an event like this. They are too spread out and don't have very many good areas for viewing an event. The last Solhiem in the US in Colorado was not a very viewer friendly course. This course set-up was so much better than CO. Agree you could making the fairways narrower for the event but I guess do you want to see scoring or players fighting the course?

Yeah, TCI would suck for spectating. I have foggy memories of the Harvester but I don't think it would be bad.

 

[enisthemenace]

I have played the north course at DMGCC and both The Harvester and TCI. Neither of the last two courses would be good courses for an event like this. They are too spread out and don't have very many good areas for viewing an event. The last Solhiem in the US in Colorado was not a very viewer friendly course. This course set-up was so much better than CO. Agree you could making the fairways narrower for the event but I guess do you want to see scoring or players fighting the course?

From a spectator perspective, you're absolutely right, especially in regard to TCI.

I just think both of those courses are more challenging/offer distinction for the players. More holes that have the "signature" hole quality to them.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

From a spectator perspective, you're absolutely right, especially in regard to TCI.

I just think both of those courses are more challenging/offer distinction for the players. More holes that have the "signature" hole quality to them.

TCI really isn't that difficult of a golf course. For below average golfers it plays difficult because it is position golf but for above average players who tend to hit their low irons really well TCI isn't that difficult. Pro level golfers would eat that course alive.

 

[enisthemenace]

TCI really isn't that difficult of a golf course. For below average golfers it plays difficult because it is position golf but for above average players who tend to hit their low irons really well TCI isn't that difficult. Pro level golfers would eat that course alive.

Might be (probably) right. That course is a ***** from the back tees though.

 

[Tre4ISU]

TCI really isn't that difficult of a golf course. For below average golfers it plays difficult because it is position golf but for above average players who tend to hit their low irons really well TCI isn't that difficult. Pro level golfers would eat that course alive.

Exactly right. It's a tricked up course that is tough for people like us because we aren't consistent off the tee and most of us don't play it often enough to know exactly what to do. It isn't inherently difficult. I don't really know that the Harvester would be either. It's tough to build that level of course in Iowa.

 

[isu81]

I think @J-Diggy points to how it could be more difficult. Give less fairway, and speed up the greens. They I think I saw the greens were rolling at 11.5 this weekend though (probably slower on Sunday), and I'm not sure you would want much more than that. I didn't really see the extra 300-400 yards that could be added. Again...I've only played/seen the south course in person, so I could be wrong there.

The course they played this weekend was 6,894 yards. The south course is normally 7,347 from the tips, the north 7,267. So yes, they could easily add that distance. And the greens at DMGCC could be made as fast as you'd like them to be. As far as fareway width, that can be narrowed quite easily as well. And the roughs can thicken up pretty easily. It could be made WAY more difficult than they had it.

 

[enisthemenace]

The course they played this weekend was 6,894 yards. The south course is normally 7,347 from the tips, the north 7,267. So yes, they could easily add that distance. And the greens at DMGCC could be made as fast as you'd like them to be. As far as fareway width, that can be narrowed quite easily as well. And the roughs can thicken up pretty easily. It could be made WAY more difficult than they had it.

Wow. I guess I didn't see a lot of opportunity to lengthen the south course, but it's obviously there, unless the day I played it was around 7,000 yards.

Again, tough for me to gauge because I've only seen one of the 18's and I've only seen it once. When it comes to golf courses though, I usually have a photographic memory.

 

[isu81]

Wow. I guess I didn't see a lot of opportunity to lengthen the south course, but it's obviously there, unless the day I played it was around 7,000 yards.

Again, tough for me to gauge because I've only seen one of the 18's and I've only seen it once. When it comes to golf courses though, I usually have a photographic memory.

The green tees are typically about 6,800 yards. This is primarily where they played from this weekend. In many cases, you couldn't even see the black tees as they were covered up by a tent or signage.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Might be (probably) right. That course is a ***** from the back tees though.

I've only played from the tips their once and yeah, it played significantly harder yet somehow a little easier for me. Instead of hitting 5 irons off of several of the tee's I was hitting my 3 wood or hybrid 5, which tends to be a more reliable club for me. From my experiences what can make TCI challenging if you don't play the course very often are the greens. I only play there about once a year and I do find the greens fairly challenging. On several of your approach shots you have to know which greens slope front to back etc or what you thought was a good shot either runs out on your ball spins back off the green.