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**duceswild** · 07-29-2012, 09:49 PM

Had the first hole at olympic played as a par 5 it would have played easier then it did the last time out. They changed it to a par based on how easy it was in the past. So it didn't play easier then it did because it was no longer the same hole.
Having hole designation allows officials to trick up the course one way or the other.

No, they changed it to a par 4 just for the mental challenge it presents to the pros....even though it shouldn't change the way they played the hole at all. In addition to changing the first hole from a par 5 to a par 4, the USGA changed the 17th hole from a par 4 to a par 5, without making any other significant changes. In past US Opens, it had always been a par 4, and hardly anyone could birdie it. By making it a par 5, they opened up some birdie chances, but they didn't really change the overall scoring on that hole at all.

The first hole played slightly easier this year than the past Open. That could have been due to course conditions, or it could have been the little mental nudge all the players' had to try to reach the green in two even if their drive wasn't that great. If was the mental nudge, then that's not very smart golf.....tournament players should not let the par designation effect their course management decisions.

07-29-2012, 09:49 PM	#5
duceswild Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 464 Senior Member	Had the first hole at olympic played as a par 5 it would have played easier then it did the last time out. They changed it to a par based on how easy it was in the past. So it didn't play easier then it did because it was no longer the same hole. Having hole designation allows officials to trick up the course one way or the other. No, they changed it to a par 4 just for the mental challenge it presents to the pros....even though it shouldn't change the way they played the hole at all. In addition to changing the first hole from a par 5 to a par 4, the USGA changed the 17th hole from a par 4 to a par 5, without making any other significant changes. In past US Opens, it had always been a par 4, and hardly anyone could birdie it. By making it a par 5, they opened up some birdie chances, but they didn't really change the overall scoring on that hole at all. The first hole played slightly easier this year than the past Open. That could have been due to course conditions, or it could have been the little mental nudge all the players' had to try to reach the green in two even if their drive wasn't that great. If was the mental nudge, then that's not very smart golf.....tournament players should not let the par designation effect their course management decisions.
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