Have They Improved The Master Championship?

I can’t tell you how disappointed I am in the powers to be at The Masters Golf Championship. They’ve ruined my favorite golf tournament. I’m quite certain that Bobby Jones is turning in his grave!

The Master’s has chosen to lengthen their golf course to the point that 90% of the field doesn’t have a prayer in competing for the opening major championship of the 2006 season. I grant you that Master’s officials certainly should have concern for their championship being won by a score like 22 under par. Compared to the US Open, known for it’s difficult conditions making even par a winner score again, the Masters at Augusta National with it’s wide rolling fairways and light rough became outdated in today’s long ball hitting environment.

The same long hitting lineup is hitting it long at the US Open too but it’s not just the length that’s causing the higher scores. It’s the super fast greens and tight fairways with considerable rough that makes it very difficult for any player to reach the green in regulations once in deep rough’s grasp.

At the Player’s Championship we watched the best PGA touring professionals in the business agonize over a par three of only 123 yards. What made the Masters committee decide that only a 240 yard par three could tame today’s long hitting bullies?

Tighten up the golf course I say, don’t lengthen it. Add a vicious intimidating rough that would make even the longest hitters reach for their 1 iron or a three wood to not risk hitting their drive in the rough and lose a stroke, (or maybe even your ball) to a deep club swallowing hazard.

Not only would the scores go up but at the same time you would bring more players into contention and in my estimation bring out the best ball strikers not just the long knockers.

Doesn’t NASCAR do the same thing? Look at how successful NASCAR is! They control the speed of the cars so that more competitors are bunched up at the finish to create a more exciting race.

Maybe the powers to be at The Masters, with all their glory, high income power brokers, members of the powerful business clicks, don’t have as much sense as a bunch of rednecks with a beer in their hand watching a Chevy go around in a circle. It must be true, look at the numbers at NASCAR and look at how golf is loosing popularity and participation.