USDGC Time

[ronconversjr]

Miles was playing some of his best golf ever last weekend. It looks like he might be a contender. What about Phil Arthur, your 2009 Worlds Masters champion?! Dang but he is good. And a really nice guy. top 5 pick for sure.

[cfluty]

A lot of premium rounds

[mrsenortyler]

I am pulling for Nikko! The 'Fro is back...

[Schoen-hopper]

Feldberg gives up the lead with a bad hole on #8. Nikko now in the lead with Doss in 2nd!

Lots of other good rounds going too. Josh Anthon is -12 through 12 holes and also tied for the lead at -28!

[scarpfish]

Congrats to Nikko on winning his first major.

Must have been superb conditions today, as there were ten double digit down rounds shot, whereas there had only been five previously in the whole tournament.

[KevinBabbit]

Kansas disc golfers should give some props David Hemmeline for his run at the USDGC this year (and other tournaments for that matter). To give you an idea of how well he played . . . the final round he played with the current world champ, a prior two time world champ/ three time US open champ, and the man that now holds the US open course record at 15 under. Dave was by far the coolest dude on the card. One late major screw up kept Dave from a good final round and an easy top twenty finish. He finished 23rd.

[smitty]

Hemmi is a stud for sure.

I was betting all week that he would crack the top 20 so he would get in for sure next year.

[Schoen-hopper]

The competition sure seems to be getting tougher every year. E-Mac & Babbit had a great tourney as well. Just placing in the top 50 at this event is playing some incredible golf.

Where is the link on the USDGC site for past champions / scores? I know the course has changed over the years, but curious to see how Nikko's -34 fairs in comparison.

[cfluty]

It was on the home page before the tournament began but seems to have disappeared.

[mrsenortyler]

2009 Nikko............239
2008 Nate Doss .......238
2007 Ken Climo ......233
2006 Barry Schultz ...236
2005 Dave Feldberg. 244
2004 Ken Climo ......255
2003 Barry Schultz ...243
2002 Ken Climo...... 237
2001 Barry Schultz ...245

Keep in mind the course has changed quite a bit, and so have the many rules with include Buncr's and normal OB's. So it's really hard to compare scores year from year.

[Schoen-hopper]

I can't believe Climo won it with a 255 and then with a 233! Because it seems like the course has gotten tougher in general each year. With the exception of the Bunc'r rule in 2008 & 2009. I think this shows how much tougher the competition is getting over recent years.

[ronconversjr]

The course changes a little, yearly. Disc technology seems to improve, yearly. Weather conditions make a huge difference with all the OB rope. The Buncr rule...well, let's just say instead of a +17 on 17 it's more like an +8. That made the scores really warp compared to the old school OB. Yeah, it sure is amazing how much the scoring has improved in recent years. It is true that the skill level has spread out to include a few new faces, but I'm not sure that the overall level of play has really gone very far in the last ten years.

[Schoen-hopper]

The Bunc'r rule is definitely a different spin on the game. I think it is designed to get players to play more aggressive. It is designed to level out the uneven scoring distributions created by OB in certain situations. I think it is an interesting concept, and while it does seem to contradict the normal rules, they were thoughtful in deciding where it would be used.

Take hole 17, for example. Without the buncr rule, you end up with some 2's a few 3's and a lot of circle 4's. You can play for the bird and hope you can hit the comeback put if you go in the water. Or if you aren't feeling confident, you can bail out for 3. With the Bunc'r rule, though, the OB cannot be used for a bailout. Each shot is a new decision. Can you swallow your pride and lay up, or do you keep chucking them, confident that the next one will be the good shot? I saw some data that proved that hole 17's scoring average has INCREASED since the Bunc'r rule went into effect. An interesting psychological twist. Obviously there would be a majority of situations where it wouldn't make a lot of sense. And probably a majority of the holes that it is used on become a little easier. It just depends on how the OB is positioned. And how the players respond.

I think the Bunc'r idea could get interesting if used strategically to make greens tougher. You could make island greens withought actually needing water. Shots landing in the Bunc'r would play from a drop zone strategically positioned to offer yet again a risk/reward opportunity. And this drop zone could be farther away than the original lie prior to the Bunc'r shot. Since no added penalty throw is added, it actually isn't as harsh as OB usually. But the higher scoring average suggests that it gives players more to think about, not less?

[_dm4]

I am pretty sure, on 17, you always had to re-tee, whether in the water, or outside the bails. On other holes, you could play from where you went in the water (5 and 6 for example), but not 17. At least that's how I remember it.

[Schoen-hopper]

If that was true, it wouldn't make any sense at all that the scoring average has increased. Anyone know? Before the Bunc'r rule, did they use to require you to throw from a drop zone if you went in the water? Or was it actually a re-tee?

If it is true that you have always had to retee, that means the Bunc'r rule is causing people to attack the pin and pay a price. If it is OB with a mandatory re-tee, it would be crazy to try to get close to that pin.

I believe they have moved the bails a little over the years? Tougher each year?