Quit your whining

I'm sick and tired of hearing the PGA golfers whine about Hazeltine's length. Oooooh, it's 7600 yards! It's too hard! Too bad.

I just got done playing in the Ohio State Publinx two weeks ago at Cook's Creek. Steve (that's 40-year-old Steve, now), Kermit and I played from the back tees in the practice round. It played almost 7100 and it was soft. And that 7100 included a par 4 of 310 yards and a par 3 of 130 yards. It could have easily been 7200, 7300

That was too long for me.

But I hit the ball 240 yards off the tee.

These pro golfers hit it 300 in the air. And really - it's not just the pros. My playing partners in the tournament all outdrove me by 60-70 yards. They were hitting 7-, 8- irons into long par 4s of 460, 470 when I was hitting hybrids.

These are 18, 19, 20 year olds who play golf at Division II or III schools. (well, I lost to the guy from Morehead State, a D-I school, but I beat the others).

These aren't PROS.

And they are hitting short irons into 450, 460 yards par 4's. Doesn't that say anything? It's not much of a challenge for them. What kind of a challenge is it for the pros?

oooooh, a 514 yard par 4? Well, that just means you have about 210 in for your second. Hell, I birdied a par 4 in my tournament having 210 in. 5-wood to 12 feet, made the putt.

It's not too long for them. Join the real world and hit the same yardage we hit.

A 460 yard hole is now driver, 7 iron.

A 500 yard hole is driver, 5 iron.

That's a good par 4.

A three shot hole - which used to be known as par 5's - should be at least 600, if not 650. Driver, fairway wood - let's say a total of 550 yards - should leave you a full wedge (100) in. 650 yards is about right for a PGA par 5.

I don't get it. The technology has evolved. The yardage must, as well. I expect a major to force pros to hit clubs longer than a 9 iron into par 4's. Too bad if they are not used to it.

I fully expect to see an 8,000 yard PGA tour event sometime within the next 10 years. And guess what? It's still not too long.

4 par 3's with an average length of 210
10 par 4's with an average length of 460 (average approach: 8 iron)
4 par 4's of length 590, 620, 650, and 690

That's 7990 yards. And perfectly fair for the pros.