Ironically I just made an “Icky Thump” comment on the video around Solys love of the thump so apparently this episode was subtly inspiring White Stripes references.
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Pushed up greens and firm is good if it’s Ross at Pinehurst but too much at the loop? Looked awesome.
Tron v. Tom is a rivalry I am excited to see continue.
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“She hit the note right at impact”, eh @Soly?!
(Apologies if this has been discussed — I am posting while viewing and don’t want to see spoilers by scrolling up)
Not trying to nitpick, but just so you know. The original course is a Weiskopf. It’s very fun.
Fazio gets too much unnecessary shit on this blog though. Not from you per se, in general.
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14:05 Such a shame to see @djpie embrace the UseGolfFacts mantra of “think negative / test positive”
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I agree with the setup as well. I can comment to their 15 handicap questions playing The Loop. I played the black course the spring after it opened as a 15 handicap. It was my lowest round I have ever shot, and still stands to this day. This summer I finally played the red course and now as a 17 handicap I posted my 2nd lowest round ever.
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We play FD & Loop every year for a buddy’s Ryder Cup event. Very wide range of handicaps. The 12-15 handicaps with good short games seem to always play really well on the Loop. Conversely, they get their asses kicked on FD where good ball striking is more critical. It’s one of the many reasons I love that place - the courses are so unique.
After watching the episode, I’m absolutely convinced that the majority of the NLU complaints on the Loop were because of the setup.
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Sometimes I forget how much I hate watching people throw tantrums on golf courses. To each their own, but nothing made me cringe more golfing with someone than watching them act like a toddler on the golf course. Truly reminded me of back when I used to play junior/am tournaments watching some of this episode.
Overall as someone who was born and raised here in the mitten, I’ve been super happy with the series. I really want to take a weekend trip out to GR now as I’ve only played The Mines once and non of the other courses they hit. Still haven’t hit up Forest Dunes but seems like could be a cool trip as well with everything all in one place for a nice getaway. Can’t wait to see the stuff from up north and the UP coming up.
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Another 15 handicap here. Shot an 87 on The Loop this year, and it was also the best round I had all year, followed up by a 101 on Forest Dunes in the afternoon.
The openness of The Loop played a big role, but short game and putting also really helped. I got screwed a couple of times on Forest Dunes because I was hitting trees right off tee boxes while playing the fade I hit. Suddenly I was hitting my second shot from about 30-40 yards ahead of the tee box.
Cannot wait to get back up there next year to play again
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Exactly this. The dunes course kicked my ass. Lots of penalties from lost balls in the trees & water.
I don’t think any of the feedback was a bit at all. Just honest feedback on the experience. Can see how it would be jarring to see the reactions real time and weigh that against the commentary.
FWIW - I’ve not played a Doak that I enjoy yet. Feels super weird because I came up studying Doak and listening to his theories. Truly feels like he says one thing and does another.
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The complaints about The Loop sound a lot like more than half the green complexes at Sweetens - namely 2, 3, and 7 (and maybe ever 5 and 8?), and hell, it even has a sideways biarritz. Granted, you have feeding slopes on 1 and 9 too and the course is pretty short. Given how much @Tron loves and plays well at Sweetens, curious as to the difference.
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I’ve been enjoying doing some zapruder-type analysis to figure out where debriefs have been occurring this season.
Hop Lot is awesome -especially on nice fall day with the fires blazing. I am a bit surprised you all made the trek up there since it’s an hour or so from Kingsley but well worth it I’d argue…
University of Michigan was Kingsley I think(?) based on Soly’s hat and scorecard/yardage book on the table.
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Also, it was cool hearing Doak talk about the course and its design, but damn does he come across so arrogantly in absolutely every medium - print, podcast, video. Absolutely fails the “people you’d like to have a beer with” test.
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“Come on, Doak. Lets go to fucking battle…Big Boy.”
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I don’t think it was a bit.
The animosity towards Doak courses by TC is a contrarian opinion, and an ongoing source of entertainment, hence it reminded me of a bit. Add in the layer of the TC “persona” if you will, and watching him get wound up about it made for good viewing.
I can’t say I’ve played a bunch of Doak courses, only Pacific and Streamsong Blue, but have thoroughly enjoyed them both.
It was a Michigan Massacre.
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I think it’s more interesting as an evolving opinion over time. There’s a 2017-18 NLU video of the guys touring Streamsong and TC is gushing about Blue and Doak, so it is hasn’t always been animosity. To Ben’s point, perhaps the more one is exposed to his work and philosophy, the less sense it makes? 
This is a genuine question, have you actually walked off of an 18th green saying you didn’t enjoy the round? Regardless of the architect
I’ll go check that out.
I dunno, I have a hard time with that one. Much like a swing instructor shouldn’t have a philosophy that they try to fit all their players into, I don’t think an architect should force their “philosophy” onto a given landscape or project. They will leave behind “fingerprints” that a knowledgeable person can identify however.
I guess I just don’t know what is being referred to it’s said that he does the opposite of what he says, or how that manifests itself as a problem.
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This was my point, that perhaps understanding more about his stated architectural philosophy, and then getting a subjectively different experience when playing it, leads to dissatisfaction. Since I’ve only played Streamsong Blue, and couldn’t describe Doak’s stated design philosophy, I’m still in the ignorance is bliss camp (I think Streamsong Blue is great).
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