CA Course Reporters: Thursday morning entries

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Editor's note: Courtney Burris, Johnie Freatman and Owais Durrani will be blogging this week at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship. The three are part of the CA Course Reporters program. Check back each day to see what they have to say.

Archive: Wednesday's entries

A busy and eventful morning
By Owais Durrani

Hi. Well today began with many exciting activities from meeting with PGATOUR.COM's Helen Ross to watching world-class players like Tiger hit their first shots of the tournament. Meeting with Helen, who is a writer for PGATOUR.COM, provided much insight into the world of journalism and covering PGA TOUR events.

For example did you know that most reporters follow the final rounds of a tournament from the media room? Set up around each station are ShotLink computers, which provide the players' driving distances, scores, shot position and other very interesting facts. By following the ShotLink computers, looking at the scoreboard in the media center and attending the press conferences, Helen said reporters can write complete stories without ever heading out onto the course.

Among other things, the media room has six TV monitors, world times and transcripts of the latest press conferences. Did you further know that the PGA TOUR's website received 1.4 billion views last year -- I probably contributed quite a bit to that number! Due to new features added frequently, the TOUR's website has grown rapidly over the past few years. Helen also explained to us how the economic crisis was affecting the coverage of PGA TOUR events. Due to the lack of funding for smaller newspapers, they have stopped sending reporters to events. Helen said the newspaper business was "like a pendulum" and that hopefully it would return to normal soon.

After meeting with Helen we embarked on a journey out to the course. Before the players began their rounds they were all mostly on the putting green. It was interesting to see how the players were all interacting with each other, unlike on the course. For example we observed Tiger having chats with Vijay Singh, Rod Pampling and Geoff Ogilvy.

At about 10:45 a.m. we headed out to the course. We observed five groups approaching the 10th green (many players' first hole). The long par 5 tempted many players to go for the green in two and we even saw an eagle from Ben Curtis. When Tiger was announced at the tee, we heard the roar all the way back at the green. After hitting a perfect drive, Tiger shot himself into a greenside bunker and ended up with a par. The hole was cut about 3 or 4 yards from a water hazard and on a downslope causing difficulty for the players to stop their chips. Every time Tiger hit a shot, the entourage of cameras would start snapping like machine-gun fire -- quite a sound. Finally we saw Camilo Villegas pull out his Spider-Man move. On a putt of about 7 feet, Camillo went low to the ground -- it hurt my eyes just seeing him do it!

We are about to now go and get our swings analyzed -- I am really excited. Will update you all in a few hours about the situation here in Doral. Talk to you later.

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The Anatomy of a Golf Hole
By John Freatman, Jr.

One of the inherent wonders of a golf course the caliber of Doral is the brilliant course design. Take No. 10 for example -- a hole I had the privilege of watching extensive action on this morning. A par 5 listed at 551 yards, many might think it's an easy birdie hole and confidence-builder, especially for those beginning their rounds on the back side.

However, looks can be deceiving; a fact that course architects relish. Assuming one hits his drive in the fairway, today he faces a long iron or wood into a green surrounded by water on the left. The right side is not benign by any means, either, with three steep, daunting bunkers waiting to swallow errant approach shots. This reality is exacerbated by today's hole location, on the front left part of the green on the bottom of a downslope. This leaves a player facing a bunker shot to a downhill pin with the water as an ominous backdrop for any shots hit thin.

What about laying up with the intent of having a short wedge shot, you might ask. Well, we've already discussed the perils of going left, namely that your ears will imminently be pervaded by a splashing sound. However, laying up to the right is no picnic, either. Due to the steepness of the bunkers and their close proximity to the green, a shot must be struck with the perfect amount of backspin to counteract the slope and keep the ball on or near the green.

As many of the initial groups found out, par may indeed be a good score on this hole. Out of all the players to go into the bunkers on the right, only one, Louis Oosthuizen, successfully kept the ball on the green, where he would convert his birdie putt. Tiger Woods was among those to hit seemingly good shots, only to see his ball gather speed and trickle into the fringe. Darren Clarke was not so lucky, as his slightly-bladed bunker shot hung up on the bank right above the water, leading to bogey.

As for those who found themselves putting for eagle, many fell prone to the steeply sloped green. Due to the inability to get the ball to stop on the front, players were putting back across the downhill slope. Camilo Villegas had to have been thinking birdie as he was in the back fringe. However, it took him an astonishing four putts to get the ball in the hole. Henrik Stenson actually putted his ball off the front of the green, but fortunately escaped with par.

As for the traditional expectations associated with a short par 5, one player was able to deliver. Ben Curtis left his second shot just short of the green, giving himself an easier putt than most. Although the putt carried considerable speed, it rammed into the flagstick and dropped for an eagle 3, reinforcing the incongruity of a well-designed par 5.

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Obversing the diverse personalities
By Courtney Burris

Today I really started the morning off right! After my nutritious breakfast of Fruit Loops, I met with Helen Ross with PGATOUR.COM. She gave us some great advice. She reminded us that when reporting, "Hold the hand of the viewer and show them what you saw." I thought that was a great word from an awesomely accomplished lady. She also stressed to us how great the North Carolina Tar Heels were ... I most certainly left out the fact that I am a bit of a Duke fan.

After that we went out to the course to see the world's best golfers, and in my case, enjoy this beautiful weather. Last time I checked it was about 40 degrees cooler at home! Anyway, before they went off we watched them on the practice putting green. I saw Tiger and Vijay share a few laughs and K.J. Choi relentlessly sink putts with his fat gripped putter. They all have such diverse personalities. They are all clearly focused, but in different ways. I am really going to try to pick up on a few more of the players' personalities this week.

When 10:35 a.m. rolled around, we left the putting green and began jockeying for a position by the 10th green to get the best view possible. The 10th hole is a 551-yard par 5, dogleg left. There is water on the left and bunkers and trees on the right. Might be easy for these guys, because remember, they are good, but I am positive that it would have taken me a few more shots. The pin placement gave a few guys trouble. It was front and left, close to the water. In the fifth group, Tiger, Mike Weir and Robert Karlsson all had difficult bunker shots and not a single one of them kept it on the green. The greens seemed as fast as an ice skating rink.

In earlier groups however, Geoff Ogilvy, Jeev Milkha Singh and Louis Oosthuizen were all able to keep their chip shots on the green. Another player who completely schooled No. 10 was Ben Curtis. He had an awesome putt from just off the front of the green to make an eagle. I know he is a great player, but I'm thinking he made that putt because he was wearing the best color in the world, pink. I am totally convinced that pink is a lucky color!

Later on this afternoon I am going to get my swing analyzed. I can't wait! But first I better grab some lunch! Don't worry, I will be back at 4 o'clock to tell you all about my afternoon.