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Chambers Bay US Open Qualifier

• siggipj76 2,989 Posts

  Tue, May 12 2015 10:39 PM

  Sande1:

  I really like WGT for how good they have made the courses and the realism of the play.  But I really think it is silly when you need to shoot a 57 to qualify for a tournament.  That is not real.  I have been playing for years and never visited the forum before.  But I have to imagine that those who shoot these ridiculous scores have some sort of cheats.  Am I wrong?  I know you can pay for the best equipment to improve your chances at scoring but it can't just be that.

  yes some cheat to hit ding!! 25 % ?? who knows

  But you can't even imagine how much better gear will help. your pings with 2.0 spin would roll 25 feet past the hole where the best irons stop dead 1 foot from pin.

  and your putter hit the same 20 times with 10 feet and no break , it will perhaps only hit the hole 12 times ?

  and the best putter will hit the hole 19 times.

  so the gear makes a difference.

  and balls make a big difference too.

  I just played around with the max ball 2.5 spin on the elevated beth nr 5 ?

  with max ball it ran above and into the rough, with 81 ball it stopped next to pin.

  Again a big difference.

  You get what you pay for.

  And hopefully wgt keeps trying to boot the auto chites.

• TarheelsRule 5,566 Posts

  Wed, May 13 2015 8:04 AM

  First you are going to need to shoot 56 to qualify for the tournament, 57 won't make it.

  Siggipj76 is right on here.   I play with really good equipment but I do vary my golf balls from high quality WGT for just goofing off to the high level Nike balls for tournaments or the qualifying.   Why do I do that, because it is a huge advantage and I need that to be able to play with the better players.

  In alt shot or stroke play for fun, it's not that important to be playing with 700 credit balls but as was stated above, you can't play these really good courses on championship green speed without them and expect to compete.   Hole #1 at the Qualifying is a good example, you hit your approach from roughly 155 yards depending upon the wind of course.  If you go 5 feet past the hole, the ball will catch the slop and roll out another 25 feet.  You have to know that you can land the ball near the pin and stop it, if not you come up way short or way long.    Good balls give you that ability when paired with good irons and a good player.

  I'm of the opinion that WGT has overdone the quality of balls and clubs.   The courses just can't keep up.   However if the clubs and balls were not as good, the same players would be on top of the leaderboard, the scores would just be higher.    The same guy would win the tournament, but instead of shooting 40 under, he might shoot 20 under.

  In that view, par means nothing and I guess that in reality it never did on here.

• Sande1 6 Posts

  Wed, May 13 2015 8:31 AM

  Guys,  Thanks for the feedback.  I started playing WGT when it was first introduced and was a heavy player several years ago and at that time the equipment I had was actually pretty good.  I was competitive in some tournaments and scores were a little more realistic.  I guess my point was that I feel it isn't realistic anymore and that is why I liked it.  Your point that WGT has overdone it with equipment capability or that people can cheat is what I think makes it less fun.  All your points are good about equipment.  I used to upgrade but got tired of paying money every time in order to keep up with the competition and of course as I moved up the ranks you need more distance to compete.  I realize that WGT is in it to to make money.  But I think it is now a gambling site where your at a $100 table instead of a $10 table.  I still enjoy playing the game.  WGT did an excellent job on the realistic courses and play.  I just laugh at the unrealistic scores.  It just doesn't match up.  Maybe it is because I play real golf and expect this game to be realistic.  Which might be where my opinion differs from others.

• 1,866 Posts

  Wed, May 13 2015 8:42 AM

  Sande1:

   I guess my point was that I feel it isn't realistic anymore and that is why I liked it.  Your point that WGT has overdone it with equipment capability

  Good point and a good response. I understand the desire to make things more realistic, but we're way past at this point.

  I still think you might get some fun out of the new set of irons, that just found their way into your bag. Be careful, they stop a tad better than the Raptures ,-) I suggest you ditch the hybrid and get a 60y wedge instead though.

  P.S.: IMO there are nowhere near as much cheats as some posters imply in these forums. So just go out and have fun, if you play more, you'll like it more, it's the same as any other addiction ;-)

• SweetiePie 4,925 Posts

  Wed, May 13 2015 8:50 AM

  TarheelsRule:

  However if the clubs and balls were not as good, the same players would be on top of the leaderboard, the scores would just be higher.  

  Totally true. If players from the past like Avatar Lee, Tibbets, Jakestanfill, and so on through time, if they still played, they would still be at the top commingled with our current crop of true "greats". A very, very small percentage of these type of players ever materialize. ;-}

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, May 13 2015 8:51 AM

  TarheelsRule:

  You have to know that you can land the ball near the pin and stop it,

  IMO, this is an unrealistic expectation and the downfall of many golfers. Massive back spin in hopes of a stop and hop in gimme range is not a good way to play CBay.

  Using that hole #1 at CBay as an example-155 out lets you take a Vapor 8i,with a little back spin to knock the carry down and slow the rollout and drop it short, watching it roll down to that gimme putt. Worst case scenario is you're above the pin and that putt is straight.

  #2 plays the same way.Try that on # 3 and miss the ding-you're rolling downpin to the left for a tough putt. Landing the tee on the slope to the right of the pin lets the ball wander down to the pin. All 3 holes are good candidates for stop and hop shots if you can execute them but the shots have to be perfect. Miss them and you have miserable putts.

  WGT gifted me some 92 Nikes for the Android beta test and I tried them out at CBay over the 33 Callaways I normally use. Holy Macaroni, Batman, what a difference! I could see why somebody chasing a score would pop for the $7 a sleeve. I was tempted but I gag at the thought of throwing $7 away for a sleeve of balls (which I did :-( .)That could get expensive. I'll stick with the mundane status and watch.  LOL

• Sande1 6 Posts

  Wed, May 13 2015 9:05 AM

  WOW!!!  You didn't need to do that.  That was super nice.  I was just complaining (which I rarely do).  You know what is funny is I have a real set of the VR Cast Irons.  That is what I still play.  Damn your going get me sucked into this game again!!!!  LOL.  Usually it is my winter past time when I don't play the real thing.

  Thanks again, I truly do appreciate it.  I will give them a try and get a good sleeve of balls and see how low I can go.  I am sure I will not qualify for the USA Open but it will be nice to get a little closer.

  Cheers!

• Sande1 6 Posts

  Wed, May 13 2015 9:11 AM

  Also for those who have not played Bandon Dunes, WGT did an excellent job.  I play it once a year and it is amazing how good WGT has rendered it.

  And try to go and play the actual courses sometime.  It is an experience you will never forget.

  I have not played Chambers.  Was supposed to a couple of years ago but work trip was cancelled.  Hope to go up for an Open practice round and walk the course.  Bandon Dunes folks like to make fun of the course since it was created by man not nature.  But from what I have seen and heard they did a really good job creating it.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, May 13 2015 9:25 AM

  Sande1:

  I have not played Chambers.  Was supposed to a couple of years ago but work trip was cancelled.

  What is typical weather there this time of year? On the coast like it is, does the wind get like SA?

• Sande1 6 Posts

  Wed, May 13 2015 9:37 AM

  Spring in the NW is a mixed bag.  You can get some nice weather and some rainy weather.  But a mix of sun, clouds, and showers in a day would be normal.  

  Chambers Bay is not on the coast.  It is in Pudget Sound (lower section).  So it doesn't get the winds like Bandon which is along the southern Oregon Coast.

  Not sure what SA is?