Video: (1) Pebble Beach Vs. (2) Riviera

The Brothers Morrissett introduced me to the joys of using match play to settle the most vital debate of all: "which course is better." By no means a perfect argument-settler, match playing holes somehow ends up working itself out over 18 holes.

In another installment of the UnShackeled series, I match up the two best designs on the PGA Tour and two of my favorite courses on the planet (even if both have seen betters days architecturally, something that factors into this match).

So here goes, the first nine of top seed Pebble Beach taking on Riviera. The back nine and match victor will be resolved tomorrow.

Video: Torrey's 3rd, 4th, 5th UnShackeled

Longtime readers may recall a while back various informal surveys of how the site could be better and high on the list was more video and in particular, more architecture.

I'm not sure this will satisfy that desire entirely, but this is a pilot for a series of web-friendly videos in that vein. With the Farmers Insurance Open soon to start, there is no better time to look at the underwhelming stretch of holes 3-5 at the overwhelmingly beautiful Torrey Pines South.

Play begins Thursday, but in the meantime, my quick take on what should be a stellar three hole stretch.

Gates Open On TPC Scottsdale's $15 Million Renovation

Having long felt like the course was a three or four-hole gem with the rest pretty ordinary, I was excited when news of Tom Weiskopf's hiring was announced and we wrote about it on The Loop.

After seeing Shane Bacon's Back9 tour with Weiskopf along with the drone shots, the whole lunar-golf-in-the-desert vibe of the course looks lost to unsightly flashed white bunkers, making the prospect for a revamped TPC Scottsdale became a lot less exciting. Seeing more shots in this Matt Ginella-Rex Hoggard chat on Morning Drive really highlighted the horrible look of bright white sand fighting the desert's browner hues.

AP's John Nicholson previewed the re-opening and Weiskopf also touched on the Church Pews added to the 18th hole.

Out of respect for the historic Pennsylvania club's Church Pews bunker, the course architect refers to the four long, thin strips of raised, turfed ground as islands.

"That's reserved for Oakmont. There is only one Church Pews," Weiskopf said. "Those are islands in there. Four islands. Big islands. Some people call them church pews. They can call them whatever they want. You don't want to be in there."

This will also be one of the few renovations with bunker placement based on ShotLink data, all because the guys are eating their kale.

Weiskopf used ShotLink data from the last five years to put the fairway bunkers back in play for even the longest hitters. He cut the number of bunkers from 73 to 66 and filled them with white sand that area tour players tested for two years on the back range.

Also surprising is seeing some bunkers shallower than they were in the past, especially at the famed 16th. During the pro-am, Tiger's release pattern miscue (once called a shank) is notable in part because (A) he shanked a bunker shot, and (B) how shallow that bunker now appears.

Augusta Replaces Pine Valley Atop Golf Digest Top 100

Just a few quick reactions to the latest Golf Digest America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses.

The list and accompanying package of images, sidesbars, etc...appears in the February, 2015 Golf Digest.

- Augusta National switches spots (again) with Pine Valley, though the plunge to second probably won’t be alarming enough for Pine Valley to initiate some much needed restoration work. Nor does a move to No. 1 do anything to inspire much needed restoration work at Augusta National. First world sigh.

- National Golf Links finally lands in the top 10 at No. 8, no doubt helped by hosting the Walker Cup and the magnificence of the design. Top 2 with a restored Pine Valley is where it should ultimately land, in an ideal world.

- Oak Hill actually moved up from 17th to 16th. Is it even the 16th best design in the state of New York? Great club, but architecturally it has no business anywhere near the top 75.

- The Country Club moves from 24th to 19th, a nice nod to the club restoring features under Gil Hanse’s supervision and hosting the U.S. Amateur.

- Friar’s Head moves to 23rd from 28th while Sand Hills drops out of the top 10. With the continued effort to improve Friar’s Head by overseer Ken Bakst, this may ultimately turn out to be Coore and Crenshaw’s most complete design.

- Los Angeles Country Club moves to 26th from 41st, the biggest jump by a classic course that I could detect.

- The Alotian Club begins the descent from the ridiculous 15th to a still-inflated 27th.

- Pinehurst No. 2 vaults to 28th from 40th. Better, but still should never even be mentioned in the same breath as a place like The Alotian Club, much less sitting behind it on a list. That's like putting Caddyshack behind The Greatest Game Ever Played.

- Erin Hills debuts at No. 42. The course had been ineligible for consideration until 2013 due to Architecture Editor Ron Whitten’s involvement. The course hosts the 2017 U.S. Open.

- Seth Raynor and Charles Banks’ Camargo Club joins the list at No. 52, fueled by a Tom Doak restoration.

- Somerset Hills, my favorite A.W. Tillinghast design by about ten lengths, moves from 95th to 73rd. Still not good enough, but I’m sure the late, great Frank Hannigan would be concerned to see the Golf Digest panel gradually coming to its senses.

- The Valley Club of Montecito is back! 112th to 83rd. I’m not sure what happened but one of the most enjoyable courses on the planet should have a spot on such a list, right?

- Streamsong’s Red course cracks the list, as does Shoreacres in the final two spots. The omission of Shoreacres was always on the list of reasons to not take the ranking seriously!

Overall there appears to be a little more recognition of fun and whimsical design, and even more acknowledgement of restored features. There appear to be still too many courses recognized because they are difficult or provide a lavish experience. That said, I see mostly huge positives thanks to the upward trajectory of long overlooked courses and those with genuine architectural interest.

Geoff Ogilvy's Perfect Course...

He does not name an existing perfect course but I'm pretty sure North Berwick would be qualify based on the criteria if not for the weather.

A couple of highlights from his piece written with Brendan James and posted at Golf Australia's site, starting with this, which ought to irk the folks at some of the world's elite courses who think they've kept their courses up with the times.

For me then, the perfect course is probably a combination of all the best features of, say, the top courses on the rankings. Ideally, I’d amalgamate the common attributes of Pine Valley, Oakmont, the Old Course, Shinnecock Hills, Royal Melbourne, The National Golf Links, Augusta National and Cypress Point.

With one or two exceptions, these courses are not generally that difficult until the weather turns nasty or the pins are placed
in really tough spots. That makes them – again generally – playable for golfers of all standards.

There’s width to the fairways, and without any real difficulty found around the greens. Everybody can have fun.

Fun … that’s important. What the top professionals find difficult, the average amateur finds relatively easy. In other words, the further the average guy gets from the hole, the harder golf gets. For the pros, the game gets harder the closer we get to the hole, generally anyway.

As for the atmosphere...

My perfect course will also be part of a welcoming and friendly environment. There will be no cart girls, but there will be a Sunningdale-type halfway house where sausage sandwiches will be available. There will be a small range where you can hit a few 5-irons before you wander to the 1st tee, carrying your own bag. At the end of the round, you will be able to get your own car from the carpark and you will be able to walk around with your dog on a leash if you so wish. I don’t know why we don’t do that in Australia.

In other words, on my perfect course there will be no wasted manpower, no wasted energy and no wasted money.

Speaking of which, my perfect course will be playable with a half-set of clubs. Don’t get me wrong though, I want to be able to go out with my 14 clubs and have a great time. But I also want to be able to play in three hours with four clubs and have just as much fun. My perfect course will cater to whatever version of golf you want to play.

I'd concur, except for the leash. Let the hounds roam!