"They’re having a hard time learning how to defend the golf ball."

From Kevin Robbins' Austin American-Statesman golf blog, a reminder that at least one Tour player understands the course design related ramifications of deregulated technology:

Funk grew up playing courses like Oak Hills. He comes from the generation of persimmon woods and balata balls and 1-irons. As tournament courses exceed 7,500 yards, Funk feels the tug of sentiment, a certain yearning for the way things used to be. Backspin concurs. What’s wrong with a tree-lined golf course that repels the impulse to pull driver on every tee?

“It’s sad to me,” Funk said this afternoon. “That’s the trouble with golf course design now. The designers don’t know where to put the bunkers. They don’t know where to turn the fairways. They’re having a hard time learning how to defend the golf ball.

“It’s becoming more of a one-dimensional game. It’s become a power game. There’s not as much room for finesse anymore.

“Those kinds of courses, we don’t have anymore.”