Ball Goes Too Far, Files: The Story Behind Harbour Town's Bryson Range Extension
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GolfDigest.com’s Shane Ryan documents the silly saga at Harbour Town where they had to combat long drives by erecting a temporary fence contraption to protect fans, workers and anyone near the 8th green.
It would have been $100,000 if they could even do an unsightly permanent extension and a temporary solution as Riviera must undertake annually for the Genesis.
Ryan talked to superintendent Jonathan Wright about the headache and costs of concocting a solution for the 400-yard club, only to have Bryson DeChambeau WD from the RBC Heritage.
"It was the most stressful part of our week," Wright said. "It was a bit of a process, man."
He and Morgan Hyde, the vice president of operations at the tournament, estimate that the total cost of the net and the lifts and the various smaller equipment needs ran to about $20,000, and that's not counting the roughly 30 hours of man hours it took to get it fully operational.
If you're a fan of futility or the universe laughing at your plans, you'll love this next detail: According to reports from the ground, players are still hitting balls over the net.
Which is why, when Wright heard that DeChambeau had withdrawn from the tournament, he didn't know quite how to take the news. Should he be disappointed or relieved?
"I would have liked the guy to be here because he's one of the top players in the world, so it hurt my feelings a little bit," Wright said. "But at least we knew we were a little bit more secure with spectators, you know?"
Let’s hope the CBS drones don’t get caught up in this fakakta mess:
