Mystic Rock draws mix of raves, pans from pros
FARMINGTON – Mystic Rock played to mixed reviews during Thursday’s first round of the 84 Lumber Classic of Pennsylvania. Depending on who was doing the talking, the greens were either very receptive or very severe.
“I don’t think you need that much green,” said Luke Donald, who shot a 5-under 67.
“It seems like they’re 40 yards deep in some places. It seems silly to me.”
Donald wasn’t entirely critical, however.
“It’s a very scenic course,” Donald said. “It’s in really good shape. The greens are a little too severely contoured, but it’s very generous off the tee. And overall, it’s not a bad course.”
First-round leader Donnie Hammond wasn’t as harsh a critic. In fact, Hammond even found a bright spot in the rain-soaked greens.
“You could throw it pretty much right at the pin,” Hammond said. “It makes it easier to get to the pin the way the greens were really slow out there.
“It would be a lot more difficult if they were harder.”
The greens will only become softer as Hurricane Isabel’s effects dump an expected 2-8 inches of rain on the area through Friday.
Lee Janzen, who shot a 5-under 67 and finished two shots out of the lead, doesn’t have a problem with soft greens.
“If the greens were really firm like a normal weekly setup, I think on Sunday they would be pretty hard,” Janzen said. “The more we play, the more we are where we are not supposed to be may force us to play a little more conservative by Sunday with these pins.
“There are some pin placements they are going to have to use, and they are going to be difficult. You don’t want to miss on those greens. It’s going to be very difficult to get up and down.”
Another topic up for debate was the courses’ length, which has increased over the past 18 months by nearly 500 yards. Built eight years ago, Mystic Rock has undergone extensive renovations over the past year and a half, mostly involving the moving of tee areas and bunker overhaul.
“It doesn’t play as long as I was hearing before I got here,” said Brent Schwarzrock, who finished one shot off the lead. “You are certainly not going to get any roll on the fairways. But I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.”
Bob Friend, who plays out of Oakmont Country Club, disagreed.
“It played long for me,” Friend said.
“But I played with two guys who were hitting 340-yard drives. I’d hit a tee shot 285-290 yards, then Brenden Pappas would hit it 60 yards by me.”
As a whole, the course played an average of 70.75 strokes, with 50 players shooting rounds below 70. In all, there were 90 rounds below par, which is 72.
Hole No. 16 played the easiest by far, yielding 94 birdies and four eagles. The course’s only other eagle occurred on No. 11.
“I think it’s a better test than most courses,” Schwarzrock said. “Especially because the greens are pretty severe in some areas. There’s a lot of places on the greens that, I don’t want to say the green is wasted, but there is so much severe undulation …
“If you get on the wrong side of the hole … I played with a guy who hit a club long twice today and he had putts that were going up and down. It can get pretty wicked on the green.”