We got an interesting question from a Golf World Utah reader about the state of the greens at the Masters and the Players. His question, especially in regard to the Players, was one I would have asked. It was almost painful to look at greens on the Sunday of a big event when they look as though have been stressed beyond the capacity to recover and you begin saying a novena for the poor superintendent. We asked Ron Whitten to answer the letter, and his response follows. Fascinating.

I often wonder how letting the greens dry out in majors like they often do in U.S. Opens (and last Sunday's Players) helps to determine a worthy champion. Shouldn't we get back to pure shotmaking and be less obsessed with firmness? Augusta seems to have it figured out. They have very slick greens without making them an eyesore to look at, not to mention rock hard when trying to land an approach shot. There are plenty of ways to make a course play tough. The USGA should take a lesson from the guys with the green jackets!

Paul L. Archibald, Centerville, UT

Paul, Your e-mail, asking if dry, firm greens really help determine a worthy golf champion, was forwarded to me for a response. I'm wondering if you attended either the Masters or The Players this year, or whether you were basing your observation upon how each course's greens looked on television. If the latter, you should bear in mind that Augusta National has bent-grass greens, while TPC Sawgrass has Mini-Verde Bermuda greens. The two are inherently different in coloration, regardless of how dry they are kept and regardless of mowing height. So what you perceive as an "eye sore" has nothing to do with the relative firmness or dryness of either set of greens. Mini Verde has not the deep green color of bent. I would agree with you that U.S. Open greens (usually Poa Annua with a little bent grass) do look very lean, tan and (in some eyes) ugly, particularly on a Sunday afternoon. Again, this is the nature of that turf, when kept dry and firm, and mowed very tightly. Poa Annua needs plenty of moisture to stay alive. In hot dry conditions, it tends to die, or at least go dormant. (At Oakmont, which has the only "permanent" Poa Annua greens around.) A lot of Poa Annua greens are near death after a U.S. Open. But I dispute your idea that Augusta National keeps its greens much more receptive. They are very firm and fast, but with Subair systems beneath each green, they can draw moisture from the roots and soil, but pump in enough air to the roots to keep them looking healthy during even the hottest days of a Masters. TPC Sawgrass, and most Open venues, do not yet have that technology beneath its greens. As I recall, Mickelson won the Masters with a score of 16 under, while Clark won the Players at 17 under. Perhaps because Mickelson didn't score so well at The Players (only 7 under), you feel it's a less worthy test of championship golf? I think just the opposite. The course was very moist during the first two days (when Michelson only shot 3 under for two rounds), but then the winds came up on Saturday and Sunday and dried the entire course, fairways and greens. Michelson shot 66 on Saturday, 74 on Sunday. I'm not sure you can blame that upon the golf course, or in particular its greens. If you talk to most champion golfers, shotmaking is especially needed when facing dry, firm greens (especially "rock hard" greens). They prefer such conditions over slow, wet, thatchy greens which will not allow a ball to release, or spin, or putt with any consistency. If both the Masters and U.S. Open have a flaw in their set-ups, it's that they don't allow run-up shots to rock-hard greens, in the manner that most British Open venues allow. The approaches at both Augusta (many being uphill) and Open venues are usually not as firm and fast as the greens beyond them, so low, running approaches (struck to keep under the wind or simply to feed a ball to a hole location inaccessible by a high approach shot) don't react in a links-like manner. Sometimes they bounce, sometimes they don't. That's why Golf Digest is promoting, in its new definition of the Conditioning category for determining America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses, both firm, fast and running fairways and firm yet receptive greens. The two must go hand in hand, if courses are to be genuine tests of shotmaking.

Ron Whitten, Senior Editor, Architecture Golf Digest

Why do you not use leadside and trail-side for written instructions? It would make it easier for those of us who are left-handed to follw along rather than transpose the instructions writtena as rightside and leftside.

Francis Batsch, Newport, WA

What a shock and a loss for golf to lose one of its finest ambassadors, Lorena Ochoa. Even more shocking was her omission from your May 3 cover for a photo of Hunter Mahan. Instead of celebrating a fine career of 27 wins, 2 majors, skill and grace, you choose to feature a two-time PGA tour winner. Shame on you.

Nina Dulacki, Denver, CO

> No comment. But I will say that this last letter is right on.

My sincerest thanks to Ken Green for reminding us all that success is mostly a matter of getting up one more time than we have been knocked down. It is difficult for me to fathom the incredible courage and determination it took for him to bear his dreams for all to see. The physical and emotional strength he displayed at the Liberty Mutual is truly the stuff of golf Legends!

Tom Lukish, Jr., Midlothian, VA