Golf Digest's U.S. Open Challenge

[geezer]

I think the TVs are showing it for an hour on the Sunday. Not sure. Clarification?

[Mr. Sparkle]

This event takes place on Friday. Is anyone going?

I don't think you can go.

Pre-Championship Merchandise Opening at the Main Merchandise Pavilion Thursday, June 5th through Sunday, June 8th (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). No ticket is necessary to enter the Main Merchandise Pavilion during this pre-Championship opening. The golf course and other facilities will be closed to the public.

[Mr. Sparkle]

I think the TVs are showing it for an hour on the Sunday. Not sure. Clarification?

The round will air on NBC from 2–3pm on Sunday, June 15 immediately before final–round coverage of the U.S. Open.

[HiJon89]

If they show him this video before he plays I doubt he will break 130
http://youtube.com/watch?v=XbXijJiTSjo

[$2 Nassau]

My boss played T-Pines back in April. He is a 14 handicap. Said he played well, shot 101 and was happy with that score. The tees he played from were rated at 74.3/136. I think he said they were the White tees, with Blue and Black tees behind him. So basically 3 tees up and some 800 yards less from where the tourney tees will be. White tees play about 6800 yads from what he said.

[SubPar]

My boss played T-Pines back in April. He is a 14 handicap. Said he played well, shot 101 and was happy with that score. The tees he played from were rated at 74.3/136. I think he said they were the White tees, with Blue and Black tees behind him. So basically 3 tees up and some 800 yards less from where the tourney tees will be. White tees play about 6800 yads from what he said.

I read the details of the set-up yesterday. The first cut of rough will be 2 inches then it goes to 3 inches, then 5 inches. Fairways 25-33 yards wide. At least one par 4 will play over 500 yards. Two of the par-5s will be over 600 yards. The greens will be running around 13.5.

I'm guessing the conditions at the Memorial last week were about the same, but with slightly wider fairways. I seem to recall lots of +5 handicappers barely hacking out of the rough and putts rolling off greens. Phil had a practice round in the mid 70's this week. I don't think any 8 handicap is going to do very well. SubPar

[bigphil]

Besides, Roy McCavoy was an amateur and he would've won the open a few years back had it not been for his stubbornness on the 72nd. What does that tell you. He was just a friggin range pro. Crazier things have happened.

hahahahaha!!! was he the guy from West Texas?

[Gilmore]

Evidently the 4 runner ups for this contest played a round yesterday and 2 of them actually did break 100. I really feel that Romo will break 80!

http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/u...80606uscontest

[golf_junkie27]

This takes place, today. Interesting to hear that Matt Lauer has Greg Norman on his bag, Timberlake has Butch Harmon, the GD winner has Dr. Rotella and Romo has his guy (don't know his name).

Seeing this, they should make it a team competition, caddies vs. players.

Too bad we'll only get an hour, next week.

[SubPar]

Evidently the 4 runner ups for this contest played a round yesterday and 2 of them actually did break 100. I really feel that Romo will break 80!

In the article they mention what handicap they will be playing too, but they didn't mention if those practice round scores are net or gross. One would assume gross. SubPar

[golf_junkie27]

In the article they mention what handicap they will be playing too, but they didn't mention if those practice round scores are net or gross. One would assume gross.

Nice link, thank you. This event will do nothing to prove Tiger's original statement, wrong. "No 10 Handicapper can break 100." None of these guys is a 10 or worse. If GD had done it, correctly, they would have made all those single digit cappers, ineligible.

[Mr. Sparkle]

Sounds like the USGA didn't want to punish the players this year. Rough isn't that long and they did things like keep 18 a par 5 instead of a par 4. Should see a winning score at or just under par this year.

[iacas]

This event will do nothing to prove Tiger's original statement, wrong. "No 10 Handicapper can break 100." None of these guys is a 10 or worse. If GD had done it, correctly, they would have made all those single digit cappers, ineligible.

Tiger said it about Oakmont, so if the guy shoots 80 it won't prove or disprove Tiger's statement.

The guy is playing to an 11, fwiw. 79.7 and 153, I think I saw. That makes an 8.0 index an 11 handicapper.

[SubPar]

Another factor in this is what kind of 8-10 index a person is. If anyone has an 8 playing really long tough courses, they would expect to play fairly well at TP.

An 8 like myself who essentially has a 1 short game and a 14 long game wouldn't stand a chance at TP. I play fairly flat 6800 yard courses with greens on the slow side, so when I get on any course with a lot of uneven lies, long holes and fast greens I have little expectation of shooting to my index.

The handicap system is a decent attempt at leveling the playing field, but it is not really all that fair. I am an -8 at Woodley Lakes in the valley, which is flat, wide open and has little rough or serious hazards. But on a course like Tierra Rejada, which has wild elevation changes, narrow fairways, fast multi-level greens and certain death lurking all around, I get 1 more stoke (-9). There is no way those two courses differ by only 1 stroke in the real world.

SubPar