How bad were the Pebble greens?

[MSDOGS1976]

You had an assembled team of the best groundskeepers in the US working on the greens for months in advance, and with unlimited funds. How bad do you think they were? Color can be deceiving.

That makes sense, but why did Sean O'hair say they were the worst greens he had ever putted on? We heard what Tiger had to say about them. That's just 2 people but I don't remember hearing anyone say they were good putting greens either.

[Cornbread]

Were they picture perfect like most inland greens this pampers fools play on each week? No. We're they better than the ones you and I play on weekly. Yes.
They were very fast, very fast so most putts, especially short downhill putts, had to be struck lightly. A slow ball will deviate more than a fast rolling ball.
I watched upclose putts from 4 feet many times during the weekend, and I didn't see the ball not rolling true.
Peeble Beach is cool, humid, on the ocean with saltwater mist... you ain't gona get perfection in those conditions.

[Chilli Dipper]

If the US Open was held on a southern course with Bermuda greens, the pros would complain incessantly about the grain. American players complain that the fescue greens on British Open links courses are too slow. The bottom line is that if greens aren't immaculate bentgrass, pros will complain.

[RemyM]

That makes sense, but why did Sean O'hair say they were the worst greens he had ever putted on? We heard what Tiger had to say about them. That's just 2 people but I don't remember hearing anyone say they were good putting greens either.

If you play well the course is great, if you play bad the course was awful. The conditions are the same for everyone, how you adapt is how you succeed, or fail. I play on great Poa Anua greens and I can tell you that color is no indication to how good or bad they are. "Tournament brown". The pros are cry babies when they can't make birdies.

[2bGood]

I am not sure about what the greens were like to play on, but on TV they looked brutal. As guy that was considering tip to pebble, I watched that and thought "maybe not this year" given the economy I am sure the pebble folks would have like the course to "look" better.

My $.02

[Weezy]

Poana usually burns off during the summer, its common on golf courses. Once it burns off the other grass grows in, so its uniform. But Poana grows faster than the normal green grass, so it gets slightly bumpy. Honestly i could care less. I loved when Jack ribbed the bunkers at the memorial a few years back, we got to stop babying these pro's. I loved hole 14, i think it was hilarious that the pro's just try to play a perfect shot only to watch it go down the front or over back. Just hit it to the center of the green, honestly, suck it up. They are to arrogant in there abilities, and they got humbled.

That's the dumbest thing I have read in a long time. Why bother playing if the guy who wins is the one who hits the most mediocre "safe" shots. Then it has nothing to do with skill but who gets the best bounces. There was no way anyone on planet earth was going to score well on sunday and it was so boring it was pathetic. One of the least watched majors since the tiger era. The moto for a major should be to make it as tough as possible for bad shots while rewarding good ones. They accomplished the first part but made it as hard as possible for good shots too. That is unacceptable.

[jimmizu]

Interesting divergence of opinions here.
You HAD to be there, yes, I was, Tues thru Sun.
The poa is the grass used because it's so darn cold at Pebble even in summer. No sun = cold day. Sunny = 60+ degrees.
The green were not bumpy, but they are quite small and were very fast all day. In these temps the poa doesn't grow much during the day at all.
Pins were set to require outstanding approach shots to have a good birdie chance. Not the usual PGA birdie factory placements.
Also don't underestimate the amount of wind blowing every day. We saw alot of shots that didn't account for wind above the trees and stands.
I watched the 16th all sunday afternoon, only saw two birdies. Some placements were intended to make birdies rare by rewarding only the boldest approaches.
Can't wait for 2019!!