2012 US Open at Olympic Club Discussion Thread

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by Motley01

Let's talk about Chris Berman. He's good at NFL announcing, but not golf. I dunno what it is about him, his stale jokes, etc.

I'd rather hear Johnny Miller.

Eh, I can handle him once a year when ESPN does the Open.

Re Miller, I noticed something today. Maltbie was in the tower, basically doing the Johnny Miller role. And he did a pretty damn good job of it, imo. The same level of insight without being a dick as Miller is wont to do at times.

[bplewis24]

I watched the ESPN coverage with mute on, and had the audio from the online coverage from my laptop.

[wolfsburg2]

I despise the canned lines, "Scott bellies up to the par" after Adam Scott makes a putt. gross. He also just doesn't know golf and that's apparent when listening to him. It's like he's there to just read of newspaper headlines. Tiger roars!! After making his putt. Bubba Watson thinking what's on tv Saturday because I'll be at home watching it instead of playing.

[Shindig]

Watching some of it on TV at the moment, and the online leaderboard says that +8 is no longer tentatively making the cut (obviously this can change). At +8 is Nick Thompson. This is the same U.S. Open where the youngest ever qualifier is in the field. Nick's younger sister is the youngest to qualify for the Women's U.S. Open. These are the things I think about.

[newtogolf]

I'm not usually a fan of tournaments where the leader is -14 going into the weekend but having the opportunity to watch Bubba, Phil and Tiger play all 18 on both days I have to say I'm also not much of a fan of courses that are set up intentionally to keep the scores low.   Some of these holes with their narrow fairways, thick rough, and well protected fast greens with impossible pin placements just seem demoralizing.   Throughout the last two days you could see how frustrating the course was to each of the guys and at one point it appeared Bubba just gave up and decided to entertain the crowd with his crazy driver shots off the tee and the deck (why doesn't he carry a 3 wood?).

I realize that's the theme of the US Open, but I can't help but wonder if winning this year will be as much a function of luck as it is skill after watching the past two rounds.

[colin007]

So you're saying Tiger has had more luck than skill so far?

[newtogolf]

No actually IMO he's played better than his score indicates, but the course and greens seem impossible to score on so it's hard to tell who's playing really well and who's getting lucky.

Originally Posted by colin007

So you're saying Tiger has had more luck than skill so far?

[clubchamp]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I'm not usually a fan of tournaments where the leader is -14 going into the weekend but having the opportunity to watch Bubba, Phil and Tiger play all 18 on both days I have to say I'm also not much of a fan of courses that are set up intentionally to keep the scores low.   Some of these holes with their narrow fairways, thick rough, and well protected fast greens with impossible pin placements just seem demoralizing.   Throughout the last two days you could see how frustrating the course was to each of the guys and at one point it appeared Bubba just gave up and decided to entertain the crowd with his crazy driver shots off the tee and the deck (why doesn't he carry a 3 wood?).

I realize that's the theme of the US Open, but I can't help but wonder if winning this year will be as much a function of luck as it is skill after watching the past two rounds.

I agree with some of what you are saying but using Bubba is a bad example since he gave up. I love watching Bubba play but he had a bad game plan from the start and couldn't even execute anyway. You need to hit fairways and Bubba wanted to hit driver which cost him big plus even when he tried to hit irons off the tee he'd miss the fairway. You won't win a US Open trying to bomb it out there for the shorter yardage and hope you can get it on the green. Phil could have easily packed it in but he started hitting fairways and was able to make the cut which could allow him to get a top 10. I don't think winning this year will be a function of luck by any means all the guys at the top are hitting fairways and greens.

[B-Con]

No actually IMO he's played better than his score indicates, but the course and greens seem impossible to score on so it's hard to tell who's playing really well and who's getting lucky.

It seems like the course is rewarding consistent solid efforts. The guys scoring well aren't making many mistakes and are playing smart. There's a little bit of luck involved amongst the leaders to be sure, but the only major issue of luck that struck me was the bounce of the sloped fairways. When the ball rolls downhill, it's often a matter of luck as to whether it stops in good grass or bad grass.

[newtogolf]

Bubba did quit, and I agree his game plan was weak.

Phil didn't hit too many fairways (54%), though on another course he would have been fine.  Most of his drives were about a yard off the fairway either left or right.  Tiger is doing well hitting the fairway (75%) but that's mainly because he's hitting 3 wood or irons off the tee which might be the best strategy for the course but not typical of most tournaments.

One of the luck shots I was referring to was Tigers approach shot on (I think it was) 16 when his ball landed on the front of the green, rolled across and then down the steep back of the green into rough and trees.  It's one thing to roll off the green, and quite another to be down in a valley when you hit a decent shot.

Originally Posted by clubchamp

I agree with some of what you are saying but using Bubba is a bad example since he gave up. I love watching Bubba play but he had a bad game plan from the start and couldn't even execute anyway. You need to hit fairways and Bubba wanted to hit driver which cost him big plus even when he tried to hit irons off the tee he'd miss the fairway. You won't win a US Open trying to bomb it out there for the shorter yardage and hope you can get it on the green. Phil could have easily packed it in but he started hitting fairways and was able to make the cut which could allow him to get a top 10. I don't think winning this year will be a function of luck by any means all the guys at the top are hitting fairways and greens.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I realize that's the theme of the US Open, but I can't help but wonder if winning this year will be as much a function of luck as it is skill after watching the past two rounds.

Originally Posted by B-Con

It seems like the course is rewarding consistent solid efforts. The guys scoring well aren't making many mistakes and are playing smart.

Similar to what B-con says, it appears to me to be a function of consistently executing a conservative gameplan, having control of your shots, and an exercise in patience.  It's almost as if the guys who make a lot of birdies aren't going to win, because it likely means they're taking too many risks that will eventually catch up with them over the course of 4 rounds, and as a result they are also going to make more double-bogies.

As far as controlling your shots, that may sound like a vague, no-brainer (duh!), but I think it is an important aspect of the course management.  Tiger can probably hit his 3 wood 10-15 yards further than his 2-iron or whatever it is, but hitting that low, running stinger helps control the flight, landing area and potential bounces that can occur, and as such he is rewarded for it.  McIlroy may be able to land his driver within 5-10 feet of where he wants it to, but because it's hit so high in the air, he can't control the bounces.

Is it any coincidence that the 3 leaders all shot very similar rounds for two days (both rounds within 1 stroke of each other)?  Perhaps it is.  But it seems like a punishing course like this rewards steady golf and not erratic golf.  The high profile guys who said they were going to "attack the course" both missed the cut.  I don't think that is coincidence.

[Stretch]

This is a grinder's course. You've just got to stay in it. Poulter had a good quote yesterday about the playing experience: "It's a very interesting challenge. Like pulling your teeth out one by one to see how long you can stand it."

I like GMac if Tiger falls away. Schwartzel is gutting it out too -- playing with a torn intercostal and getting the needle a couple of times a day.

[The Recreational Golfer]

I've been watching on television on and off all day for the past two days. This course is giving me a case of claustrophobia.

[Wallstreet]

The US Open has always been the toughest major.  I don't get all the "unfair" posts.  Its been like this for a long time.  And the players know this more than we do.  Tiger, Toms and the like are doing it right.  Hitting 2 iron or  3 wood rather than driver every time.  They are playing smart.  Unlike others.  \

I actually like seeing the pro's struggle.  It makes them human.  It is something different than what we see every week.

[Jimdangles]

I think I saw tiger hit the driver only about twice today but I think he used it on almost the hole back nine it seems. Hes really hitting fairways. I also like gmac if tiger falls out but I just dont see that happening. You dont want tiger anywhere near the lead on a weekend. I think he's too comfortable there. I think one of the announcers said when he tries to play catch up he doesnt play as well. I just really like tigers game and chances right now.

[bobsuruncle]

winning will always involve a little bit of luck, but by and large over 72 holes and 4 days, it's mainly skill.

[Jimbo Slice]

This is the first golf I've purposely watched in my life. I just started golfing April, 29th 2012 and until then I never really considered it. Surprisingly to myself I really enjoyed watching it today. It was great, not anything like I remembered when I was a kid LOL . Beau Hossler was slightly impressive for a bit.

[joekelly]

Mr.Stretch says that Schwartzel is 'getting the needle a couple of times a day'. Is there any USGA or PGA rule about taking drugs, or meds, during the round? Are these meds, drugs, administered by a doctor, nurse, caddy or self? What is in the syringe tube besides the claim that 'it's medicine'?  Many readers here will suggest that no drug can help a golfer, unlike in tennis, cycling, running, etc. Golf is too precise and much too mental. Maybe there is a drug which will block out your fear of failure, but is only secretly available.  I believe that if a pro golfer is taking any sort of injection during a round he/she will need to be investigated.  Sure, it's a gentleman's game but any whiff of cheating will shake the pro tree badly.  Don't forget, when D. Clarke won the Br. Open UK commentators estimated Clarke's full winning package at US$ 10,000,000.00.  That is a 'chunk o' change'.  I do not make any claim or suggestion here that Schwartzel is taking any forbidden stuff or that he is anything less or more than any other pro golfer.