US Amateur conditions

[sandtrap]

They palyed the US Am at Cantigny in Winfield IL this week.
It ended on Sat and I got a chance to get out for 9 last night with my 2 teenage boys.

The rough was about 3-4 inches and the greens were like tile.
For top level players it may be the way to go but for us regular players it's a different game.

My question is. How and where do you practice to play under those conditions? Private clubs don't set up like that. The members wouldn't like it.
It's not much fun to miss a 3 footer and go by 8 feet. Missing the fairway by a couple of feet and loosing a ball gets old as there is no gallery or spotters to show you where it went.

I also came to the realization that handicaps are not all that accurate.
Assume for a second that A touring pro that is a +4 and I am a 9.
He "only" gives me 13. Come on. He would have to give me 2 per hole to be "fair" under these conditions.

It's a different game at that level my friends.

[redi630]

Those greens were slick! A couple of buddies and I went out and watched a few holes out there. You could feel how firm the greens were just walking across them.