2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont Discussion Thread

[Aguirre]

My dad picked up me up at 9am this morning.  We wanted to wait until rush hour had died down.  Today, no parking pass.  So we parked at the Pittsburgh Mills mall and took the shuttle to Oakmont. I mean, the security, lol.  You'd think I was getting on an airplane.  I had to chug my water but was told that you can refill the bottle at the course. I never found out where that could happen.

Anyway, the course is only three miles away as the crow flies but due to Pittsburgh area topography and traffic we arrived 45 minutes later.  It was raining at this point and due to the fact that thunder was in the area they refused to unload us.  THEY THEN DROVE US ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE MALL AND MADE US GET OFF THE BUS.

We're trying to figure out what to do, and literally three minutes later we're told we can get back on the bus and drive back.  Terrific.  Traffic was lighter this time, only about a 30 minute drive. Eyeroll.

We checked out a few things at the entrance and then wandered onto the course.  As we approaching the gallery ropes on number 3, the whistle sounds.  Soon after, rain.

We positioned ourselves by the grandstand at No. 2 green and boom, got great seats at one of the best viewing spots on the course.  Waiting, waiting, waiting, storm hits suddenly.  We left.

I live 25 minutes from Oakmont. I left my house at 9am.  I didn't step onto the grounds until 11:45am, two hours and forty five minutes later.  We left the course somewhere after 2pm not having seen a single shot.  I didn't even SEE A SINGLE golfer.  

I'm going Saturday because I'm taking my nephews but this is probably it for me.  Love golf, love golf on TV, hate it as a spectator sport.

Edited June 16, 2016 by Aguirre

[Hardspoon]

17 minutes ago, Aguirre said:

I live 25 minutes from Oakmont. I left my house at 9am.  I didn't step onto the grounds until 11:45am, two hours and forty five minutes later.  We left the course somewhere after 2pm not having seen a single shot.  I didn't even SEE A SINGLE golfer.  

I'm going Saturday because I'm taking my nephews but this is probably it for me.  Love golf, love golf on TV, hate it as a spectator sport.

Wow...that sucks.  Hopefully the weather holds for you on Saturday.

And, I'm with you...love golf, love watching it, but I've never really had the desire to actually go to a tournament.  Especially not a major.  If I was going to go, it'd be to a minor tournament or maybe a practice round on a course I've always wanted to see (Pebble or something).

[JetFan1983]

34 minutes ago, Aguirre said:

My dad picked up me up at 9am this morning.  We wanted to wait until rush hour had died down.  Today, no parking pass.  So we parked at the Pittsburgh Mills mall and took the shuttle to Oakmont. I mean, the security, lol.  You'd think I was getting on an airplane.  I had to chug my water but was told that you can refill the bottle at the course. I never found out where that could happen.

Anyway, the course is only three miles away as the crow flies but due to Pittsburgh area topography and traffic we arrived 45 minutes later.  It was raining at this point and due to the fact that thunder was in the area they refused to unload us.  THEY THEN DROVE US ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE MALL AND MADE US GET OFF THE BUS.

We're trying to figure out what to do, and literally three minutes later we're told we can get back on the bus and drive back.  Terrific.  Traffic was lighter this time, only about a 30 minute drive. Eyeroll.

We checked out a few things at the entrance and then wandered onto the course.  As we approaching the gallery ropes on number 3, the whistle sounds.  Soon after, rain.

We positioned ourselves by the grandstand at No. 2 green and boom, got great seats at one of the best viewing spots on the course.  Waiting, waiting, waiting, storm hits suddenly.  We left.

I live 25 minutes from Oakmont. I left my house at 9am.  I didn't step onto the grounds until 11:45am, two hours and forty five minutes later.  We left the course somewhere after 2pm not having seen a single shot.  I didn't even SEE A SINGLE golfer.  

I'm going Saturday because I'm taking my nephews but this is probably it for me.  Love golf, love golf on TV, hate it as a spectator sport.

Sounds almost Aguirre-like actually. I'm picturing you in your helmet, gradually going mad in the rain and harsh conditions, urging others forward as you all drudge through the mud, eventually wantonly killing natives and other patrons. The promise of golf! The promise of tour pros! But in the end, it is you alone, adrift on a raft, speaking your mad, grandiose thoughts to a spider monkey....

Aguirre at Oakmont:

 

[Aguirre]

I can't believe how many people I saw who didn't have some sort of protection against the rain. Also, when it might rain, wear flip flops or sandals.  Your wet feet will be far more comfortable than people who have socks and sneakers on.

One final thing, load up on all the merchandise you want.  But don't buy the exact same hat and windbreaker as your buddy(ies) and then wear them around the course together.  You look like TEAM DWEEB.

[ChrisP]

Tomorrow's a situation where I wish they had a rule where the Tournament Director could flip around the tee times if need be. Gonna be weird where a guy like Andrew Landry may have one putt all day tomorrow and not have to hit a shot and a guy like Jason Day has to play 36 holes. LIke I said before, though, I think it could hurt today's morning wave of guys because if conditions are easy tomorrow and you go out early and get hot and have a lot of momentum going, you can keep that rolling into the afternoon. That's what happened with Ricky Barnes and Lucas Glover in '09 and why they got so far out ahead.

Faxon and Azinger both said they think the score is going to be well under par by the end of play tomorrow, and mentally, that could be tough for a guy like McIlroy going into Saturday morning seeing he'll be that far behind just as the course is firming up. Going to be a lot easier to play the course tomorrow then Saturday.

Edited June 17, 2016 by ChrisP

[Buckeyebowman]

Sorry to hear that Aguirre, really had to suck. But you know why they wouldn't let you off the bus with lightning in the area, don't you? Because lawyers run the world. Well, at least this part of it.

You should have a great day Saturday. The forecast calls for decent temps and dropping humidity which will help the course dry out a little. I was hoping for a good old Oakmont bloodbath, but that may not happen. One thing is for sure, they won't have to turn on a single sprinkler until after the championship.

I had to laugh when Joe Buck remarked how nice the weather had become, and if they might have gotten the players back out to get a few more holes in. Yeah right, Joe! Send players out in the U.S. Open with bunkers that, at the time, were in worse shape than the rattiest muni! What a dumbass!

[Aguirre]

Just now, Buckeyebowman said:

Sorry to hear that Aguirre, really had to suck. But you know why they wouldn't let you off the bus with lightning in the area, don't you?

Oh sure, but just park the bus and wait. And when they run out of room for those parked buses, force the ones behind us to return to the mall.  There were people who boarded shuttle buses a half hour behind us who literally got onto the grounds an hour ahead of us.

[tdiii]

2 hours ago, Aguirre said:

My dad picked up me up at 9am this morning.  We wanted to wait until rush hour had died down.  Today, no parking pass.  So we parked at the Pittsburgh Mills mall and took the shuttle to Oakmont. I mean, the security, lol.  You'd think I was getting on an airplane.  I had to chug my water but was told that you can refill the bottle at the course. I never found out where that could happen.

Anyway, the course is only three miles away as the crow flies but due to Pittsburgh area topography and traffic we arrived 45 minutes later.  It was raining at this point and due to the fact that thunder was in the area they refused to unload us.  THEY THEN DROVE US ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE MALL AND MADE US GET OFF THE BUS.

We're trying to figure out what to do, and literally three minutes later we're told we can get back on the bus and drive back.  Terrific.  Traffic was lighter this time, only about a 30 minute drive. Eyeroll.

We checked out a few things at the entrance and then wandered onto the course.  As we approaching the gallery ropes on number 3, the whistle sounds.  Soon after, rain.

We positioned ourselves by the grandstand at No. 2 green and boom, got great seats at one of the best viewing spots on the course.  Waiting, waiting, waiting, storm hits suddenly.  We left.

I live 25 minutes from Oakmont. I left my house at 9am.  I didn't step onto the grounds until 11:45am, two hours and forty five minutes later.  We left the course somewhere after 2pm not having seen a single shot.  I didn't even SEE A SINGLE golfer.  

I'm going Saturday because I'm taking my nephews but this is probably it for me.  Love golf, love golf on TV, hate it as a spectator sport.

Yet another example of why the PGA and the US Open need to be played on the West Coast!

[Aguirre]

Oh, I love the west coast majors.  Prime time golf is awesome, particularly on Sunday.  I can play my round when I like (ie, not the crack of dawn on a weekend) and still see the leaders play 18 holes.  The USGA is married too strongly to the east coast.

BTW, a fun game to play would be to count the amount of times you see the acronym 'USGA' while attending the open.  It's so pervasive that you want to find an official and say, "We get it.  This tournament is sponsored by your organization."

[ChrisP]

I'm about 15 minutes from Oakmont and the heavens have opened again. It is absolutely pouring outside...coming down in sheets. My guess is there's no way they're gonna start at 7:30 am tomorrow. There's flooding all over the place.

Edited June 17, 2016 by ChrisP

[Aguirre]

Chris, are you from here or visiting for the tournament?

[wannabe]

7 minutes ago, ChrisP said:

I'm about 15 minutes from Oakmont and the heavens have opened again. It is absolutely pouring outside...coming down in sheets. My guess is there's no way they're gonna start at 7:30 am tomorrow. There's flooding all over the place.

Ouch - can someone say "Soakmont"?

[Aguirre]

We occasionally get flood warnings around here but it isn't common.  They are everywhere right now surrounding Oakmont.

[ChrisP]

14 minutes ago, Aguirre said:

Chris, are you from here or visiting for the tournament?

No I'm visiting my brother. My cousin works for the USGA and helped us in getting tix this year. I talked to my cousin just 15 minutes ago and said there's a lot of cursing going on. They worked their asses off to dry the course up the last few hours and thought they were in the clear and another inch or two of rain just pounded them and is still pounding them.

[Natural Patrick]

4 hours ago, ChrisP said:

Yeah, but the course tomorrow is gonna be so extremely soft. It was still pretty hard today, even with the rain this morning, and the wind was blowing. But the storm they got this afternoon completely drenched that place. We only got about a quarter inch here this morning, but we got easily at least 2 inches of rain this afternoon. I think tomorrow is gonna be like the 2nd round of Bethapge in 2009 where the afternoon wave played Friday morning and got a course that had absolutely no roll to it and guys were able to stick some shots. I truly pray I'm wrong on this, but I think you're gonna see a lot of rounds in the 60s tomorrow. The only issue could be fatigue come the end of the day for the more out of shape players (i.e. Colt Knost).

It'll get harder over the weekend, but the USGA has already said they received so much rain this afternoon that they won't be able to get it back to the speed they had yesterday.

Last time I checked, Colt Knost  is not even playing in the U.S. Open. Glad you are paying attention

[alleztom]

Sorry if it has been pointed out but what happens to tee times/play today after the rain delay. Have never followed a tournament that has had this?

[boogielicious]

10 hours ago, Aguirre said:

I can't believe how many people I saw who didn't have some sort of protection against the rain. Also, when it might rain, wear flip flops or sandals.  Your wet feet will be far more comfortable than people who have socks and sneakers on.

One final thing, load up on all the merchandise you want.  But don't buy the exact same hat and windbreaker as your buddy(ies) and then wear them around the course together.  You look like TEAM DWEEB.

1 hour ago, alleztom said:

Sorry if it has been pointed out but what happens to tee times/play today after the rain delay. Have never followed a tournament that has had this?

They finish the first round tomorrow and start the second round tomorrow. The players that haven't teed off yet will try to play two rounds tomorrow.

[alleztom]

21 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

They finish the first round tomorrow and start the second round tomorrow. The players that haven't teed off yet will try to play two rounds tomorrow.

Thanks