2017 U.S. Open Discussion Topic

[onthehunt526]

13 hours ago, ChrisP said:

Noticed in the tee times that they are doing away with the traditional pairing of the US Open Champ/Open Champ and US Amateur champ. This is the first time in my recollection when the US Open champ and British Open champ are both entered that they didn't pair them together. I know the US Am. champ doesn't always participate because they need to stay Amateur in order to play.

Not necessarily true. The Amateur Champ is exempt from qualifying if they stay amateur. If they turn pro, then they would need to qualify, or be exempt another way.

[NCGolfer]

Watching the Kevin Na, Wesley Bryant and other comments this should be interesting.  They have also said that these fairways are the widest in US Open history but if you get off line at all that ball could roll or bounce very quickly to a bad, bad place.

Its the same for everyone but I tend to agree with Na's criticism.  Make the rough penal but not so bad that you will lose a ton of balls or can't even play out of it.  I wonder how many spotters they will have around there.

[phillyk]

9 minutes ago, NCGolfer said:

Watching the Kevin Na, Wesley Bryant and other comments this should be interesting.  They have also said that these fairways are the widest in US Open history but if you get off line at all that ball could roll or bounce very quickly to a bad, bad place.

Its the same for everyone but I tend to agree with Na's criticism.  Make the rough penal but not so bad that you will lose a ton of balls or can't even play out of it.  I wonder how many spotters they will have around there.

I wonder where the spectators will stand because if they stand in that fescue, that could help create better lies for off-line shots.  I'm definitely interested to see how it plays out though.

[NCGolfer]

6 minutes ago, phillyk said:

I wonder where the spectators will stand because if they stand in that fescue, that could help create better lies for off-line shots.  I'm definitely interested to see how it plays out though.

Kinda the opposite of Pinehurst a few years back...no rough and nothing but sandy waste areas off the fairway.  Still a tough test with only 15 guys under par.

There were a few criticisms of #2 but many thought it was a great setup and fair...the Saturday round was difficult but simply a setup/pin placement factor.  They eased up on Sunday.

[ChrisP]

Reminds me a lot of Sand Hills in Nebraska which I was fortunate to play a few years ago. Very similar style looking course. Wide open, fescue rough...a British open style course that's hilly but no water anywhere. I feel like guys who did well at chambers will do well here because it's similar in a lot of ways with the exception of the greens. The fairways there wide, it was hilly, it was really long. The difference here is the penal rough.

[onthehunt526]

It looks to me that balls may be lost in this fescue grass... Some guys may elect unplayable lies out of it.

[phillyk]

5 minutes ago, onthehunt526 said:

It looks to me that balls may be lost in this fescue grass... Some guys may elect unplayable lies out of it.

Well they'd have to find it to take the unplayable, otherwise it's back to the tee.  But yeah, if found, there will be quite a few unplayable lies taken.

[krupa]

3 minutes ago, phillyk said:

Well they'd have to find it to take the unplayable, otherwise it's back to the tee.  But yeah, if found, there will be quite a few unplayable lies taken.

From the videos, it looks like it'd be a no-brainer to hit a provisional any time the ball goes into that crap.

[nevets88]

Fescue, schmescue, no problemo.

 

[NCGolfer]

5 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

Fescue, schmescue, no problemo.

That looks green side...not 195 out with a forced carry.  

[Wally Fairway]

So this is a course that has both bunkers and rough that are penal in nature.
Gusting winds will push the scores up - current windcast gusting to forecast is (Th-Sun) 10/13/15/16
 

Edited June 12, 2017 by Wally Fairway
wrong week

[chspeed]

3 hours ago, NCGolfer said:

Its the same for everyone but I tend to agree with Na's criticism.  Make the rough penal but not so bad that you will lose a ton of balls or can't even play out of it.  I wonder how many spotters they will have around there.

Watching the Na video, I had three thoughts:

1. They don't have to find their balls, a spotter will find it for them.

2. Na was not really trying to hit the ball, just make a point. He rushed the shot. If it was in competition, that ball would have been back in the fairway.

3. Don't any of these guys play the British Open?

OK, 4 thoughts. #4: Whine behind closed doors - if you don't want to play, you don't have to.

Edited June 12, 2017 by chspeed

[ChrisP]

13 minutes ago, chspeed said:

Watching the Na video, I had three thoughts:

1. They don't have to find their balls, a spotter will find it for them.

2. Na was not really trying to hit the ball, just make a point. He rushed the shot. If it was in competition, that ball would have been back in the fairway.

3. Don't any of these guys play the British Open?

OK, 4 thoughts. #4: Whine behind closed doors - if you don't want to play, you don't have to.

Agree. His criticism is a bit over the top. That rough that he's hitting out of is only if you hit it way off line. Don't want to hit it out of there? Hit it straight. Simple solution. If you hit it that far off line, then it's like out of bounds...you deserve to be penalized. 

Na is a nice guy, but he is also a bit of a head case, and this is a perfect example of that. Just play they give you. This is the US Open. It's supposed to be a tough test. Deal with it. Hit it straight and you won't have a problem. 

By the way, a lot of players are saying very good things about the course. Only Na is whining so far.

Edited June 12, 2017 by ChrisP

[chspeed]

32 minutes ago, ChrisP said:

Only Na is whining so far.

Actually, there have been a few others. Adam Scott sounded off earlier in the week, saying "Hopefully they get it right this time, just from a playability standpoint. Let’s just have something that’s a challenge and interesting, not just playing brutal (golf).”  http://golfweek.com/2017/06/04/adam-scott-hopefully-usga-will-get-it-right-this-time-at-erin-hills/

I don't think there's anything wrong with constructive criticism, but that Na video, as you pointed at, was not that. And while Scott may have a point, why talk about it before the round in public? Let the public get excited about the course and the Open. PGA needs to take some marketing lessons from the NFL. If this was the NFL, Scott would have been fined for opening his mouth.

[ChrisP]

5 minutes ago, chspeed said:

Actually, there have been a few others. Adam Scott sounded off earlier in the week, saying "Hopefully they get it right this time, just from a playability standpoint. Let’s just have something that’s a challenge and interesting, not just playing brutal (golf).”  http://golfweek.com/2017/06/04/adam-scott-hopefully-usga-will-get-it-right-this-time-at-erin-hills/

I don't think there's anything wrong with constructive criticism, but that Na video, as you pointed at, was not that. And while Scott may have a point, why talk about it before the round in public? Let the public get excited about the course and the Open. PGA needs to take some marketing lessons from the NFL. If this was the NFL, Scott would have been fined for opening his mouth.

Well, Scott was criticizing the USGA and their past goofups, not so much Erin Hills and the setup there. He was ripping Chambers Bay and then the way they handled the Dustin Johnson issue last year. Rosaforte was just on TGC and said he's never seen so much praise amongst players and a new course. There will be a few whiners here and there like there is every year at the US Open. That's normal. I'm sure Bubba will say something negative like he always does. But I thought Na's criticism was a bit dumb.

[NCGolfer]

1 hour ago, chspeed said:

Watching the Na video, I had three thoughts:

1. They don't have to find their balls, a spotter will find it for them.

2. Na was not really trying to hit the ball, just make a point. He rushed the shot. If it was in competition, that ball would have been back in the fairway.

3. Don't any of these guys play the British Open?

OK, 4 thoughts. #4: Whine behind closed doors - if you don't want to play, you don't have to.

1.  I'm honestly worried that having spotters on every hole may not be enough to find it in that stuff.

2.  Agreed.  He didn't look like he was making a true effort but I think the point in #1 is still valid...balls will be lost.  Just my prediction.

3.  Yes.  Not sure that they have fescue that thick and pervasive on every hole.  Sure, it's tall but I'm not sure they will be able to advance the ball as far.  Remains to be seen...perhaps Na picked one of the nastiest spots on the course.

4.  I don't mind outspoken.  Did you complain about Gary Player when he spoke out about Chambers Bay along with the other players?  Of course they are going to play.  Many guys are just tired of seeing courses tricked out for the US Open.

[ChrisP]

33 minutes ago, NCGolfer said:

 Many guys are just tired of seeing courses tricked out for the US Open.

But this is what gives the US Open its identity. If they took out the difficulty and the "tricks", then it becomes any other tournament. Let's face it...the complaint with the PGA is it has no identity. The Masters has Augusta. The British has the conditions. The US Open has the challenge....and that challenge involves fast greens, high rough and tough scoring. Take that away and the US Open and you take away its identity. The complaining, the whining, the carnage....I gaurantee most of golf lovers out there love that stuff because it's what makes the US Open the US Open.

[phillyk]

34 minutes ago, NCGolfer said:

4.  I don't mind outspoken.  Did you complain about Gary Player when he spoke out about Chambers Bay along with the other players?  Of course they are going to play.  Many guys are just tired of seeing courses tricked out for the US Open.

The thing is, that is what the US Open has always stood for.  The toughest test in golf. It is not meant to be easy.  They aren't doing their job if the players are not complaining.  Eh @ChrisP beat me to it...