US Open... Like it or not?

Follow Thread

By Jack H

  • 0 Likes
  • 13 Replies
  1. Hey TT,

    This US Open sure had it fair share of controversy. From the course set up to Phil’s “rules use” and all the rest of the drama that accompanies the second major of the year.

    Who enjoys watching an over par US Open?

    I do. It is entertaining to watch one tournament a year that the players struggle their way through. He who can grind out pars the best will be crowned victor on Sunday. Anyway, share what you think! I look forward to seeing what is posted!

    Play well, Jack

  2. Bomber3

    Bomber3
    Lake St Louis, MO

    Military
    Personally, I'm tired of seeing the USGA trick up a course because they want to "protect" par. Watching the worlds best being made to look like hackers is not my definition of good viewing. I love watching The Masters, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship and all of those tourneys prepare the course fairly and then turn the pros loose to shoot whatever score they can.
  3. TUrreta

    TUrreta
    Reston VA

    Military
    IMHO- tough course / tough conditions. I would hate to see every tournament have those characteristics, but I enjoyed seeing it and believe there should be events that present almost harrowing conditions. Pure power and distance are nice but this required a lot more. I think focus, shot creativity, and pure guts played a role. So- an occasional tournament like this - OK in my book.
  4. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    What happened Saturday afternoon could have been a rain storm that affects only those on course and not those in the club house. Except the USGA controlled the speed of the greens. I'm not as concerned with the overall score as trying to make the course equal for all competitors. It's not like they never had issues with wind-dried greens.
    I'd personally prefer some exciting movement on the leader board, like Fleetwood on Sunday unlike Saturday where the leader was 6 over par and still tied for the lead because no one was breaking par. Then again, watching American football with lead changes excites me more than a 1-0 soccer match.
  5. Cris M

    Cris M
    Tyrone, GA

    I don't have an issue with the tournament being difficult. If you hit a shot off line, you should pay the price. What I can't stand is the super fast greens. For one, good shots get punished; the firm greens repel shots. Second, I really can't stand watching players barely tap putts, that if they don't hit the hole, they are 20 feet past, or in Phil's case, 20 yards off the green. If you remember, John Daly was so frustrated with the greens at Pinehurst in '99 he also hit a moving ball. Some of these greens were not designed to be played at 14; the slopes and undulations are enough of a test.

  6. N Anthony S

    N Anthony S
    Virginia Beach, VA

    Me personally not a big fan. I do agree at times it's nice to see them humbled some, but I don't think it makes for great viewing. To intentionally try and demoralize the best of the best just does not excite me. I much prefer The Masters and The Open.
  7. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military
    The four majors are supposed to test the very best of the best. Making them a little tougher is fine with me as long as they are fair set up fair and playable. To set up tournament where making par is not possible, is not in the spirit of the game. The US open did play like two different courses because of the weather conditions. Cutting greens extremely low on courses and placing pins where even a good shot could potentially cost you a championship, that are subject to wind and are links style courses, is not what the championships were meant to be. Phil's actions? That was his choice and he has live with the consequences.
    Laughing it off was not in the spirit of the game for a Hall of Famer. As much as I support the USGA, they appear to have their own mindset, whether I agree or not. See what happens in the future.
  8. JAM

    JAM

    The course is special, however, the greens are very questionable. These are the best players in the world, give them fair greens to putt on and there will be no complaint from me. I prefer to look forward to Pebble Beach in 2019.
  9. Dino J

    Dino J
    Burnaby, BC

    I used to really prefer the US Open ... even marginally above the Masters, but I no longer subscribe to that thinking.

    I have come to the point where I have grown tired and frustrated with the way that the current USGA leadership have conducted their premier championship event -- and I'm a spectator! I can only imagine the quiet frustration that the players experience.

    I applauded the US Open going to the Pacific Northwest and Chambers Bay ... I thought that it was a good event. The only sorry point about it was that it was the summer of a big drought in the Pacific Northwest .. the worst drought in over 50 years and the greens were baked. It could very well have been mitigated by the USGA, but they chose to play the course "au natural" similar to the way that Pinehurst was in 2014, rather than maintain nice green complexes.

    Then this year, Shinnecock Hills should never have reached the stage that it did on Saturday and to a lesser extent on Thursday. This overwhelming desire on the part of the USGA to provide the sternest test of golf where par is supposed to be protected at all cost, has gotten out of hand. It seems that this current leadership of the USGA has lost sight of the forest while focusing on the trees.

    In other words, rather than focusing on putting together a great national championship, where the course plays tough, but fair for as many competitors as possible, the USGA seems to have become far too focused on ever faster stimp speeds, pin placements, green firmness, etc. and protecting par.

    I don't think a "birdie fest" is the answer, but a winning 72 hole score of 274 (-6) on a Par 280 (par 70) event is perfectly fine with me.
  10. Vincent C.

    Vincent C.
    Cincinnati, OH

    I enjoyed the "carnage". These guys are pros, and they all played the same course so I don't agree with some of the players comments, like Bryson for example. I love seeing them face a more challenging course, which is why the US Open is one of my favorite tournaments of the year.

    One thing though....I could do without Joe Buck and Paul Azinger.
  11. Robert J

    Robert J
    Grafton, Oh

    Military
    I used to love the US Open, but lately it’s been a dumpster fire. The USGA just doesn’t seem to know how to set up a US Open anymore.

    I want a tough test, but not brutal where the players are just trying to survive.
  12. I bet the course looks like a mowed wheat field in July right now.
  13. 19hole

    19hole
    Reading, MA

    I did not like it. The USGA made it so that luck (both of the starting time and the bounce of the ball) were more important than skill. I do not see a need to trick up a great course just to try to "protect par". Wait until the Open Championship next month. The R&A will do very little to Carnoustie (and they don't to the other courses in the rota) to make it play harder than every other day the course is played. Yes, they will move the tees back and may narrow a fairway of two but they do not alter the way the course actually plays from the rest of the year. Open rota courses are not very long, they don't need to be. If the wind blows a bit par is "protected". If the weather is perfect then great scores are possible.
  14. Lance P

    Lance P
    Hillsborough, NC

    The course wasn't that pleasing to watch on TV and the constant yelling after every tee shot was very annoying. The USGA cannot be blamed for those negative factors. The course on Saturday was borderline and I'm glad Sunday featured "better" greens. Once a year a tougher venue is acceptable but it's a fine line between tough and impossible.

Please login to post a comment.

Sign In

Haven't registered for Team Titleist yet?

Sign Up