US Open underway

[trevorwc]

Tiger birdies the 10th (his first hole) to get off to a nice start.

[Skjonne]

..and boggies 15th and 16th

[RacersEdge]

Some of the pros will be complaining about these greens. I don't think I can blame them.

[andyfox]

Why do they all complain about how difficult the course is? Shouldn't the better players have an advantage on a difficult course? What difference does it make if you shoot 72 and everyone else shoots 73 and higher, or if you shoot 61 and everyone else shoots 62 and higher? Don't you still have a one shot lead?

It's like if Derek Jeter complained, "Santana was too hard to hit. Where's Aaron Sele?"

Somebody is going to win by shooting a lower score than everyone else. Stop bitching and play.

[nolanfan34]

I can't even explain how much I'd pay to not have Chris Berman in the booth for this thing. The weekend NBC coverage can't come soon enough.

[Clarkmeister]

I think the typical US Open setup hurts the top players. When you force any shot in the rough to be a chop shot back to the fairway and when you force all puts to be super-touchy lag puts, you are reducing the differences between the players. Since the better players are superior in most areas, taking away their edge in recovery shots, taking driver out of their hands, etc., just reduces their overall edge since those aspects of their game are forcibly equalized to the rest of the field.

[JTrout]

Did you see holes #7 and #10 last year's final round?
Sometimes bitching is justified.
But I've heard mostly positive things about Pinehurst.

I agree with Clarkmeister about the unplayable rough minimizing the best players' advantage.
However, that shouldn't be a problem this year.


Hopefully the course will get a little water this year.

[RacersEdge]

I don't think it the difficulty of the course that gets top players tweaked, but the "gimmicky" factor. When TW hits a 9 iron to the middle of the green and 5 feet from the pin and it bounces of to 30 yards over the green, he ends up in same position as the average pro who just misses the green by 30 yards. The rock hard greens evens out the players.

Look at the British Open froma couple years ago. The deal there was the fairways were hard and slanted, so whether you hit the fairway or not with your tee shot, you end up in the roughly (pun intended) the same place. Who won it? Unknown Ben Curtis.

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]
I can't even explain how much I'd pay to not have Chris Berman in the booth for this thing. The weekend NBC coverage can't come soon enough.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since I'm stuck at work, I would write something like, "Please tell me he isn't doing the stupid nickname thing with the players." but we all know he is duty-bound to do it.

...and to whoever was assembling that top 10 - make sure you include Rocco, Cook, and Steve Jones. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[nolanfan34]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I can't even explain how much I'd pay to not have Chris Berman in the booth for this thing. The weekend NBC coverage can't come soon enough.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since I'm stuck at work, I would write something like, "Please tell me he isn't doing the stupid nickname thing with the players." but we all know he is duty-bound to do it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, so far we've had John "short order" Cook, "Ground control to" David Toms, and K.J. Choi "to the world", among other gems. /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[VinnyTheFish]

I'll be there Friday on a player's pass. Hint: Root for the Japanese golfer.

[CrazyEyez]

[ QUOTE ]
"Ground control to" David Toms

[/ QUOTE ]

Haha that's awful but I like it.

[CrazyEyez]

[ QUOTE ]
I think the typical US Open setup hurts the top players. When you force any shot in the rough to be a chop shot back to the fairway and when you force all puts to be super-touchy lag puts, you are reducing the differences between the players. Since the better players are superior in most areas, taking away their edge in recovery shots, taking driver out of their hands, etc., just reduces their overall edge since those aspects of their game are forcibly equalized to the rest of the field.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with this, but it's not my biggest problem with the course(s). I'm all for making it a tougher test of golf, but it shouldn't be turned into a totally different game. The players have to hit shots they never hit the other 45 weeks of the year. I think that's lame.

[Eurotrash]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
"Ground control to" David Toms

[/ QUOTE ]

Haha that's awful but I like it.

[/ QUOTE ]


Awful, are you kidding?? Haha, I love that one

[wayabvpar]

[ QUOTE ]
K.J. Choi "to the world"

[/ QUOTE ]

Heh. That isn't bad.

[HDPM]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I think the typical US Open setup hurts the top players. When you force any shot in the rough to be a chop shot back to the fairway and when you force all puts to be super-touchy lag puts, you are reducing the differences between the players. Since the better players are superior in most areas, taking away their edge in recovery shots, taking driver out of their hands, etc., just reduces their overall edge since those aspects of their game are forcibly equalized to the rest of the field.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with this, but it's not my biggest problem with the course(s). I'm all for making it a tougher test of golf, but it shouldn't be turned into a totally different game. The players have to hit shots they never hit the other 45 weeks of the year. I think that's lame.

[/ QUOTE ]


The players should definitely have to hit some shots that aren't called for at the usual Accenture-Booz Mercedes presented by Cialis at the TPC of Development Heights. That said, the USGA can blow it with set up like last year.


Here is the tournament I'd like to see once in a while, and you would get to see some shots. Old golf course here or there, i.e. St Andrews there, Pinehurst/Winged Foot/Oakmont etc... here. No goofy set ups. The rough could be a little longer, but the greens stay alive. Each player gets his pick of seven clubs and must carry them himself. No caddies. No yardage books allowed. No sheets with the hole location. Any yardage markers on sprinkler heads eliminated for the tourament. Each hole would simply have the total yardage to the middle of the green. Slow play penalties strictly enforced. Do it once a year and see how it identifies the players. I think in that format the top players really would rise to the occasion. And you would see some golf shots.

[offTopic]

[ QUOTE ]

Here is the tournament I'd like to see once in a while...

[/ QUOTE ]

AND - Make them put up their own money! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Eurotrash]

Wow, ESPN's coverage right now is kind of sucking. Way too much talking and not enough [censored] golf.


GO PHIL.

[tbach24]

I missed Tiger /images/graemlins/frown.gif /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Sergio's outfit is awful

[IndieMatty]

[ QUOTE ]
I missed Tiger /images/graemlins/frown.gif /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Sergio's outfit is awful

[/ QUOTE ]

You need to make your location a disclaimer that this is not IndieMatty. Please.

[groo]

[ QUOTE ]
Somebody is going to win by shooting a lower score than everyone else. Stop bitching and play.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good play should be rewarded, poor play should be penalized. In their attempts to protect par the USGA occasionally goes a little overboard and gets it backwards. There have been several holes the past few years that would have been less out place had they added windmills and clowns mouths. That said, the tournament is the greatest test of patience in golf, that's why you see guys like Janzen and Goosen as multiple winners. They are great players, and phenominally patient grinders.

[tbach24]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I missed Tiger /images/graemlins/frown.gif /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Sergio's outfit is awful

[/ QUOTE ]

You need to make your location a disclaimer that this is not IndieMatty. Please.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol, I was looking in another thread where I had posted and I didn't recognize it and thought I was reading your posts. TY to jake for the avatar.

[mmbt0ne]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
I missed Tiger /images/graemlins/frown.gif /images/graemlins/frown.gif

Sergio's outfit is awful

[/ QUOTE ]

You need to make your location a disclaimer that this is not IndieMatty. Please.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, thanks. I was really confused at first.

[2+2 wannabe]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
"Ground control to" David Toms

[/ QUOTE ]

Haha that's awful but I like it.

[/ QUOTE ]


Awful, are you kidding?? Haha, I love that one

[/ QUOTE ]

agreed

[holeplug]

Whats with all the brown grass around some of the fringe areas?

[RacersEdge]

[ QUOTE ]
Sergio's outfit is awful



[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not sure why he always stops at thrift store on the way to the course to pick out his clothes.

[HDPM]

excessive green grass is not what golf courses are about. Americans have tried to ruin the game with irrigation and green grass. Brown is often good. You need to water it enough to keep it alive, not to have something pretty and green and mediocre.

[HDPM]

I didn't get to see much, but what was up with DLIII's get up? Awful shirt with the different color collar and was that a trucker hat with the Titleist and FJ ads all over it. I know he wants to be the NASCAR guy on the tour with his motorcoach and stuff, but the trucker hat thing was over the top. Awful.

And did I see some guy with a print of some sort all over his trousers????? I didn't get a good look at that.


Oh, for one Ben Hogan. No logo no glove no bright colors no ads even when you own the company. Custom boring trousers and shoes. Now even the "amateurs" like Michelle Wie pimp for the conglomerates. Feh.

[touchfaith]

[ QUOTE ]
Americans have tried to ruin the game with irrigation and green grass.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't hate just because we have weather capable of turning grass green all year.

We have plenty of hilly, windy, dry, unpleasent....LINKS....courses as well.

[Phat Mack]

[ QUOTE ]
That said, the USGA can blow it with set up like last year.

[/ QUOTE ]

Last year was the first time I enjoyed watching a golf tournament in decades.

[ QUOTE ]
Here is the tournament I'd like to see once in a while, and you would get to see some shots. Old golf course here or there, i.e. St Andrews there, Pinehurst/Winged Foot/Oakmont etc... here. No goofy set ups. The rough could be a little longer, but the greens stay alive. Each player gets his pick of seven clubs and must carry them himself. No caddies. No yardage books allowed. No sheets with the hole location. Any yardage markers on sprinkler heads eliminated for the tourament. Each hole would simply have the total yardage to the middle of the green. Slow play penalties strictly enforced. Do it once a year and see how it identifies the players. I think in that format the top players really would rise to the occasion. And you would see some golf shots.

[/ QUOTE ]

Great idea. My only suggestion would be to make them tee off with 6 irons, par 3's excluded.

[HDPM]

We often overwater non links courses. Americans value lawn like looks over playing conditions. Somewhat surprising given the fact that Americans love driving over the overwatered grass in their buggies. You would think all the buggy riders would prefer a firm track to drive on. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Phat Mack]

[ QUOTE ]
The rock hard greens evens out the players.

[/ QUOTE ]

I disagree. I think such greens reward those who know how to play them.

[Phat Mack]

[ QUOTE ]
The players have to hit shots they never hit the other 45 weeks of the year.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, but it's a USGA event, not a PGA one. They have no obligation to accomodate touring pros. In fact, it would be wrong to do so.

[VinnyTheFish]

Quick Trip report: Great weekend, great farmer’s tan!

Got there Friday and saw from 4:00 to the end. Worst part – I was a guest of Toru Taniguchi. Shingo Katayama did not make the cut either. Both players were +9. Toru was even after day 1, then blew up and missed the cut by one stroke! So his weekend was over when we arrived in Pinehurst. His condo was just off the driving range, easy walk to the main gate.

The player and his agent go to Japanese for dinner, but we want steak. We head to Outback Steak House. It’s packed, so we grab a seat at the bar. While walking in, we are standing with John Cook and his family (great guy), Stewart Cink (NO ONE even recognized – he was not wearing a hat) and a few other players that made the cut. We get our seats at the bar. To my left are two caddies of Australians (go figure – at Outback). I should listen better, because I forgot their names. But, we were watching ESPN highlights and the guy is on TV, as his player misses a putt. To our right is, Michael Campbell. We start talking with him. No one even recognizes him. They only really recognize Cook. We’re talking with Campbell and his “agent” for about 15 minutes, until they their table gets called. At this time on Friday, no one knows we were talking golf with the 2005 US Open Champion.

We get back to the condo and Toru’s caddie is going to a “gentleman’s club with a few other caddies.” We drive them and go too. What a great time. Nuff said!

We get the Open Saturday about 9:00. Again, we arrive in the Player’s parking lot. We take a small walk to the range and watch for about an hour. Els, VJ, Davis Love and Mike Weir were fun to watch. We followed Love for 6 holes (since his agent is a good friend of ours). Then went back for the Daily/Mickelson 2-some. Their crowd was very big.

We are there for about 3 hours now and I realize that I lost my “Player’s guest pass.” I had it about 5 minutes before, so I run back to 1 tee and look and ask – it’s gone. So basically, I am stuck. But this works out, I go to 18 Green and sit. I basically watch everyone finish. It was great how much support Peter Jacobson gets. He’s a riot. When he holed 9, and they posted it on the board, the place went nuts. Mickelson and Daily received the biggest ovation. But the shot of the day was when Goosen Birdies from the fringe. Shame he had a rough day on Sunday.

Over all, best part of the trip was talking with the 2005 US Open champion for about 15 minutes.

[groo]

WOW....great story!!!