Ruff around the edges....a US Open like most have never seen

Today is one of those great days of my job where I get to take advantage of some of the perks to my profession. Today I'm visiting the Little Putter Boy's play ground, also known as Pinehurst. Which, as you probably know is host to this year's US Open. 

After rummaging through a tent the size of a football field filed with every nick-nack and logo'd thing you can imagine (I needed an official US Open hat of course) I ventured out to Donald Ross's legendary #2 course. I'm going make a pre-tournament call to say this tournament setup will turn this course into someone's nightmare. 

This course isn't just dried down for the tournament, it is built to be this way. Pinehurst's #2 is a total throw back in time when the ideals of the game were centered around playing it as it lies and threw the green. The single row irrigation line down the middle of the fairways is DESIGNED PURPOSEFULLY TO NOT BE ABLE TO MEET THE WATER DEMANDS OF THE NORMAL "PERFECTLY CONDITIONED" COURSE we all associate with USA golf. This is the way they wanted it. I had the pleasure of speaking with a senior rules official while on the course today. I was asking some questions about this and that regarding expectations to Par....he just smiled and said "just remember when Stuart Cink finished his final match at Shinnecock Hills a few years back and was questioned about Par, he said "Par doesn't matter, lowest score wins."  Eluding that the course is going to severely test the players. 

To get an idea of how different the course is now as compared to then check out is picture. Gone are the days of perfect grass everywhere. Honestly, any player that played today had a chance to win on the old course of lush grass and secondary rough cuts. The brutal fact is that now the course puts an even higher premium on accuracy off the tee. And on those 550+ par 4 holes, those layup shots better be spot on as well. 

To say Pinehurst wants the course to play like the day Donald Ross designed it is an understatement. The only areas with 100% irrigation coverage are the tees and greens. Everything else outside of the single head down the middle of the fairway is left to it's own or had the water turned off for a while. Oh and by the way, it was over 90 degrees at the course today....brown is going to be ok for this tournament. However, I did see the staff hand watering the bent grass greens to keep them from frying, at least for now. It's going to an interesting event. 

Lastly, I have to say that just like Augusta National, TV will not due the greens contouring justice. These "turtle back" greens look like the backs of turtles that have gone through Chernobyl and have severe growths under their shells. The wicked mounding on top of the turtle back greens and the run-offs that roll forever are going to play havoc with the errant shot. 

My new putter boy hat...

If you get a chance to watch some of the tournament, I'd do it. These type of setups are far and few between.