OT: US Open

[Scottzer]

So is Fowler going to take it? Harmam, the other lefty, had a pretty nice round. Even if this course is playing "easy" - I enjoyed watching Thomas shoot that 63. That run just seemed absurd.

 

[Danzz]

Erin Hills is a brutally ugly course on TV

Shinnecock is in top most gorgeous US courses along with Pebble and maybe Kiawah or Olympic

I 'm not a fan of links courses.

 

[Chin Diesel]

They need to stretch it to about 8500 yds. No more reachable 667 yd par 5s. ;^)

My problem is equipment more than course.

I don't mind that a guy can hit a 3-wood 300 yards. It bothers me he can loft it high and drop it down on a green and get it to stop in 20' or less.

I'm with the old guard that golf ball technology has been a bigger threat to courses than clubs.

Shaft technology is the unspoken area right now too. They can fit a shaft for any player size and swing speed to have a kick/flex point that maximizes putting club head square.

The art of crafting a swing is gone. Someone on Golf Channel mentioned this yesterday. First these teens are taught how to use their body to maximize swing speed. Then they figure out everything else.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Could be a bloodbath today.

Wind is whipping.

As a player I'd feel great being in the club house with -10 posted.

 

[QDOG5]

The golf swing is much like throwing the fastball these days. Kids are taught to swing/throw it as hard as they can. Subsequently, many will break down much younger than expected. The list of young pitchers who throw hard and are injured because of it is too long to mention. In golf, JDay has recurring back problems, Rory injured his ribs and Tiger is permanently injured head to foot. I don't see the trend changing any time soon. High reward, high risk. As for the course I'm ok with it. It's a links-ish course and on those types of courses if the weather is nice and if they get rains overnight guys can shoot low scores. I prefer parkland courses myself but I've never played in Ireland or Scotland. The two nicest courses I've played are Oakmont and Muirfield Village. I'm picking Koepka today.

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

Erin Hills is a joke

USGA overthinking itself with these gimmicky public courses

And they supposedly closed it for 7 months to make their changes

I played the course last year and went to the tournament Thursday and Friday. I'm really sorry that you think it looks ugly on TV, but the course is not gimmicky at all. Players have praised it all week.

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

What's gimmicky about Erin Hills?

in short, nothing. for some reason this guy's narrative throughout this thread has been to bash the course, when he clearly has zero idea what he's talking about.

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

JSM is 100% right. This course sucks.

Fox sucks even worse. They are going to butcher the World Cup.

can you elaborate on what "sucks" about the course?

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

Never say never, but there will NEVER be another major player there

A gimmicky pseudo Links course in the middle of flat Midwestern farmland

WRONG again. The topography in this part of the state features a lot of rolling hills. That's why the original designers thought this particular plot of land would be perfect for a golf course.

 

[LIuconn]

Fox is doing a fine job - love the different perspectives and Buck is better than cheesy Nantz.

Hole 9 proves length isn't needed to make a course challenging.

Shinnecock is another greenish-brown minimal tree inland links as well, so it will look similar on TV next year, just like it did in 04. It's a shorter, far superior course with no 2 consecutive holes playing in the same direction, no level lies, smaller landing areas and far more penal greens/complexes. But if the wind is down these guys might blitz it

JTs shot on 18 was just unreal. Two 3 woods to cover 650+ is insane. I do think the 288 yard par 4 was a mistake

 

[JSM1970]

It's set along the ocean, not in the middle if Midwestern farm land

Shinnecock is another greenish-brown minimal tree inland links as well, so it will look similar on TV next year, just like it did in 04. It's a shorter, far superior course with no 2 consecutive holes playing in the same direction, no level lies, smaller landing areas and far more penal greens/complexes. But if the wind is down these guys might blitz it

 

[LIuconn]

Shinnecock is close to the ocean but not on it

 

[LIuconn]

And I agree - they put a square peg in a round hole. They cleared every tree off the grounds to build the course, it's a contrived modern golf course.

There are plenty of better 'second shot' courses built in the last 20 years than EH

 

[JSM1970]

This is the last of the USGA going to some new gimmicky public course

 

[whaler11]

Fox is doing a fine job -

No accounting for taste....

 

[LIuconn]

How is it gimmicky? Please elaborate. There are a few really cool holes on the course, but it's not my favorite US Open course or a place I'd plan a golf trip around.

Sure, there's a couple blind shots, but the strategy is in placing the tee shot on the correct side of the fairway to give the best angle in. The player makes the decision on the best line for them, not dictated by a 15 yard wide fairway, which is refreshing.

Brooks K and Brian H are tied for the lead and I believe their driving average this week is different by about ~30 yards. That's awesome.

 

[LIuconn]

@whaler11 Whats the alternative? Jim Nantz? At least Fox is showing golf

 

[whaler11]

@whaler11 Whats the alternative? Jim Nantz? At least Fox is showing golf

CBS is 1000000000000x better.

And that's underselling it.

 

[Fishy]

If I'm the USGA, I'm grazing cattle on the course.

Let's see those fancy candy asses navigate that hazard.

 

[freescooter]

12-13 under. In the US Open. Foolishness. This is the John Deere Open. And a B squad leader board too. Awful

 

[LIuconn]

All the tournaments go low every now and then. Bunch of top 50 guys at the top. It's all good!

 

[LIuconn]

Id rather watch a 1-0 baseball or hockey game in the finals than some 7-6 goal fest, but this is what we have, gotta roll with it. I think the lack of US Open feel also comes from the large property. Course is like 350 acres (600+ acre property) and tees are far from previous green. No green side roars that roll into cheers walking to the next tee. Course is playing tougher now, should make for a good back 9!

 

[Guapo]

I'm really not a fan of this course

 

[JSM1970]

Doubtful, this course is a total joke. No demanding shots anywhere.

Harman is Lee Janzen, so boring, no distance compared to current players.

The US Open is the only place you see these boring players win like Janzen, Andy North, Curtis Strange, etc.

Id rather watch a 1-0 baseball or hockey game in the finals than some 7-6 goal fest, but this is what we have, gotta roll with it. I think the lack of US Open feel also comes from the large property. Course is like 350 acres (600+ acre property) and tees are far from previous green. No green side roars that roll into cheers walking to the next tee. Course is playing tougher now, should make for a good back 9!

 

[Robertelamin]

I mean Jimmy Walker won the PGA Championship last year so I wouldn't say the US Open is the only place.