Yes, The Planned Green Speed Is 14.5

I've been caught up in other things related to the U.S. Open setup, but in reading Rex Hoggard's look at Mike Davis's first Open as Executive Director, I just couldn't get past the projected green speed number for next week.

With green speeds expected to approach 14 ½ on the Stimpmeter during the championship, Davis’ best, and most demanding, work may come on Congressional’s putting surfaces.

The club, at the USGA’s suggestion, had Jones soften some of the slopes like on the fourth green to accommodate such speeds and Davis examines each possible location with the eye of a player, as well as an administrator.

Yet for all his success as set-up man, Davis knows the blue blazer comes with a bull's-eye. One bad weather forecast or a single pin position too close to the edge can mean the difference between a successful Open and something less than that.

“You get a green 14 ½ (on the Stimpmeter) trying to lag to that, you’re going 6-7 feet past,” Davis says as he studies a potential hole location on the fourth green. “That’s pretty good.”

Comments

[Adam Clayman]

This is not a good thing to be proud of. It comes off as boastful, even if it's true, but especially if it's not. With the irreparable harm the Augusta syndrome caused, this speed race mindset, will only add to the increasing costs of the game, Not to mention, increasing hat sizes of greens chairman at courses with flat boring greens, across the globe.

[Jonathan]

Add a few hot days and the 1800 members of Congressional may find, post-Open, that they lost until the fall not only the Gold Course but the Blue as well. JC

[jjshaka]

Adam- agree 100 percent.
Stupid thing to be pleased about- like being happy that +7 may win.

[chico]

Wrong wrong wrong wrong!!!
Anything over 11 is just an expensive ego-trip and the green will no doubt start to die if its reallt hot.Look forward to play being held up while they 'syringe' the greens to keep them alive.Great!

[carnaptious and camsteerie]

Well, if they have to do that to the greens, it doesn't say much for the course by way of a challenge!

[Used to be Former S&T Convert]

Charlotte CC did an incredible job last year with their greens in really hot weather for the Women's US Am. Then the USGA made them turn the fans off during the week of the tournament, the greens held up for the event and were dog$h!t for the next two months. The members will pay the price after the USGA leaves town.

[LadyH]

I don't like to pre-judge, but 14.5? How is that "tough but fair"? Bad for the course, members, players and also for the viewers. Maybe it will rain.

[otey]

Cutting greens low enough to get to 14.5 will kill bent greens if temps are at normal ranges for DC. I hope the Congo members understand that. After the USGA has packed up and left, member play is going to be pretty unpleasant for the rest of the summer.

[otey]

Another point already noted above. How good can Congo be if speeds need to be set so high? Is this the USGA's way of saying to Congo that this is its last US Open?

[Brad]

If any bent can survive it will be A-4. It is some tough, tough SOB bent grass!

[Ky Laffoon's Ghost]

Stupid is as stupid does. Did Forrest Gump play golf?

Played last summer in a USGA qualifier on TifEagle greens in the 12-14 range according to the very pleased general manager (who broke the wrong side of 80 just like me, heh). They could take the heat, I suppose, but it was not much fun...

[digsouth]

When does a clowns mouth get added?

If golfers can play real golf in conditions that are somewhat akin to ''the normal'' courses, then a champion will emerge. If luck is the deciding fsctor, as lagging becomes a guessing game, then what has been proven, who IS the ''best''?

When bent was put in at the Masters, on slopes designed for a much slower grass, and the sloping was not ''altered'', I was fairly new to golf, and did not understad all the complaining....but ....even....now.... putts at Augusta can be lucky, and not skilled.

The US OPEN may be on the verge of being a joke, after that rat trap look for Pebble Beach last year, and now this, if it is true. Let's hope it's not.

[Chuck]

So I just looked at the 7-day forecast for D.C. And the good news is that the nighttime temps look to be 50's-60's. And with that, I think the grass will survive.

But if a front blows in and through on Thursday, and winds pick up, I fear that greens that fast might not be able to hold balls in place. Someday, these ridiculous greens speeds are going to result in a significant daylong delay in a major championship on what is otherwise a beautiful, sunny, windy day.

[dbh]

pfffffttt...
Big loss of interest in the championship.
It'll give the announcers plenty of chances to be redundant at least, 'This one picks up speed....if they're not careful...right off the green...'
Bleech.

[Mulligan]

I watched bent grass greens die last summer at the Canadian Seniors, won by Paul Simson who put on a clinic. The membership took pride in their course, a real gem. Stanley Thompson design. The course even had permanent fans blowing because many holes were in ravines and gorges surrounded by tall trees....I guess the wisdom is to keep air moving.

But in spite of this, the superintendent had a sadistic smile and smirk, bragging that the next day the greens would be even faster! And they were.I dropped a ball in the rough at the top of the green and the damn thing rolled down and right off the front! I wonder if the membership ever recovered from the lost time and the expense because of a macho greenskeeper showing up Golf Canada and a bunch of old guys.

[redneck]

Mike Davis has gotten nothing but high praise for his 'set-ups.'
Perhaps now everyone will stop blowing him.

[Jim]

I would much rather see big breaking putts and tougher pin placements at a 10-11 speed than boring flat or slight breakers at 14.5. When was the last time we saw a 3 foot put break 6 inches? I have seen it on slower greens. What is more fun? ANd fast grens you just have to tap while on slow greens the stroke has to be bigger with more room for error. It is sad (to me) that speed is the end all be all. Breaking putts seem to be the most interesting.