Kevin Na's Rant & The Lush Native Swath Of Erin Hills Rough

I can't fault Kevin Na entirely for his rant about the Erin Hills natives. The fescue grasses are beautifully managed throughout a property that is pretty stunningly maintained. The grasses are sparse where they'd naturally be thin and more dense where water collects.

So to see the native grasses clearly receiving fairway irrigation overspray is not generally a shocker. We see it all too often on prairie courses. But the decision not to manage (trim) these crucial areas just off the primary cut is a risky one given how severe they are (to the point of the natives leaning over). A herd of goats or some refined thinning practices could have alienated what will be a potential lost ball issue.

That said, Na's suggestion that players should be handling setup is a frightening one!

Here is what he posted on Instagram:

Erin Hills is a great design course but the fescue is almost unplayable. BTW never found the ball. So don't hit it in there lol. straight hitters have a chance! #usopen #erinhills #mikedavis #lostball #usga

A post shared by Kevin Na (@kevinna915) on Jun 11, 2017 at 10:24am PDT

Here are some photos I Tweeted yesterday:

. @ErinHillsGolf in amazing condition but irrigation overspray of first five yards of native rough will be @usopengolf lost ball problem. pic.twitter.com/Xrym38gRp9

— Geoff Shackelford (@GeoffShac) June 12, 2017

And a video that may require hitting the link as Twitter video embeds are acting strange.

Here is the video version I took yesterday illustrating irrigation overspray effect on the @erinhillsgolf natives. https://t.co/hzeJkhWK5V pic.twitter.com/5pyl4CCrHQ

— Geoff Shackelford (@GeoffShac) June 12, 2017

Comments

[MJR]

Fescue in the Midwest. Always creates this problem. That's what happens when you have an untested course hosting a major. As for Na's rant, grow up and play the course. Not like I need more examples of prima donna tour players acting entitled. Keep playing on garbage TPC courses so you can shoot 65s all day and see where the fan base goes.

[Dick Mahoon]

That stuff looks nasty but from what I've seen of the flyovers, the driving areas seem a bit more generous than the 'usual' US Open setup. What's your take on that Geoff? It's a bit hard to tell from a laptop screen.

DM

[Gonna be a long round]

Likely scenarios....1) I just used 4.5 minutes and finally found my ball in this hay. With the wind blowing so hard, now I think it moved while addressing it because it sits precariously in the grass. I better call in an official for a ruling.
2) I can't find my ball in this ridiculously overgrown grass and neither can the two spotters, 3 marshals and my caddie. I have to go back to the tee and hit my shot again
3) I injured my wrist trying to hack my ball out of this @#$%^&*( fescue grass. Where the hell is the Tour Physio guy, I need him now!
Any way you slice it, we are probably gonna see the 6-hour round broken on this lengthy course. Pack a sandwich.

[The Ghost of Perry Maxwell]

Go play Prairie Dunes CC

This is everyday there.

[redanman]

At Stonewall (Original) they harvest the rough as hay and they find at least a dozen balls every year.

[munihack]

@Gonna be a long round
"pack a sandwich" is good advice if they let you bring your own food. But they want the concessions too. So "buy a sandwich which is over priced and rubber like and stale" will be par for the course. My best luck was the pb and j's but I am not sure they will have them.
As for the "crop" they are farming they did the same thing at Torrey Pines with the kikyua (sp?) (Erin Hills reminds me of '99 Carnoustie-too much!) and I watched Kevin Na on 13 hit a wedge of of it during a practice round. He just laughed when looking at his caddie. It way over the top. And each day they hand watered it to make sure it would stay wet for the players. On Thursday that week Phil went over 15 and rolled 6 inches into the long stuff. He was short sided- maybe 12 feet of green. He took a wedge and swung hard enough to hit the ball 70 yards from the fairway. The ball move 3 feet and rolled up to about 4 feet- he made the putt to save par- One of the most amazing saves I have ever seen.

[Don]

Tall fescue is for looks only. It's a worse hazard than trees. Wood ticks too.

The fescue at Erin Hills looks incredible tho.

[Jacko]

@MJR: "As for Na's rant, grow up and play the course. Not like I need more examples of prima donna tour players acting entitled. Keep playing on garbage TPC courses so you can shoot 65s all day and see where the fan base goes."

Well said.

[Ghost of Press Maxwell]

This isn't every day at Prairie Dunes, The clearly intentional "overspray" doesn't exist in the Gunch, it's uniform throughout, and you're not finding your ball in it most of the time.

[Scott]

Between the spectators trampling down the fescue, and the various trailers and tents providing players with free, advantageous drops, my bet is the long grass will have lost 90% of its teeth by the time Thursday rolls around. The fescue at Bethpage should have been much more penal than it ended up being for those very reasons.

[The O]

Walks of shame for everyone.

[Schlasser]

I realize Kevin Na is a convenient target but I think it's unfair to classify his video as a rant.

[Tighthead]

I don't have a problem with the suggestion that a group of past champions handle the set up. Mike Davis has used a few mulligans.

If they all agreed not to speak about it or appear in the broadcast I would endorse it entirely.

[FG-17]

Hmmmmm I wonder if Kevin voices these comments about the water hazards found just off the fairways on most holes on most FLA courses? What he also fails to mention here is that he is likely 45 yards off center line of the FW. As Jack Nicklaus used to say "most of the field beat themselves before they even tee it up at the U.S. Open". Good luck Kevin.

[PABoy]

Part of the story is he would be fined If he was leveying this level of criticism at a PGA Tour Venue, players behave differently the weeks of the US Open.

[Zimmer]

I like Kevin Na. Seems like a nice guy. My advice is keep it on the short grass. The greens are great, and not metal spikes should keep them that way.

[CT0079]

I don't take it as a rant, it's fair criticizism Why is this ridiculous , unplayable grass near to play. Even 45 years off center is not necessary

The water hazard comparison is not valid - a lateral hazard has reasonable plan for remedy , and pace of play. This does not, what if happens just as shown - found, hit. Hit , lost - drop from last point.., totally unreasonable

The USGA deserves criticizism - needs to reevaluate what purpose they serve, why exist ....

[Keith - NYC]

Is that camo that Na has strategically attached to his Titleist cap in the photo above?....or is it just a swath of fescue that has landed on his head as he tried to carve one out from the tall stuff?

[John]

What's the WAAC on Na's shirt? Sounds like a one-bid NCAA Tournament conference.

[Zimmer]

Tiger couldnt' hit it from that grass PERIOD

[Zimmer]

Win At ALL Cost

[Zimmer]

Were not trying to embarrass the greatest golfers
Were not trying to identify the greatest golfers
Were trying to break the're wrists!

[Keith - NYC]

I think it is an Asian (Korean?) brand of golf clothing and maybe other golf stuff???....WAAC = win at all costs

[OWGR Fan]

https://thegolfnewsnet.com/golfnewsnetteam/2017/02/18/kevin-na-wearing-waac-golf-clothing-means-103190/

[C]

Worst looking shirt I've ever seen

[Thinking Out Loud]

And that's some hat! "I AM GROOT!"

[Manku]

Blade collar + last name on belt buckle + black belt/white pants = complete fashion fail :)

[nancy]

One of my favorite "golf" words...fescue! Never knew it existed before loving golf. Kevin has a good point. But let's not go too far on this to criticize him for his concerns.

[Hardy Greaves]

Monday of the US Open. The USGA has already killed the grass on the greens. The rough is completely unplayable.

I think that it is too bad about the length of the rough. The length of the course and the firmness of the greens should be difficult enough.

If 7 over wins, everyone is going to want to replace the USGA with something else.

[Thinking Out Loud]

Hardy- put down the crack pipe. Watching Golf Channel and the praise from players is almost (save Kevin "Mr. Drama" Na is universal.

[Roger]

Spent 10 days in Ireland last year and played at least 3 courses with ball losing fescue much closer to fairway than what is at Erin Hills. If the pro's can't keep it within 30 yards of the middle of the fairway, maybe they need to hit a 3-wood or iron instead of driver?? Most holes at Waterville are WAY tighter than anything at Erin Hills! Heck, hole 10 can't be more than 15 yards on both sides for most of the hole between the deep fescue. Royal County Down has many blind shots and gorse 5-10 yards off of the fairway on some holes that is almost a guaranteed lost ball. And it is usually much windier in Ireland than in Wisconsin.

[Pops]

Geez, thanks, Roger. Now Mike Davis will want to move the US Open to Ireland...

[Couples]

With all the rain today ... the rough is going to be unplayable
Which is fine , nice to see a grind once in awhile just not freaking Mike Davis doing countless stupid interviews and David 'I'm so smart because I act like I'm so smart ' Fay explaining how the USGA controls the universe.

[Couples]

With those branches coming out of his hat ... NaNa naNa looks like that Japanese commando that whacks Jim Cavesil ( Jesus and Bob Jones or is that one in the same ???) in The Thin Red Line.

[ajlfour]

If only all the players in the field had to play the same golf course

[seguaro]

If Na tees off now, he might finish the open by Sunday.

[meefer]

Player asked to be more forthcoming. Player becomes more forthcoming. Fans rip player for his shirt, his belt, his pace of play, his comment. What's a player to do?

[CroDad]

God, do I hate the US Open. Great opportunity pissed away, all in the name of protecting that sacred siren, par.

Is there anything more boring in sport than watching a golfer chop it out of the rough, advancing their ball 8 yards in the process? Well, besides listening to Azinger wax stupidly about something, in a lame attempt to be "edgy"......

I think I'll go fly fishing this weekend.

[Jocko]

Great post meefer

[D. maculata]

Unfortunately if you're bored CroDad, it's because at the pro level, they're not out there to entertain us contrary to popular belief. If it happens I can assure you it's a byproduct. Every time the word fan enjoyment is spoken it's a well-orchestrated product with money attached in some form. And if you're wondering, I don't find it at all obnoxious in a chosen profession. Ask yourself how much the winner will advance his brand versus the complainer missing the cut and you'll have the answer. If it was purely about enjoyment they would have remained amateurs. That's how the am qualifiers will look at it, as a challenge and day away from the grind of a regular job.