U.S. Open Friday Setup: 675 Yard 18th, 2-3 Percent Hole Locations

Brad Klein of Golfweek.com fills in some details on Friday's U.S. Open setup that are eye-opening for those interested in the art and science of course preparation.

As always I hope you'll hit the link and read the entire piece. But a few highlights...

Green speeds started out at 12.5 to 13 on the Stimpmeter and lost 6-7 inches of speed during the day. Friday, they’re half-a-foot faster, roughly 12.8-13.5 before they lose some speed.

This one will probably get a few players and caddies riled up:

PGA Tour specifications virtually mandate that the hole not be cut on a slope of more than 1.5 degrees. Sorry for the technical stuff here, but it’s all a matter of physics and topography. The USGA doesn’t shy away from setting the hole on slopes of 2-3 percent.

That might explain the number of balls that took some pretty strong turns right around the hole during round one.

And, in the ball-doesn't-travel-too-far files, this about the par-5 18th.

Friday, it’s been stretched to 675 yards, which means players, even downwind, probably won’t be able to fly it over the fairway bunkers on the right as they did Thursday and reach the downhill kick point on the hole, achieving an average of 318 yards off the tee.

On a positive note, the conservative setup approach light on risk-reward has allowed pace of play to actually be better than in recent years (5:16 average in round one). The slower green speeds surely have something to do with that, too.

Comments

[mark]

Just heard that Mr Fey said that Hadwin got a bad time on his tee shot, One more and they are suppose to issue a penalty shot,

I for one, like the pace of the greens yesterday.

If they dont get weather and they burn them out for the weekend, I think it sends a bad message on how a course is suppose to be. I wish they would set it up a way that one could maintain it for the summer.

[dbh]

*Treating this like a 'Round 2 Open Comments' thread.*

I would love to play this course. Most interesting looking Major venue in recent memory.

[WEG]

"PGA Tour specifications virtually mandate that the hole not be cut on a slope of more than 1.5 degrees. Sorry for the technical stuff here, but it’s all a matter of physics and topography. The USGA doesn’t shy away from setting the hole on slopes of 2-3 percent."

Uh, a 2% slope is less than 1.5 degrees, it's 1.15 degrees. A 3% slope is 1.72 degrees. 1.5 degrees is about 2.6%.

[Mark]

Do these announcers ever shut up? Talking over player/caddie conversations and Clarke must be getting paid by the word. Enough!

[OWGR Fan]

For comparisons sake #12 @ Oakmont played 684 yards in the first round and 674 yards in the third round. 16th @ Olympic played 671 yards in 2012. In 2007 #12 @ Oakmont played 667 yards 3 times.

[Couples]

One more worthless 'look at us' conversation over 2 foot putts and lay up shots after the usual poor drive , between Spieth and his caddy boy and Golf should be removed from TV ... Those two attention whores make Phil and Boner look shy before the cameras.
Mike Davis can go away too ... butt kissing moron

[Play It Forward]

Wow Couples what hate. Lighten up Francis.

[KG]

I would like to see what happens if Casey wins. He has played in the US even though the EPGA has said that means you get few Ryder Cup points. If he wins, can they deny the US Open winner a spot on the team?

[Oliver]

KG, yes they can. He is not a European Tour member. And he rightfully doesn't want to be since Monti screwed him overfor a Ryder Cup spot

[D. maculata]

Here goes with 2-rounds to play. The odds say another first time major winner to make 7 in-a-row. The dynasty soothsayers won't be happy. Fine with me and I wouldn't complain if Sergio broke the trend.

Don't be too hard on Spieth, Couples. The golf media are somewhat responsible for this, having anointed him the next Tiger after almost winning the first three in 2015. Almost is a not really, coming up one shy of making the playoff. Not to diminish his two in the same year but it will be harder to add the 3rd with the amount of new arrivals ready to contend, not to mention the seasoned talent already winning. By comparison the new chalk challenging Tiger at age 23 would be considered threadbare. I wish they'd just leave him alone and let it play out instead of writing another "What's wrong with Jordan Spieth?" piece, as if piling up majors is an easy thing to do.

[JJBeck]

But gee , there must be SOMETHING wrong with what the USGA is doing ? Keep looking.

The telecast has been good. " Listening in " to player/caddie conversations is not exactly enthralling. Spieth likes to burn off some energy with talk before a shot. Nobody HAS to listen . It's just golf talk .