Some Final Comments About The Return To Shinnecock

I file a Golf World Daily item clarifying what needs to be done next time around (not much...and is that realistic?).

Not mentioned is who deserves the credit for smoothing things over with the club and paving the way for a return. The names most prominent in the effort, not surprisingly and in no particular order: Jim Hyler, Jim Vernon, Mike Davis, Tom O'Toole, Mike Butz and yes, Walter Driver, the Championship Commitee chair who oversaw the wacky 2004 U.S. Open setup!

The U.S. Open Is Here, A Few Final Thoughts

After three very dry, pleasant and perfect weather days, the U.S. Open kicks off at Congressional with an uncertain weather forecast and an even more uncertain future for the putting surfaces. Normally changes in color from Monday to Wednesday would not be of great concern except that these are not even two-year old greens and the most stressed areas appear to be in rapid decline. Exactly how the warmer temperatures and continued stress placed on the greens by traditional course preparation measures impacts play remains to be seen.

But the USGA made clear in Wednesday's press conference that the turfgrass will not be pushed at the expense of the greens.

More of interest to players and fans will be the impact this has had on firmness. Despite the mild temperatures, the crew kept the greens moist all day Wednesday and the lack of full fledged U.S. Open firmness, combined with the perfectly conditioned fairways, should make Congressional vulnerable to low scores. That's assuming someone can get on a roll over the course of a slow round caused by the reachable par-5s, several long back nine walks between tees and greens, and everything else that goes with a U.S. Open.

It's been called a wide-open Open and it's hard to disagree. And the softer the course gets, the more players it brings into the equation. That's great for fans, but not necessarily the way to crown the best possible winner.

Stay tuned all day for site updates and special Thursday open thread to comment on what you are seeing.

"You should have heard the conversations about that later."

Mike Davis talked to a few writers after today's press conference where Shinnecock Hills was announced as the 2018 U.S. Open venue and was grilled about the disastrous 2004 U.S. Open. Davis was second in command to Tom Meeks but shared this about the halting of play during Saturday's round.

Dave Shedloski writes:

"I went out to 7 and watched the second group go through, and I immediately suspended play. I didn't even have the authority to suspend play, but I suspended play."

Tom Meeks was in charge of setting up the golf course that year. Walter Driver was chairman of the championship committee. But Davis couldn't reach either of them on the radio. "Time was working against us," Davis said. "You should have heard the conversations about that later."

"It's hard to play the U.S. Open without seeing the golf course."

Doug Ferguson talks to young Emiliano Grillo, first alternate who is not allowed to play a practice round. The greens will be soooo much better off!

Grillo wound up in a seven-man playoff for four spots in the Memphis, Tenn., qualifier that featured mostly PGA Tour players. He hung around until there were three players left for one spot. On the third extra hole, Tag Ridings hit into the water on a par 5. Grillo and Briny Baird reached the green in two and faced long eagle putts.

"It was almost darkness, and it can be hard to putt in the dark," he said. "I three-putted, but I still made par. I was so mad."

It took him a while to get over the disappointment of being one putt away from playing in the U.S. Open. He packed his clubs and headed to upstate New York to start a busy season of amateur golf. After being informed Monday that he was the first alternate, Grillo took two days to decide whether to come to Washington.

"At least I'm around here," he said, pointing to a practice green that was filled with players like Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson. "It is something. But now I have to wait. If somebody withdraws, that's fine. If not, that's fine. I should have made one more putt."

It's A Sellout!

I know you're relieved. For Immediate Release...

TICKETS SOLD OUT FOR 2011 U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

Far Hills, N.J. (June 15) – Tickets for the 2011 U.S. Open Championship at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., are completely sold out, marking the 25th consecutive year that the U.S. Open has sold out.

“This just shows the sustained support for our national championship over the past quarter-century,” said Mike Davis, executive director of the USGA. “The USGA is proud to reach this milestone at Congressional, in our nation’s capital.”

A Few More Tweeted Videos From Congressional...

...before media regulations mean no more on-course Tweets.

Today I visited the merchandise and AmEx tents, and also show you a different view of the daunting 18th green.

Here's a link to Lee Wybranski signing his classy U.S. Open poster.

And here's a link to my favorite item of the day.

"I wish more people appreciated what he did. It was a very specialized art.”

In today's Washington Post special U.S. Open section, Barry Svrluga looks at the work of Devereux Emmet and his impact on Congressional.

Thus, Emmet’s work at Congressional, which opened in 1924, will be barely detectable during the Open this week. Ross, the transplanted Scotsman who is perhaps the best known golf course architect stateside — and whose signature Pinehurst No. 2 hosted the Open in 1999 and 2005 — did some work at Congressional in the 1930s. Jones got his hands on the course in the 1950s, finishing a third nine and then, in the early ’60s, changing the routing of one of Emmet’s nines. The current ninth hole, a 636-yard par 5, used to be a par 4 and a par 3, and the directions of several holes were changed.

By 1989, when Rees Jones, Robert Trent Jones’s son, helped to prepare Congressional for its pursuit of the 1997 U.S. Open, Emmet’s influence was basically wiped out.

“I don’t think there’s much left, to be honest,” Rees Jones said. Jones shaved down several fairways, eliminating most of the blind shots with heavy lifting.

“Back in those days, you didn’t really move a lot of earth,” Jones said of Emmet’s era. “We’re able to do a lot more shaping.”

And do it so well!

The Controversial 16th?

The USGA's Mike Davis has gussied up the par-5 16th and the players aren't wild about it. I sum up the issues and link to some videos so you can judge for yourself in this Golf World Daily item (link works for non-subscribers too).

The ultimate test of this setup change to the hole will be whether the short grass is so extreme that it discourages players from going for the green in two.

Here's what Phil Mickelson said about the change in Tuesday's press conference:

PHIL MICKELSON: So that's a very interesting design because we're so used to the thick, hack-it-out rough around the greens, to see it shaved down on all angles and have the pitch of the grass go right into the pine needles -- I'm okay with pine needles, but it's not really where you want to be. So it really makes you think on that second shot, if you can get there. If it's downwind and you can get there, you really have to think about what kind of shot you want to do because if you miss it long, if you fly it on the green and it goes over, that's a really hard up and down. And par might be difficult. If you miss it right, it just gets accentuated by the shaved grass. So you really have to think about that hole, and I kind of like that. I like the fact that it requires a lot more thought on what you want to do and how you want to play it.

"So watch out, this thing could get ugly."

It was interesting to observe a few signs of stress on and around the Congressional greens Tuesday as compared to Wednesday. Most of the afflicted areas are in high traffic or shade prone spots and not a big deal. Hopefully the surfaces hang in for the tournament and after for the members, but as John Huggan notes, even with today's moderate temperatures and cloud cover, the young greens could be at risk as the USGA tries to get to the 14.5 Stimpmeter readings anticipated for Thursday.

Already, the Congressional greens - regrassed as recently as 2009 - are showing signs of wear and tear. A close inspection on Tuesday morning revealed much of the grass around the edges to be already displaying signs of stress -- brown, dead looking patches being far from uncommon. Some of that is simply due to foot traffic, but most is down to the recent heat wave that last week saw temperatures soar into three figures, combined with the perennial fact that course setups at US Opens get closer to the edge of sanity than at any other major.

No USGA official was saying anything on the record, of course, but it would be surprising if some concern was not already being felt in high places. So watch out, this thing could get ugly.

Picks!

You won't get mine. I'll defer to the experts.

Alex Myers with the fantasy analysis at GolfDigest.com

The Golfweek staff make their tournament picks.

PGATour.com posts their "expert picks." Lots of Stricker and Mickelson love.

And if you are looking to round out your exotics tickets with some longshots, PGATour.com offers these names for your consideration.

Golf's Greatest Family Dynasty?

Corey Kilgannon on the golfing Turnesas, who have made 46 U.S. Open appearances as of Thursday when Marc continues the family tradition.

Turnesa is a grandson of Mike Turnesa, one of seven brothers from Westchester County, N.Y., who formed golf’s greatest family dynasty.

There were Doug, Frank and Phil, who won dozens of local and national tournaments and also worked as club professionals in Westchester. And Joe, Mike and Jim, top touring pros who seemed to take turns playing in the finals of major professional tournaments.

The youngest brother, Willie, became perhaps the best amateur in history after Jones.

Easy there...

Known as Willie the Wedge for his adroit bunker play, he won the United States Amateur in 1938 and 1948 and the British Amateur in 1947. He also played on three winning Walker Cup teams, captaining the 1951 squad.

Tuesday's On Course Videos, Congressional 2011

Here are my videos from the course today--apologies for the ads, open to any suggestions on Twitter video posting options.

Of special interest may be this clip of Andres Gonzalez trying the recovery behind 16 green. There is also this 16th green look and some clips of the super cool practice chipping green.