[Dan Herrmann]

Is it time for the USGA to find a new US Open doctor?  Personally, I've grown weary of Rees Jones' work.  I'd love to see somebody else get in there and do their magic.

For example, I think Hanse/Faxon did a wonderful job with TPC Boston, a Palmer design.  They added to the course's character and improved the golf.   Why can't we get a Hanse/Doak/C&C/ type to be a US Open doctor?

Or - even better - what if they drop the US Open doctor concept altogether, and play the course essentially as they found it (other than messing with the rough and stuff like that).

Has any of Rees' wok actually benefitted the members that play the course every day? 

[TEPaul]

Dan:

I doubt the ones you named would do it. I'm pretty sure C&C would never consider such a thing. If the USGA hired them to do a US Open prep they's probably say: "We'll recommend you do nothing to the course and save the money." 

I think Rees will be around for a while "Open doctoring."

[Willie_Dow]

Dan:

I think you are on to something !   What a team they would be to work out the basic problems of bringing back the "old" vs the rather "new".

Brad at Newport, plus the great RI courses, which have little changes over centuries of golf - New Englanders hate change - and Gil who has made his mark up there with Boston Golf and Kittansett - we need to cultivate this stuff !

Maybe the USGA already knows your thoughts ?  I hope so !

Willie

[Dan Herrmann]

Willie,  I was thinking of you when I started this thread.

The thought of Rees at Merion (or Chambers Bay, for that matter) makes me cringe.

[TEPaul]

Dan:

Don't forget Gil Hanse just built a pretty wild 16,000+ sf green right behind Golf House about a month ago! I was there the day he shaped it and of course the most prominent contour right in the middle of it is now named "Mont Paul." 

[Dan Herrmann]

Tom - I'm laughing out loud!  Thanks!

(PS - Laura's laughing louder than I am!)

[Joel_Stewart]

The USGA has nothing to do with naming Rees, it was the press when over a few years he worked on a few courses, namely Bethpage and Torrey Pines.   Rees actually laughs at it.   Supposedly Tom Fazio became so mad at the attention Rees was getting he targeted some of the future open venues and waived his fee to get the jobs, namely Oakmont last year.

[Phil_the_Author]

Rees was given the title "Open Doctor" by GOLF Magazine prior to the 1993 Open at baltusrol. In the article they showed aphotograph of him dressed as a surgeon.

Quoting from the book, Golf for the People: Bethpage and the Black, Rees said, "Being known as the 'Open Doctor' is actually very pleasing. I never had a nickname as a kid and I have one now. (We both laugh warmly)..."

[Tom_Doak]

It is not likely ever to be me.  I think it's a shame that the governing bodies believe they always have to make changes to courses like that.  And you don't really get to be the architect anyway, they are often telling you what they think needs to be done.  The R & A has gotten even worse now than the USGA, judging from what I heard about the press conference for Royal Birkdale this spring.

[Paul_Turner]

Tom

What did the R&A rep say?

[Adam Clayman]

Since they are all about tradition, NO.   How else will the people know it's the open without that repetitive look?

[Dan Herrmann]

Paul - amen to your question.

What a shame it would be if the R&A went the way of the USGA.  Of course, the USGA (post Meeks) seems to be "getting it" a bit better than before.

[Kirk Stewart]

Has any of Rees' wok actually benefitted the members that play the course every day? 
[/quote]

I think that the work Rees has done at Atlanta Athletic Club and East Lake have both been positive for member play.

Frankly, I don't think work done by Raynor, McDonald, Tillie and similar ilk could make this years US Open compelling. I can't remember being this dissatisfied with a venue than Torrey.

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