Shinnecock Hills 1995

[Bill_McBride]

After watching the long slog Sunday afternoon, what a delightful surprise to turn on the Golf Channel tonight and see the highlights show of Corey Pavin's win at Shinnecock in 1995.  Small, short hitting shot makers used to win the Masters from time to time -- Ben Crenshaw, J M Olazabal, Nick Faldo.   To see Corey win at a big, fast course with wind and rough was great -- his course management skills, shot shaping abilities and short game led to his win.  Will we see someone like Corey win any of the majors again??!!  All the courses seem to be set up the same now, except The Old Course and Pebble Beach.  The setup at Bethpage will be interesting.  Thoughts?

[mike_beene]

There is hope;The Open is at Muirfield.Faldo's 18 par round is a classic(similar to David Graham's 17 greens in regulation at Merion.I think they only messed with a few holes like no. 13,which should be left alone.

[Gary Smith (Guest)]

Shinnecock really dried out from the rains early in the week in 1995, and got fast on the weekend. That undoubtedly helped Pavin. BTW, he missed the cut there in '86. Shinnecock is probably one of the very best major championship sites in the world.

I think it is way too early to say the short hitters are completely shut out in the majors. I mean, it has been only 3 years since Olazabal won the Masters. Is Toms really considered a power golfer? Is Jantzen and Mark O'Mira (sp?)? Was Stewart? It is also way too early to draw conclusions about the changes at ANGC, but of course it is going to be done anyway. I just can't see the argument that all the majors are set up the same way.

[Darrin]

Since Long Island (and all of NY) is going thru a devastating drought, you'd think Bethpage will have to play very fast.  Thus, there might be some hope for the "shorter" hitters.  Of course, you know how these things work out:  a monsoon will hit on Thursday morning of tournament week and the guys will be sticking 3 and 4 irons on the green the rest of the weekend!

[redanman]

Just seeing "Shinnecock Hills 1995" in print brought back some awesome memories.  Was there ever a better modern major championship setup?  Now THAT's Tone-a-mint golf for ya!  2002 Masters?  :Ppffffffffft

[Herb_Flood]

The Sunday set-up by the "greencoats" would simply not allow anyone to come from out of the pack and go low. Four or 5 birdies with and eagle thrown in was not going to happen. Interesting how most of the players had 220-225+ into #13 and firing at the green was just "not the play" as Tiger said. All Tiger had to do was set it on cruise control and make the others come after him. With birdies not to be had, Tiger just parred the others to death.

[Scott_Burroughs]

I'm a zombie today because I stayed up to watch the first half of it last night.  My first real look at the course other than pics (and aerial), since I saw very little of the past two Opens there.  Would love to have captured the color blimp shots they had.

[Bill_McBride]

Agreed about the blimp shots, Scott.  I kept hoping the wind would blow the blimp over NGLA and we'd get a look at it, windmill and all!

[Scott_Burroughs]

There were shots of NGLA!  Watch for it again.  NGLA is easily discernable from SH, as NGLA is greener and wider, with bunkering everywhere.  One shot started as nothing but NGLA, then panned over to catch some of SH.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Seeing SH and NGLA mentioned in the same thread prompts me to post this one.  During the Masters telecast they mentioned an ANGC member who was serving as a rule official by name.  I recognized his name from the investment business, so I looked him up on GHIN.com to see what kind of a player he was.  The answer, he's very good, and he has some nice places to play (in addition to ANGC):

http://www.ghin.com/scripts/lookup.asp?gbns=1101000010100101&wherefrom=&whofrom=&backtourl=&backtourltarget=

[TEPaul]

KevinR:

Don't know whether Gleacher belongs to ANGC, but my recollection is that the commentator said that a USGA official was covering every hole. Gleacher is on the USGA's board and is also the Treasurer of the USGA.

[Ran Morrissett]

Tom,  How many years has Eric been club champ at Maidstone? 5?

The 1995 US Open only highlights that the technology burst really has occured in a short span. We don't need to wind things back to the gutta percha days - 1995 would do nicely.

I like Dawson's idea - do away with the wooden peg!

[TEPaul]

Ran:

Don't know how many years Gleacher has been the club champ at Maidstone (do you mean times)? I just know he has been. They seem to have a fair number of guys who sort of rotate winning the club championship, but I have no idea how often Gleacher has played in it.

I do know he's a pretty darn good player though and he's very competitive and a good aggressive thinker on the course--if I'm not mistaken I think his early golf might have had some kind of connection to Nicklaus too! And I know he and his partner kicked the piss out of me and my partner in the finals of the Maidstone Bowl--a couple of times actually!

[Jeff Fortson]

The tape of the 1995 US Open called "Pavin the Way to Victory" will forever be etched in my memory.  The last course I worked at the head pro had the tape and I put it in almost every day in the shop.  I love that course so much that even when I'm not playing it I want to be there and that video certainly takes me there.  Unfortunately, Brooklyn basic cable doesn't offer The Golf Channel so I get shut out on these classic replays.  

I can't wait to try to qualify for the US Open this year(Bethpage), in 2004 (Shinnecock), and 2006 (Winged Foot West).  The Met Section has certainly scored big for the next five US Opens!

Jeff F.

[Tom MacWood (Guest)]

What happened to Corey Pavin after his victory? How could one of the most consistant and gutty competitors in all of golf, fall off the face of the earth?