[Adam Clayman]

WTF!
 You advocate blowing up a green. One of the most unique greens on the planet. And I am sanctimonious?

[Phil McDade]

For the most part the 14th hole was misplayed.  There were two legitimate options:

1.  Play the second for the front bunker.
2.  Lay up just short and right of the green.  Many player laying up to 100 +/- yards had their shots roll back off the green to an identical spot (I believe Mickelson even had to mark his ball in the fairway).  To a man, from there they played brilliant pitch shots, frequently saving par or like Tiger on Sunday kicking in a birdie.  The players were so focused on dialing in a yardage for their sand or gap wedges that it never dawned on them to take more club on the second to leave that apparently simple 40 yards pitch.  I thought that's what practice rounds are for.

Mike

Michael:

That layup option looks super tight. Is it (under Open set-ups)? That's a second shot off a hanging lie that's uphill and 200+ yards easily to your preferred position (I think). Agree it leaves an easier third, and far too many par 5s aren't demanding with their layups for the player not going for the green in two. But I can see, with the limited thinking range of pros, that a 100-yard pitch is an easier play that a 200+ yard layup off a tough lie to a narrow corridor. Just curious what lies up there in terms of trouble.

[Sean Leary]

Unless the tees are up, its a LONG way to get even to the bunker in two. If you go along the fairway, and not cut the corner, it is almost impossible to get to(in 2)where the guys were chipping from on their 4th. And I can guarantee you that they don't wabt to be 50 yards out because that is no man's land to that firm green.

IMO the tournament was won then McDowells putt did not go down the slope. Who knows what woulda happened if it had.

[Terry Lavin]

Adam,

You're defending the indefensible.  The 14th green may well be unique.  It may be quirky.  It might be the one green on that golf course that has survived the slings and arrows of various architects over the course of time.  It might be just fine for everyday play at everyday speeds.  But it is a joke of a green under US Open conditions.  It not only defends par in a bizarre fashion, it invites double and triple bogeys with its razor-thin margin of error for holding a shot or even a putt on the green.  It's unfair under tournament conditions and its presence on that golf course is an offense to common sense.  I think you're elevating quirk over the other features of the green.  Quirk alone is not enough to justify that green.  It needs to be expanded at the very least.

[Adam Clayman]

Terry,
 I believe in allowing the player to adapt to the circumstance. I did not watch much of the tourney, but what I did see, that was telling, was Tigers playing of the 14th on Sunday. As unfortunate as it may be, he played the hole the way it needed to be played under the circumstances. He was left with a 6 inch birdie because he figured out the best way to play the hole that day.

Ryan Moore did not figure out how to play the hole, just as many did not, and he is on record with the sour grapes whining. It is counter intuitive to play for a bunker, but, if the set up doesn't allow for any other way to ease the next shot, it's all that's left, I just don't see how it's the hole's fault.

Excessive green speeds are at the root cause for the disfiguring of too many creative fun greens. So, I apologize if my initial comment came off as poorly as it apparently has.

[Mike Hendren]

And I can guarantee you that they don't wabt to be 50 yards out because that is no man's land to that firm green.

Sean, that's precisely the distance they were hitting it tight after the balls rolled back off the green.  Again, they were victimized by their own prowess - not fathoming that they couldn't knock it stiff from the perfect lay-up distance of 100 yards +/-.

How many fairway metals did you see pulled for second shots - I only recall a few. 

Bogey

[Sean Leary]

And I can guarantee you that they don't wabt to be 50 yards out because that is no man's land to that firm green.

Sean, that's precisely the distance they were hitting it tight after the balls rolled back off the green.  Again, they were victimized by their own prowess - not fathoming that they couldn't knock it stiff from the perfect lay-up distance of 100 yards +/-.

How many fairway metals did you see pulled for second shots - I only recall a few. 

Bogey

Mike,

I think it was more like 25-30 yards, no?

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