[mike_malone]

 I arrived today and decided that I would spend most of my time on the putting green to prepare me for the treacherous speeds that awaited me. The green was closed. I had already been to the chipping green and was surprised at the slowness. I saw some serious green superintendent looking guys examining the chipping greens.

   At this point I became depressed that the brutal weather had taken the fire out of Oakmont. When we approached the tee we found out #6 was closed. A few other greens were in critical condition.

   IN NO WAY IS THIS AN INDICTMENT OF OAKMONT. It's Mother Nature that brought the Brute to its knees.

    It wasn't until #3 that the full impact hit me. I was just short of the green facing one of those tough up the hill then down to the hole putts which are tough to gauge the speed. I THREE PUTTED BECAUSE I LEFT THE PUTT SHORT EACH TIME.

   After a few holes the slow speeds turned the course into a piece of cake. I need to get back there when it is firm and fast to truly appreciate the greatness of the place.

   My host said " I don't even recognize these speeds" (he has been there since 1977!)

    The slowness and softness was a shame. But , I'm to blame because I was part of the "Golf Factory". It's because of people like me that that this special place opens its doors to so many avid golfers each year.

  

   However, I could still sense the level of turf quality throughout the course. Shots from the rough appeared to be doable but were , in fact, very random. The bunker sand had a gummy quality that required a solid strike to get the desired result.

    The understated nature of the place and the passion exhibited by the members was outstanding.

    This was the most glaring example of how slow and soft can change the experience.

   I thank Oakmont's diligent green staff for making the course playable with the rounds they do and the expectations placed on them.

   I found more strategy off the tee then I expected and the ground game  was throughout the course.




  BTW  Alleghany was fun. Good quirk on the front and a challenging back nine made for a good warmup for Oakmont.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Mayday,

As I've often stated, Mother Nature will dictate conditions and sometimes there's nothing anyone can do to alter them.

[John Kavanaugh]

We need to pray that a great course is not changed because of a few bad months one summer.  I would guess it is too late since the supers have already converged.

[Tom MacWood]

Get over it.

[Tim_Weiman]

It has been quite a few years since I've been to Oakmont, but I can assured youu it is in good hands with John Zimmers.

[mike_malone]

 The staff was in constant motion tending to the course. It was just slow and soft, not what one expects there. The "charm" is the speed of the greens. That was gone for this day. Can anyone recall making deep ball marks on Oakmont greens?

[Alex Miller]

In case you guys are looking for me, I'll be here...




ya know, praying.

[Joel_Stewart]

It has been quite a few years since I've been to Oakmont, but I can assured youu it is in good hands with John Zimmers.

Exactly.

Two summers in a row Zimmers has been involved with some crazy conditions. 

[jonathan_becker]

I was there last fall when the greens were first struggling and on my next visit (3 weeks ago) the place was in phenomenal shape.  It's amazing how quickly things can turn and I hope everything gets squared away soon.

[Michael Huber]

The weather in pittsburgh the past few weeks has been as follows:

Lots of heat, big thunderstorm, lots of heat, big thunderstorm, repeat.

I'm not sure how this would impact the conditions at Oakmont, but the cucumbers im growing in the backyard are struggling with this weather too, so I can relate

[Ben Sims]

If there's any club with all the turf expertise it needs--other than ANGC--it's Oakmont.  Pray for mom and pop that aren't getting rain and their poa is dying by the day.  Oakmont doesn't need your prayers.  It's got John Zimmers, its one of a kind poa, and a, ahem, large staff. 

[John Kavanaugh]

Would it be worth it to put a fan on every green to avoid these temporary glitches?

[Adam Clayman]

Mayday, You should be thankful you were able to see past the conditions, recognizing and appreciating the underlying architecture, as your post implies.

Poa is tough stuff, it will survive.


 

[Jim_Coleman]

I hear Merion is in trouble too.

[jeffwarne]

If we'd let the architecture, not the green speeds determine greatness, a lot less courses would "need our prayers"
If we had more greens that were fascinating at 6-7 speed, we'd have no problems in the heat,be able to maintain firmer,more interesting golf(i.e. every putt would be extremely different i.e. uphill, sidehill vs. downhill sidehill), and FAR LESS costs to maintain.
Today's greens tend to be fast in every direction -therefore far easier to judge.

Oakmont has of course always been an exception (the problem is everyone wants to be an exception-thus the arms race)

[mike_malone]

 There were many fans there.

    I think that the unique architecture of Oakmont is affected by the weather conditions. I bet the greens are slow with an inch of snow on them as well. You just aren't playing the course then.

[Niall C]

If we'd let the architecture, not the green speeds determine greatness, a lot less courses would "need our prayers"
If we had more greens that were fascinating at 6-7 speed, we'd have no problems in the heat,be able to maintain firmer,more interesting golf(i.e. every putt would be extremely different i.e. uphill, sidehill vs. downhill sidehill), and FAR LESS costs to maintain.
Today's greens tend to be fast in every direction -therefore far easier to judge.

Oakmont has of course always been an exception (the problem is everyone wants to be an exception-thus the arms race)

Jeff

If I recall you are a low handicapper which probably means your approach shots get a lot closer than mine. As someone who regularly plays slow greens, or at least green speeds I imagine to be a lot slower than your average american course, and someone who isn't nearly as good at approaching, I can assure that having a clutch of longish putts where you have to make a half swing to get upto the hole isn't as much fun as you think. You also don't get a lot of borrow at that kind of speed, so it aint all roses.

Niall

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