Just got off the phone with a friend. He was the captain of our golf team at the USAF Academy, and he had a reunion this weekend at Pinehurst with a bunch of dudes from the golf team. All of them--save the team manager--are current handicaps in the +1 to -3 range, and all played D1 golf. I asked his opinion of #2. Here's what he said
[paraphrased]
"We don't even have to talk about the greens. From 40 yards and in, it is phenomenal. It is in the top 2 or 3 sets of greens I've ever seen (he's played a bunch of really good courses). I felt like I was back at Old Mac on a bunch of holes from 40 and in. I wish they had fescue like Bandon around the greens.
I never saw it pre-reno, but I wish I had. I think they have done the opposite of what they wanted to do with the sand areas. All of us found it pretty easy to hit out of. In fact, I don't think any of the 11 of us had any issues getting a ball out of the sandy areas, and I had one lie out of 8 that was affected by the tall grass. But our team manager, who is a 10 handicap, was in the waste about 8-10 times as well and he had a lot of issues getting the ball out. I think they have made the course easier for the good golfers and harder for the higher handicaps. Bottom line, a bunch of good golfers that don't play much anymore all shot between 73 and 78 from the tips on a US Open course. It maybe too easy for an Open.
I think that the other 51 weeks of the year that it isn't the US Open, they could just control the rough to something that the higher cap guys can handle, and then for the Open, they can have typical Open rough. But that sand is tough for not-so-good guys and the rest of us were spinning the ball out of it.
I trust my buddy Tim, he has very good taste and has played all the greats. Now keep in mind this is just food for thought and a fun thread. I love the idea of the reno at PH #2 and can't wait to see it. But I thought the treehouse would like the criticisms of an avid golfer that isn't a participant here at GCA. Do you think his opinion has merit about the course being harder now for higher 'cap golfers and easier for better golfers?