Will watching the British Open, in conjunction with

[Dan Herrmann]

Patrick - nope -no watering this week.  We received 1.5" of rain on Saturday.  That, combined with 8" of rain since mid-June has us waterlogged.   Plus, with such high dewpoints, the grounds aren't drying out.

[Jud_T]

Pat,

Unfortunatley most US golfers see the Open as something foreign.  Most members on this side of the pond expect a garden for their dues.  I don't see that changing anytime soon.  The only hope is that water becomes so precious and expensive that folks are forced to turn off the sprinklers in spite of themselves.

[cary lichtenstein]

Really hard to see the ball on this tv coverage, I guess green would be better

[Mark Chaplin]

It doesn't help the cause when Mickelson is saying the greens are half dead. There is nothing wrong with diversity in golf course set up as long as the set up suits the general conditions of the area.

[Rich Goodale]

Patrick,

To your point, if a US major were to go yellow, now that might change things. And if that flog course were ANGC it would -- wait, it probably couldn't do it even if it wanted, being a spring tournament. But if it could / would the impact of that would put Oakmont's tree clearing in the shade.

So it would have to be the US Open, since nobody watches the commercial-besotted PGA.

Shinnecock was going brown (until they hosed down a green or two in the middle of the round....).

Rich, as I stated, going brown is a process that takes years in the NE, not hours.

Syringing greens mid-round is a common practice in the NE in the summer

In the US Open, Pat, giving a serious advantage to players playing after the syringing?

[Patrick_Mucci]

Patrick,

To your point, if a US major were to go yellow, now that might change things. And if that flog course were ANGC it would -- wait, it probably couldn't do it even if it wanted, being a spring tournament. But if it could / would the impact of that would put Oakmont's tree clearing in the shade.

So it would have to be the US Open, since nobody watches the commercial-besotted PGA.

Shinnecock was going brown (until they hosed down a green or two in the middle of the round....).

Rich, as I stated, going brown is a process that takes years in the NE, not hours.

Syringing greens mid-round is a common practice in the NE in the summer

In the US Open, Pat, giving a serious advantage to players playing after the syringing?

Rich,

They've been syringing greens during USGA events for decades.

I'm not so sure of the degree of the advantage you cite.

Seems like it might be a disadvantage to those putting on a green that was just syringed.

And I'm not so sure that there's a serious advantage on approaches and recoveries.

I've played in USGA events where the greens were syringed during a round and don't recall anyone claiming that it altered play significantly.

In addition to the USGA, how about all the Southern State Golf Association events held in the summer.
It's hard to imagine that they don't syringe during rounds as SOP

[Carl Rogers]

if you have bent grass greens in 90+ heat, then doesn't brown mean near death?  at least i thought it did??

[Patrick_Mucci]

if you have bent grass greens in 90+ heat, then doesn't brown mean near death?  at least i thought it did??

No, it doesn't.

Poa might be more in jeopardy.

But, fairways/greens don't go from lush deep green to brown overnight.
And, I don't believe that anyone has suggested that fairways should be brown.

There's a process to converting from lush green to brown/green/yellow fairways, and that process takes time and money to accomplish the transition.

A nice greenish/yellowish/brownish fairway is usually in very good playing condition.

I played late today and the fairways were getting to that yellowish/brownish/greenish state and in ideal condition, playing fast and firm.

What's not to like ?

[Mark Bourgeois]

I'm pretty sure the USGA watered greens during play at this week's APL:
http://www.usga.org/ChampEventArticle.aspx?id=21474858031

BTW here's a pic Delamere Forest posted today:



England gets it.

[Greg Tallman]

It will be a long slow change if F&F ever becomes the accepted norm. We are always battling to keep playing conditions as firm as possible and guest comments are generally not favorable which is disappointing.

Comments can range from "have you seen the condition of the course?" when asked how there day went to which I respond "yeah isn't it fun to play the games as it was intended to be played?"

Other comments heard are "this is nothing like (insert club), it is beautiful and in great shape". Well, said club is an overwatered under maintained thatch mess, but she sure is pretty! Thatch so thick you could get thrown out of a cart if not careful... but that is viewed as "great shape".

Full disclosure - our facility was a bit moist and thatchy mess the last couple of days but then again we are about to close for 5 weeks during which time we will basically take most everything down to the dirt.

Perceptions of what is good will not change anytime soon.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Mark,

I played 27 today and noticed that the staff was examining each and every green with care.

Most were syringed after inspection.

Fairways were brown/yellow/green with some sections completely brown.

Playing conditions were great, but, as the day wore on, with temps at 97 and a good one to two club wind, the greens got slower.

Had this been any other week, most golfers, after playing this course, would have come home, turned on the TV and watched golf on lush green fairways, thus undoing whatever good had come from their golf experience today.

The PGA Tour and TV produce a weekly product that's visual in nature and that visual highlights contrast, such as the contrast between green fairways, white sand and blue water.

Sad but true.

[Charlie_Bell]

GCA lovers of F & F -- and the third F, fescue -- should immediately begin to organize an outing to Cabot Links next summer during the Open.   Rise at 5:00 or so (only a 4-hour time difference from the UK), watch till 9:00, play 18, watch the tournament during a leisurely lunch, then play another 18.  Repeat.

I played it last Monday, and it was the perfect preparation for the Open...