[Jason Thurman]

What do you expect to see this week? You're not required to answer the questions below, nor are you limited to answering them. But feel free to use them to get you thinking.



What will the winning score be?

What will the story of the tournament be?

How will the course be received by the media, players, and fans?

Which hole will be most controversial?

Which big name will putt off a green?

Who will win?

[John Kavanaugh]

Mike Davis will interject himself into the set up attempting once again, successfully, to grab the spotlight.  It will be so stupid that you won't believe your eyes.

[Craig Sweet]

Tiger...2 over

[jeffwarne]

Mike Davis will interject himself into the set up attempting once again, successfully, to grab the spotlight.  It will be so stupid that you won't believe your eyes.

Perhaps I've not been reading enough, but I haven't seen him speak of 14.5 and 15 stimp readings this year

[Rees Milikin]

I predict there will be weather related delays that will soften the course.

[Peter Pallotta]

J  -

I think -3 wins it; the media, players and fans will all be unstinting and unanimous in their praise; the main story will be Rory's (ultimately unsuccessful) run at it, with Phil's story-line (1999, 6 runners up etc) muted early on by his average play; and Bubba Watson will win it.

P

[John Connolly]

With no rough to grow, how will the USGA toughen the course? With green speed? Length? (3rd longest course in history).

[Terry Lavin]

If the fact that the Women's Open is played next week persuades the USGA to avoid trying to engineer the course into green/brown asphalt runways and green/brown tortoise shell torture chambers, the winning score should be -7 or so. We will see some random results out of the sand/ wire grass hazards, but nothing like the typical six inch US Open rough. If it's a "soft" setup, we won't see a random (i.e.Michael Campbell) winner but more likely somebody like Rory McIlroy. If it gets too crunchy, especially on the greens, we will see a winner near par.

Overall, the coverage will be led by the restoration and by Payne Stewart sentimentality. Overall it will be a good week for gca, perhaps the best ever. Having just watched a ten minute segment with Matty G. on Morning drive (including some "B roll" footage of Coore, Crenshaw and Mike Keiser on a private jet headed to Pinehurst) about Bill Coore, I'll venture to say that gca will get more positive exposure this week than ever before. All we need now is some TV time for Golf's Most Beloved Figure.

[BHoover]

We may get some focus on architecture and the restoration, but probably not much beyond the usual, "why did Pinehurst take out the rough and bring back waste areas". Even if the focus on the course is positive, I think we are kidding ourselves if we think this is going to lead to a change in how owners, keepers and members at most courses maintain their courses. In other words, I don't think one week is going to lead to a revolution in favor of brown or firm & fast conditions. I think the main focus of the media and fans will be on whether Phil can win his first US Open, rather than the course. The media also is sure to focus heavily on Tiger's absence.

I think the back-to-back Opens will force the USGA to back off on conditions, so we may see a somewhat softer course (combined with the weather) that will mean a winning score of -5.

I think (and hope) that Adam Scott is primed to win his second major. A dark horse could be Steve Stricker.

Overall, I have to say that I'm not particularly excited about this US Open, and I think the back-to-back Opens are a gimmick. I'm not sure whether it's the fact that I've not played Pinehurst, but for some reason it just doesn't interest me as much as an Open at Shinnecock or Oakmont (or even Erin Hills will). Hopefully my attitude will change after watching some of the coverage, but I'll be playing golf instead of watching this weekend.

[Paul Gray]

With no rough to grow, how will the USGA toughen the course? With green speed? Length? (3rd longest course in history).

John,

You've hit the nail on the head regarding the problems in set up of the last 30+ years.

It is widely assumed that courses playing longer, i.e. lush fairways and lush rough, make the game harder for the best in the world. Narrow the fairways, get them nice and green so the ball can't roll and make the rough tough and, so conventional wisdom has had it, the course will be tougher. Not so......

Brownish, wide fairways and no long rough is all the defence needed. Ask any tour Pro and they'll tell you that the ball running is far more worrying than it not. Tom Doak has been making this point for a long time now, arguing that this very principle is the reason for Open Championship venues standing up better nowadays than other courses where Major are held. (Note; Apologies TD for the paraphrasing). The concern this week isn't that the fairways will be too dry, the concern is that rain will come and the course will get easier.

Let's pray for no rain, for Nick Faldo (complete with his vested interests in golf from the 80's) to avoid saying anything too stupid and for my letter to my Greens Committee citing Pinehurst as an example to not fall on deaf ears.    

[Jim Nugent]

Not a prediction, but a question: how does Pinehurst suit Bubba's game? 

[Terry Lavin]

Teddy Greenstein's article in this morning's Chicago Tribune echoes all of the USGA's talking points about the inspired restoration and the wisdom of being "down with brown".  Methinks we will see a lot of this over the next seven days. Which is all good...

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/460/article/p2p-80445877/

[Josh Tarble]

I'm amazed at the negativity of a lot of people regarding the renovation.  Now, it's just internet article commentators, but still, I bet 50% of the comments I've read on articles say how crappy the course looks.  I have been shocked by that.

[Terry Lavin]

I wouldn't be too surprised by people commenting on internet golf sites. A lot on the unwashed tend to spout off on such places. 

A better way to gauge the take on the work is to focus on the reports in the "real" media.

[Josh Tarble]

I wouldn't be too surprised by people commenting on internet golf sites. A lot on the unwashed tend to spout off on such places. 

A better way to gauge the take on the work is to focus on the reports in the "real" media.

Oh, well then it will be the best golf tournament to have ever been played in the history of golf 

Maybe it's the internet's troll syndrome coming out though.

But read the first couple comments on this article:  http://www.pinehurst.com/news/pinehurst-2-restoration-hole-hole-tour/

[Adam Lawrence]

I wouldn't be too surprised by people commenting on internet golf sites. A lot on the unwashed tend to spout off on such places. 

A better way to gauge the take on the work is to focus on the reports in the "real" media.

Oh, well then it will be the best golf tournament to have ever been played in the history of golf 

Maybe it's the internet's troll syndrome coming out though.

But read the first couple comments on this article:  http://www.pinehurst.com/news/pinehurst-2-restoration-hole-hole-tour/

Josh - I see two people saying it looked more aesthetically pleasing before the work. Out of 14 comments.

[Josh Tarble]

True...very small minority, but I just hadn't heard anything negative at all I guess was my point.

[Matt Bielawa]

Not a prediction, but a question: how does Pinehurst suit Bubba's game? 

I'd argue that it will suit his physical game very well, but will be a serious test on his mental game.  Will he be able to blame his caddy for the ball nestling up against the wire grass?  He doesn't seem to be very good at avoiding frustration and keeping a level head.  If he can do so, I'd say he has as good a chance as any.  However, wouldn't bet on it.

[Kyle Casella]

Mike Davis will interject himself into the set up attempting once again, successfully, to grab the spotlight.  It will be so stupid that you won't believe your eyes.

I think he will attempt to mix up the tees quite a bit in order to spread out landing zones so the potential divot issue will be lessened for the ladies. At least that is the sensible thing.

[ChipRoyce]

What will the winning score be?
-4, two or three will separate themselves from the pack by controlling their ball with precision (fairways and greens) and when they do miss, they miss to the correct sides and find their chipping / pitching keeps them in the match.

What will the story of the tournament be?
How luck plays a role in players' success. Meaning that the random lies in the waste areas will affect players more than expected.
Also, the weather and disruption by afternoon, random thunderstorms.

How will the course be received by the media, players, and fans?
Very, very well. However, the random lies in the waste areas may be deemed unfair to the outcome of the championship (Duh, then don't end up in there and keep your ball in the fairway!)

Who will win?
I keep hearing Kuchar's name a lot. I think someone like Charl Schwartzel... length off the tee, but can hit fairways and greens and strong short game (hitting nice soft, high pitches keeping control of his ball)

[Terry Lavin]

What will the winning score be?

What will the story of the tournament be?
How luck plays a role in players' success. Meaning that the random lies in the waste areas will affect players more than expected.
Also, the weather and disruption by afternoon, random thunderstorms.

This strikes me as an astute observation.  It has been my experience that the typical US Open setup, which is said to "identify the best player this week", too often identifies the "luckiest" or "pluckiest" player.  When you look back at many US Opens, you will find that the person who was the steadiest putter under grueling conditions (Goosen at Shinny, Campbell at Pinehurst, McDowell at Pebble Beach) wound up winning.  They were also steady off the tee and got a lot of breaks hitting into greens, but the defense of this golf course has always been the greens, which will reward both luck and nerves of steel.  If you throw in the random nature of some of the lies in the native areas and the difficulty in predicting how the ball will react into the green, luck may even trump some of these other qualities of the usual US Open winner.

[Jud_T]

How about a European who's a bump & run stud?  Not sure Phil's 64 degree wedge is the best way to get up and down to some of the pins they're likely to see.  Has to be the most exciting Major in recent times from a GCA point of view.  Question is are you secretly rooting for it to play really tough to justify the renovation and presentation in the minds of the unwashed or are you just hoping for great F&F conditions that aren't silly and allow for a lot of fun approaches and recoveries?

[Mike Hendren]

Mike Davis will interject himself into the set up attempting once again, successfully, to grab the spotlight.  It will be so stupid that you won't believe your eyes.

+1

They'll need to firm up the greens since the players will now be spinning the ball from off the fairway.  I expect surprisingly low scores the first day or so until they trick up the joint by sparing the water. 

Bogey

[Kyle Casella]

If the fact that the Women's Open is played next week persuades the USGA to avoid trying to engineer the course into green/brown asphalt runways and green/brown tortoise shell torture chambers, the winning score should be -7 or so. We will see some random results out of the sand/ wire grass hazards, but nothing like the typical six inch US Open rough. If it's a "soft" setup, we won't see a random (i.e.Michael Campbell) winner but more likely somebody like Rory McIlroy. If it gets too crunchy, especially on the greens, we will see a winner near par.

Overall, the coverage will be led by the restoration and by Payne Stewart sentimentality. Overall it will be a good week for gca, perhaps the best ever. Having just watched a ten minute segment with Matty G. on Morning drive (including some "B roll" footage of Coore, Crenshaw and Mike Keiser on a private jet headed to Pinehurst) about Bill Coore, I'll venture to say that gca will get more positive exposure this week than ever before. All we need now is some TV time for Golf's Most Beloved Figure.

Are there enough birdies out there to make it to -7? It seems like it would be tough to hit it close on enough holes to make enough birdies to negate the over par scores. Maybe if it is very soft...

[Paul Gray]

I wouldn't be too surprised by people commenting on internet golf sites. A lot on the unwashed tend to spout off on such places. 

A better way to gauge the take on the work is to focus on the reports in the "real" media.

Oh, well then it will be the best golf tournament to have ever been played in the history of golf 

Maybe it's the internet's troll syndrome coming out though.

But read the first couple comments on this article:  http://www.pinehurst.com/news/pinehurst-2-restoration-hole-hole-tour/

Josh - I see two people saying it looked more aesthetically pleasing before the work. Out of 14 comments.

And my anger sort of got the better of me. One more post added! 

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