The biggest mistake the USGA made with back to back Opens

[Sean Remington (SBR)]

They forgot that "Ladies go first"

The Womens Open should have been the first week.  It would have allowed them to keep the course set up a bit softer and slower for the Ladies and then dried it out for the Men.

The energy level and spectator turnout for the weekend of the Ladies event would have been much better and would have been a better showcase for them

If they ever attempt this again they should flip the schedule

[Sam Morrow]

Fair points but the USGA isn't gonna risk the ladies needing the course for a Monday playoff.

[Joe Bausch]

Fair points but the USGA isn't gonna risk the ladies needing the course for a Monday playoff.

Not quite right, Sam.

The women use a 3 hole playoff.  The USGA did not want to risk bad weather in June in North Carolina delaying the finish of the women's tournament until Monday.  This is what I heard Geoff Shackelford say.

[Terry Lavin]

And there's no doubt that the Women's Open drew more eyeballs coming after the men's championship. The women benefitted greatly and the golf course held up quite well.

[Sam Morrow]

Fair points but the USGA isn't gonna risk the ladies needing the course for a Monday playoff.

Not quite right, Sam.

The women use a 3 hole playoff.  The USGA did not want to risk bad weather in June in North Carolina delaying the finish of the women's tournament until Monday.  This is what I heard Geoff Shackelford say.

thanks! When did they change to that format?

[Nigel Islam]

And there's no doubt that the Women's Open drew more eyeballs coming after the men's championship. The women benefitted greatly and the golf course held up quite well.

I think so too. I think they benefitted from having a champion everyone knows too.

[Joe Bausch]

Fair points but the USGA isn't gonna risk the ladies needing the course for a Monday playoff.

Not quite right, Sam.

The women use a 3 hole playoff.  The USGA did not want to risk bad weather in June in North Carolina delaying the finish of the women's tournament until Monday.  This is what I heard Geoff Shackelford say.

thanks! When did they change to that format?

I think about 5-10 years ago.

[Brent Hutto]

I'd venture the proportion of viewers tuned in to Sunday's final round who were only watching because Michelle Wie was in contention is very similar to the proportion of viewers who will tune in to this coming Thursday round solely because Tiger Woods is (expected to be) in the field.

From a very young age and before they won any professional tournaments, both Tiger and Michelle were big-time "needle movers" in their respective field. It makes me wonder if Tiger might have still been the most popular golfers on the planet even if his career majors total was a tiny fraction of what it is.

Lord knows Michelle Wie's popularity suffered hardly at all from a decade's delay in winning her first major.

[Russ Arbuthnot]

I had the same thought that the women should go first.

It has some advantages, some already stated, another being that it allows those unfamiliar with the course to become more familiar. One of the great things about Augusta or Sawgrass is that the viewers know the course very well and can compare year to year performance.

But then I realized that there might be some viewer fatigue, and part of the excitement of any golf tournament is the unknown of how the players will adapt to the course. Some of that excitement might be lost, if we've already watched the course for a week.

Therefore, I'm starting to think they just need to have the men's and women's tournament at the same time on the same course!

[cary lichtenstein]

And there's no doubt that the Women's Open drew more eyeballs coming after the men's championship. The women benefitted greatly and the golf course held up quite well.

Absolutely

[Paul Gray]

And there's no doubt that the Women's Open drew more eyeballs coming after the men's championship. The women benefitted greatly and the golf course held up quite well.

I think so too. I think they benefitted from having a champion everyone knows too.

The guy is a former world number one and sank the putt for Europe to win the Ryder Cup. It's a sad reflection on America if no one on your side of the pond knows who Martin Kaymer is.

[Howard Riefs]

Fair points but the USGA isn't gonna risk the ladies needing the course for a Monday playoff.

Not quite right, Sam.

The women use a 3 hole playoff.  The USGA did not want to risk bad weather in June in North Carolina delaying the finish of the women's tournament until Monday.  This is what I heard Geoff Shackelford say.

thanks! When did they change to that format?

I think about 5-10 years ago.

The 3 hole aggregate playoff started in 2007.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/02/AR2007020201055.html

[Sam Morrow]

Fair points but the USGA isn't gonna risk the ladies needing the course for a Monday playoff.

Not quite right, Sam.

The women use a 3 hole playoff.  The USGA did not want to risk bad weather in June in North Carolina delaying the finish of the women's tournament until Monday.  This is what I heard Geoff Shackelford say.

thanks! When did they change to that format?

I think about 5-10 years ago.

The 3 hole aggregate playoff started in 2007.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/02/AR2007020201055.html

Thanks Howard.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Sean,

The U.S. Open for men ends on Father's Day.

That tradition wasn't about to be changed.

And, historically, the U.S. Women's Open has followed the Men's Open.

And that wasn't going to change.

Lastly, the Men's Open is the main show.

[Steve Lang]

   Would the men have sought out the course notebooks of the Women?

Last time i played golf in Pinehurst area in June it was darn hot.. wasn't worried about rain in the least