Poulter's Instagram and Pic of Chambers Bay Green

[John Scharon]

FWIW

https://instagram.com/p/4Nmq2zpg2V/?taken-by=ianjamespoulter

[noonan]

I would want my money back if I paid a green fee.

[Garland Bayley]

I would want my money back if I paid a green fee.

Would you really? Would you take the word of the whiners, or would actually play and enjoy it, because these guys may be blowing the situation all out of proportion.


Anyone like Ian that states half the field of a PGA event would withdraw by Wednesday if they were on these greens at a PGA event lacks credibility to me. He seems to ignore that they are playing for a whole lot of money and reducing your chances of winning a whole lot of money by withdrawing seems like an ill-conceived idea to me.




Besides if you were to take a magnified close up of your skin, you might see something that would make you want to skin yourself alive.

[DMoriarty]

I haven't played CB.  I enjoyed the coverage very much. It looks like a fun course, although the walk doesn't look all that fun.  Overall I loved the look of the conditions from what I could see on t.v.  I don't have much sympathy for tour pros whining about the conditions.

That said, I don't understand the circle-the-wagon defense regarding the conditions on some of the greens.  What I keep asking myself is, when the USGA decided to host this tournament at CB, is this what they envisioned for the greens?  Or did something go awry along the way? 

If something went awry, then why not face it honestly?   I think that is part of what Poulter was saying.

[Bill Shotzbarger]

cry baby

[Garland Bayley]

...
If something went awry, then why not face it honestly?   I think that is part of what Poulter was saying.

Perhaps there was nothing to face. Perhaps Poulter is  not honest. Perhaps claiming that half a PGA tour field would withdraw if the greens presented such an issue sheds some light on his honesty.


I have played the course five times and I have no issue with the greens. Perhaps Ian should become more accustomed to how the other half lives.

[Keith Doleshel]

I haven't played CB.  I enjoyed the coverage very much. It looks like a fun course, although the walk doesn't look all that fun.  Overall I loved the look of the conditions from what I could see on t.v.  I don't have much sympathy for tour pros whining about the conditions.

That said, I don't understand the circle-the-wagon defense regarding the conditions on some of the greens.  What I keep asking myself is, when the USGA decided to host this tournament at CB, is this what they envisioned for the greens?  Or did something go awry along the way? 

If something went awry, then why not face it honestly?   I think that is part of what Poulter was saying.

I totally agree.  The USGA made it worse by going into full-fledged denial mode all week.  I feel like most players would have dealt with the situation better if the USGA admitted that the greens were not where they should have been.  Some of the players might not have handled the situation well, but neither did Davis or the boys from Golf House.

[Donovan Childers]

So this guy was Bitching before the tournament,  now he is bitching after, big surprise.  If you want to see how the course plays for the am golfer, just go look up the last few years they have hosted the GC Am tour, scores are in line with other top courses that tour plays.

[Pat Burke]

...
If something went awry, then why not face it honestly?   I think that is part of what Poulter was saying.

Perhaps there was nothing to face. Perhaps Poulter is  not honest. Perhaps claiming that half a PGA tour field would withdraw if the greens presented such an issue sheds some light on his honesty.


I have played the course five times and I have no issue with the greens. Perhaps Ian should become more accustomed to how the other half lives.

Garland,
I truly mean this respectfully.  When you played there, were the greens, in your opinion, the same quality of roll as what Chambers appeared to be?  I am certainly not a fan of Poulter by any stretch, but from a distance, it appears that the USGA really screwed the conditions up.  From what I've heard, the greens were slow but rolled pretty decently a month ago. 

[DMoriarty]

Garland,

When the USGA decided to host this tournament at CB, is this what they envisioned for the greens?  Or did something go awry along the way? 

[Ruediger Meyer]

Anyone like Ian that states half the field of a PGA event would withdraw by Wednesday if they were on these greens at a PGA event lacks credibility to me. He seems to ignore that they are playing for a whole lot of money and reducing your chances of winning a whole lot of money by withdrawing seems like an ill-conceived idea to me.

The sad thing is that we indeed have lots of tournaments with mass withdrawals just because it is too wet, too bumpy. Whatever. The entitlement of these guys is unbelievable.

On a side note: It is fitting that the guys who whined the most (Garcia, Montgomerie, Horschel, Poulter) are all majorless.

[Brent Hutto]

I haven't played CB.  I enjoyed the coverage very much. It looks like a fun course, although the walk doesn't look all that fun.  Overall I loved the look of the conditions from what I could see on t.v.  I don't have much sympathy for tour pros whining about the conditions.

That said, I don't understand the circle-the-wagon defense regarding the conditions on some of the greens.  What I keep asking myself is, when the USGA decided to host this tournament at CB, is this what they envisioned for the greens?  Or did something go awry along the way? 

If something went awry, then why not face it honestly?   I think that is part of what Poulter was saying.

Well said and I agree on all points.

[David Davis]

I think it tells a lot about pros that whine all the time, have to have an excuse to make up for poor effort.


It takes me back to 8th grade basketball, we had a hot-head coach. I was playing post and sat out the last two minutes of the quarter. Coach was livid at something that happened in the last 30 seconds and screaming at me for this. I raised my hand as the veins starting popping out of his balled forehead. "What" he screamed...I said coach I was sitting on the bench the last two minutes. He then went off on me, "No excuses! Only losers make excuses!" Regardless of whether he was right or wrong, his final words I took to heart and have always tried to avoid making excuses for anything." Poulter and several of his counterparts could learn a lot from that type of professional conduct. We all know he would of won had the greens been up to his standard.


I can't imagine anyone on this site asking their money back after a round at Chamber's due to the greens being poor. While they clearly wouldn't be the best you'd ever seen, I doubt a single person would not appreciate the experience. The greens have always rolled great in my rounds there and looked not too different from what I saw on tv.

[Phil McDade]

I haven't played CB.  I enjoyed the coverage very much. It looks like a fun course, although the walk doesn't look all that fun.  Overall I loved the look of the conditions from what I could see on t.v.  I don't have much sympathy for tour pros whining about the conditions.

That said, I don't understand the circle-the-wagon defense regarding the conditions on some of the greens. What I keep asking myself is, when the USGA decided to host this tournament at CB, is this what they envisioned for the greens?  Or did something go awry along the way? 

If something went awry, then why not face it honestly?   I think that is part of what Poulter was saying.

Agree with David here; let's just say honesty is not always a forte of Mr. Davis and the USGA when it comes to commenting on tournament set-ups -- see reply #58 (mine) in this thread about the set-up at Congressional:


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,48635.0.html

[Mike_Young]

You can argue with Poulter and others all you want but you don't see developers lining up to use fescue on their greens.  If this was a TPC owned course ,would the greens have been fescue?  Let's face it. The US Open is a political statement regarding water, maintenance cost and various other things they can push as they say the are trying "to grow the game".  I have played fescue at Bandon and overseas and it was good but when it's bad, it's bad just like other surfaces.  The thing not being mentioned as much is the new style of viewing golf it seems.  I guess we will know more after Erin Hills.  These venues are being chosen and set up nt so much for following golfers as for panoramic views of several holes, prime camera sites for TV, restroom locations and food locations.  I realize golf has to attract the millenials but not sure if the tail is chasing the dog...

[noonan]

I would want my money back if I paid a green fee.

Would you really? Would you take the word of the whiners, or would actually play and enjoy it, because these guys may be blowing the situation all out of proportion.


Anyone like Ian that states half the field of a PGA event would withdraw by Wednesday if they were on these greens at a PGA event lacks credibility to me. He seems to ignore that they are playing for a whole lot of money and reducing your chances of winning a whole lot of money by withdrawing seems like an ill-conceived idea to me.




Besides if you were to take a magnified close up of your skin, you might see something that would make you want to skin yourself alive.

I would want my money back if I paid a green fee.

Are you defending the condition of those greens. With picture evidence how can you argue they are worthy of the US Open.


Would you really? Would you take the word of the whiners, or would actually play and enjoy it, because these guys may be blowing the situation all out of proportion.


Anyone like Ian that states half the field of a PGA event would withdraw by Wednesday if they were on these greens at a PGA event lacks credibility to me. He seems to ignore that they are playing for a whole lot of money and reducing your chances of winning a whole lot of money by withdrawing seems like an ill-conceived idea to me.




Besides if you were to take a magnified close up of your skin, you might see something that would make you want to skin yourself alive.

The picture speaks for itself. Those greens are not worthy of a US Open contested on them. They may be not good enough for a good game between friends. My friends would accept the condition of these greens. Fact.

[noonan]

Most people that call people like Poulter whiners have never played any sport at a high level. You do not want the adverse condition of the playing field determining the champion. That should be skill. if the greens were decent Dustin wins by 4.

[John Kavanaugh]

It use to piss me off when many of you would post pictures of the winter kill out at Dismal when it first opened. Poulter learned from the best. #keepyourcamerasoffthecourse

[Richard Hetzel]

Most people that call people like Poulter whiners have never played any sport at a high level. You do not want the adverse condition of the playing field determining the champion. That should be skill. if the greens were decent Dustin wins by 4.

Nope. They all putted on the same (albeit poor) surfaces. DJ lost the US Open more than Jordan won it. I hate to say it, but he couldn't seal the deal with just 2 putts from 15 feet. DJ ranks 159th on tour when putting inside of 6 feet, no wonder he lost.


The course, IMO, looked great. I'll reserve judgement on the greens until I get to play there.

[Daniel Jones]

Oh come on, Ian. That's clearly the Lo-Fi filter exaggerating things


All I know is, I haven't been that glued to the end of a major in a very long time. As was pointed out earlier, perhaps those crying loudest should look inward instead of blaming greens - which the entire field putted - for the reason why they still don't have a major.

[Ben Attwood]

Losing a lot of respect for Poulter. Brandon Grace holed all the putts he needed too, it was only a bad swing that cost him. Dustin clearly lost the pace of the greens on the back nine and his missed putts were not bad luck on bad greens. Many ways to loose and win a golf tournament.

I would like to see the putting stats for the week.

The USGA staying out of the argument and just saying the generic defense is wise because 'being honest' would detract from the winners glory and that would be worse.

[RKoehn]

It's ironic how a group here that spends an incredible about of time arguing about the relative merits of the most minute elements of golf course design quickly latches hold of the "they were all playing the same course/greens!" argument when a brown USGA course is at stake.  Another stupid argument repeated often on this site over the last few days is "these guys make a lot of money so they have no right to complain," as if the USGA is doing these players some sort of favor by holding the event (Hint: the USGA is a very profitable enterprise).  The propaganda machine has been hard at work on your minds!


The point is simple: major championships should be played on courses that are fairly designed and in top condition, to ensure that the winner is determined by skill and mental endurance while, to the greatest extent possible, eliminating luck as a determining factor.  Poor green conditions and a silly course setup with wild caroms everywhere seem inconsistent with this goal to many of the game's most decorated professionals, and I agree.  Spieth is an incredible young man and golfer, and had a well-earned victory.


As I said yesterday before the start of the round, of course it was an exciting finish - what made it exciting is that the course was so absurd that anything could happen to any player at any time.  While the USGA is a business and the ratings were surely strong, making Fox happy, this setup was a major departure from historical standards.

[William_G]

Most people that call people like Poulter whiners have never played any sport at a high level. You do not want the adverse condition of the playing field determining the champion. That should be skill. if the greens were decent Dustin wins by 4.

It is not ok to be psychotic
These guys have so much time on their hands doing nothing
Pampered brats when they should be thanking everyone for the thousands of volunteer hours put in so they could "compete"
Bad role models for future generations of competitors

[Michael Tamburrini]

Most people that call people like Poulter whiners have never played any sport at a high level. You do not want the adverse condition of the playing field determining the champion. That should be skill. if the greens were decent Dustin wins by 4.

It is not ok to be psychotic
These guys have so much time on their hands doing nothing
Pampered brats when they should be thanking everyone for the thousands of volunteer hours put in so they could "compete"
Bad role models for future generations of competitors

Why are the volunteers still volunteers at these events?


The US Open has prize money of $10 million.  Couldn't the multimillionaire competitors make do with, say, $9 million, leaving plenty to pay to the volunteers so they're not giving up a week of their time for nothing.

[Mark Buzminski]

Most people that call people like Poulter whiners have never played any sport at a high level. You do not want the adverse condition of the playing field determining the champion. That should be skill. if the greens were decent Dustin wins by 4.

The greens did not cost Dustin Johnson the tournament.   His putting stroke evaporated on the back nine.