1972 U.S. Open - We truly can make Pebble great again

[Alex Miller]

This has nothing to do with the tournament itself, but the presentation and lost aspects of Pebble's design. Check out this film the USGA posted https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR3ZZpnwi7Q and look at the bunkering, the greens, the playable angles and recovery shots available. This set up could still challenge the pros today and looks miles better to my eye. I'm far too young to have seen Pebble like this, but what do those who have played from 70's and earlier remember of how it played compared to today?


What does everyone else see?

[Peter Flory]

Moody with the surgical mask is pretty strange.


Course looked nice and dry that year.

[Joel_Stewart]

I was there. My father and I drove down for the opening round. Nicklaus was paired with Julius Boris and Lanny Wadkins.


It was extremely tough. The rough along the bunkers was laying over in the bunkers. The fairways were narrow. The cut was at plus 10!


Nicklaus shot 71-73-72-74 to win by 3.


I do like some of the bunker shapes. Also they used a natural sand which is extremely fine and difficult to play out of.

[Nick Ribeiro]

I was there. My father and I drove down for the opening round. Nicklaus was paired with Julius Boris and Lanny Wadkins.


It was extremely tough. The rough along the bunkers was laying over in the bunkers. The fairways were narrow. The cut was at plus 10!


Nicklaus shot 71-73-72-74 to win by 3.


I do like some of the bunker shapes. Also they used a natural sand which is extremely fine and difficult to play out of.

The fairways narrow? huh? Was it a "great" course? Asking for a friend... 

[Jeff Schley]

I was there. My father and I drove down for the opening round. Nicklaus was paired with Julius Boris and Lanny Wadkins.


It was extremely tough. The rough along the bunkers was laying over in the bunkers. The fairways were narrow. The cut was at plus 10!


Nicklaus shot 71-73-72-74 to win by 3.


I do like some of the bunker shapes. Also they used a natural sand which is extremely fine and difficult to play out of.

The fairways narrow? huh? Was it a "great" course? Asking for a friend... 

It's a US Open, they are almost always more narrow than regular events.  I would think the course probably played only 6700 or so yards back then as well with tiny greens.

Other than Ran, when needed, there are no moderators here and we all like it that way.  However, please stop trolling almost every post to focus on yourself, this forum is a wonderful community discussion, thus you are getting so much criticism since you are trying to dominate every thread with your views.  I find I only get smarter when I listen, not speak. 

[Bill Charles]

I was there. My father and I drove down for the opening round. Nicklaus was paired with Julius Boris and Lanny Wadkins.


It was extremely tough. The rough along the bunkers was laying over in the bunkers. The fairways were narrow. The cut was at plus 10!


Nicklaus shot 71-73-72-74 to win by 3.


I do like some of the bunker shapes. Also they used a natural sand which is extremely fine and difficult to play out of.

The fairways narrow? huh? Was it a "great" course? Asking for a friend... 

It's a US Open, they are almost always more narrow than regular events.  I would think the course probably played only 6700 or so yards back then as well with tiny greens.

Other than Ran, when needed, there are no moderators here and we all like it that way.  However, please stop trolling almost every post to focus on yourself, this forum is a wonderful community discussion, thus you are getting so much criticism since you are trying to dominate every thread with your views.  I find I only get smarter when I listen, not speak.

Great points Jeff. I concur.

[Peter Pallotta]

Alex -
I wish architect Paul Cowley still posted here; IIRC, he worked on the grounds crew at Pebble in the late 70s
I started a thread years ago asking your same question, of folks who played a lot of golf in the 60s & 70s. Again, IIRC, the consensus was that conditions were much much different, with today's fairways more tightly mowed and running faster than yesterday's greens!
P
Maybe as with design so too with maintenance - 'greatness' might lie (or at least have its genesis in) the 'scraggliness' of Nature and in its ever-changing visage.
The trouble with USGA 'set ups', regardless of whether or not one agrees with the goals and intentions, is that they attempt to regulate (ie eliminate or dictate) this very aspect of Nature, one that is so fundamental to a game that's played outdoors and on the ground.

[John Emerson]

I really enjoyed that video!  Thanks!  But man it looks quite a bit different now huh?

[Tom_Doak]

I really enjoyed that video!  Thanks!  But man it looks quite a bit different now huh?  

My favorite part of the video was seeing players splash out of a greenside bunker that was only a foot deep.  Not sure which hole but I guarantee it’s way deeper now.  There are too many guys focused on difficulty and not enough on variety.

[Terry Lavin]

I really enjoyed that video!  Thanks!  But man it looks quite a bit different now huh?  

There are too many guys focused on difficulty and not enough on variety.

Profundity occasionally comes in small doses.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Why did it take the USGA until 72 to have the US Open at Pebble?  They did have two previous US Opens in California with Riviera in 48 and Olympic in 55.


Was this the first US Open at a Public/Resort course?

[Bill Charles]

This video brings back very fond memories of my first round at Pebble beach. I will never forget standing on the 7th tee and asking the caddy for advice. He mimicked the words used in this video, it’s a wedge or a driver depending on the day. Is there a better par 3 hole in the world?


Is it possible to have a par 3 hole where the wind can dictate a driver or a wedge today?

[Ben Hollerbach]

Why did it take the USGA until 72 to have the US Open at Pebble?  They did have two previous US Opens in California with Riviera in 48 and Olympic in 55.


Was this the first US Open at a Public/Resort course?

It was the first time the US Open was played on a public venue. But I wonder if it took them so long to go to Pebble because it was an annual tour course. It looks like the only other time up until '72 that the US Open was held at on an annual tour course was Riviera in '48, but they had only hosted the LA Open for a few years prior. I could see the USGA wanting to avoid such venues to keep the US Open courses more selective and specialized.


Also, The fairways in that '72 recap film looked anything but narrow.

[Wayne_Kozun]

What about Congressional?  When it held its first US Open in 64 was it used for regular tour events?

[Ben Hollerbach]

I don't believe Congressional was used for the Kemper until the early 80's