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George Pazin

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Re:Oakmont - A Spectator's View....
« Reply #25 on: June 18, 2007, 05:26:06 PM »
Damn, Bill, you're right, too. I forgot that I also told people how great it was at the 2003 Amateur at Oakmont. So many fewer people, it feels like you're practically caddying. I don't even remember many, if any, ropes up.
Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

Tom Bagley

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Re:Oakmont - A Spectator's View....
« Reply #26 on: June 18, 2007, 05:38:22 PM »
Compared to Winged Foot and Shinnecock, I actually found Oakmont to be quite good from a spectator's perspective.  The lack of trees allowed viewing several holes at once, from certain vantage points.  From the top row of the grandstand behind 13 green you could watch the 2nd and 3rd shots to 12 and the approaches to 14 (with binoculars).  The lack of trees also meant it was hot, hot, hot!  The most difficult viewing was on holes 2-8:  too congested, and too close to the main spectator entrance.  We were there on Saturday and purposely high-tailed it to the clubhouse side of the PA Turnpike for more breathing room.  

There were far fewer corporate tents (it seemed) than at Winged Foot.  Despite having 36 holes, WF was claustrophobic with tents.  I'm not sure if that is a function of tight quarters at WF, or because more tents were sold (it being NYC, after all).

The home hole at Oakmont was far superior, spectator wise, to the 18th at WF.  Oakmont, by the way, was also much hillier than I had imagined it to be.  It is a magnificent piece of property.

Brad Tufts

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Oakmont - A Spectator's View....
« Reply #27 on: June 18, 2007, 05:57:50 PM »
I have to agree that there were problems for the spectator at Oakmont.

The 13th grandstand may have been a great vantage pt., but it had the least turnover of any grandstand all day.  The one on #17 where you could see the guys try to drive the green was a good one with more turnover, but anyways...

Our biggest problem was we had to leave early yesterday to catch a flight out, so we tried to leave a bit early in order to catch the last hour in a bar or at the airport.  Unfortunately, the USGA closed the wooded path from #12 green back to the turnpike bridge, forcing us to go through Tiger's gallery around 10/11 to get to the bridge and buses to the Red Lot.  This added 45-60 mins to our trek, and we ended up barely making our flight.  It made less than no sense.

After going to two in a row, I like my friend's idea of trying to go to Sat., and playing Sunday before watching the final rd. on TV.  Either that or just go somewhere random for a golf weekend built around watching the tourney.  In two days of spectating, our watching centered around the middle of the field on both days, as we weren't willing to fight crowds.

I will say seeing the course in person is/was very worth it.
So I jump ship in Hong Kong....

Tom Zeni

Re:Oakmont - A Spectator's View....
« Reply #28 on: June 18, 2007, 10:39:13 PM »
George,

At any tournament I attend, I always look for the lovely Mrs. Bob Estes. However, I was at Oakmont on Saturday and I don't think that her hubby made the cut.