Oakmont - A Spectator's View....

[Tom Zeni]

Having watched Oakmont on TV, and Saturday in person, I can tell you without hesitation, that in person, Oakmont is not viewer friendly.

For the most part, we've been told there are 45,000 people per day at the course. I'm here to tell you I know what 45,000 looks like. I've been to Major League Baseball games, and NFL games, and while there may have been 45,000 on one side of the holes of the PA Turnpike, there was another 45,000 on the other side of the bridge.

You literally had to work to find an open space to view the players - not that you could ever get near a tee or a green.  I distinctly recall in 1983, and 1994 how you had more access to the interior of the course, and could actually follow players!

This year, you were herded to the outside boundries of the holes. Yes, there was the odd interior view, but not anywhere a ball would land.

Take the par 3 #8 as an example. If you stood at the rope line at the tee box, you could not see the green. Each person would lean over, so the people closest to the tees couldn't possibly see by them, and the green, as I said was a figment of ones imagination. Hell, I was closer to Dotty Pepper than I was to any player - and btw, a very nice view it was.

As for Tiger - well, when he appeared, it was show time for everyone involved. And more than one person noticed, everyone, everything, even the Met Life Blimp turned in mid-air to follow him. The logistics of his movements must be planned for who knows how long in advance.

We were standing at the 9th, with the attached practice green. We had a nice breeze and were watching the action of the 9th and the putting green. For some reason the breeze stopped, and it wasn't until I turned that I realized that Tiger had appeared on the green, and that I was surrounded by hundreds of people.

As I noticed, it was much worse as he walked down #1. I don't know how anyone could do that? 20-30 deep. I couldn't see players when it was 2 and 3 deep.

As for the course, if I could have seen more of it, I could comment on the architecture of it. In the meantime, the USGA needs to understand cueing and how to have people sit in front, with many more standing behind.

Oh, how I longed for Augusta.

[TEPaul]

Tom:

The spot I thought was odd was if you crossed over the X-ing near the tee on #10 and went to the back of the 11th green. From there you were basically trapped and if you wanted to get to any other spot on the back nine you had to go back through the X-ing near #10 tee and either behind #10 green or #18 green.

Think about that?  

Also the logjam of people leaving and entering the back nine to the right of the 9th green was a total mess.

In my opinion, having been to the Masters and Open this year (very unusual for me), if one wants to get a spectator's position anywhere near Woods anywhere on a major course one probably just needs to get up real early in the morning and stake it out and stay there.  

When the poor guy is plays tournament golf he definitely lives in a bubble.

[Garland Bayley]

Wouldn't want that rough trampled and let any bomb and gougers near the top of the leader board now would we?


Go Bubba! Top mollydooker.

[Tom Zeni]

TEPaul,

Yes, that's exactly correct. And as we were about to enter that abyss, we were informed by a volunteer of the very circumstance you made exacting note of.

Actually, I was working the rope as the players came off the 9th, going to the 10th. I aided the Plum Borough police and detached the rope from the pole for them. At one point, they promised to place me on the payroll!  

You description is totally accurate of the problems around that area. I was also disappointed with the green 10' high mesh fencing hiding the clubhouse from the practice putting green.

Seems to me it was all geared toward food and merchandizing and hence your reference to the behind the 10th and 18th.

[Michael Christensen]

that is why I usually go to practice rounds.....you can see every part of the course and no big crowds....always better to watch the action on TV

[Tom Zeni]

Mike,

I'm not sure about that - at least not any longer. Augusta is packed from Monday thru Sunday, and I'm sure Oakmont was about the same.

All in all, I'd rather be at the 18th at Augusta on Sunday than in front of a TV. But, your point is well taken.

[JohnV]

I agree that it must be tough for a spectator to get around the course, particularly if they want to follow one group.

I've also read a lot from people over the years complaining about the breaks players who are really wild get by hitting it into the areas trampled by spectators.

Well, I think the USGA moved the ropes and grandstands back for that reason.  Also, the way the back 9 at Oakmont fans out from the area around 10 tee and 18 green, there really isn't much room in there for spectators.  The little island behind number 11 is great if you want to sit there and watch everyone come through.  But don't go there if you want to keep moving.

For the players and officials the setup is great though.  We have very few rulings as the grandstands are well back and we don't get outside the ropes very often.

The really weird feeling is getting out to the 14th green where there is no spectator within 150 yards who can see the hole.  Anthony Kim made a birdie there yesterday and the only people there to applaud were myself, the walking scorer, the sign boy and about 5 marshals.  Very surreal at a major championship.

[George Pazin]

That's funny, yesterday I was standing there, alongside the 12th, looking up at the 14th and thinking, I wish I could get up there.

Now I know how - dedicate my life to being a rules official!

There are some good places, but precious few. Observing one of the other local tournaments at Oakmont is certainly much better. Even the 03 Am was obviously I lot more empty. The practifce rounds were packed.

And I agree with Tom Z, there looked like a lot more than 45,000 to me.

[Tom Zeni]

The Sunday Post-Gazette, the lead newspaper of our area estimated 10,000 to 15,000 trying to follow Tiger...and then only to get a glimpse. A 10 minute bottle-neck to cross the new bridge as Tiger went from the 1st to the 2nd hole. I'm sure, by the time they crossed, Tiger was already on the 3rd hole. You just can't play catch-up with that huge throng and limited walking/viewing area.

Stating he was watching Tiger as he passed through a periscope, one gent found the experience "almost spiritual." Sorry, but I had to chuckle. Doesn't the guy have a television?

The article also stated 27 mobile and still cameras were at the first tee with Tiger. One mounted camera was like the one you'd see at Indy, where it was on a moving track. And call me cynical, but something tells me they forgot to count the one on the blimp!

And to all the Dad's... Happy Father's Day!

[Jim Johnson]

Tom, from watching it on TV over the past 3 days, Oakmont seems to have beautiful terrain, somewhat rolling. Is that true? Or is it flatter than we realize?

I was fortunate to attend last year's Monday practice round of the Masters, and as anyone who has walked the hallowed grounds there will tell you, it is very hilly, very rolling. And, makes for good viewing as a result.

JJ

[Dan Boerger]

I, too, was there yesterday and concur that it's not particularly viewer friendly. Such is the fate of a National Open fan these days. That said, the course looked terrific, the rough very consistent and the strategic nuances were certainly highlighted; ie. the necessity of being on the correct side of the fairway.

JJ- I'm not sure if the course was flatter than you realize, but the terrain (to me at least) can best be described as rolling and with the firm fairways one must certainly take that into account if you want to score.

This is hardly a realization to many here, but I was overwhelmed at the professional's ability to get the ball out of that rough.

I was also fortunate enough to play the Pittsburgh Field Club on Friday. A really great course (not to mention a superior facility) IMO and if an invitation ever comes your way absolutely don't pass it up.

[Peter Galea]

JJ,
Oakmont is WAY hillier than I expected, with rolls, canted fairways and outstanding green contours.

[Jim Johnson]

In the opening of the telecast yesterday, NBC showed what appeared to be a Google Earth image of an aerial view of Oakmont, and what appeared to be either 9 or 18 holes immediately adjacent to the course (to the right/east).

Is this another part of the Oakmont club? Or another golf club?

JJ

[Michael Christensen]

Tony,

I agree the atmosphere of being there is phenomenal, but being an anti-crowd guy, I hate to get packed into a line of people.  I went to Shinnecock and Winged Foot on Monday and saw everything I wanted to see (maybe the spectator lines were closer to holes and players there).  Augusta is getting a little tight, but two years ago Monday was OK.

The course next to Oakmont CC is Oakmont East...I believe the club owns that now???

[Jeff Evagues]

Oakmont East is a shortish public course owned by the club. They used to have the parking there for the Open in the good old days. I've played there many times while gazing longingly across the turnpike.

[Tom Zeni]

JJ,

Save #1, which is strickly downhill, the front is more of a rolling terrain. The back nine can only be described as mostly hilly of up's and downs.

The problem, as I've thought about it, is the graduated rough. This moved the primary rough further out, and therefore the spectators were caught at the end of that progression.

That progression leaves the spectator not only on the outside, but the downside of the slope that you can't see over if you're 2 or 3 deep.

On #1 and #2, people were actually standing to the right of the walking path were the terrain tracked upward to a wooden fence. From there, at long distance they could at least see the fairway.

As a result, the course is not viewer friendly. But what burns me, is that the USGA made no attempt to utilize seating in available areas to improve sightline of the spectators.

The course next to Oakmont is Oakmont East that is owned by Oakmont CC. It has always served as the main parking lot for the Open until this year when they used a shuttle service. Still, it was used by officials, players, etc.  If you noticed the cars, or glare from windshields in the far background on some shots, that was Oakmont East. And, if I recall, it was not opened this year because it would be serving once again as a parking lot.

[Steve Wilson]

I read or was told at one time that the greens at Oakmont East are maintained in the same manner and at the same pace as Oakmont proper,  and the ordinary golfer could experience the speed of Oakmont's greens by playing Oakmont East.  Anyone know if there is any truth to this?

[Tom Zeni]

It's a total falsehood. You can play Oak East for about $22-25 with a coupon. They have a Junior tournament there, not because it's special, but because it's available.

The only thing that you can do from Oakmont East is view  the flags outside Oakmont's clubhouse. Trust me, you'll never confuse the two.

[Matt_Ward]

Tom:

I was there and I do agree that getting to certain vantage points to view the action was tough. There are a number of locations -- trying to access the right side of #3 was demanding because you needed to go through narrow areas around #2 or face the hordes trying to use the crosswalk areas.

You also have areas which were blocked out from gallery movement -- the entire left sides of #1 and #9 -- the isolated areas of #11 green and the frozen zones along the left side of #12 and the right side of #15. This forced galleries to maneuver to a much smaller viewing area.

The major upside was the addition of more grandstands. This was not present at the two previous Opens I covered in '94 and '83.

[John Kavanaugh]

Did any spectators complain about the lack of shade given all the tree removal.  I actually thought the lack of trees made the course less interesting to watch on TV.  Monochromatic so to say...even though it did seem to brown out and color up later in the week.

[tlavin]

Truth be told, golf is the worst spectator sport.  You're usually six to eight deep, off to the side of play, and the only way to really see anything is to get a good spot and stay there all day. Then you see the same shot over and over.  I'd rather watch golf on television any time.

[Dan Herrmann]

In '05, I attended Tuesday and Wednesday practice rounds at The Masters.  Tiger was very easy to follow, and we actually spent 15 minutes with his group while he practiced at #18 green.  Of course, you had to get there at about 6:30 AM, but it was worth it.

[Kalen Braley]

Truth be told, golf is the worst spectator sport.  You're usually six to eight deep, off to the side of play, and the only way to really see anything is to get a good spot and stay there all day. Then you see the same shot over and over.  I'd rather watch golf on television any time.

I've yet to attend a PGA event but always imagined this would be the case especially following a name player....

[George Pazin]

Truth be told, golf is the worst spectator sport.  You're usually six to eight deep, off to the side of play, and the only way to really see anything is to get a good spot and stay there all day. Then you see the same shot over and over.  I'd rather watch golf on television any time.

I told people this repeatedly over the weekend.

If you are really interested in seeing the tournament action, you're definitely better off with TV; the best real reasons to go are to see the course, feel the atmosphere, see some unusual players or shots they wouldn't show on normal TV, and to catch the occasional tour player wife.

 

[Bill Shamleffer]

Truth be told, golf is the worst spectator sport.  You're usually six to eight deep, off to the side of play, and the only way to really see anything is to get a good spot and stay there all day. Then you see the same shot over and over.  I'd rather watch golf on television any time.

Professional golf may be the worst spectator sport, but championship amateur golf is much better on site than watching on TV.  Just a few years ago I walked right down the fairways of Winged Foot with Ryan More and Luke List for example.