[Pete Lavallee]

With the South course closing on Wed. and tournaments Sun. thru Tues. I figured I better get out today to see how the course is looking. I arrived at 2:30 am and my bag was 13 th in line. I hooked up with 3 golfers from Long Beach and we teed off at 7:10; that left room for only one more group behind us before the scheduled times start at 7:30. I counted 57 bags on the patio; obviously there were a lot of disappointed golfers turned away. We started in fog, totally unable to see the group in front of us, but it burnt off by 7:45.

The course is really in the best shape I've ever seen it and I've played the day after the Buick several times. The fairways are immaculate; about 95% Kikuyu. Relagating carts to the path for the last year has made a huge difference. They were not as dry or closely cropped as they will be for the Open; but they should come around very quickly.

The rough is BRUTAL! There is a 6 yard wide first curt which is no more than a nusance; it's about 1" long and primarily composed of Kikuyu. Leave that 18 foot sward and it's deep and juicy. Although we found every ball we had some long searches; even knowing exactly where to look. All four of us were in the 5-7 handicap range and no one advanced the ball with more that a wedge hack out. The ball sank down deep into the combination of rye and poa annua; it's got to be at least 5" deep and probably even deeper if you stray 20-30 yards off the fairway.

The greens are by far the best I've seen them since the redesign. The poa annua has filled them in nicely and although they were spiked 2 weeks ago they were smooth and fast; probably about a 9, which is the fastest I've ever seen them. They are not firm and dry yet, but when play stops it should be easy to get them just the right firmness. The course was actually overwatered today; it got to 88* here on the coast so they were probably protecting against that. The approachs were not firm and dry as advertised although you can see they have been treating them like green surfaces and with a little less water you will be able to run the ball onto the greens quite easily. They are a mixture of bermuda and rye so the ball won't stick like it does in Kikuyu.

The canyons are normally staked as red water hazards but all those stakes are gone so going into any canyon will be a stroke and distance penalty. The banks of the new greens at 3, 4 and 14 are shaved tight around the edge and it's doubtful that any ball will hang up before rolling into the canyon beyond. The bank on 18 is also shaved and any ball that doesn't make it to the green will roll back into Devlin's Billabong; don't ask me how I know that!

Although we were only allowed to play the blue tees at just over 7000 yards we all broke 100; two players broke 90. Now from the tips with firmer faster greens you would really have to play well to break 100; but it could be done. It will be interesting to see how the NBC group fares in their attempt.

[Tim Leahy]

How is 6 playing as a par 4? Can you cut the corner? How about the new tee on no. 13, were you able to play it? Will anybody reach in two? Is twelve reachable as a long par 4 for a mere mortal?

[Pete Lavallee]

Tim,

The 6th has had all the trees cleared on the right side along the edge of the canyon; there is one large gum tree which palyers will have to shoot over to get to the ideal landing area. The tree clearing there is really dramatic. It was still a par 5 for us. There were 3 bunkers on the left of the landing area; they added one more further down the fairway. I think it will be a good change for the Pros. If you cut the corner you'll be in the rough; I wouldn't try it.

There was a chain link fence errected to keep us off the new tee on 13. I did play from there last summer and could not make the 245 yard carry. My buddy who hits it like a Tour Pro just barely made the fairway at about 260. I think there will only be a handfull of players that can do it; the question is how many will try?

We played the 460 tee on 12 and no one came close to reaching in 2; shouldn't be a prolem for Pros  though. The back tee is 505.

[Jon Spaulding]

Thanks for the report Pete; I'm a dope and didn't get down there recently. Maybe after the tournament. Curious about a couple of things:

1) was anything done with the green surrounds...any new chipping areas, or any existing ones roughed in?

2) any major changes in mowing patterns, other than a general narrowing?

[Pete Lavallee]

Jon,

1.)  There is a new chipping area on the left side of #7 green. They also have changed the rough line on the right of the approach to #4 green. The bank is at fairway height so you could easily bound one onto the green off that slope now.

2.)  To my eye the mowing lines are the same they use for the Buick or the other 51 weeks of the year come to think of it. They have widened the landing area on the left of #13 to accomadate drives off the new tee to the north of the signal tower. We paced off the landing area on #9 and it was 26 yards wide; I did not get the impression that the fairways are any narrower than they are for normal play.

There is a lottery this week for the first public times on June 20, keep your fingers crossed. Although I think they should wear masks charging $180; ouch.

[Carlyle Rood]

When the U.S. Open was at Shinnecock Hills, I went to the tournament and played Bethpage Black during the trip.  As far as deep rough, I recall finding my ball in the deep stuff, putting my golf bag down next to it, walking to a sprinkler head for the yardage, and then not being able to find the ball again!  Now THAT'S rough.

Carlyle

[Jon Spaulding]

Jon,

1.)  There is a new chipping area on the left side of #7 green. They also have changed the rough line on the right of the approach to #4 green. The bank is at fairway height so you could easily bound one onto the green off that slope now.

2.)  To my eye the mowing lines are the same they use for the Buick or the other 51 weeks of the year come to think of it. They have widened the landing area on the left of #13 to accomadate drives off the new tee to the north of the signal tower. We paced off the landing area on #9 and it was 26 yards wide; I did not get the impression that the fairways are any narrower than they are for normal play.

There is a lottery this week for the first public times on June 20, keep your fingers crossed. Although I think they should wear masks charging $180; ouch.

Thanks for the answers. That is a good move on both holes, especially #4. #7 with that pushed up green is nearly impossible to get up and down on with a pin on the LH side of the green under normal conditions. A shaved area (in the back too?) should at least allow the "possibility", which is fair given the difficulty of the hole otherwise.

26 paces sounds about right on #9. I would have expected tightening on 6, 7, 10, 14 a small amount to meet usga "spec" fairways .

[Jim Nugent]

Pete, what handicap were the players in your group?

Also, I'm surprised that someone who hits like a pro would have trouble carrying 260 on #13.  Wouldn't have thought that would bother guys with pro length.  Was it into the wind?  Except I thought the wind would usually come from behind you on that hole.

Finally, any ideas what the greens will stimp at during the Open? 

Thanks for your report.

[Pete Lavallee]

Jim,

We were all in the 5-7 range, with me being a short hitter, the other 3 could all hit it 250 easily if they caught one.

My point was that this guy easily carries it 260 and routinely drives it 280 which I believe is around the Tour average. It is not a routine carry and unlike #10 at Bethpage you must carry the canyon or reload.

They keep saying that the greens will stimp at 13. The greens at the South have NEVER been good  due in most part to poor management by the City. They are just coming around now, 8 years later, due to better management and new greenkeepers. We'll see if they can reach the magical 13 speed; it surely will be the first and only time they have reached that speed.

[Jim Nugent]

Pete, how do you like the chances for a 10 to break 100 there, from the back tees, with the greens stimping at 13, U.S. Open pins & rough? 

ETA: for that matter, how do you like the chances for the guys in your group to break 100 at TP, under those conditions? 

[Kalen Braley]

Hey Pete,

You going to go on night detail at Torrey?

"Torrey Pines is beefing up security at its famed La Jolla golf course after the signature hole for next month's U.S. Open Championship was vandalized for the second time in a month.

Workers arriving Sunday found a two-word vulgarity etched into a sand trap on the south course's third green -- Torrey Pines' most photographed hole -- and several broken sprinkler heads. The workers also found heavy heel marks in the green, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Could be worse I suppose, like the acid someone put on the 18th green several years ago.


http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=3403453

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