the day after the US OPen at Oakmont in 2007. We played at 9:30 am the monday after Cabrera won. At dinner the night before, we guessed, as it normally is the day after majors when we play, that the greens crews would have the day off and no maintenance was completed, therefore, the greens would be slower than the day before and a bit shaggier. However, knowing the Dir of Golf there and his high standards, i surmised that might not be the case for Oakmont.
Sure enough, I open the car door at 8:30am to the sound of mowers and equipment. Not only did they cut, but they triple cut and rolled. Greens were faster and firmer than for the final round, with exactly the same, recut hole locations. it was in the upper 80's, sunny and hot.
The golf was spectacular, and as a 4 handicap then, opened with two pars and finished with three pars to shoot 87. The rough was so difficult that wedges were tough to get out. Mentally, you cant explain how tough it is in that environment. Each shot is the "toughest" shot you have ever seen and execution is paramount. Additionally, you might execute the shot flawlessly, but if you chose the wrong shot, you fail as well.