What would the Women's US Open look like at Merion this week?

[William_G]

With #2 hosting back to back Men's and Women's US Opens next year, just think how Merion would play for the women this week.

Would the long holes be too long?

[BHoover]

I think the ladies would be hitting out of a lot of divots in the fairways. 

[Mark McKeever]

They would be playing more of the member tees I am guessing.

Mark

[William_G]

I think the ladies would be hitting out of a lot of divots in the fairways. 

no doubt!

[BHoover]

I think the ladies would be hitting out of a lot of divots in the fairways. 

no doubt!

Which is why I still don't understand how the USGA is going to pull off back-to-back Opens at Pinehurst in 2014.  Frankly, I enjoy watching the regular, women's and senior Opens played on different courses. 

[David Bartman]

They would be playing more of the member tees I am guessing.

Mark

Not to mention, they wouldn't be able to hit anything more than a wedge from the rough.  I have seen women play ladies US OPEN rough and it is truly amazing how many of them struggle to hit it out of rough that just seemed like normal length rough to me.  Almost all of them are sweepers and really struggle when they have to "change" their swings to become more upright to take less grass and hit the ball first.  In fact, many of them are far more swing robots than men and dont even have an idea on how to change their swing plane to hit shots out of the rough.

Next year at Pinehurst is going to be very very interesting.   The LPGA gets the much broader infrastructure that the men's US Open provides but will it be worth it for a course that will no doubt be beat up. 

[William_G]

David,

LOL, robots lined up by their caddies.

the rough would fry their circuitry.

#2 probably works ok for robots

[Jim Nugent]

The LPGA gets the much broader infrastructure that the men's US Open provides but will it be worth it for a course that will no doubt be beat up. 

David, I'm not sure what you mean by a broader infrastructure.  Can you explain? 

[David Bartman]

Jim,

The ladies open doesn't spend nearly the amount that the men do, less TV money, on TV towers, grandstands etc.  Since the men play first all the extra infrastructure will maintain for the Ladies open providing them much more than usual.  I think think is one HUGE reason that Mr. Whan is willing to take the risk that the course is beat up and rough may be at a longer length than desired. 

[Carl Rogers]

Torture!!!!!

next year .....Pinehurst for the women might be very high risk for the women's game.  Do you want to watch the less skilled, when you can watch the highly skilled?  Women's golf needs to find a separate identity and not be compared to the men's game.

[Sam Morrow]

Let's hope weather is not a factor, what if poor weather pushes play into Monday and then there is a play-off, the ladies might not have access to the course until Tuesday.

[Carl Rogers]

Let's hope weather is not a factor, what if poor weather pushes play into Monday and then there is a play-off, the ladies might not have access to the course until Tuesday.

I wonder also if a 2 week separation would be better.

[Sam Morrow]

Let's hope weather is not a factor, what if poor weather pushes play into Monday and then there is a play-off, the ladies might not have access to the course until Tuesday.

I wonder also if a 2 week separation would be better.

Couldn't hurt, could it?

[BHoover]

Let's hope weather is not a factor, what if poor weather pushes play into Monday and then there is a play-off, the ladies might not have access to the course until Tuesday.

I wonder also if a 2 week separation would be better.

I think a week or so between Opens makes too much sense.  Sure, the idea of back-to-back Opens is attractive from a marketing standpoint, but I wonder how beat up Pinehurst will be following the men's Open?  I think the main concern is going to be divots.  Yes, the ladies will be using different teas, but I think that only raises the possibility that they will be playing from lots of fairway divots.

[Wade Whitehead]

Every time I saw an overhead shot of #1 on Sunday, I thought "I can't believe they're playing back-to-back events next year."  There were hundreds of divots.

We said the same thing as we trudged through inches of smelly mud on Friday.  Rain destroys the spectator areas and will really lessen the experience for a two-week spread.

WW

[William_G]

Torture!!!!!

next year .....Pinehurst for the women might be very high risk for the women's game.  Do you want to watch the less skilled, when you can watch the highly skilled?  Women's golf needs to find a separate identity and not be compared to the men's game.

golf is golf

yet back to back opens does invite comparisons

[Carl Johnson]

Jim,

The ladies open doesn't spend nearly the amount that the men do, less TV money, on TV towers, grandstands etc.  Since the men play first all the extra infrastructure will maintain for the Ladies open providing them much more than usual.  I think think is one HUGE reason that Mr. Whan is willing to take the risk that the course is beat up and rough may be at a longer length than desired.  

There won't be any rough, in the sense you're probably thinking about it, at Pinehurst next year.  As for hitting out of divots left by the men, I believe the course will be (should be) set up so that good drives from the women's open tees will end up past the men's divot fields.  Beyond that, there still may be issues, but I think it is worth a try.  Frankly, I give the USGA credit for going a little outside the box.  Whether it works or not, we'll have learned something.

[mike_beene]

But won't the sand based Bermuda grow over the divots quickly that time of year?The greens would be the worry from a weather perspective since they are still bent,are they not?