Feature Interview with John Morrissett

[Ran Morrissett]

 A very neat week is unfolding at Erin Hills, where my brother has worked since 2010.

So much has been made about the course's evolution that, honestly, the course that is in the ground today doesn't quite seem to get its props, at least to me. At the end of this weekend, I reckon there will be a new appreciation for Erin Hills. Holes like 2, 9, 12, 14, 15 and 18 will insert themselves into the consciousness of American golf. Sadly, Chambers Bay suffered poor timing with its immature Poa greens when it hosted. At a more opportune time, I think that design would have been wildly celebrated. Conditioning is no issue this week so the focus can be the merits of the architecture - I believe it will all be to the upside, assuming the rain leaves. Who doesn't want to watch the best play on predominately fescue fairways? Who doesn’t enjoy a venue where wind is a factor? Who doesn't appreciate the wider fairways on offer at Chambers, Pinehurst and here?

Personally, I am most looking forward to the play from the many well positioned bunkers. Many different stances/lies will be served up when playing out of these genuine hazards - gnashing of the teeth will ensue, which is exactly when a player's head can go wonky.

Also, isn't this the brand of golf that we tend to espouse - open, expansive, grand? Not everyone is privileged to get to go to places like Sand Hills or Tara Iti so having this sort of golf occupy center stage instead of a narrow, parkland design is liberating. Hopefully, the compelling visuals that will emerge from this most handsome landscape will help reverse some of the decline in the interest of the game.

John shares some of his thoughts here on a course that he knows very, very well:

http://golfclubatlas.com/feature-interview-with-john-morrissett/

Good luck to brother John, the Erin Hills team, and the USGA!

[Phil McDade]

Thanks Ran,and John, for the insightful comments. Nice to see a shout-out to West Bend's 7th -- a hole that needs to be seen to be believed.

[Ira Fishman]

I find it very difficult to assess/understand a course by watching on TV, but this terrific interview will help a lot this weekend.


Ira

[John Kavanaugh]

Ran,


Please congratulate your brother on this excellent day of golf. I have played Erin Hills, miss the Dell Hole dearly, and am shocked at how great the course is coming across on TV. I often have people ask me if I have ever played the course and now with a renewed pride will give a resounding Yes!!!

[Terry Lavin]

Ran,


Please congratulate your brother on this excellent day of golf. I have played Erin Hills, miss the Dell Hole dearly, and am shocked at how great the course is coming across on TV. I often have people ask me if I have ever played the course and now with a renewed pride will give a resounding Yes!!!

But for the Dell, I'm compelled to agree. I really like EH, based on one play and think that it presents well on tv. They'll torture the field on the weekend but it will still look good on the tube, methinks.

[Jerry Kluger]

I remember playing Chambers Bay and wondering where would they fit all of the spectators.  Erin Hills looks like a great venue for watching the tournament with plenty of room plus slopes and hillsides to view from. So far the course has been a really good test for the players and let's see what happens to the scoring on the weekend.

[Tim_Cronin]

It looks great on TV (even Fox can't botch that), and is more amazing in person with or without tournament trappings.


I also miss the Dell Hole (RIP, as it says in the yardage book). It would be neat to put the green back so players can still experience it. The ladies tee for the current hole could be used to play the current hole for us romantics.


And why did I not connect Ran and John previously? It's not like the last name is Smith! Crack reporter I am.

[Charlie_Bell]

I didn't read this until today, the Tuesday after the tournament, and I'm sorry I didn't read it sooner.  Hearing the course described by someone intimately familiar with it creates an impression that one can't glean from watching even those spectacular hole-by-hole flyover videos again and again.  Thank you, Ran, and thank you, John.


Naturally hoping to turn my fantasy into reality I hurried to the EH website to determine the particulars of a visit.  I was not surprised to discover the green fees for a luxe course, but I was shocked to see that, despite being a walkers-only facility, EH prohibits the use of pull carts. 


When the Kid-Bro Morrissett Feature Interview, Part 2, is conducted, I fervently hope that scribe Ran will ask guest John about the discussion attending this policy.