[PCCraig]

Disappointed to see Winged Foot in wall-to-wall green.


Looks like the NYC area has been overall dry the last couple of months, yet not a spec of brown or yellow turf.


The USGA and the WF green crew seemed to put an emphasis on rough height and health, yet would a browned out, firm and fast WF do a better job of defending par than softer fairways and thick rough?

[Jeff Schley]

Liquid Iron?

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

And, i'm curious about how much wider the fairways are for regular member play?

[Steve Lapper]

Disappointed to see Winged Foot in wall-to-wall green.


Looks like the NYC area has been overall dry the last couple of months, yet not a spec of brown or yellow turf.


The USGA and the WF green crew seemed to put an emphasis on rough height and health, yet would a browned out, firm and fast WF do a better job of defending par than softer fairways and thick rough?

Pat,


You are incorrect. The NYC Area was soaked nearly a month ago, experienced high heat and humidity for a few weeks straight and has only recently reset to normal, cooler days and night September weather. It has received normal, periodic rains since as well. High quality Supers like Steve Rabideau, Todd Raisch and Cliff Moore have all had their courses perfectly dialed, yet green for the last 30+ days.

[Cal Seifert]

And, i'm curious about how much wider the fairways are for regular member play?

I thought I remember seeing in the hole flyovers the USGA posted on YouTube that fairway widths stayed the same for this tournament.

[Kalen Braley]

Steve,

Definitions of high heat must vary.  This site says it never got above 90 in the last month in New York, and only 3 days above 85.  https://www.localconditions.com/weather-new-york-new-york/10001/past.php


However, when I tuned in this morning, I wasn't thinking I'd see a F&F track with lots of brown-tinge.  It is a parkland course in a humid part of the country so lush, green, and soft was as expected.

P.S.  As good as that 18th green looks on TV, I'd love to see it in person, looks way out of the box!

[John Emerson]

Steve,

Definitions of high heat must vary.  This site says it never got above 90 in the last month in New York, and only 3 days above 85.  https://www.localconditions.com/weather-new-york-new-york/10001/past.php


However, when I tuned in this morning, I wasn't thinking I'd see a F&F track with lots of brown-tinge.  It is a parkland course in a humid part of the country so lush, green, and soft was as expected.
P.S.  As good as that 18th green looks on TV, I'd love to see it in person, looks way out of the box!

Exactly.  Idk why we always expect these clay soil, parkland courses to be fast and firm...? 

[Andrew Harvie]

It's the first day. There's still time for it to play really difficult

[Brett Morris]

Here is a great behind the scenes look at the preparation of the course for the tournament.  Some cameos by Gil Hanse and comments on the fairway alignment.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chu9VWzytbg

[Kalen Braley]

21 players under par after day 1.  Perhaps not what I expected, but as was mentioned in the other thread, so many guys hitting wedges and 9 irons into greens that 14 years ago were 7 and 6 irons, much less long irons in Hale Irwins time.  Huge difference!

P.S.  The Phil redemption fantasy was mildly interesting but can be quickly put to bed..

https://www.usopen.com/players/01810.html#!section=tab-shots-and-stats

[John Nixon]

21 players under par after day 1.  Perhaps not what I expected, but as was mentioned in the other thread, so many guys hitting wedges and 9 irons into greens that 14 years ago were 7 and 6 irons, much less long irons in Hale Irwins time.  Huge difference!

Bubba Watson had 128 yds on his approach to 18 today.

[John Crowley]

21 players under par after day 1.  Perhaps not what I expected, but as was mentioned in the other thread, so many guys hitting wedges and 9 irons into greens that 14 years ago were 7 and 6 irons, much less long irons in Hale Irwins time.  Huge difference!

Bubba Watson had 128 yds on his approach to 18 today.


And made a 4. Driving distance is over-rated by the American golfer.

[William_G]

It's the first day. There's still time for it to play really difficult

why not have any championship course play similarly throughout the tournament?

[Matt_Cohn]

21 players under par after day 1.  Perhaps not what I expected, but as was mentioned in the other thread, so many guys hitting wedges and 9 irons into greens that 14 years ago were 7 and 6 irons, much less long irons in Hale Irwins time.  Huge difference!

Bubba Watson had 128 yds on his approach to 18 today.


And made a 4. Driving distance is over-rated by the American golfer.

Statistics say otherwise.

[Greg Chambers]

News flash:  GRASS IS GREEN

[John Nixon]

Bubba Watson had 128 yds on his approach to 18 today.


And made a 4. Driving distance is over-rated by the American golfer.



A sample of 1. Over 4 rounds I'll take the guy hitting 9 iron (or whatever) over a 3-4 iron.

[Jim Franklin]

Disappointed to see Winged Foot in wall-to-wall green.


Looks like the NYC area has been overall dry the last couple of months, yet not a spec of brown or yellow turf.


The USGA and the WF green crew seemed to put an emphasis on rough height and health, yet would a browned out, firm and fast WF do a better job of defending par than softer fairways and thick rough?

Pat,


You are incorrect. The NYC Area was soaked nearly a month ago, experienced high heat and humidity for a few weeks straight and has only recently reset to normal, cooler days and night September weather. It has received normal, periodic rains since as well. High quality Supers like Steve Rabideau, Todd Raisch and Cliff Moore have all had their courses perfectly dialed, yet green for the last 30+ days.

USGA needs to let the local supers take care of the course during event as well. Those are the guys that know what the course can and can't take. USGA can let them know what they want and they can deliver.

[Jason Thurman]

Anybody else hear that Steve Rabideau was irate with the USGA yesterday, and yelled as much to "them"? I saw a tweet, but not a story really.


I thought the course looked tough and reasonably firm and fast for the little bit I watched yesterday, but certainly not as bouncy and fast as I like to see a US Open course. But as others note, we are only one round in so far.

[David_Tepper]

https://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2020/9/17/great-leaderboard-at-winged-foot-but-32-players-gasp-are-under-par

[V. Kmetz]

And, i'm curious about how much wider the fairways are for regular member play?

About 12.5 - 20%, depending on the hole; in some cases (like #15) the fairway may only be a little wider for members, but was mowed/moved over 5-10% in the Hanse treatment, and thus plays narrower than even Open mowing lines.


And of course, the rough (very often a birds nest for members too) is uniformly higher, making whatever effect of narrowness more profound.


***Interesting and telling that Spieth's ball was lost on #2 yesterday morning; with no spectators and many fewer marshals, it went right down in that grass between #2W and #7E, where many a member tournament has been held up searching.  Shows how tough that stuff can be...JUST to find it.****

[Terry Lavin]

The course may be very green, but odds are that it will firm up by tomorrow. Even if it doesn’t get firmer, the USGA will torture the players with impossible hole locations in an effort to “protect” par.


Personally, I love the look of the place. Hanse did a great job on a great course.

[Kalen Braley]

The course may be very green, but odds are that it will firm up by tomorrow. Even if it doesn’t get firmer, the USGA will torture the players with impossible hole locations in an effort to “protect” par.


Personally, I love the look of the place. Hanse did a great job on a great course.

I agree with Terry, the course looked great and it certainly seems to have benefitted from tree removal.  I've yet to see a course that Hanse restored/renovated that didn't look fantastic.

[jeffwarne]

Disappointed to see Winged Foot in wall-to-wall green.


Looks like the NYC area has been overall dry the last couple of months, yet not a spec of brown or yellow turf.


The USGA and the WF green crew seemed to put an emphasis on rough height and health, yet would a browned out, firm and fast WF do a better job of defending par than softer fairways and thick rough?

Pat,


You are incorrect. The NYC Area was soaked nearly a month ago, experienced high heat and humidity for a few weeks straight and has only recently reset to normal, cooler days and night September weather. It has received normal, periodic rains since as well. High quality Supers like Steve Rabideau, Todd Raisch and Cliff Moore have all had their courses perfectly dialed, yet green for the last 30+ days.

correct-[size=78%]After a dry, yet hot humid summer, it has rained a lot the past month.[/size]

[Erik J. Barzeski]

***Interesting and telling that Spieth's ball was lost on #2 yesterday morning; with no spectators and many fewer marshals, it went right down in that grass between #2W and #7E, where many a member tournament has been held up searching.  Shows how tough that stuff can be...JUST to find it.****

It was in the tree, they said. Did they get that wrong on the broadcast?

[Tom_Doak]

And, i'm curious about how much wider the fairways are for regular member play?

About 12.5 - 20%, depending on the hole; in some cases (like #15) the fairway may only be a little wider for members, but was mowed/moved over 5-10% in the Hanse treatment, and thus plays narrower than even Open mowing lines.


And of course, the rough (very often a birds nest for members too) is uniformly higher, making whatever effect of narrowness more profound.


***Interesting and telling that Spieth's ball was lost on #2 yesterday morning; with no spectators and many fewer marshals, it went right down in that grass between #2W and #7E, where many a member tournament has been held up searching.  Shows how tough that stuff can be...JUST to find it.****

Someone told me today that they had 120 spotters to help find balls in the rough.  With four par-3's, that's 8-10 people per hole on the other holes

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