The official AK golf thread
- Thread starter cubdog
- Start date
I think courses should be challenging. Pro golfers shooting -20 gets boring. But these greens are over the top. Every shot has to land perfectly or the ball rolls off. That's not golf.
That's not golf, it's U.S.Open golf.
The USGA thinks 'par' is a stretch goal.
H2oman7.62mm
Super Member
My good friend and I worked at a country club that both our golfing parents were members of, we were the groundskeepers. It rained quite a bit before the club championship so no a lot of grass was cut until just before the tournament, Rick and I were tasked with getting the course ready quickly. I narrowed the fairways and left the rough long, Rick cross cut the greens, we set the tees and pins in some of the more challenging locations. The course was beautiful, and the 1st round scores were pretty high. While the members tried to find and lynch Rick and I, the superintendent was forced to widen the fairways, cut the rough, relocate the pins and tees so that the course was easier on the members the next day.
Good times.
Last edited:
Koepka hits the green 15' from the hole and the ball rolls off the green. I fail to see the point in making a golf course so difficult it's unplayable for the best golfers in the world.
The best golfers in the world can't play this course.
lissenup
Super Member
Anyone can play this course. I did and scored right around my typical round. Keep in mind when I played it was not set up for championship play but all the elements are there. It’s a great course that challenges all levels of players.
There's only 8 golfers in a field of 54 that are under par. That speaks volumes. Regardless, it doesn't matter because they all have to play the same course. And I don't have to like the course which I don't.
Dswankey
Lunatic Member
If by volumes you mean on average for a "U.S, Open, then you're spot on.
My guess is USGA is breathing a sigh of relief that their yearly major test has returned back to what they prefer after the grumbling of 2023 with 18 golfers under par
2022 9 golfers finished under par
2021 12 golfers finished under par
2020 1 golfer finished under par
2019 9 golfers finished under par
2018 0 golfers finished under par
Avg including 2023 - 8.1 golfers
Avg 5yr's prior - 6.2 golfers
Dswankey
Lunatic Member
Is it this course or the USGA decision makers?
Also a majority of the players playing/played here played below as well
Shinnecock 2018 winning score +1
Pebble Beach 2019 winning score -13
Winged Foot 2020 winning score -6
Torrey Pines 2021 winning score -6
Last week at the Memorial, the course was challenging yet able to showcase the golfers talent. This week we watched the golfers get beat by the course. It was not entertaining.
Dswankey
Lunatic Member
Agreed to en extent but that's what the USGA does when it comes to the Open. There's a rotating US Open venue near me and having spoken to members, months prior to the run up they've told me the course is usually off limits.
The USGA decision makers and their grounds crew in conjunction with the clubs grounds crew are pretty much tweaking it on a daily basis to make it as diabolically hard as possible and this course is already really hard for the members.
They do this at all the US Open venues, a lot of which are already no fun to play if you're not a top notch golfer
Some folks really like to see the top professionals suffer it's kinda sadistic but it is what it is. I much prefer The Masters as it's super tough but fair and on a good day one can go low and vice versa
lissenup
Super Member
Why see a multitude of golfers well below par over a weekend? We all know these guys are very talented and to showcase what they can do is quite frankly boring. To showcase what they can’t perfect over 72 holes is far more interesting and given that on any weekend there are a number of golfers with the right combination of accurate ball striking, course management, stress management, and some luck can win a tournament.
Not sure how this US Open can even be compared to last week’s Memorial. I saw both. I don’t see course grooming as being sadistic, it’s merely adding an element that most viewers as well as golfers enjoy.
Of course they can.
I saw players drop the ball close to the hole and roll off into the weeds. I saw guys hit the fairways and the ball roll off into the weeds. I never saw so many putts from off the green, because they couldn't chip the ball. There's a point between being difficult and a course being designed to be nearly impossible. While I don't necessarily enjoy seeing pro golfers birdie every hole I do enjoy seeing them showcase their talent. As a golfer I watch in amazement knowing how difficult it is. Personally I found the Open to be less entertaining than other events because it was survival rather than competition. Just my observation and opinion. I did enjoy DeChambeau's banter with the gallery and his jubilation when he won. Golf needs more of that I think.