US Open week. Golfers ripping the course.

[gohusk]

Garcia's a douche. He wanted to clarify his remarks. He wasn't bashing the place, but he compared it to playing the NBA finals with a warped floor full of holes and no backboards. Thanks for that clarity Sergio, I thought you were implying the course was a dump. You just think it's like a run down gym. There's guys making their moves today and I'm sure they didn't wake up with the built in excuse for poor play that you apparently did.

 

[uncfan103]

I was hearing this for months from local greens keepers at other courses. They were saying that they weren't going to be ready in time after some renovations they did last year in preparation for this. I like course a lot but can't criticize the players when they bitch about the greens. They scrambled to get it ready and didn't have enough time as far as the greens go. Poor planning by course management. If they would have planned a little better then they wouldn't be hearing half the complaints that they are from the players right now.

But I'm sure a lot of it is also guys not liking fescue in general because they don't see it that much. There's another course around here that uses it that I play from time to time and I actually like it a lot.

I think it's the poa in the fescue which is why they don't like it

 

[GNG]

Garcia's a douche. He wanted to clarify his remarks. He wasn't bashing the place, but he compared it to playing the NBA finals with a warped floor full of holes and no backboards. Thanks for that clarity Sergio, I thought you were implying the course was a dump. You just think it's like a run down gym. There's guys making their moves today and I'm sure they didn't wake up with the built in excuse for poor play that you apparently did.

Henrik Stenson said the greens are like putting on broccoli.

 

[gohusk]

Henrik Stenson said the greens are like putting on broccoli.

Everyone knows that a good portion of the greens are in poor shape. But some people seem to be content to bitch about it constantly while other guys are nutting up and playing golf. There are problems. I just don't want to hear the guy who's whined his entire career rant about something else.

 

[RegentDenali]

The leaders are sporting scores like -5 and -6 and this is a damn long course. If the leaders were at +8, then there would be room to bitch that the course was too fucked up to play properly. The U.S. Open is supposed to be the biggest challenge of the year and Chambers delivers that.

The guys in the lead are no real surprises. It's not like it's dumb luck they have these scores after three days.

And the USGA picked this course when it was open less than a year as they were so impressed with it and knew what a challenge it would offer. The designers obviously did something right.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

The leaders are sporting scores like -5 and -6 and this is a damn long course. If the leaders were at +8, then there would be room to bitch that the course was too fucked up to play properly. The U.S. Open is supposed to be the biggest challenge of the year and Chambers delivers that.

The guys in the lead are no real surprises. It's not like it's dumb luck they have these scores after three days.

And the USGA picked this course when it was open less than a year as they were so impressed with it and knew what a challenge it would offer. The designers obviously did something right.

The only complaints that are valid are about the greens. The should be a set standard to produce a smooth pure roll of the golf ball. Putting on bumpy greens should never be "part" of the unique challenge of a venue.

Also, be careful with with any correlation in determining how fair a US Open venue is by using scoring.

Just about all the US Open's venue's are dragons on a chain. Mike Davis and the USGA have the US Opens set up so they are in complete control. They can make Chambers bay a complete nightmare anytime they wish.

It may be as easy as 1 day with no watering and the dragon is off the chain. That is not even factoring in pin placement.

(this is also why the US Open will shy away from locations with lots of rain. If it rains they lose control and the dragon becomes a paper tiger)

 

[GNG]

Everyone knows that a good portion of the greens are in poor shape. But some people seem to be content to bitch about it constantly while other guys are nutting up and playing golf. There are problems. I just don't want to hear the guy who's whined his entire career rant about something else.

Actually the fault lies with the USGA. Those greens are a disgrace but the course is nice.

 

[gohusk]

Actually the fault lies with the USGA. Those greens are a disgrace but the course is nice.

Everyone's playing the same greens. Some people are just gutting it out better than others are.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

Everyone's playing the same greens. Some people are just gutting it out better than others are.

There are clear limits to that argument.

Why not have uneven dirt fields in the NFL? .. they all have to play on the same surface.
The reason we give them perfect fields is because it allows for the best performance a player can give you.

Same goes for a Professional golfer. Give them fast smooth greens with lots of breaks and you will get to see them perform at their best.

Lets not forget, the biggest complaint so far was not about the greens but about the 18th hole and that complaint came from Jordan Spieth.

 

[gohusk]

There are clear limits to that argument.

Why not have uneven dirt fields in the NFL? .. they all have to play on the same surface.
The reason we give them perfect fields is because it allows for the best performance a player can give you.

Same goes for a Professional golfer. Give them fast smooth greens with lots of breaks and you will get to see them perform at their best.

Lets not forget, the biggest complaint so far was not about the greens but about the 18th hole and that complaint came from Jordan Spieth.

I'm not saying that the greens are good. They're obviously bad. But the constant whining by some of these guys is getting annoying, especially from Sergio. He's been whining about something since he hit the scene and has made some really stupid comments. Maybe if he were able to do a better job of nutting up he would have had a couple of majors by now. God knows he's always had the talent.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

I'm not saying that the greens are good. They're obviously bad. But the constant whining by some of these guys is getting annoying, especially from Sergio. He's been whining about something since he hit the scene and has made some really stupid comments. Maybe if he were able to do a better job of nutting up he would have had a couple of majors by now. God knows he's always had the talent.

You would think by now Sergio would have to know what his rep is and would look to become a more sympathetic figure before the last grain of sand leave his golf career hour glass.

If something is really broken, let the other guys complain. Sergio has enough complaints for 2 careers.

Sergio is a real journeyman of golf but he has wrecked his legacy because he can't shut up.

 

[GNG]

Everyone's playing the same greens. Some people are just gutting it out better than others are.

No major championship should be played on bumpy greens.

 

[gohusk]

No major championship should be played on bumpy greens.

Many a major was played where you weren't even allowed to mark, lift, and clean on the green. Now there's mark, clean, and place on the fairways in wet conditions. I don't think they're bad rules but today's golfers are so pampered with the rules, ridiculously manicured "roughs", and ridiculously engineered equipment. Everyone has got the point, nobody out there likes the greens. Now they need to just shut up and play.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

Many a major was played where you weren't even allowed to mark, lift, and clean on the green. Now there's mark, clean, and place on the fairways in wet conditions. I don't think they're bad rules but today's golfers are so pampered with the rules, ridiculously manicured "roughs", and ridiculously engineered equipment. Everyone has got the point, nobody out there likes the greens. Now they need to just shut up and play.

Hey, lets not forget the widest fairways in US Open history and I believe in the top 3 longest ever.

The one thing that really is unfair is the advantage given to the top 50 or so long hitters.

 

[Wazmankg]

Whether you like hearing them complain or not, the course is a shit show. I bet nearly all of them feel that way. Some are just willing to put it out there for public consumption. They won't be back. It reminds me of one I've played up on Lake Michigan a few times, Arcadia Bluffs. But it's Arcadia Bluffs on steroids and acid. It was probably a great rock quarry, though.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Played golf all my life and grew up in Washington State. Course looked plenty challenging and perfectly acceptable as a major event to me. I've seen more ridiculous US Open courses. Wasn't there one in recent memory where somebody (Tiger I thought?) won with a -1 score?

On a side note: Props to a golf course having the balls to not allow stupid ass golf carts that naturally attract a bunch of fatties and unfit seniors (Dad is turning 70 this year and the guy still skis black diamonds, fast walks 5 miles every other day, and swims) that give you that, "DURRRRR!?" expression when you tell them to move their ass.

 

[gohusk]

Hey, lets not forget the widest fairways in US Open history and I believe in the top 3 longest ever.

The one thing that really is unfair is the advantage given to the top 50 or so long hitters.

The weather played a huge factor in this as well. You don't design a golf course in the Puget Sound to stay soft and play well in dry conditions. If it was 4 rounds of grey, drizzle, and a little wind then they probably would have shortened it up a little bit and make it more playable. Part of the ridiculousness is the long players are just hitting right over the trouble spots.

There's tough and there's inconsistent. If it were just tough then that would be one thing. But the inconsistent greens are on the course management. Shutting the course down to fix it just wasn't an option because they couldn't cut off that revenue stream.

 

[Brasky]

LOL we see right through you Washington and NW locals defending the course. I get it. It's in your back yard, but it doesn't change the fact that the course has made a mockery of the U.S. Open.

If the USGA got a do over, they wouldn't touch this course with a ten foot pole.

 

[Brasky]

Many a major was played where you weren't even allowed to mark, lift, and clean on the green. Now there's mark, clean, and place on the fairways in wet conditions. I don't think they're bad rules but today's golfers are so pampered with the rules, ridiculously manicured "roughs", and ridiculously engineered equipment. Everyone has got the point, nobody out there likes the greens. Now they need to just shut up and play.

 

[GNG]

On a side note: Props to a golf course having the balls to not allow stupid ass golf carts that naturally attract a bunch of unfit seniors

So you don't believe Senior golfers should be in golf carts. My dad is an excellent golfer and very fit but has a back condition that doesn't allow him to walk 18 holes. So you would discriminate against older folks and folks with medical conditions that make it difficult to walk.