2018 US OPEN

[Golfspy_CG2]

Especially one that doesn't have “Free Stuff”

 

 

 

 

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Funniest post Ive read, in quite a while.

 

 

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[palvord]

What a great tournament. And with all of this chatter about course set up, the gallery, Phil's use of the rules, etc I feel that the USGA is getting what it wants. The conversation about this tournament will carry for quite some time.

 

 

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[Shankster]

I'm not gonna say it. But I'm gonna say it. I picked BK to win, and should have in the spy slam. His play had been top notch, and he excels on hard courses. So when I said I had my US Open and Open Champs picked, well they finished 1-2 this week. And I bet they will be battling for some time. Two extremely great professionals, I'd like to see them paired up again sometime.

[Undershooter]

isnt that just luck though, day 2 the morning was wet and windy, afternoon dry warm and no wind

No luck involved at all. The course was set up poorly and the afternoon players who had played the best all week, were penalized for their good play. That is different than the weather affecting play. Btw DJ had the worst side of the draw each of the first 3 days and was still tied for the lead. That's impressive

[Rickp]

What a great tournament. And with all of this chatter about course set up, the gallery, Phil's use of the rules, etc I feel that the USGA is getting what it wants. The conversation about this tournament will carry for quite some time.

 

 

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Saturday was not good but Sunday was pretty good . Even SWMBO watched most of it. She still thinks Phil was the funniest thing she ever saw at a golf tournament

 

 

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[Shankster]

Also. I'm glad Nike put him in gray. That ugly green last year was hideous.

[Shankster]

Last thing before I shut up.

 

JPX Tour sales will get a nice bump in he coming weeks again.

[Undershooter]

Unfortunately, due to a tourney I missed most of the action today. I doubt I made any noise in the MGS Wilson contest but I did win the US Open pool that I'm in! Time to sit down and watch the replay to see how I won my $$

Big thanks to Rose, Koepka, Fleetwood, Grace, Cantlay and Stricker! Lol

[palvord]

Saturday was not good but Sunday was pretty good . Even SWMBO watched most of it. She still thinks Phil was the funniest thing she ever saw at a golf tournament

 

 

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My Father-in-Law and I were laughing about it today as well. When he first saw the replay he thought it was him messing around on a practice green. Made it even funnier to him that he did it in tournament play.

 

And as to Saturday, people were talking. For one reason or another. Kind of the any press is good press theory. I do wish that people were able to talk about the great golf all weekend instead of the ancillary stuff.

 

 

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[spongy5]

Loved that the US Open makes a pro feel like me every day.

[CFrazier]

Is it wrong for me to be happy that Reed didn't win?

 

 

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[Shankster]

Is it wrong for me to be happy that Reed didn't win?

 

 

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Not one bit.

[Wedgie]

Saturday was not good but Sunday was pretty good . Even SWMBO watched most of it. She still thinks Phil was the funniest thing she ever saw at a golf tournament

 

 

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I think Beef agreed. I guess he apologized to Phil because he couldn't stop laughing.

 

 

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[revkev]

I'd like to point out that the guy who won shot even for the last two days. Others shot under par for those days.

 

It was tough, but the guy who played best - prevailed. It wasn't quite as unfair as everyone was screaming about.

 

Carnoustie has the potential to be every bit as tough, too.

 

Enjoy that.

 

BTW I hear the USGA is bringing a floating tee in to make 18 at Pebble a 575 yard par 4.

 

 

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[Shankster]

One more thing.

 

A Bomber Won the US Open.

 

That is all.

[revkev]

One more thing.

 

A Bomber Won the US Open.

 

That is all.

Let's set the record straight and be done with this.

 

Best player ever- Jack Nicklaus - bomber

 

Second best - Tiger Woods - bomber

 

Third best - Bobby Jones - bomber

 

Long and straight is the most important attribute in golf. The largest difference between tour pro and scratch - distance. The largest difference between each handicap level and the next - distance.

 

It's really not t rocket science.

 

 

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[robertson153]

Let's set the record straight and be done with this.

 

Best player ever- Jack Nicklaus - bomber

 

Second best - Tiger Woods - bomber

 

Third best - Bobby Jones - bomber

 

Long and straight is the most important attribute in golf. The largest difference between tour pro and scratch - distance. The largest difference between each handicap level and the next - distance.

 

It's really not t rocket science.

 

 

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I respectfully disagree. First-I am top 5 at my club in distance (driver-wedges) but I'm in the bottom half in handicap. My iron game holds me back. Second-no one group will ever agree on who the GOAT is in any sport. You can however get a consensus (most of the time) on who ruled in their particular era. Just my opinion here.

 

 

Blake

[excourse]

The greats may have been or are bombers, but they also have extraordinary short games. There are lots of bombers who aren't even footnotes in the great golfer discussion.

DJ is a bomber, yet he lost the tournament because of his putting over the weekend.

 

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[Undershooter]

I could not disagree more,

There are many thousands of players who consistently strike the ball "long and straight", from muni amateurs to country club amateurs to junior players to collegiate players to mini tour players around the world etc.... It's just not that challenging, especially with today's equipment, to consistently strike long, straight shots. Attend a D1 college event, US Amateur, web.com, State Open , or even national junior event and most every player in the field is striking beautiful long drives, solid 5-irons etc... all day long. Those shots are relatively easy and many thousands of players around the world do it, every day.

So, the game changer, the thing that separates a big Tour player from all the rest, is his ability to consistently get the ball up and down. Chipping, pitching, bunker play, putting is everything, really, because the tee to green game is something many thousands of people can do.

Brooks Koepka won the US Open today because of his short game. For example, he made a miraculous 4 on the par 3 11th. He made an incredible up and down from behind the 12th green. He made a sensational up and down to save par on hole 14.

And Tiger in his prime dominated because his pitching, chipping, putting was significantly better than anybody he competed against.

@Robertson153 People often get this idea wrong. Just because someone excells at length or shortgame or approach shots or putting doesn't mean they can be deficient at other parts of the game if they want to excel. Btw Rev said long and straight. Just because you swing it 120 and can't hit it straight doesn't mean you should beat people. I know that from experience!

 

 

@Topline You are off on Koepka and his short game btw. His SG short game was -2.4 for the week and ranked 56th this week.

Koepka killed with his approach game and putting. He was 1st in SG approach and 2nd in putting. Gaining close to 19 shots between the two this week.

[Undershooter]

Let's set the record straight and be done with this.

Best player ever- Jack Nicklaus - bomber

Second best - Tiger Woods - bomber

Third best - Bobby Jones - bomber

Long and straight is the most important attribute in golf. The largest difference between tour pro and scratch - distance. The largest difference between each handicap level and the next - distance.

It's really not t rocket science.

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I SLIGHTLY disagree with the order of that but that's a different convo for a different time. Otherwise, very much agree!

[revkev]

I could not disagree more,

There are many thousands of players who consistently strike the ball "long and straight", from muni amateurs to country club amateurs to junior players to collegiate players to mini tour players around the world etc.... It's just not that challenging, especially with today's equipment, to consistently strike long, straight shots. Attend a D1 college event, US Amateur, web.com, State Open , or even national junior event and most every player in the field is striking beautiful long drives, solid 5-irons etc... all day long. Those shots are relatively easy and many thousands of players around the world do it, every day.

So, the game changer, the thing that separates a big Tour player from all the rest, is his ability to consistently get the ball up and down. Chipping, pitching, bunker play, putting is everything, really, because the tee to green game is something many thousands of people can do.

Brooks Koepka won the US Open today because of his short game. For example, he made a miraculous 4 on the par 3 11th. He made an incredible up and down from behind the 12th green. He made a sensational up and down to save par on hole 14.

And Tiger in his prime dominated because his pitching, chipping, putting was significantly better than anybody he competed against.

Statistically you are incorrect - all the numbers point to distance or more accurately functional distance as being the biggest divider between levels. During Tiger's prime he was the best ball striker on tour, every year.

 

The numbers are out there in spades - we had a recent thread on this. I'm not good at providing links so I can't but Golf digest did a study and easily the biggest difference between scratch players and touring pros was strokes gained driving - by a full shot over the next closest category and the majority of that strokes gained number was average driving by distance. Tiger was the best player on tour in strokes gained tee to green, that's why he dominated.

 

The old adage of drive for show, putt for dough is a sham - a myth that's been busted.

 

With all due respect because we have guys who play at that level, the course set up for state Ams is not what guys face on tour in a regular event, week in and week out, let alone the course set ups we see when we show up on normal days.

 

Koepke's memorable shots are the up and downs but what is easily forgotten was he was at the top of the field in the field in driving distance and on Sunday proximity to the hole on approach shots, he didn't putt better than everyone else, he had more chances to hole putts from shorter range. They all can get the ball up and down from all over the map - as good as an up and down as the one on 14 was I would have had a chance to do that - I can hit the ball 67 yards, I practice with my wedges, I'm a low handicapper and it was from the fairway. Birdie number 2? 264 yard par 3? The average scratch golfers hits the ball 256, at my best i was a .8 - what do you think happens to me there?

 

If you are going to be a top tour player in today's game you need to find a way to be top third in distance. And if you want to be considered for Mount Rushmore you best be better than that, in any era. Not just long, but accurate - without it you're done.

 

The numbers don't lie even though our eyes and perceptions do.

 

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[golfinnut]

DJ ... wire to wire winner!  I'm calling it now 

 

 

Guess my pick didn't come to fruition ... Oh well.  He still had a good tournament.

[StrokerAce]

If distance...or functional distance, as @revkev put it... wasn't a difference maker then why'd they "Tiger proof" courses ??

 

It's simple really...and Fox showed it on one of the par 4s..the closer you can position your ball to the green from the tee box the better chance you have of getting a lower score.

 

If it was "putt for dough" then Aaron Baddeley would have multiple majors...

 

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[MaxEntropy]

The greats may have been or are bombers, but they also have extraordinary short games. There are lots of bombers who aren't even footnotes in the great golfer discussion.

DJ is a bomber, yet he lost the tournament because of his putting over the weekend.

 

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If DJ were able to putt anywhere close to the way he did Thursday and Friday, he wins going away.

[Shankster]

Well that was fun.

[Shankster]

I thought we said it would be a finesse player that would win? Yeah, sure BK has an excellent all around game. (Rare)

 

They showed a stat from the top 5

 

122mph Club Head speed BK

 

117mph Club head Speed TF

 

122mph Club Head speed DJ

 

117mph Club head Speed PR

 

122mph Club Head Speed TF

 

Some of their short games are better than the others, but the sheer distance put them in position A off the tee to send it close on the next shot.

[GregB135]

To answer your point about leaving a US Open course "alone", that it may not be  necessary to toughen it up, consider Pebble Beach, site of the 2019 US Open. The Tour plays Pebble each February and Tour pros routinely shoot  in the 65-69 range. That's just too low of a scoring for a US Open, which is supposed to be a different set up, a more challenging test for the field,  than a regular Tour stop.

When the Tour plays Pebble Beach in February it is a Pro-Am and the course is set up much easier, and the wind can be more of a factor later in the summer around Open time.

Pebble is maybe a bit easier course than Shinnecock Hills so it will need to be set up to play more difficult as an Open host. How should the USGA do that? Narrow the fairways a bit, let the 2nd cut of rough grow deeper, and make sure the greens play fast (but not so fast that they won't hold a well struck iron shot or risk a missed putt resulting in a 30 yard chip/pitch shot), and choose pin placements that require sound strategy and precise approach shots

Shinnecock played plenty tough tee to green with the way it was set up and the windy conditions. The USGA didn't need to shave and dry out the greens to make it a challenge for the players, the wind, rough, and pin placements were more than enough.

[Golfspy_CG2]

In case anyone is interested in My thoughts on the Open on WNST with Nestor this AM

 

https://www.facebook.com/nastynestor/videos/10205151077533476/?fref=search

[Rickp]

In case anyone is interested in My thoughts on the Open on WNST with Nestor this AM

 

https://www.facebook.com/nastynestor/videos/10205151077533476/?fref=search

Good interview

 

 

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[BIG STU]

What a great tournament. And with all of this chatter about course set up, the gallery, Phil's use of the rules, etc I feel that the USGA is getting what it wants. The conversation about this tournament will carry for quite some time.

 

 

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Dead on it--- I was headed to Berkley SC this morning running through the swamp and all you heard on mainstream radio stations was about PHIL. Usually the only time you hear about golf on mainstream radio stations around this area is if DJ wins. The mainstream media around here are a bunch of idiots. They said like last week "Myrtle Beach's own Dustin Johnson won the golf tournament" That is as far from the truth as LA is from MB. DJ is a native of Columbia SC. Now he did go to Coastal Carolina which is near here but not in Myrtle Beach. It is in Conway SC. He does not live here any more he moved to Florida 5 years ago. Even TPC which is building the DJ golf school and it is known as TPC MB is not in Myrtle it is in Murrells Inlet 12 miles south of Myrtle. Gotta love the modern media