U.S. Open Championship

[fixyurdivot]

After a brief walk in the park at The Palmetto Championship at Congaree, the field moves to Torrey Pines for the 3rd major of the season.  The 121st U.S. Open.  Often cited as the toughest test in pro golf (depending on course and conditions), it rarely disappoints.  An event anyone on this forum could play in (well, technically ).  The qualification rounds are grueling and every year we hear of "no names" getting their chance at becoming a Cinderella story.

Will Phil chase after a putt and take another swat before it comes to rest?  Will #1 Dustin Johnson make the weekend play? Will Major Koepka dig deep into his "I'm mad at the world" locker and get his pound of flesh for his runner-up performance at the PGA Championship? Will the defending champion have both distance and accuracy off the tee, simply out distance the field, and celebrate the win by filling the cup with an ice cold Michelob Ultra? 

Personally, I'd love to see an underdog win this years event... a lightening in a bottle 4 days of stellar play by someone very few are expecting to win. Who are you picking?

[GolfSpy_APH]

Can't wait for this. Hope the course lives up to expectations and can provide the proper challenge for these guys! With such a deep field and so many good players it is hard to pick one, but I think Spieth will be right there at the end. I have a few others who I believe could be close, but I will go out on a limb and say that DJ will not win. A top 10 I think is certain for him, but I believe another few golfers (hopefully Hovland) show up big and can provide some good drama down the stretch. 

[PMookie]

Here’s a great article about one of the qualifiers this week, and the challenges his newborn’s going through. If you’re going to cheer for someone to make the cut, let it be this guy!!!

https://firepitcollective.com/against-overwhelming-odds-springer/

 

[Mtbryant01]

50 minutes ago, PMookie said:

Here’s a great article about one of the qualifiers this week, and the challenges his newborn’s going through. If you’re going to cheer for someone to make the cut, let it be this guy!!!

https://firepitcollective.com/against-overwhelming-odds-springer/

 

I was about to post this. Hard not to root for Hayden. He's got game, I mean he beat Hovland in BIG12 championship in 2019...Great story by Ryan. 

[JeremyD]

I've seen pictures of the rough, and it looks imposing. A Fred Funk type straight hitter probably isn't in the field, so I'm looking for one of the longer hitters to step up, since they may have a much shorter iron into greens out of the rough. Webb Simpson could be a "shorter", straighter hitter and could possibly win his second US Open. I'd like to see how Wilco handles this course. Was Bryson at home trying to see how he could hit as far as this kid? Probably not. If Rahm could hit like he was before unfortunately being forced to bow out at Memorial, then this may be his major to win. 

[Ben_Howell34]

11 hours ago, Mtbryant01 said:

I was about to post this. Hard not to root for Hayden. He's got game, I mean he beat Hovland in BIG12 championship in 2019...Great story by Ryan. 

It’s getting dusty in here… that’s a great story, saying a prayer for them and rooting for him this week. 

[PMookie]

2 minutes ago, Ben_Howell34 said:

It’s getting dusty in here… that’s a great story, saying a prayer for them and rooting for him this week. 

It really is. Sadly, I don’t think he’ll get any air time, but it would be the coolest thing if TV HAD to show him because of his scoring.

[revkev]

Oh dear - we had a baby born with trisonomy 2 years ago.  He lived for a year.  I was with his family when he passed - righT before COVID.  His funeral was the last thing we did before shutting down for two months.

 

Prayers Hayden! 

[PMookie]

Anyone seen THIS story of a fight at a qualifier?! Wow. How embarrassing. 
https://firepitcollective.com/lets-get-ready-to-rumble/

[Tom the Golf Nut]

17 minutes ago, PMookie said:

Anyone seen THIS story of a fight at a qualifier?! Wow. How embarrassing. 
https://firepitcollective.com/lets-get-ready-to-rumble/

That was crazy. 

[PMookie]

So is this a TaylorMade club, or a Callaway? I can’t seem to identify the OEM or which series it might be, like The Original One/Sim/Epic/Mavrik etc.

[PMookie]

Well. Here’s the answer.

[Middler]

(After last week where all but one player in contention collapsed on Sunday) I’m just looking forward to quality play at the US Open, my second favorite tournament. As for picking a winner, my short list changes glacially - and I don’t think I’ve ever successfully predicted a winner, not that there’s anything wrong with trying. Even the paid talking heads rarely get it right.

I’ll watch some Thur-Fri-Sat, and be glued to the TV Sunday afternoon. Great course, great field, what’s not to like?

[revkev]

From everything that I'm looking at and reading plus a review of the 2008 results the winner will be someone who hits greens in regulation, hits fairways (leading to greens in regulation) and holes short putts on poana.  This will be a tough week to bomb and gauge it.  Should be old school golf.

[LICC]

1 hour ago, Middler said:

(After last week where all but one player in contention collapsed on Sunday) I’m just looking forward to quality play at the US Open, my second favorite tournament. As for picking a winner, my short list changes glacially - and I don’t think I’ve ever successfully predicted a winner, not that there’s anything wrong with trying. Even the paid talking heads rarely get it right.

I’ll watch some Thur-Fri-Sat, and be glued to the TV Sunday afternoon. Great course, great field, what’s not to like?

Torrey is a nice course, and the overall venue is good for holding a big tournament, but the course is nowhere near being great. It is by far the weakest of the regular US Open courses.

[revkev]

14 minutes ago, LICC said:

Torrey is a nice course, and the overall venue is good for holding a big tournament, but the course is nowhere near being great. It is by far the weakest of the regular US Open courses.

You mean in your opinion - it is in some people's opinion, not in others.  So in your opinion its not great.  I might agree with that opinion but it doesn't make it fact.  Quality of course at this level is almost always subjective.

[PMookie]

Paul’s pet peeve: lost balls for amateurs

Scenario… We play public courses with high rough. We tee off and see our ball is going offline, so we watch intently and try to “mark” it so we can find it. We get to where we thought our ball landed, look for three minutes, can’t find it, then head back to re-tee.

Scenario 2.. We’re on Tour. We hit a drive and it looks like it’s going offline. We watch intently and try to “mark” it so we can find it. We get to where we thought our ball landed and a volunteer/fan/someone points right to it. We identify it and play on.

I don’t want to see posts/tweets from a Pro about how long the rough is and how hard it will be to find a ball this week during the US Open…. There are volunteers and fans along every fairway helping show a player where there ball is, so don’t whine to me. We amateurs don’t have that luxury. We lose a stroke, they don’t. This is what drives me nuts when I play and hit one offline. I get a penalty when a Pro wouldn’t. Ugh. Drives me nuts. 
Wahhh, Ian Poulter, cry me a river. I answered him with “Zero. Fans and workers would show me where it is just like they will for you.”

Rant done……. I think.

[Chip Strokes]

34 minutes ago, PMookie said:

Paul’s pet peeve: lost balls for amateurs

Scenario… We play public courses with high rough. We tee off and see our ball is going offline, so we watch intently and try to “mark” it so we can find it. We get to where we thought our ball landed, look for three minutes, can’t find it, then head back to re-tee.

Scenario 2.. We’re on Tour. We hit a drive and it looks like it’s going offline. We watch intently and try to “mark” it so we can find it. We get to where we thought our ball landed and a volunteer/fan/someone points right to it. We identify it and play on.

I don’t want to see posts/tweets from a Pro about how long the rough is and how hard it will be to find a ball this week during the US Open…. There are volunteers and fans along every fairway helping show a player where there ball is, so don’t whine to me. We amateurs don’t have that luxury. We lose a stroke, they don’t. This is what drives me nuts when I play and hit one offline. I get a penalty when a Pro wouldn’t. Ugh. Drives me nuts. 
Wahhh, Ian Poulter, cry me a river. I answered him with “Zero. Fans and workers would show me where it is just like they will for you.”

Rant done……. I think.

not to mention that by the weekend, so many people have walked through and stood on the rough that it's pretty well matted down

[fixyurdivot]

Speith/Zalatoris/Scheffler is a great grouping.  Crazy to hear Will talk about Jordan as one of his childhood golf hero's... Speith still looks like a kid to me .  Just watched the Koepka interview and growing less and less impressed with this guys "chip on my shoulder" attitude.  

[LICC]

23 hours ago, revkev said:

You mean in your opinion - it is in some people's opinion, not in others.  So in your opinion its not great.  I might agree with that opinion but it doesn't make it fact.  Quality of course at this level is almost always subjective.

https://golf.com/travel/course-rater-confidential-torrey-pines-overrated/

[revkev]

19 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

Speith/Zalatoris/Scheffler is a great grouping.  Crazy to hear Will talk about Jordan as one of his childhood golf hero's... Speith still looks like a kid to me .  Just watched the Koepka interview and growing less and less impressed with this guys "chip on my shoulder" attitude.  

He's not an overly popular guy - remember when we had the bru ha ha after the players picked Rory over him for player of the year a few years back.  

[revkev]

15 minutes ago, LICC said:

https://golf.com/travel/course-rater-confidential-torrey-pines-overrated/

That's an opinion too. Opinions are opinions, not fact.  

[cnosil]

1 minute ago, revkev said:

That's an opinion too. Opinions are opinions, not fact.  

You may as well stop responding.  He will continue to quote articles and sources to support his opinion.  And because those articles are “authoritative” you must have the same opinion.  There is no consideration that opinion articles like this are generally written to create controversy and discussion.   And like you said everyone has an opinion and some we agree with and some we don’t.  

[DaveP043]

23 minutes ago, revkev said:

That's an opinion too. Opinions are opinions, not fact.  

Its a very interesting article.  These are the course raters who rated the courses for Golf, and they say that the rating for Torrey Pines (the rating they themselves developed) is better than it should be.  WTF???? Which opinion counts, the one they developed as a group (apparently anonymously), or the individual opinions they voice when their name is attached?  

I'm with you, opinions are like _______ (name your orifice), everyone has one.  But Torrey produced a pretty stern test of golf in 2008, and an exciting finish.  I hope it works out the same way this week.

[LICC]

32 minutes ago, revkev said:

That's an opinion too. Opinions are opinions, not fact.  

Sure, that is what most of these discussions are- people's opinions.

Torrey is a very nice course with great views and a pretty setting, some nice greens, and a few very good holes. But its negatives include a fairly flat property (with the exception of a few holes by the canyon ridge),  too many holes that are simply straight back and forth, boring straight mowing lines, and repetitive similar green approaches. the pond on 18 also is an eyesore. Those are the reasons for my opinion.

What are the features and attributes of the golf course that make it "great", in your opinion?

Edited June 16, 2021 by LICC

[LICC]

27 minutes ago, cnosil said:

You may as well stop responding.  He will continue to quote articles and sources to support his opinion.  And because those articles are “authoritative” you must have the same opinion.  There is no consideration that opinion articles like this are generally written to create controversy and discussion.   And like you said everyone has an opinion and some we agree with and some we don’t.  

If you don't want to have discussions with me or for me to quote you, why do you keep making references to me? 

This is a forum. People discuss their views and opinions. I provide mine, and I give reasons and support for my opinions. Everyone else is free to do the same.

[cnosil]

9 minutes ago, LICC said:

If you don't want to have discussions with me or for me to quote you, why do you keep making references to me? 

This is a forum. People discuss their views and opinions. I provide mine, and I give reasons and support for my opinions. Everyone else is free to do the same.

I was having a discussion and provided an opinion on a topic; your opinion happened to be the topic.  

[revkev]

18 minutes ago, LICC said:

Sure, that is what most of these discussions are- people's opinions.

Torrey is a very nice course with great views and a pretty setting, some nice greens, and a few very good holes. But its negatives include a fairly flat property (with the exception of a few holes by the canyon ridge),  too many holes that are simply straight back and forth, boring straight mowing lines, and repetitive similar green approaches. the pond on 18 also is an eyesore. Those are the reasons for my opinion.

What are the features and attributes of the golf course that make it "great", in your opinion?

I haven't played it so I don't necessarily have an opinion in that regard.  From a viewing stand point it is unique in that while long a wide variety of player types are competitive there.  The one major that it hosted was spectacular.  It has a great deal of natural beauty, as do most coastal courses, IMO.  Some people prefer inland or parkland course types - that's how this works, people have differing preferences and opinions.  I know that Tour players love the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook - IMO it's unfair, it has two holes that force a layup short of a water hazard leaving a shot of around 200 yards into the green - if those holes are into the wind - I can't reach the green and I'm a single digit handicapper, albeit an older one - the only way around is a thin strip of fairway - doesn't matter what set of tees you play - you have to lay up on those holes.  Everyone plays from 200 yards in.

[revkev]

Does anyone know if they plan to shorten a par 4 to make it drivable at some point?  That seems to have become a US Open staple.

[LICC]

3 hours ago, revkev said:

I haven't played it so I don't necessarily have an opinion in that regard.  From a viewing stand point it is unique in that while long a wide variety of player types are competitive there.  The one major that it hosted was spectacular.  It has a great deal of natural beauty, as do most coastal courses, IMO.  Some people prefer inland or parkland course types - that's how this works, people have differing preferences and opinions.  I know that Tour players love the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook - IMO it's unfair, it has two holes that force a layup short of a water hazard leaving a shot of around 200 yards into the green - if those holes are into the wind - I can't reach the green and I'm a single digit handicapper, albeit an older one - the only way around is a thin strip of fairway - doesn't matter what set of tees you play - you have to lay up on those holes.  Everyone plays from 200 yards in.

Here is an interesting article showing the different design approaches that could have been used on a few holes at Torrey:

https://thefriedegg.com/torrey-pines-south-course-changes/