US Open 2023

[Daniel Carrier]

Congrat to Clark! nice to see him hang on to it. Did you notice the cap of his caddie, John Ellis? I would love to have one of these!

[MaxEntropy]

A couple thoughts: I mostly enjoyed this Open and am happy for Clark that he pulled it off, although I really wanted Rickie to win. I kind of felt like it was a bit anti-climactic. Was the back 9 just too hard? It really just seemed like no one was going to make a run, rather it was more a matter of those near the top white-knuckling it and avoiding huge mistakes.

Also, does anyone else think Wyndham Clark and Matt Blois look like they could be brothers?

Question for the rules guys: Rory's ball embedded in the face of the bunker - under what circumstances would he have had to play that ball? If it had been determined it was just buried in really thick grass does he have to play it? It sounded like they were trying to determine if it was more or less under the surface of the ground.

[cnosil]

5 minutes ago, MaxEntropy said:

 

Question for the rules guys: Rory's ball embedded in the face of the bunker - under what circumstances would he have had to play that ball? If it had been determined it was just buried in really thick grass does he have to play it? It sounded like they were trying to determine if it was more or less under the surface of the ground.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/us-open-2023-why-rory-mcilroy-got-free-relief-from-bizarre-embedded-ball-situation-late-on-sunday
 

see rule 16.3 for the actual wording.   If the ball was just in the grass and not embedded he would have to play it or he could take an unplayable lie which incurs a penalty.  

[DrRob1963]

Not many spectators.... I thought this was an important event! Was the LACC trying to keep the riff-raff out???

[fixyurdivot]

1 hour ago, Daniel Carrier said:

Congrat to Clark! nice to see him hang on to it. Did you notice the cap of his caddie, John Ellis? I would love to have one of these!

I was rooting for a Rickie win but really happy for Wyndam.  TGC had a short piece about him, his start in the sport, and the loss of his Mother to cancer just after his collegiate start at Oklahoma State (finishing at Oregon....booo ).  She was his inspiration and no doubt his motivation this weekend.  

This is cool.

 

[Headhammer]

Really wanted Rickie to breakthrough, but okay with Clark winning. Congrats to Harry Arnett, I believe that's the first MUNICIPAL sponsored golfer to win an event, and a major to boot!

[cnosil]

22 minutes ago, DrRob1963 said:

Not many spectators.... I thought this was an important event! Was the LACC trying to keep the riff-raff out???

numerous reasons….lack of room for spectators, not many general admission tickets sold, and reports that LACC was trying to buy all the tickets    

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/us-open-2023-los-angeles-crowd-quiet-2023

[GolfSpy_APH]

33 minutes ago, cnosil said:

numerous reasons….lack of room for spectators, not many general admission tickets sold, and reports that LACC was trying to buy all the tickets    

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/us-open-2023-los-angeles-crowd-quiet-2023

Kinda sickening to think a club tried to make the US Open essentially a private only event.

[fixyurdivot]

1 hour ago, DrRob1963 said:

Not many spectators.... I thought this was an important event! Was the LACC trying to keep the riff-raff out???

Fans completely exhausted, disappointed, and pissed off with men's professional golf?  

[DaveP043]

3 hours ago, MaxEntropy said:

A couple thoughts: I mostly enjoyed this Open and am happy for Clark that he pulled it off, although I really wanted Rickie to win. I kind of felt like it was a bit anti-climactic. Was the back 9 just too hard? It really just seemed like no one was going to make a run, rather it was more a matter of those near the top white-knuckling it and avoiding huge mistakes.

Also, does anyone else think Wyndham Clark and Matt Blois look like they could be brothers?

Question for the rules guys: Rory's ball embedded in the face of the bunker - under what circumstances would he have had to play that ball? If it had been determined it was just buried in really thick grass does he have to play it? It sounded like they were trying to determine if it was more or less under the surface of the ground.

 

3 hours ago, cnosil said:

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/us-open-2023-why-rory-mcilroy-got-free-relief-from-bizarre-embedded-ball-situation-late-on-sunday
 

see rule 16.3 for the actual wording.   If the ball was just in the grass and not embedded he would have to play it or he could take an unplayable lie which incurs a penalty.  

To add just a bit, "embedded" is specifically defined in the Rule as "When a player’s ball is in its own pitch-mark made as a result of the player’s previous stroke and where part of the ball is below the level of the ground."  If there's no part of the golf ball below the level of the ground, Relief under Rule 16.3 isn't available.  

There's another factor that the video brought to mind, its possible that the spot "immediately behind the ball" was not in the General Area, but was instead in the Bunker.  Before 2023, if neither the spot behind the ball nor the remainder of the potential Relief Area included at least a part of the General Area, free relief wasn't available.  Now under Clarification 16.3b/1, the Reference Point is defined as the nearest point to the Embedded Ball in the General Area, and not closer to the hole.  You're never denied relief for an embedded ball.

[Kenny B]

This was a sad moment for the US Open...

 

[Syks7]

3 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Kinda sickening to think a club tried to make the US Open essentially a private only event.

I don't buy it.  I've been hearing this rumor for several days now and it sounds to me like some combination of truth that some members did sponsor tables in other private pavillions (thereby buying multiples of more expensive tickets to share with friends and family) and general dislike of the club by those who want in but can't get in.  Case in point, Hugh Heffner's Peacocks and monkeys behind the hedge directly adjacent to the 13th tee.  There's zero actual evidence that this occurred beyond inuendo and rumor.

I don't think that the members I know need or care if I defend them and their club, but what I do know is that the club voted pretty overwhelmingly to host this, allowed their south course to be virtually destroyed for US open infrastructure requirements (including large parking areas), gave up access to play the North Course (and they play a lot) for most of the year, and seemed genuinely excited to show their golf course off.  The members pavillion was hopping, excited, friendly, and directly adjacent to the main public area.  If they'd wanted it to be private I don't think that would have flown for them.   I've found most members that I've met to be actually quite nice people atypical of your usual LA scene -- despite the stodgy reputation of the club.  So my advice is take what you hear with a grain of salt.

Edited June 19, 2023 by Syks7

[Old Joe]

Not exactly surprising that a club with the most onerous history of exclusion (no show biz folks, Jews, Italians, people of color needed to apply or try to walk through the front door or one the course until recently) would limit access to the general population.

 

[Dweed]

Regardless of play. I still think Ricky is a class act personified.

 

[fixyurdivot]

9 hours ago, Kenny B said:

This was a sad moment for the US Open...

 

Ouch!  Just the Golf God's having a little fun with someone who stood to lose no money and already had the low amateur title secured .

[richk9holes]

16 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Ouch!  Just the Golf God's having a little fun with someone who stood to lose no money and already had the low amateur title secured .

His reaction is priceless I hear Scooby-Doo "Hoomm?"

[Kenny B]

2 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

Ouch!  Just the Golf God's having a little fun with someone who stood to lose no money and already had the low amateur title secured .

The cup was moved when a caddie pulled the pin in a prior group and it wasn’t fixed.  But what if it happened to Clark on his last putt and Rory won the playoff?

[LICC]

22 hours ago, Syks7 said:

I don't buy it.  I've been hearing this rumor for several days now and it sounds to me like some combination of truth that some members did sponsor tables in other private pavillions (thereby buying multiples of more expensive tickets to share with friends and family) and general dislike of the club by those who want in but can't get in.  Case in point, Hugh Heffner's Peacocks and monkeys behind the hedge directly adjacent to the 13th tee.  There's zero actual evidence that this occurred beyond inuendo and rumor.

I don't think that the members I know need or care if I defend them and their club, but what I do know is that the club voted pretty overwhelmingly to host this, allowed their south course to be virtually destroyed for US open infrastructure requirements (including large parking areas), gave up access to play the North Course (and they play a lot) for most of the year, and seemed genuinely excited to show their golf course off.  The members pavillion was hopping, excited, friendly, and directly adjacent to the main public area.  If they'd wanted it to be private I don't think that would have flown for them.   I've found most members that I've met to be actually quite nice people atypical of your usual LA scene -- despite the stodgy reputation of the club.  So my advice is take what you hear with a grain of salt.

I thought the course and venue were very good, not great. I'm certainly not disappointed. More of the course issues I had were with the setup. 18 was just way too wide off the tee. The US Open shouldn't allow such a wayward drive like Clark's on the last hole to have no adverse result. I also thought they could have placed a few more pins in more gettable positions. Players had to pretty much get lucky to get close to a pin on their approaches, especially on the back nine. And the lack of crowds was noticeable. But the course showed very nicely on television and there were lots of interesting hole designs that were fun to watch the pros play.

[Syks7]

1 hour ago, LICC said:

I thought the course and venue were very good, not great. I'm certainly not disappointed. More of the course issues I had were with the setup. 18 was just way too wide off the tee. The US Open shouldn't allow such a wayward drive like Clark's on the last hole to have no adverse result. I also thought they could have placed a few more pins in more gettable positions. Players had to pretty much get lucky to get close to a pin on their approaches, especially on the back nine. And the lack of crowds was noticeable. But the course showed very nicely on television and there were lots of interesting hole designs that were fun to watch the pros play.

Definitely hear you on a lot of this, though I waffle on the 18th fairway question.  While he still one he only really had an angle into the throat because of his drive and had to hit to 60 ft and lag a putt to win.  I certainly don't think it was an easy second shot for him into the green with the angle he was at.  In any case I'm curious to see what adjustments they make for the next go around in 17 years.  They certainly should be able to fit a lot more fans.  I think a lot of the issue stems from parking.  There just isn't enough, but they're going to complete the train line near the course (almost near where the ride share pickup was) so that will help and I think they've taken a ton of heat about corporate tents blocking access so hopefully they learn there.

It would definitely be fun to see them mix it up on the pin positions.  Sunday just felt like there was no way to get close unless you started earlier in the day.  One intriguing thing I've seen mentioned is that this course would be a hell of a match play venue.  LA Ryder cup could be pretty awesome if you ask me.  

I'm curious to hear how long it takes to clean up the course after this.  With all the dead grass on south course headed into the hot season I don't think that will be playable until late fall.  North will be fine, but there's definitely going to be GUR areas at the crossings which just looked absolutely smoked after the last day.  

[Tsecor]

Clarks ball moved during his shot prep and wasnt called,,,,,,,should have been a playoff with Rory

Edited June 20, 2023 by Tsecor

[LICC]

23 hours ago, Tsecor said:

Clarks ball moved during his shot prep and wasnt called,,,,,,,should have been a playoff with Rory

I watched the video. I didn't see any violation.