Gary Player on Chambers Bay: 'One of the worst golf courses I've ever seen'

Tequilla said:

So you're saying that the US Open doesn't have brown every year?

Yes, this year's Open was more brown than normal. But if you go back and look at Pinehurst last year or really any recent US Open that wasn't influenced by rain, you'll find a browning out on every course.

I'm saying they're not wanting brown. Preserving water may be one of their tenants but brown is a result of that tenant, not the purpose behind. Saying the USGA wants brown courses is ridiculous. Saying the USGA wants to make an environmental statement (and save money) and is willing to tolerate brown courses to meet that end is a much more reasonable claim.

TierbsHsotBoobs said:

HeretoBeatmyChest said:

The putting average for the tournament was 4 putts per round higher than the average on tour. Thats 16 strokes. I thought it was a great tournament with a spectacular finish. Probably as good as seen in a major in recent years. However the greens were a fucking disaster. Nothing to do with alleged poor putting strokes Tequilla.

The US Open will be coming back, according to a reporter on the golf channel. But he said the USGA was very upset about the greens. That will have to be fixed and also the fan experience improved according to the USGA. Fans couldn't get close to the players nor could they follow a group around the entire course, unlike at most events.

Luckily, fan support was huge as all the merchandise sold out, tv ratings were really good and there were tons of volunteers for the event. Otherwise, it would have been a one time thing.

TV ratings were 27% worse than the last primetime open and were worse than Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, but still:


http://blog.timesunion.com/sportsmedia/u-s-open-final-round-rating-a-bit-disappointing/16418/

Coming off of the lowest ratings ever last year it was a big jump and that is positive as year over year is most important comparison.

There's been a lot of Cuog type of behavior in this thread ...

For a lot of people that claim to not give 2 shits about golf, lots of people plenty butthurt about it ...

The shitty greens will be fixed ...

The US Open will return here ...

The media and players will piss and moan about it ...

The USGA won't give 2 shits about it.

I can confirm that the US Open will be coming back to Chambers Bay in 2025

BTW, here's the site of Robert Trent Jones Jr's next golf course project in the PNW

Fire_Marshall_Bill said:

These cocksuckers who say, "Get in the hole!" yell, tell players they love them (wtf) and whoo after every single shotAnyone who watches golf need to DIAFF.

More crisp.

Tequilla said:

So you're saying that the US Open doesn't have brown every year?

Yes, this year's Open was more brown than normal. But if you go back and look at Pinehurst last year or really any recent US Open that wasn't influenced by rain, you'll find a browning out on every course.

I've watched enough over the years to say with some authority that this course was way more brown than most. I don't remember any at the one in Philly.

Fire_Marshall_Bill said:

Q for golf superiority guys: Can Sahalee host a US Open? I know they had the PGA in the late 90s and were supposed to have it again. I know the USO has more prestige (higher standards?). Are there other courses in that area that are capable?

Keep responses under 600 words..you know who you are...

Tumble Creek

Newcastle

Washington National

No idea if/how any of them would work logistically. I don't think any of them are TUFF enough for the US Open. Maybe the PGA Championship though. At least they all have tress and look like the PNW.

Fire_Marshall_Bill said:

Tequilla said:

So you're saying that the US Open doesn't have brown every year?

Yes, this year's Open was more brown than normal. But if you go back and look at Pinehurst last year or really any recent US Open that wasn't influenced by rain, you'll find a browning out on every course.

I've watched enough over the years to say with some authority that this course was way more brown than most. I don't remember any at the one in Philly.

No doubt ... the fescue definitely goes a long way here. The further you get off the fairways, that long fescue gets brown in a hurry. Anybody that plays regularly at the Home Course would know what I'm talking about.

One of the reasons that Merion stayed so green was because they had an abundance of rain the week of the Open that caused some weather delays during the tournament. As a general rule, the USGA pretty much stops watering the course during the tournament comparatively to normal ... any water they apply is to just make sure that the course doesn't get out of hands. They are very much on record as saying this.

ThomasFremont said:

Fire_Marshall_Bill said:

Q for golf superiority guys: Can Sahalee host a US Open? I know they had the PGA in the late 90s and were supposed to have it again. I know the USO has more prestige (higher standards?). Are there other courses in that area that are capable?

Keep responses under 600 words..you know who you are...

Tumble Creek

Newcastle

Washington National

No idea if/how any of them would work logistically. I don't think any of them are TUFF enough for the US Open. Maybe the PGA Championship though. At least they all have tress and look like the PNW.

Tumble Creek regularly hosts qualifiers for USGA events (sectional qualifying this year) ... too far out of the way without a lodging infrastructure IMO to be able to host.

I haven't played Newcastle so it's hard for me to say whether or not it is up to par for a USGA event.

Washington National is probably best for college level events. It's not an easy course (probably too easy for the professionals though). Biggest marks against it is that it is built in areas around a housing complex with a design that isn't the most fan friendly.

Gold Mountain's Olympic Course has hosted some USGA events. It's probably like Tumble Creek in the sense that it is too far out of the way without the underlying infrastructure to host a major championship. It's definitely in the Top 3-5 courses in the area.

The Home Course hosted a USGA championship last year, local qualifying for the US Open this year, and was a companion course to Chambers when it hosted the US Amateur in 2010. It's a solid course and could very easily test some of the better players (it's regularly used as a qualifying course). The course is generally fairly open and could handle probably a medium sized event. However, given its proximity to Chambers, there's no way it would be selected ahead of Chambers for a US Open.

Of all the courses I've played in the greater Seattle area, there's no question that Chambers is the best by far. I'll play TPC Snoqualmie Ridge later this summer and it hosts a Senior's event. From what I know about the course, I don't think it has the teeth to be a USGA site.

It's important to remember that the USGA generally wants a winning score for the US Open to be somewhere around par and for it not to turn into a birdie fest. When evaluating the merits of a course for a USGA event, the course needs to have a number of holes where par is considered a very good score.