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Revisiting the U.S. Open Pinehurst #2

TARDAWG

TARDAWG

Steve Lepore
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I imagine there are a number of people on this board that went to the Men’s open last week, and I was wanting to hear other’s reactions to the venue and the courses. Everyone I have spoken with had the same reaction I did, “ You could not see anything”. I attended the two previous Open’s held at #2 and enjoyed myself, but the latest was nothing more than a HOT, dusty cocktail party. The $6 beers were the best part.

With the new/ old style of rough the galleries were pushed way further back from the action, and because of the angles you could not watch players tee off unless you were in most grandstands. The Greens have always been tough for view from ground level cause often you could not see the ball, but that is to be expected.

The community was great, the grounds were gorgeous, but the viewing was simply terrible. Worst gallery viewing of any course I have ever walked on the PGA tour. Any other have the same experience?
 
I agree with everything you said except the beers. I think a number of beer stands were replaced with frozen lemonade stands. If you wanted a beer or anything to eat, the wait was 20 minutes, minimum.

I also attended in 1999 and 2005 and the course was lengthened for this open, which resulted in narrower walkways between the tees and greens or their elimination altogether. So walking the course became a lot more difficult. They moved the tee back on #7 so far that they had to put a walk way in front of it. On Friday, between people wanting to stand there and watch the players tee off and other people wanting to cross, there was a tremendous bottleneck, and management was nonexistent. Just plain stupid.
 
They had a walkway and concession stand back along #3 where the walkway just ended. It was about a half hour walk to get back to #2.
 
Agree with Biff and Tardawg. As a result, we ended up spending most of our time Thursday at a corporate house just off of the course. We entered Gate 3 (#4 green). In walking the course, there were numerous bottlenecks and some areas that were just blocked off with no warning and required a lot of backtracking. There was free liquor back at the house, so I didn't need a beer about 60 minutes in, but all the food/water lines were packed. I went to the only place where there was a short line: the frozen lemonade stand. Didn't compare to 2005 at all as a spectator.

#firstworldproblems Also may have been extra ornery on Thursday, since I had a root canal that morning.
 
Course looked like shit on TV. I'm all for more natural areas but they completely changed a masterpiece. Not smart.
 
diverdeac said:
Course looked like shit on TV. I'm all for more natural areas but they completely changed a masterpiece. Not smart.
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What do you think made it a masterpiece in the first place? They restored it to Ross's design and setup based on extensive evidence, including pictures.
 
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My desire to play the course is much higher than it was pre-renovation.

My desire to watch another US Open there is low. It's just not a friendly course for viewing.

The Trophy Club was poorly done. Only 2 bars inside, and they had to hand pour every single beer out of a can and into a cup.
 
My folks both worked the open (they live there). They were pretty pleased with how the town was able to organize and host it again, but did say the crowds and waits were massive. Whether that is due to the crowds actually being massive or more bottlenecks than usual at things like beer tents, I don't know.

My mother drew her least favorite golfer for Saturday and was not pleased. Said he was just as much a jerk in person, though it didn't help that his first two holes on Saturday were a disaster and set the tone for the rest of the day.
 
Liquid Karma said:
My desire to play the course is much higher than it was pre-renovation.

My desire to watch another US Open there is low. It's just not a friendly course for viewing.

The Trophy Club was poorly done. Only 2 bars inside, and they had to hand pour every single beer out of a can and into a cup.
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How stupid. If they were bottles, I'd understand, but cans? Must have something to do with public display of alcohol?
 
We were able to get in and out of the Red Lot with no issues. They had tons of shuttles. I thought the course itself looked awful. Maybe I just don't understand the original design. Maybe I am conditioned to think all majors should look like Augusta. We were sitting right in front of Z Johnson's hole in one so that was the highlight of my day on Sunday.
 
EatLeadCommie said:
My folks both worked the open (they live there). They were pretty pleased with how the town was able to organize and host it again, but did say the crowds and waits were massive. Whether that is due to the crowds actually being massive or more bottlenecks than usual at things like beer tents, I don't know.

My mother drew her least favorite golfer for Saturday and was not pleased. Said he was just as much a jerk in person, though it didn't help that his first two holes on Saturday were a disaster and set the tone for the rest of the day.
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I think they sold more tickets to this Open than any other U.S. Open. Vehicle traffic wasn't bad.
 
By far the best logistics of any major sporting event I've ever attended. Parking, entry, and exit were flawless.
 
I went Thursday and enjoyed the experience. But, as I've told many people since, if you wanted to see the best golfers in the world hit a lot shots, you need to stay at home in front of your TV. Because of the sight lines and crowds, you just couldn't see the golfers like you can at other events, or even at past events at #2.

I thought the food, transportation, grandstands, etc. were all pretty well done. But I suspect the restoration and having to lengthen the course for the "2014 pro golfer" has really handcuffed the organizers for this event. They just can't (or don't) allow the spectators to access the same locations on the course that they used to. We picked out a couple locations beforehand that we thought would give us great vantage points to watch multiple shots and holes, but we could not even get close to those places. We had been to those exact locations in the past.

Oh, and I'm still trying to wash the sand from between my toes. I felt like I was walking over sands dunes at some places. I know.....Sand Hills.....I know. There a couple times when a dust cloud would engulf a whole green for a few minutes. But no one I've talked to ever saw that in TV.

I also commented while we were there that I bet the course looked like crap on TV (they usually look worse). But I think it may have looked better on TV in this instance. I don't know if it was the USGA's refusal to water the course or if it was the removal of the irrigation lines, but the fairways looked pretty gnarly in places. I know why they did what they did, but I think they need to revisit this issue.
 
I had fun, went thurs and fri

Went in 2005 on Sunday and found this more enjoyable, but I like when the course reflects the environment around it instead of some attempt at a golf garden of Eden

Unless it's ANGC of course
 
I feel like everyone had the exact same experience I had. Again, hard to complain about a beautiful day outside, but for view half it was Terrible. It will be interesting to see when and if Pinehurst is awarded the Open again.
 
TARDAWG said:
I feel like everyone had the exact same experience I had. Again, hard to complain about a beautiful day outside, but for view half it was Terrible. It will be interesting to see when and if Pinehurst is awarded the Open again.
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We got good seats in various bleachers and figured out when you had to get in them. You're only gonna see guys like Phil maybe twice or three times a day, but plenty of chances to have good views and see all the important players.
 
TARDAWG said:
I feel like everyone had the exact same experience I had. Again, hard to complain about a beautiful day outside, but for view half it was Terrible. It will be interesting to see when and if Pinehurst is awarded the Open again.
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I'd guess around 2023, although I've heard some rumblings from a golfer who should be in the know (former North and South winner) that Pinehurst isn't interested in the USGA coming back. I have a hard time believing that, given they are in the resort business and the US Open is probably the best marketing tool they could ever have.
 
Liquid Karma said:
I'd guess around 2023, although I've heard some rumblings from a golfer who should be in the know (former North and South winner) that Pinehurst isn't interested in the USGA coming back. I have a hard time believing that, given they are in the resort business and the US Open is probably the best marketing tool they could ever have.
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I know for a fact the USGA wants to go back as soon as Pinehurst will have them. We won't ever see the '99-'05 turnaround again but I would guess 2022.
 
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