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Revisiting the U.S. Open Pinehurst #2

DeaconBrews said:
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.
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For the entire weekend in 2005, we sat High Right (high left if you are looking at the bleachers from the green) on #14. Great spot: if you were in the back 2 rows, you could watch the approach, chips, putts on #12, tee shot on #13, #14 of course, tee shot on #15 and the 2nd shot on #10. You were also near concessions. If anyone is going this weekend, I would recommend that spot if you are looking for a place to park it for awhile.
 
I haven't been to too many different pro events but bad sight lines at course level would be really irritating.
 
timdunkandthefunk said:
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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Of course the USGA wants to go back. I was saying the club might not want them back, but I doubt that very much. The US Open belongs at Pinehurst, Pebble, Winged Foot, Oakmont and Shinnecock at least once a decade.

I think 2022 could be a good chance for them to return as well. For some reason I had it in my head that 2022 had already been awarded. Looking at past venues, we are due for another open at Congressional, Olympic, Oakland Hills and Pinehurst around that time.
 
CheesePritchard said:
I haven't been to too many different pro events but bad sight lines at course level would be really irritating.
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Best course I've been to for viewing was Valhalla. Lots of hills and mounds to stand on.
 
Liquid Karma said:
Of course the USGA wants to go back. I was saying the club might not want them back, but I doubt that very much. The US Open belongs at Pinehurst, Pebble, Winged Foot, Oakmont and Shinnecock at least once a decade.

I think 2022 could be a good chance for them to return as well. For some reason I had it in my head that 2022 had already been awarded. Looking at past venues, we are due for another open at Congressional, Olympic, Oakland Hills and Pinehurst around that time.
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The club was working with the USGA through every step of the redesign process. The USGA is also going to "assist" on the switch to bermuda greens. I can't imagine Pinehurst is going to turn around and refuse the open.
 
USGA loves Phurst because there is so much space (aka p #1 and #4) to put those big ass tents
 
To be honest, when I think quintessential us open courses I immediately think Pebble, Winged Foot, and Oakmont
 
This was the 34th major I have attended in person. It was the worst combination of weather & course set up for the fan that I have witnessed. I am not sure the USGA could have done anything else. The sand of Coore & Crenshaw just doesn't work for June.
 
We had a house across the street from the 2nd green. Didn't set foot inside the course the entire week. Had a blast.
 
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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So c'mon, who we talking about?
 
Liquid Karma said:
Of course the USGA wants to go back. I was saying the club might not want them back, but I doubt that very much. The US Open belongs at Pinehurst, Pebble, Winged Foot, Oakmont and Shinnecock at least once a decade.

I think 2022 could be a good chance for them to return as well. For some reason I had it in my head that 2022 had already been awarded. Looking at past venues, we are due for another open at Congressional, Olympic, Oakland Hills and Pinehurst around that time.
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Olympic and Pinehurst, definitely. After 2011, I don't know how soon it will return to Congo. Obviously the location makes sense, but the course took an absolute beating last time, and June tends to be like that in DC. I also wonder if Oakland Hills has become a PGA course having hosted both a PGA and Ryder Cup recently, similar to Oak Hill and Medinah. I would be surprised to see the USGA return to any of those three for a while, but who knows.
 
The thinking I've heard for Congressional is 2026 - 250th birthday for US. In other news, Congressional members just voted to only host Tigers tournament every other year.
 
Is there a chance the USGA "oversold" the event this year due to the fact they were limited to 25,000 people per day last year at land-restricted Merion? It definitely seemed more crowded than 1999 and 2005, but maybe that was just due to the lengthening of the course (and the bottlenecks that creates). This is the only event the USGA really makes money at, so it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to "make up" for some of the lost revenue from last year.
 
donaldross said:
This was the 34th major I have attended in person. It was the worst combination of weather & course set up for the fan that I have witnessed. I am not sure the USGA could have done anything else. The sand of Coore & Crenshaw just doesn't work for June.
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What was wrong with the weather?
 
When we played #2 last year for a tourney just about everyone we talked to agreed that if you went to the Open it'd be impossible to walk the course and enjoy following groups. You just can't see anything. Raised greens, low viewing areas, far away because of the sandy areas... But playing it is freaking awesome - most fun I've ever had on a golf course.

It'll be interesting to see if they green it up for the ladies. Normally when the fairways are green the contrast of the sandy areas is actually pretty nice. Looks like this:

photoGal_imageMap_A.jpg


Instead of this:

Pinehurst-1st-Hole-US-Open-Sunday.jpg


I get that they had to do it for it to play like they wanted, but what people saw one TV is really not what the renovation looks like.
 
Just because something was designed a certain way, doesn't mean it has to be that way. Buildings are renovated all the time... to improve them. This went backwards and doesn't make sense in todays world. Thought the course looked awful, you couldn't see a single cup, and the prices were high. Hillandale should never look better than the US Open. Never. No mater what the "set up" is. We all participated in a cash cow and we just have to deal with it.

Edited to note the A/C units in the tents were by far the most impressive features to an event I have ever seen. Incredible. Also, the entry, exit, parking, shuttles, etc. were incredible. Kudos to the folks who organized that. Not an easy feat.
 
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regarding the roughs I was told that they were hoping for more rainthat would have turned those clumps of grass and weed to grow 2or 3 foot tall. Look back at the pictures and see if that makes the course better.
 
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