[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

This has always been my favorite tournament to watch and the one that I most aspired to play in. Sadly, I never go there.

Watching this year and last year look a bit odd for a US Open. One of the reasons that it's usually such a good tournament is the the course is so difficult. The main features being very long, thick rough, narrow fairways and firm, fast greens.

This year they are playing on a new course that looks very much like British links. Now, I love British links golf courses, but I'm not sure that I like it for a US Open.

Last year they played it in Pinehurst #2 which is a beautiful old American golf course where Payne Stewart won a few months before his untimely death. But, old number two had been revamped. They removed all the rough. Again, it wasn't that it was a bad course, it just didn't have a US Open quality about it. Of course Martin Kaymer made it look like it wasn't a US Open either so that didn't help. Nothing against Kaymer, it's just that he ran away from the field and there was no drama. Usually the US Open is filled with drama. With a few exceptions, we usually see a player with a small lead just trying to survive the back nine.

So this year I'm watching and I don't get the same feeling that I've had watching so many US Opens in the past.

Why is the USGA trying make the US Open look like the British Open?

The four majors have a distinct look and feel to them.

The Masters with it's perfectly manicured Augusta National Golf Club with it's big, fast, incredibly undulating greens. Very little rough and all of those holes that we are all so familiar with.

The US Open for years moved around to traditional American courses that the USGA would go into and set up with narrow fairways, long, lush rough and rock hard greens.

The British Open of course had it's very distinctive looking courses of the ten or so in it's regular rotation.

OK, the PGA Championship was pretty indistinct and usually thought of as the least of the majors.

But now we have the USGA trying to make the US Open look and feel like the British Open? Why? We already have a British Open.

I'm not sure how I feel about it, I was very disappointed in last years event but part of that was the lack of competition. Runaways are not usually fun to watch. We'll have to see how things turn out, but I'll be really happy to see them get back to Winged Foot.

[Jayhawk]

The course is ugly, at least on TV.

[Jima64]

The course appears to be in horrible condition. Too much odd layout of the holes. Two holes on the back nine cross,over each other creating a bottleneck for the players.

[Jayhawk]

Looks like Sweetgum.

[JGVillages]

Its a jumbo pinball machine but fun to watch

[Colts Fan]

Some of the views of the course on television make it look more like the Lunar Open than the US Open.

[Colts Fan]

It might be more common than I think, but I've never seen sand traps with stairs before.

[aln]

It does look a little British. I think were just not used to seeing Southwest US grasses. I could do without joe buck
I think fox sports has a long way to go to cover a major

[simpkinp]

I am very disappointed so far. Not only is the course ugly (and they keep calling it beautiful), but by the shots I see, not as hard as they made it out to be. Two men are -5 the first round already? And many more close behind. Not what they promised us. Didn't they say the golfers would struggle to make pars? Maybe it will be different tomorrow, some wind, harder pin placement. Unfortunately it will still be ugly. Oh, and interesting commentators, Curt Menefee and Joe Buck? Will Bradshaw, Howie and Michael be on tomorrow? Sure like that kid "Hammer" though.

[Polar Bear]

I'll bet it's beautiful in person.

The grasses...especially on the greens...do look odd. But I'm okay with them shaking things up a little. I love seeing the pros deal with difficult, non-standard conditions. And I still think the winning score may be just a little under par.

[jebartle]

When a course is so difficult to walk that they fear it unsafe for fans to gather in certain areas, they have made a mistake... Cart paths that exist are few and far between. It looks like a moon-scape with "grass" (and I use that term loosely).
No club house. Fox Sports coverage is poor. Updates on players scores are hit and miss at best. This would not be on my bucket list of courses to play.

[rubicon]

Chambers Bay was created 9 years ago by moving and shaping it with millions of metric tons of dirt, etc.

Thursday's play was comparable kids stuff the USGA will make the course more difficult each day.

One hole will shift from a par 4 to a par 5, etc. and another hole changes also but I forget the specifics. Also can lengthen the course substantially

It is going to be an interesting venue. I have my favorite and hopes he succeeds in his grand slam ambition.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by Jima64

The course appears to be in horrible condition. Too much odd layout of the holes. Two holes on the back nine cross,over each other creating a bottleneck for the players.

Which holes are you talking about? I looked at a layout of the course and I don't see any holes crossing.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Chambers Bay was created 9 years ago by moving and shaping it with millions of metric tons of dirt, etc.

Thursday's play was comparable kids stuff the USGA will make the course more difficult each day.

One hole will shift from a par 4 to a par 5, etc. and another hole changes also but I forget the specifics. Also can lengthen the course substantially

It is going to be an interesting venue. I have my favorite and hopes he succeeds in his grand slam ambition.

Both the first and eighteenth will change from a par four to par five.

I think that Americans are a bit shocked by this because it looks so much like the classic British links courses which are also all fescue. My only problem with the condition is that it seems that the ball are wobbling around on the greens a lot.

Like I said, it appears that the USGA wants to make the US Open look more and more like the British Open every year. I'm wondering if that has anything to do with the fact that six out of the last eleven US Opens including the last three have been won by foreigners.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by aln

It does look a little British. I think were just not used to seeing Southwest US grasses. I could do without joe buck
I think fox sports has a long way to go to cover a major

Umm....last I checked, Seattle was in the NORTHwest.

Fescue is not a southwest or northwest grass. It is the prominent grass in the British Isles and I have played a course in Northern Maine that was planted completely in red fescue. It's actually a great grass for golf. In fact, I believe Jack Nicklaus said it was the most perfect grass for a golf course. Some people have a problem with it because it's not green. Americans are used to seeing very green, overly lush golf courses. We are especially spoiled by seeing the golf courses on television which are mainly bent grass and brought to the peak of perfection for the week of the tournament.