[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by DeanFL

--------------------

GE,
Actually the need for more golf balls arises for two main reasons:

- the covers tend to split after my drives.
- use as giveways to the TV galleries, after a Sharpie signing.

yes.... the tongue, here too...

1. The guy at the square thought he retired too.
2. And that there may have been pressure from the new LSL Golf store merchant. We went there - but $$$ were high (wonder if they will be in business 6 mos from now).
3. Like to use Callaway SuperSoft - but retail new...yikes. Prefer the slightly used for 1/3 price. And the gallery fans never know...

Who's looking forward to the US Open? What a tough course. I would need 5 dozen balls for a round there with those hayfield roughs...

I am thinking that this will be a disappointing US Open. You give these guys wide fairways and flat greens and they will shoot low scores. For players of US Open caliber to hit it in that tall fescue it would have to be a horrendous shot. I don't expect to see many balls in there.

The fairways are averaging 40 yards wide with some as wide as 60 yards. The there is another 6-8 yards of medium rough alongside the fairways. If a player can't keep the ball in those areas, he shouldn't be playing in our national championship.

If the greens were extremely fast and extremely undulating, it might make things more interesting, but from what I understand, they are failry flat and running at medium speed for the tour.

I expect to see 15-20 under win this event. I think that the USGA screwed up.

Just my opinion of course and we'll see what happens in three more days.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Well, round one is over and Rickie Fowler shot -7 to tie the lowest first round score in US Open history. There are 44 players under par, the most by a wide margin.

This is beginning to look like a regular tour event which will be very disappointing if it doesn't change. I think that the only thing that could make it interesting now is the weather. If the wind blows real hard and the fairways and greens get real hard and fast it could turn it into a real US Open.

I really wish the USGA would stop tinkering with success. The US Open is known for firm narrow fairways, long, thick penalizing rough and slick hard greens. The winner is usually within a few shots of even par. That is what makes the US Open so interesting and my favorite event of the year.

The only time I was excited to see a low score win was in 2000 when Tiger shot 12 under and won by fifteen shots. The fact that the second place finisher was at +3 just shows what an incredible performance this was by Tiger. That was a level of golf never before achieved and probably never will be achieved again.

[rjn5656]

I think they will toughen it up today to lower the scores.

[Taltarzac725]

2017 U.S. Open - Erin Hills

Had not heard of Erin Hills before the USGA sent me that request for joining them with an offer of a baseball cap with their logo showing Erin Hills. Erin Hills - Wikipedia

[ColdNoMore]

Due to shrinking viewer audiences, the USGA has stated that they've made a conscious effort to try and add a little excitement to the U.S. Open.

Watching the best players in the world, constantly hack it out sideways back to the fairway, from 6 inch rough, because of being 5 yards offline with their drives...is really boring.

The low scores on the first day, were due primarily to absolutely perfect scoring conditions (lack of wind/moist greens)...and I doubt will be reflective of the final winning score.

If the winning score is around 15 under...I'm personally fine with that.

[retiredguy123]

My complaint with the US Open is the 18 hole playoff when there is a tie. Why not have a sudden death playoff like other tournaments? Stupid.

[Polar Bear]

I'm with Doc. The US Open needs to be tough. I like seeing the pros struggle...not boring at all to me. You can watch them breeze through courses the rest of the year.

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

I'm with Doc. The US Open needs to be tough. I like seeing the pros struggle...not boring at all to me. You can watch them breeze through courses the rest of the year.

On several shots they actually looked like me - terrible.


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[DonH57]

Originally Posted by dbussone

On several shots they actually looked like me - terrible.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

I know what you mean. People can not spend a dime and watch me struggle like I did on Orange Blossom this morning!

[Rollie]

I find it very interesting that the 3 top golfers are out and there are several amateurs on the leaderboard. What a beautiful course. The only downer for me is the Fox telecast.

Rollie

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by Rollie

I find it very interesting that the 3 top golfers are out and there are several amateurs on the leaderboard. What a beautiful course. The only downer for me is the Fox telecast.

Rollie

It's such an easy course, 8 of the top 12 in the world...decided it wasn't even worth hanging around for the weekend.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

My complaint with the US Open is the 18 hole playoff when there is a tie. Why not have a sudden death playoff like other tournaments? Stupid.

I'd rather see 18 or 36 hole playoffs for all of the majors. Sudden death allows for the prospect of one lucky shot to win the tournament. I think that these tournaments are too important for that.

The reason that the other's have gone shorter playoffs has to do with television and the players' schedules. In my opinion, if a player is in a playoff for a major, he should be happy to hand around for another day or two or whatever it takes.
And I think that most of them would have no problem with doing that.

The big problem is getting a television audience on Monday. And that's too bad. These events are national championships and will affect a players legacy for eternity. Having a player hole out a shot on one of the first few holes is a sad way for someone to lose that.

Back in the day, the playoff of the US Open was 36 holes in one day. In fact, they played 18 on Thursday, 18 on Friday and 36 on Saturday. If there was a tie, they held a 36 hole playoff on Monday. They evidently felt that it was that important. It's a shame that it change because of external factors relating to money.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

It's such an easy course, 8 of the top 12 in the world...decided it wasn't even worth hanging around for the weekend.

Sometimes there are external factors that cause players to play poorly. Dustin Johnson just became a father for the second time. He might not have put in the time that usually would for a major.

Jason Day's mother is dying of cancer. He withdrew from one tournament and didn't make the cut in the Masters. I'm sure that his mind is not on his golf.

Bubba has been playing poorly all year. Adam Scott has been inconsistent at best. Rory is just coming back from an injury and is going through an equipment change.

The OWGR does not, IMHO, account enough for recent play. Players don't play for months and retain their position.

Even the greats don't play their best every week.

What I like to see in the majors is the cream rising to the top. What this course is liable to produce is another one hit wonder.

I like to see the best players in the world have to hit it on the fairway in order to make par. I also like to see them have to hit crisp irons to firm greens and have to putt on difficult surfaces in order to win a national championship.

Watching this is not much different than watching any other weekly PGA Tour tournament.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

I'd rather see 18 or 36 hole playoffs for all of the majors. Sudden death allows for the prospect of one lucky shot to win the tournament. I think that these tournaments are too important for that.

The reason that the other's have gone shorter playoffs has to do with television and the players' schedules. In my opinion, if a player is in a playoff for a major, he should be happy to hand around for another day or two or whatever it takes.
And I think that most of them would have no problem with doing that.

The big problem is getting a television audience on Monday. And that's too bad. These events are national championships and will affect a players legacy for eternity. Having a player hole out a shot on one of the first few holes is a sad way for someone to lose that.

Back in the day, the playoff of the US Open was 36 holes in one day. In fact, they played 18 on Thursday, 18 on Friday and 36 on Saturday. If there was a tie, they held a 36 hole playoff on Monday. They evidently felt that it was that important. It's a shame that it change because of external factors relating to money.

I guess your logic escapes me because you can win a major by one lucky stroke on the 72nd hole. So, why then, if two players are tied, they need to come back the next day and play another 18 holes?

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I guess your logic escapes me because you can win a major by one lucky stroke on the 72nd hole. So, why then, if two players are tied, they need to come back the next day and play another 18 holes?

I agree. Sudden death is the way to go.