PGA Tour: Shinnecock - A Star is Reborn: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).It seems there's as much anticipation this week to see how the USGA has set up Shinnecock Hills for the US Open as there is to see how Tiger Woods does.
Everything else secondary.
Not sure that does justice to Shinnecock, which is traditionally one of the stars of the USGA's US Open circuit of courses.
It'll be the first visit here since the fiasco of 2004 when the USGA was presumably thrilled with a final round scoring average of about 78 . . . . . . until they were overwhelmed by an avalanche of richly deserved negative publicity about dried out/dead greens and incompatible winds.

2).So they brought in Coore & Crenshaw to prepare the lay-out for 2018's golfers - 500 yards added to the course, wider (up to 40 yards) fairways and some redoing of a few of the greens. All this overshadowed by ill-fated experiments at Chambers Bay, in 2015, and Erin Hills last year. So the USGA is on the spot this week. Not so much Shinnecock though as they're already assured of a return visit in 2026.

3).Shinnecock, way out on New York State's Long Island, is by most accounts one of the first five golf clubs in the USA (tho' Royal Montreal and Royal Quebec predated it during the early 1870's, in that territory north of the border now referred to, presumably, as that "special place in hell" by White House staff); some "golf" clubs in South Carolina & Georgia existed earlier without much evidence they actually played golf.
In 1895 Shinnecock was one of the five "Founding Clubs" (clubs in Boston, Chicago, Newport, RI, and New York) of the USGA which held its first US Open at Newport GC, then at Shinnecock the following year. Then not again until Ray Floyd won a thriller in 1986.

4).A pair of Willies laid out the course, Davis produced 12 holes followed by Dunn who added 9 more and integrated the two efforts into an 18-holer. Charles B.McDonald (National Golf Links and others) and the prolific Seth Raynor (Fishers Island, Chicago GC, Waialae CC and dozens in between) upgraded the course and Willie Flynn (Merion etc) reconfigured the 18 holes roughly resembling what we see today.
Coore and Crenshaw have stretched the course to almost 7,500 yards - it looks to have been pretty dry on Long Island so hopefully there'll be some penal rough otherwise this week promises to be a bombers paradise. A golfer of 1995 winner Corey Pavin's length need not apply, though a Retief Goosen profile, hits it far enough and with a brilliant putting week, will be competitive. (Pity Retief didn't receive an invitation.)

5).Given that foreward, how does that help us pick a winner this week?
I'd start with the world's Top ten, add a couple, eliminate one or two others and roll the dice.

6).Dustin? If he's playing at his best, he can't be beaten! Hasn't been out of the Top 20 in a strokeplay event since last September, but not keen on him playing in Woods's group, the only reservation.
Thomas: Don't fancy him here, no particular reason, just don't find him as convincing as his wins might suggest.
Rose: Great chance, though his links form hasn't been that great this century. But hits it far enough and plots his way around as well as anyone. Seemingly a great caddie relationship.
Spieth: Course management great, but driving accuracy still questionable and lost his magic touch on the greens.
Rahm: Seems to have gone off the boil - may win a Major one day, but not this week.
Rory: Under the radar, but perhaps justifiably so. Too inconsistent for me, still not keen on his caddie situation.
Fowler: Wins on the PGA Tour less that 2% of the time; too good not to improve that, but doubt it'll be this week.
Day: Like Rory, don't fancy his caddie deal, but has all the proverbial tools to win. Fitness, mental & physical always a ?
Koepka: Playing well; can he be the first to successfully "defend" since Curtis Strange a generation or two ago? Wouldn't be surprised.
Matsuyama: Unconvincing since his injury, no Tour Top 3's since August, but wouldn't be surprised to see him somewhere on the leaderboard.

7).Best of the rest?
Best Aussie: Leishman - so difficult to predict, but must have a great chance if the wind blows a bit.
Best Saffer: tie between Grace & King Louis, two guys who seem to elevate their game in Majors.
Best Cont European: Stenson: Why not, if he's in the mood?
Best GB&I: Poults: Just got a feeling! Also like Lowry to have a decent week.
Best of the rest of the US: Kooch & Duf.
Lots of good e.w. options there.

8).Phil & Tiger: Would love to see Mickelson win a US Open, but rather feel his time has passed. Woods is ten years removed from his Torrey Pines heroics, but the course looks as if it could be set up in his favour. SkyBet says 16/1 against him so could be worth an e.w. punt, but don't see him winning.

9).Fox will be broadcasting this week and the best bet of the week is that Joe Buck will make us miss Jim Nantz before the first hour is up.
Shane O'Donoghue will no doubt try to match him in the verbal diarrhea stakes, but hopefully Zinger and Faxon can rein them in. Ken Brown will be on the course but, on US TV, always sounds as if he's got socks in his mouth - but a great asset if they can fix his audio.
Fox also has the World Cup, almost enough to make one fly east for the next six weeks.

10).I hope they get the course set up right so that golf can be the winner. The weather should be ideal, dry, mild, with some breeze but nothing too severe, enough to allow the course to play as nature intended, firm and fast without going ott.
Don't much care who wins but trust it will be because of great golf, not because the USGA tried to be too clever with the course.  
And reveal that Shinnecock is the true star of the week.

I was in the north-east US when Pavin won in 95 meaning it was the only time I watched a US based major in the same time-zone it was being played, felt weird  

I don't have much recollection though other than that 4-wood which to be honest, I have seen a fair few times since.

kwinigolfer wrote:
9).Fox will be broadcasting this week and the best bet of the week is that Joe Buck will make us miss Jim Nantz before the first hour is up.

I know Buck from the NFL so was surprised when I heard Fox were using him for their golf coverage. Does he have any golf pedigree or past experience commentating on it? Or is he just Fox's lead sports commentator so you know, he gets the gig?

wire,
Different philosophy over here.
Instead of getting experienced expert commentators for different sports, they tend to go to their "flagship" anchors regardless of whether they actually know the sport.
Joe Buck's Dad was actually a fantastic radio commentator who could paint a picture AND manage the play-by-play - so little Joe got gigs from an early age. Now he gets golf as well as Baseball & NFL. Similarly Jim Nantz is ubiquitous, Dan Hicks pretty much the same, then you get the gradually fading away Bob Costas and the ever-unctious Mike Tirico (who will never know what he doesn't know - blathers on regardless).
Trouble for us is that baby Buck doesn't get the pro golf game at all. But, you know, he gets the gig anyway!
Reminds me of early footie commentaries of Div 1 football when some t0ssp0t in LA looked at the screen with a Rothmans Football Yearbook on his lap - incredible really.

Good report thanks Kwini.
If Els got an invite, why not Goosen?

I have four runners at Mr William Hill. Poulter, Fowler, Noren and Berger. In the unlikely event it all comes to plan = £1000.

And re coverage. It wouldn't surprise me that Tiger is in a "featured group" on Thursday and Friday. I understand why they do it, but I don't agree with it. Spread the coverage around. And I hope I don't hear all that sycophantic chatter re Woods. Yes he's back. We know. If he's playing well, say so. If he's not, say so - or better still don't show him.

Good luck Inw,

50% chance of rain today at Shinnecock, but it's 100% right now - and forecast to be a bit breezier on Thursday, so some set-up changes are in the works.
Wish the USGA would just prep the course to be reasonable for predictable conditions and leave it alone - if it blows, it blows, the scores may be higher but so what?

kwinigolfer wrote:Pity Retief didn't receive an invitation

I'm never wrong wrote:If Els got an invite, why not Goosen?

FWIW....Goosen got a special invite two years ago at Oakmont. This is the first time Els has got a special invite for the US Open.

Every Masters I read complaints on this board about past champions playing at the Masters.

Now there are complaints about Goosen not getting a special exemption.

{{{shaking my head}}}

GPB wrote:FWIW....Goosen got a special invite two years ago at Oakmont.  

It wasn't along the lines you suggest GPB, it was a genuine question. You have answered it and that explains it. I didn't know Goosen got that invitation or I wouldn't have asked.

GPB wrote:

Every Masters I read complaints on this board about past champions playing at the Masters.

Now there are complaints about Goosen not getting a special exemption.

{{{shaking my head}}}

Yes everybody’s on the barricades...

My question in relation to Goosen was more to do with the fact that he won at Shinnecock - I couldn’t see the connection that Els had with the location. But maybe that’s not the criteria they used. It would be in my mind.

First time Els has needed one; wouldn't it have been more apropos to give the Goose an invite this year - instead of 2016 if necessary?
I like the Past Champ benefit, so long as they rein it in at a certain age, or competency.

No biggie, just a mini-gripe! Much more important things going on this week.

If Goosen got an special invite, he would be taking a spot away from another player.

#inelastic

Fred Couples playing in the Masters does not take a spot away from another player.

#elastic

RE Goosen... Here is what Davis and Hall of the USGA had to say about it (from a Golf Digest article).

“We’ve only given seven men in history more than one special exemption,” said Jeff Hall, the USGA’s managing director of rules and Open championships. “We gave Retief one when he requested it two years ago.”

The seven men who have received more than one are all in the World Golf Hall of Fame: Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, and Seve Ballesteros. The first four were multiple Open champions. Palmer and Watson won the Open once each. Ballesteros never won an Open but was, well, Ballesteros.

Goosen is a two-time Open champion. He requested an exemption into the Open at Oakmont, and it was granted. Mike Davis, the USGA’s CEO said Wednesday that Goosen was not told then that if he was given an exemption into Oakmont he wouldn’t be given one into Shinnecock.

“We can’t do something like that,” he said. “If we imply to a player that if he doesn’t take an exemption one year, you’re guaranteed one another year, you put yourself in a tough position. What if the player isn’t competitive or hasn’t been playing? Are we then obligated to give him the exemption?”

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/us-open-2018-usga-stands-by-decision-to-not-grant-retief-goosen-a-special-exemption-at-shinnecock

That's fair enough robo, hadn't realised Special Exemptions had to be requested.

GPB wrote:If Goosen got an special invite, he would be taking a spot away from another player.

#inelastic

Fred Couples playing in the Masters does not take a spot away from another player.

#elastic

About time the Masters added an extra place for every ancient has-been cripple that turns up for a processionary jolly.
It's a great tournament, but realistically, only about a third of the field stands a chance.
No reason whatsoever you couldn't have 120 in the field there. I know it's "their ball", but it's a bit out of date and a bit "old fartish" and "our tournament, our rules" ridiculousness which takes away some of the credibility.

Hopefully The US Open's where par is a winning score returns!!!

Plenty of nervousness on the first tee right now, no doubt.
Looks like a lovely summer's morning and perhaps conditions early will be as benign as they'll get. A little rain yesterday, not much wind, attack the course early.
Oosthuizen, Rose with Jimmy Walker in the first "big" group of the day - wonder if there'll be any back-stop ball-marking?

https://twitter.com/USGA/status/1007217061486059522

Southgate starts off with triple bogey!

Balls! Although he may not have any.

Brutal scoring so far!

Spieth +4 for his first two holes.

Hampshire +11 thru 13 holes:
Ellis +1 after 6
Gregory +10 thru 7.

Spieth and Rors chances have gone down the ballwasher pretty quickly.

I managed to catch a couple of holes when on lunch there. Spieth tried to be cute with his chip on 11 and paid the price with a triple. It looks a bogey will be a good score there today.

Bring on the tough course presentation! Love watching the players having to battle for par.

Last year Erin Hills was just like any other Tour event. We see players going low every week, it's a great change to see how they cope, as long as the course remains playable. This is the USP of the US Open.

Not a fan of a complete birdie fest either but this is brutal and is not enjoyable to watch in the slightest.

Often hear and read about falling numbers in terms of viewing figures and participation....but if this is what one of the sports majors is putting out their it's little wonder.

In the modern era if anything the weekly regular tournaments should be the grinds. Majors should show how remarkable these guys are. I appreciate the skill and mental fortitude to play a course like this....but the average Joe doesn't and when you see some of these guys hitting 2 decent shots into the green and being rewarded with a bogey it's a head scratcher.

Has Rory ever won on a difficult course or in difficult weather conditions? Seems like unless conditions are pristine he's pretty useless (in comparative terms to when everything is set up perfect)

When I use to say he wouldn't win another it was more out of frustration as a fan but it's got to the point where I genuinely can't envision him collecting another

Rory..Day...Grace...Speight....put a fork in these guys they look done already. This a hell of a grind to sit through...crowd are muted across the course...even the usually over the top giddy presenters are struggling to show an ounce of excitement.

owen10ozzy wrote:Rory..Day...Grace...Speight....put a fork in these guys they look done already. This a hell of a grind to sit through...crowd are muted across the course...even the usually over the top giddy presenters are struggling to show an ounce of excitement.

Somehow I still can picture Speight and Day fighting back and making the cut

Who is this Speight of which you speak?

This carnage kinda makes you appreciate The Masters, R&A and PGA just a little bit more.

oh Rory

Is he just a flat track bully?

This is not enjoyable golf. Grass should be maintained on a golf course, as in "mowed"

GPB's Rule of Thumb: A Golfer should be entitled to find his golf ball without need of forecaddies, marshalls or spectators.

No higher than 3".

USGA = Useless and Stupid Golf Association.

This is really quite shocking for the morning "wave". Three more "waves" like this and the cut-line will be about +9 or +10.

Hope Poults and Rose can hang on thru their final holes.

It's been an absolute horror show for the image of golf....when you think and read about the issues between USGA and Fox only 5 years into a 12 year deal...this major will do nothing to appease the tv execs who are internally discussing bringing to an end the lucrative deal offered in 2013.

Well played Poults

Great stuff from the English contingents....Rose also played well and at risk of cursing him Fitzpatrick getting round safely at the moment

Most enjoyable tournament in ages for me. Much, much rather watch this than a shootout of 350 yard drives and stop dead wedges. It’s the same for all of them and Poulter and Piercy have got in under par.

But that makes it sound like it's either or ....can we not have something in between? 7th hole is madness....Par 5 playing almost 6 scandalous...

When 7 of the world's top 10 are +40 for their rounds in one of your showpiece events it's absolutely no good for the sport.

I was just about to edit a couple of caveats to that in fairness Owen.
First caveat being that I don’t like the 7th hole at all, the course overall I like but that hole has an artificial gimmicky feel to me.
Second caveat was that it’s not helping that we’re watching “featured groups” so much. Rory, Jordan and Phil are +24 combined and we’re seeing every gruesome shot, of course that’s ugly viewing. If we gave up on them and saw more of Hoffman, Howell, Steele and other steady players who have scored OK we’d get a better impression.

Agreed regards featured groups...yet once again that's the risk you take when grouping big names...tend to pull each other along or drag each other down. I'd love to see stats on Rory & Spieth when paired together...because from my memory they are bloody awful when paired with one another.

Also I've been watching full coverage for two hours now where others are being shown and its still not great viewing.

Like I said, I myself can appreciate the psychological grind and skill in dragging rounds out in these conditions...but from a general viewing stand point and for future of the game it does not shine a good light on the sport...that's reflected in increasingly poor viewings especially at this major (yes other factors contribute too of course)

Yeah agree with that. I’d gripe much more with the USGA for daft groupings than for -1 leading. Admittedly all majors put bigger names together and smaller names together, but this is the worst for it. Those three names I mentioned before, Hoffman, Howell, Steele are all decent players well inside the top 100, they’d get more status from tee times at any of the other three majors in my opinion.

Also, although this is easy to say with hindsight, Rory, Jordan and Phil on this setup was asking for trouble. Rory is a target golfer who hates this sort of struggle and is in average form by his standards. Jordan has short game demons right now. And Phil is a grade A scrambler but crooked off the tee. This was always a possibility from that group.

If you think you've seen too much coverage dominated by "featured groups", you ain't seen nuffink yet.

Don’t worry Kwini, I’m a closet anti-Tiger fan. I could happily watch him shoot bogeys for weeks on end. (Don’t tell Mac)

Tiger screwing up his championship on the first hole? If it's not the easiest hole today it's close.

Nightmare start for Tiger

I reckon I could play to my handicap out there .Just saying.

McLaren wrote:I reckon I could play to my handicap out there .Just saying.

I know you are tongue in cheek Mac, but didn't someone do some analysis or a commentary on a Major location and how a mid range handicapper wouldn't break 100?

Was that just the most ridiculous thing I've ever witnessed on a golf course with Dustbin and the "lost ball" ?

So he's in deep cabbage, must already be approaching the 5 minute limit and one of the 10-12 people searching for his ball finds it - only by standing on it!

Dustbin asks for, and gets, a free drop for the ball being stood on when in reality another minute and he'd be getting a cart ride back to play 3 off the tee - and after his drop the ball is totally visible to the cameras??

He's lucky it was found - at the very most if the guy who stood on it had embedded the ball then he should have been able to roll the ball out of its imprint. Instead he gets a get of jail card. Not impressed!

kwinigolfer wrote:If you think you've seen too much coverage dominated by "featured groups", you ain't seen nuffink yet.

It turned out to be “featured glutes”.

Well just finished the days viewing; suffice to say I will be catching up with the rest via updates. I have no interest in watching that monstrosity of an excuse for a course/major.

Before people bleet about how birdie fest golf is boring, agree its tedious and I don't want that but it seems only The Masters and The Open (more due to weather) ever seem to be able to get the right blend of difficulty.

The Worlds top 10 combined for a total of +50 odd over par...that is a terrible advert for the game whichever way you want to spin it. Would be like seeing Top 5 teams being knocked out at group stages of world cup or champions league...would completely reduce the meaning/importance of the tournament.

I mean just in the last 3 hours today I saw, and this is a rough guess, 2 dozen approach shots which were everything you would want in terms of soft hands, distance even ball landing, yet they ended 30 odd ft off the green. No one wants to see that.

Seems the PGA seem to find it more and more difficult to penalise bad shots and reward good shots in their equal measure. Either rock up and get bombers smashing it 50 yards off fairway only to have no bad lie at all and come out with a birdie anyway...or you get what we had today where it didn't seem to matter how good a shot you played at times you were being penalised for it anyway.

owen,
Agree with most of that, but the PGA had nothing to do with today's performance, neither the PGA Tour or the PGA Of America (who run the PGA Championship & Ryder Cup).

Having said which, there was plenty of frustration out there today; for instance, on consecutive holes, Woods 4-putted when 3-putting was the worst he should have done, then hacked it around like a 36-handicapper when "taking your medicine" would have guaranteed a bogey.
I actually think the USGA wins when they get inside of players' heads.

At the end of the day, apart from possibly Russell Henley, most of the top guys are disciplined players who play the game one shot at a time. Not exciting guys to watch perhaps, but this competition demands some mental fortitude.