Davis Love III Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 The United States Open has long established a fearsome reputation as being routinely the most brutally difficult of golf’s four grand slam championships. However, you could exchange ‘difficult’ for ‘predictable’. Generally, the examination paper at the game’s second major of the year is decidedly formulaic. Very narrow fairways, extremely deep rough and firm greens are what we have come to expect from the USGA. Joyful. Rather than simply being challenging, it would be more accurate to describe these setups as being restrictive. The consequence being the reduction of the individual talents of players, forcing them to all play the course in essentially the same way. Constricting. And it has been largely the same now in America’s national championship for more than half a century since that doctrine was introduced. It would be the equivalent of sitting down at the same restaurant every night of the week with just one item on the menu. Perhaps a tough steak that is chewy, aesthetically bland, and (after repeated helpings) monotonously tiresome to consume night after night. That is what sadly became of the U.S. Open. However, as we enter the 115th edition of this historically significant championship, it appears that the once unashamedly warped minds at the USGA have broadened their horizons and expanded their palate with the inclusion of the undeniably intriguing and fresh layout course Chambers Bay. Spawned from an expansive sand and gravel quarry in Washington State, Chambers Bay was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr and his associates. Opened in 2007, it quickly received a lot of attention, with the USGA (just a few months later) confirming the new course as the venue for both the 2010 U.S. Amateur and 2015 U.S. Open Championships. With fescue grass embedded within the fairways and greens, the course is visually reminiscent of the modern Scottish links venues of Kingsbarns, Castle Stuart and Trump International. A sustained period of fine weather has dried out the course, which will ensure that Chambers Bay will be playing extremely firm and fast, with the ground game becoming more paramount than we have ever seen in a U.S. Open. Creativity is needed. It certainly won’t be a prosaic test of simply joining the dots. Of hitting the fairway and launching a high shot onto the green. Many approaches will have to be run along the ground, with the unpredictability of the bounce and roll having to be a constant consideration. Accuracy (not necessarily straightness) will be key. Rather than merely being an examination of technical execution, a sound strategy will be one of the critical questions that will have to be answered. Those who have prepared due-diligently will find themselves at an advantage over the rest. It is a course that doesn’t easily reveal its secrets. They will have to be learned. The layout has certainly attracted a wide array of responses in weeks before, ranging from the glowingly positive to the downright angry. Strangely, many of the more negative comments have come from players who haven’t actually been to Chambers Bay. They have made a conclusion based on second hand information. All of this would have been joy to the ears of the great Jack Nicklaus, who loved to hear of fellow players complaining about a course before a major championship. In the mind of the 18-time major champion, those individuals could be dismissed from being potential contenders. At the recent Memorial Tournament, the 75-year-old reflected: “When they said, ‘I don't like the course, I checked him off.’ Oh, the fairways are too narrow? Check him off. The fairways are too sloppy? Check him off. The greens are too fast? Check him.” Patience and a psychological ability to overcome adversity are a prerequisite to win a championship of this nature, which is clearly less likely to be present in someone who has already forsaken their own chances on a particular course. As Nicklaus went on to state: “Guys would say a course doesn’t suit their game. It’s not supposed to suit your game. You are supposed to suit your game to the golf course.” Ultimately, there is unfortunately little in the way of variety within the professional game to be found. The courses and setups on the PGA Tour (and increasingly the European Tour) have become tediously one dimensional. The same questions are asked of the players to such a monotonous regularity that it is now all they are accustomed to. It is what they expect. Anything that differs from it is suspicious and unwelcome. Phil Mickelson, who has been a runner-up on an agonising six occasions in his national championship, has been the most vocally positive of all the players who have actually made the journey to the northwest. Admittedly, public negativity from the five-time major champion is usually solely reserved for ageing Ryder Cup captains, but the 45-year-old’s enthusiasm is striking for all who are hoping to see him finally clinch that elusive trophy. “I think it’s wonderful,’’ Mickelson said. “It’s not going to be your typical US Open, hit and hack out of tough. You’re going to be able to control it much more like British Opens than I’ve ever seen, where there’s a lot of room and a lot of firm fairway cut.’’ Having won the Open Championship in 2013 at Muirfield (an achievement that for so long seemed beyond him), Mickelson’s appreciation and love for a more imaginative style of golf has continued to grow, which may prove to be advantageous at Chambers Bay. The correct attitude will be required in order to succeed. “The first time you play it, you don’t know, so I can see why the first impression isn’t favourable for some. But I think the more you play it, the more you like it. The first time you play it, it’s like St. Andrews. You don’t know where to go, you don’t know which mounds do what to the ball.” Chambers Bay is something that is inherently different. It is a new venue that demands skills from the players that are not usually required. For many, it is simply a fear of the unknown. Those who embrace it will succeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasy23 Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Excellent preview as ever, cap doffed sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Iv waited for this and you've played another blinder with the preview DL3.....I also "doff my hat" I'm really looking forward to seeing how this course plays. Looks very difficult and reminds me more of a British links more than an American. Winner wise......really can't see past Rory. I'm also pretty confident Tiger will miss the cut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro Sham Bo Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Looking forward to seeing how this course sets up after all the hype. Should be an interesting four days of golf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuctifano Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Selfishly, I don't like when the US Open or PGA are on the West Coast, generally means about a 2am finish on Monday morning our time. Apart from that, looking forward to this course with the variable par 4/5s and the par 3 that can almost double in length from day to day. Would be glad to see Mickelson do it, hard to call as no-one really has previous over this course and as above it's more like a British links than a US Open. So I'll probably just back my usual suspects e/w and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Distant Doonhamer Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Absolutely tremendous DL111. These previews have become an essential part of my pre-major viewing. I really hope Mickelson wins and this course set up possibly gives him a good chance. Thanks again for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomtown Boy Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 There is a hole by hole guide on you tube done by an American newtwork which I watched yesterday, Feck me there are some scary holes, lots of 500 yd par 4`s many greens that are just about impossible to land it on the dancefloor and keep it there. I really think there will be very few players under par here if any at all. Can see a few players scoring well over 80 in the first few rounds as well. The boy playing the course alluded to there being 1 hole on the course which is a real birdie opportunity, 1 hole! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bairn Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Can see the winner being over par if the conditions dont help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I don't like seeing these professionals embarrassed by a course but it's really refreshing to see then tested on a challenging course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomtown Boy Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 They have made the course easier, they hosted the US Amateur and the guy from course said they had to make lots of adjustments after this to make the course more "user friendly" as it was unplayable. There was 1 hole where the ball landed 15ft from the pin and rolled back to 130yds away feck me 130yds roll down a hill from a green. On that particular hole the green was situated half way up a hill but they had to move it to nearer the bottom. There is also a 10ft deep bunker in the MIDDLE of the 18th fairway called "the chambers basement" the boy stated it was as good as a 1 shot penalty for anyone in there, here is a muckle ladder to get down to the bottom of it, awesome lol A canni wait for this, really looking forward to watching, some of it is going to be car crash stuff tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slacker Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Really looking forward to this. It looks like it will go right to the wire as I can't see anyone, even Rory, going out and blitzing the field. I'll predict that +1 will be the winning score. Have decided to go low on a number of outsiders this week - just think it's got the possibility of someone ranked 50+ winning the whole thing. I've chucked £2 wins on: Matt Every Stephen Gallacher David Hearn Camillo Villegas Bernd Wiesberger I'll decide on a more 'likely' winner tonight and stick £10 on the win there. Right now I'm thinking Henrik Stenson. Would love to see Mickelson manage it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomtown Boy Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Tiger played 9 holes yesterday and walked off to go to the practice ground lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Tiger played 9 holes yesterday and walked off to go to the practice ground lol He is missing the cut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Tiger played 9 holes yesterday and walked off to go to the practice ground lol He is missing the cut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Phoenix Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Tiger will make the cut with some comfort. Rory will win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Tiger will make the cut with some comfort. Rory will win. Fancy a wee charity bet Phoenix? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomtown Boy Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I dont think he will make the cut either although I would love to be proved wrong. Its quite sad when you see one of the greatest ever struggling so badly for any kind of form Tiger key stats this season (he hasnt played much but stats dont lie) Fairways Hit: 202nd on tour (2nd bottom) GIR: 201 (3rd bottom) Putts per round : 123rd He will struggle big time with missing greens and fairways so much. On a different note Colin Montgomerie is playing in this, how do we think he will fair? Does he have a long enough game nowadays to trouble the longest course in US Open history? I dont On checking up the stats Molinari is 1st on driving accuaracy and 5th on GIR I am thinking wow how is he no best player in world then he is 159th at putting. Nae surprise what he need s to be working on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro Sham Bo Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 I dont think he will make the cut either although I would love to be proved wrong. Its quite sad when you see one of the greatest ever struggling so badly for any kind of form Tiger key stats this season (he hasnt played much but stats dont lie) Fairways Hit: 202nd on tour (2nd bottom) GIR: 201 (3rd bottom) Putts per round : 123rd He will struggle big time with missing greens and fairways so much. On a different note Colin Montgomerie is playing in this, how do we think he will fair? Does he have a long enough game nowadays to trouble the longest course in US Open history? I dont On checking up the stats Molinari is 1st on driving accuaracy and 5th on GIR I am thinking wow how is he no best player in world then he is 159th at putting. Nae surprise what he need s to be working on. Molinari has always been a woeful putter. Iffy temperament when the heat is on as well. As for Woods, if he doesn't sort his long game out his 85 could be under threat this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestersKTID Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Course looks insanely good. Didn't think there were any links type courses in the US. Gonna stick some bets on Patrick Reed, Koepka, Dustin, Mcilroy, phil then the sentimental quid each way on Monty and gallacher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomtown Boy Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Koepka is a no bad shout, he was right in contention at Memorial, made a few mistakes which cost him but he is always improving, he could be a good e/w bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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