Pinehurst Greens Will Make This US Open Interesting

Sitting in the Media Center this week at the US Open Championship and listening to the best players in the game, it’s easy to feel their apprehension about the upcoming week and their fear of what may happen once they reach the greens on the famed Pinehurst #2 course.   Player after player discussed the greens complexes and the surrounding areas that make Pinehurst #2 so difficult and the variety of shots they’ll have to play to be successful Thursday thru Sunday.

More often than not, the players mentioned using a variety of clubs around the greens and we heard putters, lob wedges, bump and run 8-irons and even chipping with 4-irons and rescue clubs as the clubs of choice.   Players have to solve the slopes, the sticky Bermuda grass, grain, and other factors that will make pars difficult on the small bowl-shaped firm greens that will be tough to solve.

The USGA prides themselves in making the US Open golf’s toughest test, and no one at this point thinks it will be anything different.  As usual, the USGA will push it to the limit to make it difficult but yet somehow keep it fair for the best players in the world.   We saw many balls putted off the greens yesterday and tournament pin placements promise to be in places where it will happen throughout the event.  Players agree that the winner will need to avoid the challenges on and around the greens but also be mentally tough when they get in a tough spot and remember that sometimes bogey is a good score.

So, keep an eye on the players this week and how they handle things when they miss greens.  The one that handles it the best, may well be the winner come late Sunday.