US Open 2024 Pinehurst

[Lennys Tap]

I shot a 69 from the tips.  It was nice

Not bad. If you could chip and putt like Tower you could have gone low.

[Uncle Rico]

Not bad. If you could chip and putt like Tower you could have gone low.

Don't I know it

[tower912]

Right now, with putting, my range is similar to Oso's jump shots while at MU.    Making nothing beyond 10 feet.

[rocket surgeon]

Not bad. If you could chip and putt like Tower you could have gone low.

  I thought I saw him paired up with zalatoris and tiger.  he looked so bored he was putting on a trick shot clinic between holes

[tower912]

My heart is with Finau.   My head says his putting does not hold up on the weekend.

[Lennys Tap]

My heart is with Finau.   My head says his putting does not hold up on the weekend.

He's one of the good guys.

[MuggsyB]

It's very easy to root for Tony Finau.  Great dude.   

[Herman Cain]

A buddy of mine played Pinehurst #2 and shot an 86.  He's a +2 hc.  I think it's 50/60 I could break 100. 

At 7500? Ick.  If I had a couple of practice rounds to figure out how to chip and a good local caddie, I would put my over/under at 95 at that length.   If I played an appropriate tee for me (58 now), somewhere in the 6500 ish range, with a good caddie and a little short game orientation, I could see an 80.   

Playing an appropriate tee makes such a difference.

Pinehurst#2 target score calculator says a 15 handicapper (average male golfer) should shoot 97 from 7500 yards at Pinehurst.

Golf pro John Radcliff put the number at 100 for those with course knowledge, 110 for those unfamiliar with the course.

It seems the USGA is doing everything it can to make sure the course stays playable. If they don't let the course get crispy the winning score will be high single digits.

As I mentioned in opening post, we have an annual golf outing to Pinehurst . As a result I Have played Pinehurst # 2 18 times .

Most recently we were one of the last groups to play the course before they shut it down for the US Open Tournament Participants. So the set up , with the wire grass in the Native Area was pretty much like the tournament. The greens were 11 on the stimp so no quite the 13.5 they are playing, but close enough.

What I find interesting is the Pros are hitting the same approach distances for the Par 4 as our group was and as a result the wire grass Native Area comes into play for them on their drives. Pros using much more lofted irons, and of course the Tips are set well back on my scorecard listed at 7588. 16 which plays as par 5 for regular play is a very long and difficult par 4 for the Pros.  The Pro Par 3 distances are brutal because so much danger around the green comes in play even for them. The two Par 5s are easy for the Pros.

We play a modified scramble. Use best drive and everyone play their own ball in.
. We play the Whites , listed at 6307 . Single Digit handicapper's can enjoy the course from that distance provided they listen to the caddies.

Having course knowledge is huge . Knowing where not to go is vital as those turtle back greens are very difficult when approached from the wrong places.  Have personally experienced many of the bad shots are the greens that the Pros are making. The False Fronts destroy a lot of what seem like excellent approaches , however if you go too long on a lot of holes , Triple Bogey or worse can easily comes into play as you can ping pong the green.

Muggsy , I agree with your assessment. Breaking 100 is very difficult , especially if you keep legitimate score and count all strokes. The greens are just too tough to put and chip on. 3 putts are the norm. The Pine straw makes it difficult as well. I watched Koepka scull one over the green on the par 3 9th today from the pine straw ( although JT had the same shot and put it right by the hole)

Tower from your description of your Michigan scores I agree with your assessment that you would score well from the appropriate tees. With good caddies you would be fine because you would have shots into the green that you could control. Putting and Chipping will still be tough. From the Tips it is a much different course with danger everywhere and much harder to land ball on greens with longer irons unless you hit the ball pro distances. Hole number 4 is brutal from the whites , into a prevailing wind , with side hill lines into a severely sloped green, playing 434 from whites and  528 from Pro Tees. Is the number 1 handicap hole on the card and has been second hardest hole so far in tournament. 

Lenny, I have played with a lot of  folks listed as 15 handicappers in our event, and the vast majority of their scores are double bogey or worse, with a handful of bogeys and a rare par. So breaking 100 for them would be a real challenge. 110 to 120 is realistic ( with no gimmes or circle of friends putting scenarios.


 

[tower912]

Well written, Herman.   My point about short game orientation is this.  My default club for just about any shot inside 100 yards is my 56 degree wedge.   I mentioned the Loop has having similar characteristics because inside 30 yards you almost have to abandon the lob wedge and use a hybrid/7 iron/ putter.   The last time I was there I got stubborn about it and developed the yips with my 56 degree.
     If I were to play Pinehurst, I would need to practice the hybrid or putter from 20 yards and up out of the greenside swales.   Not how my brain sees those shots, but what the course requires.
     I hope the greens are a little firmer today.

[Uncle Rico]

It seems the USGA is doing everything it can to make sure the course stays playable. If they don't let the course get crispy the winning score will be high single digits.

As I mentioned in opening post, we have an annual golf outing to Pinehurst . As a result I Have played Pinehurst # 2 18 times .

Most recently we were one of the last groups to play the course before they shut it down for the US Open Tournament Participants. So the set up , with the wire grass in the Native Area was pretty much like the tournament. The greens were 11 on the stimp so no quite the 13.5 they are playing, but close enough.

What I find interesting is the Pros are hitting the same approach distances for the Par 4 as our group was and as a result the wire grass Native Area comes into play for them on their drives. Pros using much more lofted irons, and of course the Tips are set well back on my scorecard listed at 7588. 16 which plays as par 5 for regular play is a very long and difficult par 4 for the Pros.  The Pro Par 3 distances are brutal because so much danger around the green comes in play even for them. The two Par 5s are easy for the Pros.

We play a modified scramble. Use best drive and everyone play their own ball in.
. We play the Whites , listed at 6307 . Single Digit handicapper's can enjoy the course from that distance provided they listen to the caddies.

Having course knowledge is huge . Knowing where not to go is vital as those turtle back greens are very difficult when approached from the wrong places.  Have personally experienced many of the bad shots are the greens that the Pros are making. The False Fronts destroy a lot of what seem like excellent approaches , however if you go too long on a lot of holes , Triple Bogey or worse can easily comes into play as you can ping pong the green.

Muggsy , I agree with your assessment. Breaking 100 is very difficult , especially if you keep legitimate score and count all strokes. The greens are just too tough to put and chip on. 3 putts are the norm. The Pine straw makes it difficult as well. I watched Koepka scull one over the green on the par 3 9th today from the pine straw ( although JT had the same shot and put it right by the hole)

Tower from your description of your Michigan scores I agree with your assessment that you would score well from the appropriate tees. With good caddies you would be fine because you would have shots into the green that you could control. Putting and Chipping will still be tough. From the Tips it is a much different course with danger everywhere and much harder to land ball on greens with longer irons unless you hit the ball pro distances. Hole number 4 is brutal from the whites , into a prevailing wind , with side hill lines into a severely sloped green, playing 434 from whites and  528 from Pro Tees. Is the number 1 handicap hole on the card and has been second hardest hole so far in tournament. 

Lenny, I have played with a lot of  folks listed as 15 handicappers in our event, and the vast majority of their scores are double bogey or worse, with a handful of bogeys and a rare par. So breaking 100 for them would be a real challenge. 110 to 120 is realistic ( with no gimmes or circle of friends putting scenarios.

It's not that hard

[tower912]

Molinari making the cut on the number in the most glorious way possible.

[Uncle Rico]

Molinari making the cut on the number in the most glorious way possible.

Just proves how easy this course is

[tower912]

Ha.

[Lighthouse 84]

I've spent the last two days in a corporate tent on 15 and get to spend the next two there as well.  Amazing, the number of great shots that turn into bad shots due to not being able to stay on, especially on the front of 15 green.



 

[rocket surgeon]

He's one of the good guys.

  Tony finau qualified for his very first PGA event at my son's course-fire ridge in Grafton wisconsin firing a 7 under 64 when he was 17 years old

[rocket surgeon]

I've spent the last two days in a corporate tent on 15 and get to spend the next two there as well.  Amazing, the number of great shots that turn into bad shots due to not being able to stay on, especially on the front of 15 green.

  you dog you!  that's fantastic!  enjoy!!

[tower912]

I've spent the last two days in a corporate tent on 15 and get to spend the next two there as well.  Amazing, the number of great shots that turn into bad shots due to not being able to stay on, especially on the front of 15 green.

I have seen it said that on this course they need a new stat.   GVIR.    Greens visited in regulation.

Enjoy.

[Uncle Rico]

Not thrilled the USGA is going to a rota system, but seeing Pinehurst every 5-7 years will be nice.  Just a proper test in every sense.

Really hope the renovations at Oakmont prove the same.  Always been a classic USGA course but had gotten kind of dull.  Really can't wait to see it

[MU82]

Molinari making the cut on the number in the most glorious way possible.

Good thing, too. He's really taking advantage of having made the cut!

[tower912]

Finau is done.

[JWags85]

A final group of Bryson and Rory with a little cushion on the field would be a win win for me.  Let's hope Rory finishes strong.

Bryson is absolutely DIALED in though. Since that bogey, he's been an animal 

[tower912]

And Aberg is done at the exact same hole in the exact same way as Finau.

Bryson is playing great.   But, I can't bring myself to root for him.

[tower912]

If Cantlay and Bryson are in the final group,  they will finish at least one hole behind the group in front of them.  Maybe 2.

[Herman Cain]

Finau is done.

And Aberg is done at the exact same hole in the exact same way as Finau.

13 is a great example of why this course has triple bogey lurking on many holes.

Seems like a short par 4 birdie hole. The tee shot is actually tough as it gets very narrow in the landing area . If a player gets in the bunker its super hard to hold the green.

Aberg and Finau played the whole the same way resort guests do , ping ponging and getting Triple

Bryson has the crowd behind him and will be hard to beat . His game around the greens is in solid form . My guess is he goes below par again which will mean some one from the 4 under group will have to shoot a 65 to win.

If for some reason Bryson has a train wreck hole or two, a player from back of the field could post an early good score and win.

[MU82]

13 is a great example of why this course has triple bogey lurking on many holes.

Seems like a short par 4 birdie hole. The tee shot is actually tough as it gets very narrow in the landing area . If a player gets in the bunker its super hard to hold the green.

Aberg and Finau played the whole the same way resort guests do , ping ponging and getting Triple

Bryson has the crowd behind him and will be hard to beat . His game around the greens is in solid form . My guess is he goes below par again which will mean some one from the 4 under group will have to shoot a 65 to win.

If for some reason Bryson has a train wreck hole or two, a player from back of the field could post an early good score and win.

I've played 36 rounds at Pinehurst #2 - from the tips every time, of course - and have yet to do worse than birdie that hole.