US Open 2024 Pinehurst

[Herman Cain]

Every year we have a multi day golf outing at Pinehurst . Usually the event is in June, but in years when they have the Open we play in May. Our group was among the last to play the course before it was closed for final preparations and practice . So we got a good glimpse of the course set up.

The primary defense of Pinehurst is the turtle back greens designed by Donald Ross.

The fairways  are lined with wire grass plants. The caddies said over 100,000 were planted for the event and will be removed after the tournament because the course becomes too difficult for members and resort guest

The caddies say the wire grass will come into play as the fairways will be dry. Caddies also said bunkers will filled with new sand and to expect buried lies.

We played the course at 11 on stimp meter . Caddies said the course will be at 13.5 for Open. The 8th hole , were John Daly had an infamous melt down years ago, was border line unplayable .

Overall the course is flat. Just a handful of hills . Course sets up well for Pros who have a power fade and who are exceptional irons players. The nature of the greens makes it hard to take a conservative approach shot posture , the landing area is very small , otherwise the ball will roll off the sides or front. Behind the greens is generally speaking  big trouble.

The scorecard read 7,588 from where the event will be played.

Pinehurst #2 will be a proper challenge for the Pros. It is possible someone may get hot like Kaymer did in 2014 , however I think the winner should be closer to -1 or -2

[Uncle Rico]

In 1984, Greg Norman lost to Fuzzy Zoeller in a playoff, shooting a nifty 75 to Zoeller's 67.

In 1986, Greg Norman entered the final round of the US Open with a 1-shot lead.  Norman faded with a final round 75 and finished 6 shots behind the winner, Raymond Floyd.

In 1995, Greg Norman entered the final round, tied for the lead.  He had entered the weekend -5, with a 2-shot lead.  He shot 74 on Saturday and 73 on Sunday to choke away another major.  On that Sunday, he was tied for the lead after the front nine but quickly gave it up.  A bogey on 17 ended any chance at winning.

[4everwarriors]

When you were there in those years, what did Norman confide to you as he was steppin' on his johnson big time, hey?

[Herman Cain]

Just modified opening post realized some got cut off

[Goose]

Great golf course, one of my favorites. Big fan of any Ross course that I have played over the years.

[tower912]

Great golf course, one of my favorites. Big fan of any Ross course that I have played over the years.

One of the courses that closed around here was a Ross.   Sold to the nature center next to it and is now a pasture for hiking.   Breaks my heart.

[Herman Cain]

Lots of interesting story lines today in final qualifying. One of the more interesting was the playoff between Cam Davis and Adam Scott. Some excellent clutch shots  made by both during the playoff which Davis won.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/us-open-2024-final-qualifying-for-pinehurst-no-2-golfs-longest-day-who-qualified

[Goose]

tower

That is bad news. Any time I get a chance to Ross course I jumped at the opportunity.

Have you played any Seth Raynor courses? Another favorite of mine.

[tower912]

No.  I would like to play the Arcadia Bluffs south course, which is apparently a Raynor MacDonald homage of raised, square greens, geometric bunkers, etc.    Obviously, going around the lake to play the Lido would be better.

[Goose]

Lido sounds absolutely fantastic.

[tower912]

Agreed.

[Uncle Rico]

No.  I would like to play the Arcadia Bluffs south course, which is apparently a Raynor MacDonald homage of raised, square greens, geometric bunkers, etc.    Obviously, going around the lake to play the Lido would be better.

Best golfing experience I ever had.  It's hard to explain but it's about as pure as golf gets and is probably as close an inland course can capture Ireland or Scotland golf. 

The only quibble was the caddies were pretty green last summer with it just opening and learning lines and angles.  Even still, I could have stayed out there for hours taking it in and watching people play it.

[tower912]

You are going to enjoy Stoatin Brae.   Not quite the pedigree, but firm, fast, treeless, windy.

[lawdog77]

No.  I would like to play the Arcadia Bluffs south course, which is apparently a Raynor MacDonald homage of raised, square greens, geometric bunkers, etc.    Obviously, going around the lake to play the Lido would be better.

Heard when you play Lido you need to toe the line, or you'll blow it

[Uncle Rico]

Speaking of Donald Ross courses, Oconomowoc Country Club held US Senior Open qualifiers today and Notah Begay III, Duffy Waldorf and Brad Lanning of Hortonville qualified.

Lanning and Begay played at Stanford together.  Begay stood up in Lanning's weather.

[The Sultan]

Speaking of Donald Ross courses, Oconomowoc Country Club held US Senior Open qualifiers today and Notah Begay III, Duffy Waldorf and Brad Lanning of Hortonville qualified.

Lanning and Begay played at Stanford together.  Begay stood up in Lanning's weather.

They played at Stanford with Tiger as well right? My recollection is that Tiger actually caddied for Begay once at a Tour event.

[Lennys Tap]

They played at Stanford with Tiger as well right? My recollection is that Tiger actually caddied for Begay once at a Tour event.

Tiger caddied for his son Charlie at a tournament sponsored by Begay. Don't think he ever caddied for Begay at a tour event, though.

[swoopem]

You are going to enjoy Stoatin Brae.   Not quite the pedigree, but firm, fast, treeless, windy.

Agreed, Stoatin Brae is nice but it doesn't hold a candle to Arcadia. I also agree with Rico, Arcadia has been my favorite golf trip I've done and I've done it twice now.

Going back to Boyne Highlands this years for our trip 

[tower912]

Arcadia is magnificent.   Destination golf.  Stoatin Brae is cool on a much less spectacular scale.   Firm, fast, treeless.   By the time Rico plays there the heather will be taller than Muggsy.   As part of that resort, it is a complete outlier as far as topography and style.

Have you played the Arcadia south course? 

[Uncle Rico]

Arcadia is magnificent.   Destination golf.  Stoatin Brae is cool on a much less spectacular scale.   Firm, fast, treeless.   By the time Rico plays there the heather will be taller than Muggsy.   As part of that resort, it is a complete outlier as far as topography and style.

Have you played the Arcadia south course?

I'll tell you what, because of climate change and rain, the heather is up everywhere already.  Pretty stunning to play some courses this early in the year and see how full and thick they are in places.

But that's the price to pay for being slaves to fossil fuels, I guess

[swoopem]

Arcadia is magnificent.   Destination golf.  Stoatin Brae is cool on a much less spectacular scale.   Firm, fast, treeless.   By the time Rico plays there the heather will be taller than Muggsy.   As part of that resort, it is a complete outlier as far as topography and style.

Have you played the Arcadia south course?

Yeah I've played the south. I enjoyed it but I like the bluffs more

A sneaky good course by Stoatin is Angel's Crossing. I'm playing there in two weeks

[tower912]

Angel's Crossings is fun.

[Bo Ryan's Massage Therapist]

Heard when you play Lido you need to toe the line, or you'll blow it

Mandatory caddies on Lido and no drinking during play allowed.  Only 10 foursomes a day are currently allowed out.  Definitely sounds like a unique golf experience and very different from the other Sand Valley tracks where debauchery is allowed

[tower912]

Good.  Drinking on the golf course is a scourge that should be snuffed out.

[MUfan12]

Good.  Drinking on the golf course is a scourge that should be snuffed out.

Agree to a point. The people who only treat the course as a place to get sh*tfaced are annoying.

But man. that first sip of a cold one, on a warm sunny day on the course is the best.