US Open

[mberube]

Looks like this course has badly beaten up a lot of top pros.

Paul Casey +15
Jay Haas +12
Ian Poulter +9
McCarron, Kelly, Leonard, Campbell, Verplank +6

Can you imagine what our scores would be?

[Hank Hill]

I'd probably shoot well over 200

[jvincent]

Has anyone ever played Pinehurst?

I have played Pinehurst twice. Most recently was this Easter.

I am a 10.3 index, and I managed to shoot 85 from the Blues after a triple/double start. I definitely had my A game, especially for that time of year. The greens there are always hard, but they obviously weren't at US Open speed. I had a total of 34 putts with only one three putt as I recall.

The key to Pinehurst is to make sure that you miss it in the right place. Generally you will make double or worse not because of a tee shot in the water or OB, but from mistakes going into the greens. Getting greedy will cost you dearly.

If you have never been to Pinehurst, save up and go. It is an experience.

[mberube]

I have played Pinehurst twice. Most recently was this Easter.

I am a 10.3 index, and I managed to shoot 85 from the Blues after a triple/double start. I definitely had my A game, especially for that time of year. The greens there are always hard, but they obviously weren't at US Open speed. I had a total of 34 putts with only one three putt as I recall.

The key to Pinehurst is to make sure that you miss it in the right place. Generally you will make double or worse not because of a tee shot in the water or OB, but from mistakes going into the greens. Getting greedy will cost you dearly.

If you have never been to Pinehurst, save up and go. It is an experience.

You

How much did it cost you $$$$$ per round?

[flagolfnut]

1. Vijay
2. Woods
3. Scott
4. Garcia
5. Goosen or Mickleson
and not in that particular order, but these are my picks for the top 5. Wouldn't that be a great leaderboard!

Looks like my horses are doing well

[jvincent]

You

How much did it cost you $$$$$ per round?

Hard to say exactly.

IMHO, the only way to do Pinehurst is on a golf package. Packages vary based on season, etc, but they typically all include one round of golf per day on any of the eight (8!) courses, breakfast, dinner, and accomodations. Number 2 will cost you $150 US extra to play + caddie if you walk, which you should.

The meals and accomodations are actually very good. Peak season will cost you ~$500 US a day which sounds like a lot, but once you factor in meals, golf, and room it's not that bad for a premium resort. There are also different specials that run during the year which can result in better deals.

I took the wife and kids there as part of the Easter package. Daddy golfed, Mommy went to the spa, the kiddies went to the day camp. Everyone had a blast. I think the rate for that was ~$300/night for the adults since kids stay and eat free.

As a testament to my brainwashing power, while watching the pre-US Open hype on the Golf channel last night, the wife said "I feel like going back to Pinehurst again."

If you do ever go, play courses 2, 4, 8 no matter what you do. After that go for 6, 7, 5, 3, and 1 in that order.

[mberube]

Hard to say exactly.

IMHO, the only way to do Pinehurst is on a golf package. Packages vary based on season, etc, but they typically all include one round of golf per day on any of the eight (8!) courses, breakfast, dinner, and accomodations. Number 2 will cost you $150 US extra to play + caddie if you walk, which you should.

The meals and accomodations are actually very good. Peak season will cost you ~$500 US a day which sounds like a lot, but once you factor in meals, golf, and room it's not that bad for a premium resort. There are also different specials that run during the year which can result in better deals.

I took the wife and kids there as part of the Easter package. Daddy golfed, Mommy went to the spa, the kiddies went to the day camp. Everyone had a blast. I think the rate for that was ~$300/night for the adults since kids stay and eat free.

As a testament to my brainwashing power, while watching the pre-US Open hype on the Golf channel last night, the wife said "I feel like going back to Pinehurst again."

If you do ever go, play courses 2, 4, 8 no matter what you do. After that go for 6, 7, 5, 3, and 1 in that order.

Nice!!

Thanks for the info.

[BC MIST]

Tiger

The Slam awaits

The only golfer in the world good enough to win the Slam, is Annika.

[flagolfnut]

The only golfer in the world good enough to win the Slam, is Annika.

Yeah maybe, but she isen't good enough to play on the PGA

[Hank Hill]

Tough going for Phil this morning +5 after 8 . One of my favourites, Paddy Harrington looks to be out of contention too on +7 (E today so far).

[mberube]

Phil, Scott and Cink. What a great threesome to watch yesterday. To bad they did not finish well.

[Hank Hill]

What do you think the cut will be set at? +5? +7?

[mberube]

What do you think the cut will be set at? +5? +7?

I think it’s going to be closer to +10.

[Hank Hill]

I think it’s going to be closer to +10.

Mike Weir better sort himself out then, he's now sitting at +9 (+4 today so far).

[Sakuraba]

Anyone with high speed should go to espn's site and follow the links to the live webcast on holes #9 and #15 I've been glued to the monitor all morning. Its awesome.

[Hank Hill]

Anyone with high speed should go to espn's site and follow the links to the live webcast on holes #9 and #15 I've been glued to the monitor all morning. Its awesome.

Cheers, I will certainly do that. Great link!

[spackler]

I say my big chested lefty friend Mickleson, book ending the '99 Open. That'd be sweet. Minimal rough but tough greens makes for a -7 winning score.

I think what I was trying to say is that Micksey would battle the cut line and come in around +7.

[Sakuraba]

They were just projecting +7 or +8
yay Weir just birdied #9 I'm telling you this webcast is incredible!

[Hank Hill]

They were just projecting +7 or +8
yay Weir just birdied #9 I'm telling you this webcast is incredible!

Yeah i'm loving it too. Not getting much word done though .

[EDSGOLF]

Bad avertising for Nike, Tiger's shirt was too tight around the arm pits on the 1st hole, I think he cut his shirt and Stevie (caddie) was taping/sewing it up !!!

[flagolfnut]

Bad avertising for Nike, Tiger's shirt was too tight around the arm pits on the 1st hole, I think he cut his shirt and Stevie (caddie) was taping/sewing it up !!!

I don't think it really matters.

[flagolfnut]

Looks like my horses are doing well

My picks and their current position
1. Goosen 2nd place
2. Woods 5th place
3. Vijay tied for 7th
4. Garcia tied for 7th
5. Scott tied for 13th
I also had a 6th player Mickleson but he had a bad round

[mberube]

What makes Retief so good at the US Open particularly???

[broken27]

What makes Retief so good at the US Open particularly???

Judging strictly from my untrained eye, I'd say it's because while he does nothing spectacularly, he also makes very few mistakes. The conditions at the US Open seem to reward someone like him, because mistakes are more difficult to recover from in these insane conditions...

Look at a guy like Tiger or Phil, who can make the best shots you've ever dreamed possible. They are also prone to some really bad mistakes at times, and today at least Phil has paid the price...

Just my opinion though...

Dan

[jvincent]

Adding to what Dan said, which are all true I believe, he also strikes me as very patient. By that I mean he doesn't try to force things to happen, which at the US Open can lead to trouble.

[wopstergolf]

That's all exactly right, plus Goosen is an extremely well rounded player, whereas Tiger and Phil are both erratic off the tee, and have magical short games, Retief is good at everything. When condidions are at their toughest, he's usually at his best.

[Big Johnny69]

I'd have to say minus Paddy my pics are still in the running, Toms +2, Sergio E and Funk +5? not sure exactly.

[NoBack]

Funny how things work out, Weir was at +7 all afternoon and moved up about 20 spots

[fireice]

You know it's the US Open when the cut line is +8 and like you say Steve, Mike Weir at +7 moves up the leaderboard.

[mberube]

That's all exactly right, plus Goosen is an extremely well rounded player, whereas Tiger and Phil are both erratic off the tee, and have magical short games, Retief is good at everything. When condidions are at their toughest, he's usually at his best.

This all makes sense but if he is good at everything and does not make many mistakes why isn’t he winning consistently like Woods, VJ and Phil. He’s probably not a birdie making machine. I just can’t put my finger on it.

He seems so solid in the first three rounds. I can’t see any weaknesses.