Dave Pelz: “Studying the game”

As the final hole in this US Open, the 18th is living up to it’s reputation as a pivitol and entertaining finishing hole.

If you could be where I am sitting, this is what you would see - does it make you nervous?  Read the rest of this entry »

After the first two rounds, the 2010 US Open is certainly showing us the power of Par this year - particularly on Hole #14. There have been several disaster scores recorded so far at #14 - and that’s before the weekend. In the second round both Paul Casey and Ian Poulter made 8’s there, and they are both playing great (Casey would be tied for the lead, with Poulty one shot behind if both had made par 5’s). In my recently published book Dave Pelz’s Damage Control - I spend a whole chapter talking about what constitutes a “Red-Flag” touch  situation, where you encounter a disaster if you don’t hit shots with the almost perfect speed or power. Well, let me tell you my friends, on the 14th green at Pebble this year …  the USGA has created an ultimate ”Red-Flag” touch situation, and there isn’t even any water or penalty stroke danger involved! 

Let’ s take a close look at what makes the 14th green so challenging:

 

14 Green - view from the front right of green

Above is the view from the front right of the green. Looking across the green towards the back, you will see the TV tower. Because their camera is so elevated, the TV’s view makes this green look flattened. But if you’ve been watching the players shots, this is the most undulating and challenging green contour - and at a putting green speed of 12.5 feet - they’ve combined two ingredients to produce a Red Flag Touch situation: Extreme Contour + High Green Speed. The right side of this green has no potential pin positions on it, because of the serious green contour that slopes all the way from the back-right to the front-right of the green (note the black net covering the area into which all balls roll down to from that side of the green).

When I was there last week preparing with Phil, the greens where actually green in color, very healthy, but very firm and rolling at speeds of 11 to 12 feet.

14th Green - Close Up

Even at a green-speed of 11.5 feet (as it was in our practice round), the mound and ridge in the middle of this green make it scary and trecherous for chip and pitch shots from around the greens edges. It is an incredible test for all short game shots, trying to get at the pin positions on the upper left green shelf. At a speed of close to 13 feet, it begins to approach an unfair situation, depending upon exactly where your third shot needs to be hit from (in the second round the best players in the world made one nine and seven 8’s on this hole).

As you look at the back of the green, the fringe is extended and this is the safest (not safe, just the safest) place to pitch from - back towards one of the pin positions on the elevated left side of the green. The problem is that you can’t get back here in two shots, and if you’re there in 3, it brings bogey or double bogey into the scoring mix.

If you miss the green to the left side, here is what you will face: I’m trying to stand on the crown of the left side of the green. The shots all roll down off the left side of the green from here, and won’t stop until they are well into the rough.

We rolled many balls from this crown, and none stopped on the green or in the fringe. The left fringe falls away immediately and absolutely will not stop the balls from rolling down to some pretty nasty, thick rough. And once you are down on the left, the rough is not your only challenge. If you are short of the middle of the green on the left, you will also have some overheard tree limbs to deal with (see two photos below).

If you have watched the first two rounds of this year’s Open, you’ve seen quite a bit of back-and-forth from the sides of this green - and now you know why. Here is another parting look at the right front side of this green, as I am still seen standing on the crown on the left side. 

I hope these photos help you to enjoy watching this hole during the rest of the Open. And thanks to my son Eddie for capturing these shots, and the essence of the ”Red-Flag” challange of the 14th at Pebble.

Heading out to Pebble Beach this week to watch the world’s best try to win the 2010 U.S. Open? If you happen to be lucky enough to have the time and a ticket - AND you are not affraid of heights, then I have a suggestion for you: if you want to quadruple the value of each days ticket, go early enough to sit in the “bird house” at the top of the bleacher behind #6 green. It’s the “Best Seat in the House”.

6th Green at Pebble with Bleachers looming

I suggest you get to Pebble before daylight breaks - and when they open the gates, run as safely as possible to the bleacher sitting just behind the 6th Green (shown above). If you are NOT afraid of heights, then climb up to the top row and the corner closest to the 6th green (as you enter facing the bleacher, go to the upper left-hand corner). From this location you will be able to see what is perhaps the best view in golf: 

View of 6th Green (and all of hole #6) from Bleachers

You will have an awesome view of the entire 6th hole - from the tee to the green. With a pair of binoculars you can see the 6th hole tee shots, the incoming second and third shots, and of course all of the putts. Then as you turn slightly to your left you will see: 

7th Tee at Pebble Beach

The beautiful and picturesque tee shot to the famous short Par 3, the 7th hole. As you watch the players play #7, you can also watch the sea life behind the green. Here will be your view of the 7th Green and 8th Tee (note: all bleacher seat paint will be dry before the tournament). 

7th Green and 8th Tee - View from Bleachers

Then if you pivot left some more, you will see the 8th fairway, the shot over the canyon to the green, and the entire 9th hole (a good pair of binoculars will definitely be needed here). 

8th Fairway and Green and Hole #9

To watch these four absolutely beautiful golf holes in a “Major” Championship on one of the greatest tests of golf in the world, will be a real treat - and someone is going to enjoy it! Perhaps it can be you!

 Just to prove the visibility of this bleacher seat (on a clear day - if there is fog, it loses some of its value), look how the top corner of the bleacher is elevated and clearly visable from the 6th tee box and also from the 8th green:

View of Bleachers from the 6th Tee

View of Bleachers from 8th Green looking back

And there you have it. If you’re lucky, you can get these incredible views of the 2010 US Open! Of course there are many other beautiful  views and viewing areas around the course. But if you want the best of the best, take a few drinks and snacks up to the “bird house” corner of the bleacher behind #6 green, and enjoy the best that golf … and life … have to offer!

Enjoy. Dave Pelz

Welcome to the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach!

Let's get it Started!

This is sure to be an exciting US Open: challenging to players (small, firm and fast greens, and challenging rough), fun for fans (to walk and bask in the beauty of Pebble Beach), a great golf course design and set-up, and a great field including the most talented golfers in the world. And have I mentioned the possibility of winds having a hand in the outcome (although the weather predictions are now for low or no wind).

 Let me give you a closer look at some of the course conditions which will challenge the the players this year.

Pebble has very small greens: According to the GCSAA (Golf Course Superintendents Assn.) the average green size on Tour tournament courses is 6000 square feet, with the largest at 9000 square feet. Pebble Beach greens average only 3500 square feet in comparison. This means many shots that normally hit greens will miss at Pebble, and there should be lots of scrambling going on this week. 

Take a look at what the 8th green looks like from the middle of the fairway (recognize that a 100+ foot vertical drop-off, down to the water, lies between this spot and the green). The shot was taken from about 180 years out from green center.

The 8th Green at Pebble Beach - small by all standards

 When players do miss a green, there will be some liquid-fertilizer fed rough grass to deal with. The USGA has graduated the cuts around greens, hopefully to make worse misses receive worse lies and face more difficult challenges. This takes much more than normal work and maintenance, but is a great way to test the skill of the players.

Greenside rough at Hole #9

 

From off the tee, when the field misses a fairway on inland holes, they will face a graduated rough cut which again is designed to provide worse lies for worse shots. I think this concept is the most fair way to prepare the course, and give cudos to the USGA for making the effort to do it.

Graduated right rough at Hole #11

On these holes, you can either draw a lie like this:

Rough Lie - OK but Tough to control

Or like this:

Rough Lie - Really Really Rough

 On the coastal holes, a missed fairway on the wrong side can lead to a ball rolling quickly into trouble through a fairway-cut shaved all the way (on #’s 6 and 9), or almost (on #10) to the edge of disaster. These next two photos show the fairways on the right sides of Holes #6 and #10. The hazard line on #6 is actually 3 or 4 feet into the fairway, a somewhat unusual situation.

Right Rough at Hole #6

Right Rough at Hole #10

 

While the USGA has taken the course closer to the ocean, it is still fair (they widened the fairway they shaved to the edges of the cliffs), and it is certainly more beautiful and exciting than ever (imagine if one of your shots were headed toward the cliff, and you knew it would have no help in stopping from the rough which is now gone). And speaking of beauty, I’ll have some more photos and comments on the beauty of Pebble in a couple of days. Till then, think about how the Tour players are preparing their games for the US Open, and its challanges.

 

It’s been two weeks since the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage, and I’m ready to move on to the upcoming British version. Before I do however, I want to let you in on what I think might be one of the greatest pars ever. I’m talking about a par Phil Mickelson made at Bethpage Black - hole #13 during the third round of the 2002 U.S. Open. This par was made before I started coaching Phil, and I only learned about these details in our practice round before the recent 2009 U.S. Open.

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