June 23rd, 2009 |
Published in
PGA Tour, U.S. Open
Congratulations to Lucas Glover for a well played US Open! Lucas kept his composure and perservered through an extremely difficult US Open experience for all concerned.
Congratulations are also in order to Craig Currier, his support staff, and also to the USGA - great course set-up with the graduated rough, using different tee boxes to control the distance and fairness in terrible weather conditions, and also for the pin location decisions. I witnessed the USGA using a smart-level to make sure their pin locations were not on an unfairly sloped area. Remember the pin locations on 14 and 17? These were brilliant.
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June 19th, 2009 |
Published in
PGA Tour, U.S. Open
Lets take a look at a few of the interesting features from the Bethpage Black course set-up. These features show the difference a few feet can make for the US Open players.
For a front pin position at the 8th hole, if you hit a little short and have too much spin on the ball, the front slope will work against you and you very well might find the water. There is also a tree just right of the front of the green (which David Toms just hit and made a 6) which can deflect balls into the pond.
Front of 8th green 2009 Bethpage, US Open
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June 16th, 2009 |
Published in
U.S. Open
Son Eddie and I walked Bethpage Black on Tuesday a week ago, to get an idea of how the USGA will set her up for the 2009 U.S. Open. We then left to go up-state NY for a photo shoot for GOLF Magazine at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino near Syracuse. We continued at Turning Stone (four really beautiful courses) getting in three days of fun work with the world’s best golf photographer Leonard Kamsler on the follow-on to our new book Damage Control (in bookstores October 29). Then back to Long Island for US Open week on Monday.
Rain background on entrance driveway
We’ve been in NY for over a week now, and its rained almost every day. Some days had downpours, others only light rains, but there’s been almost no time to dry out the course since the 3 inches of rain 10 days ago plus the 2 inches overnight last Monday night and Tuesday morning. The photo above is what the front drive looked like as we chatted last Tuesday morning with friend Craig Currier, the superintendent and man in charge of conditions at Bethpage Black for the Open. Eddie and I actually worked for him before and during the 2002 US Open at BP Black: he is a great guy and VERY talented. He kept all 18 greens rolling at the same green-speed all week during that Open, which is quite a feat (I hope the weather will allow him to do it again this year).
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