Lets get some housekeeping out of the way before heading out to California: First: Alex Miceli is writing some excellent pieces for www.usopen.com, including this wrap-up of players who got through U.S. Open qualifying and will be at Torrey Pines. Next, I’ll be reviewing Dan Jenkins’s new book, The Franchise Babe over the next few days. My colleague...
So I’ve been working on a Robert trent Jones, Jr. interview and it’s going to reveal some fascinating insights into one of the greatest designers and nicest men you’d ever want to meet. You will be so elated to hear his thoughts on golf course architecture, Chambers Bay, other great architects, and poetry. Yes, that’s right; I said poetry...
Hat tip to Kalen Braley. Hey ESPN, who said three at the south course is the “signature hole?” Shouldn’t we expect Rees, who claims the design (and Oakland Hills) as his own now – DORK ALERT! – shouldn’t we expect Rees to claim all 18 holes as signature holes?
My U.S. Open preview piece will be up shortly at PGA.com. In the meantime, welcome to Travis Invitational week from Garden City Golf Club. Tomorrow: The Travis Invitational: The Grand Old Man, The Grand Old Club, The Grand Old Amateur.
Once again the tour bus will be revving, the keyboard will be clicking, and we’ll be bringing you the best travel destinations, along with pro tour and NCAA coverage all spring and summer long. The first stops will be in Georgia to coincide with the Masters and the Golf Writers Association of America events. We’ll be live from not only Augusta...
The United States Golf Association has announced that it has awarded the 2015 U.S. Open Championship to Chambers Bay, the spectacular municipal links course located on the scenic lower Puget Sound in University Place, Wash.            The USGA also announced that Chambers Bay, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Bruce...
Quick reset for the week: First, next week I’ll be in the Senate Press Gallery with a true bird’s eye view of Roger Clemens’s latest act of self-immolation. Quite simply, if he can prove his innocence in this whole steroids mess, it will be the GREATEST comeback in sports history. If he can’t, we may be witnessing the greatest fall from grace...
Here’s Tim Rosaforte’s piece.
Although many at Erin Hills are crossing their fingers, and rightfully so, I’ll throw out Oakmont for consideration…who’s with me?
Simply click here for all things Oakmont on the site. They should build greens like this everywhere.
TULSA, OK – What is it about major championships in Tulsa that brings out the heavy artillery? Hubert Green was an unlikely leader at the U.S. Open in 1977 after three rounds. The journeyman pro had won several tour events, but had yet to clinch his first major. No one knows for sure whether it was disgruntled gamblers or lawless rakehells, but shortly after he...
As Mark Twain said, when some people get a batty idea in their head “there’s no getting it out again.” Czabe misses the boat completely by completely ignoring the agronomy. The added trees were KILLING the greens. All those roots were leeching nutrients form the soil. The leaves were shading parts of the greens relying on sunlight...
Peter Williams had this to say about the set-up at the U.S. Open.
Hat tip to Golf Observer.
The most exciting major this year was The PLAYERS.
Yeah, that’s right, I said it…and it’s not even Players week.
DUCK BITES TIGER, TAMES OAKMONSTER Angel Cabrera roars from behind, claims U.S. Open at Oakmont OAKMONT, PA – At 2:10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the sportswriter from Japan was his cell phone shouting. “Anybody can win this thing except Cabrera” he bellowed. Maybe that guy should take a mulligan. Angel Cabrera may have shot 76 on Saturday...
Think back for a moment. Take a deep breath, let the world around you dissolve away and drift back for a fleeting glimpse of those heady, halcyon days of youth. Those carefree days were you were free to play golf and love golf as much as you wanted. Rise and shine at daybreak, scarf down Captain Crunch, leave breadcrumbs from your toast all over the table, shout...
OAKMONT, PA – The pressure of an Oakmont U.S. Open finally caught up to the pretenders while the stars of the PGA Tour, led by Woods, called on their experience and positioned themselves at the top of the leaderboard.             Aaron Baddeley’s mercurial round looked to finish in flames, but suddenly skyrocketed as...