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Excellent Pinehurst No. 2 Article by Dave Droschak at Cybergolf

Dave Droschak, my writing mate over at Cybergolf, has written a thoughtful and thought-provoking article over at Cybergolf about how much harder Pinehurst No. 2 has become. The article is here. Here’s the crux: “With No. 2 stretching more than 7,500 yards as a par 70, and golfers facing more than 100 bunkers, the course appears harder than a year ago – because under further examination it is. The native areas, as described by Pinehurst Director of Grounds and Golf Course Maintenance Bob Farren, have been expanded significantly, with plants now reaching 24 inches and once-barren portions of the sandy graveyard resembling “organized” vegetation chaos. A score of even-par now seems more realistic, more reasonable to most than a potential and almost unheard of U.S. Open double-digit under-par champion that was predicted awhile back. ”

About time someone wrote what the rest of us were wondering. Pinehurst will play just under 7,570 yards, par-70! That’s Frankenstein-hurst! Even par as the winning score? Try between 3-over and 5-over! Never mind how the golf course looks – we know it looks great. The key is how it plays, and the U.S.G.A. has a habit of erring to far to the hard side. 1-over won last year over a Merion that was drenched. The winning score would have been 7-over had it been as fast and firm as the U.S.G.A. wanted. Between the stern length and the exacting greens that shed even well-struck golf balls, the U.S. Open will still be a war of attrition, and no lead will be safe…just ask Retief Goosen. We all but handed him the trophy on Saturday evening as he held a three shot lead, and the next thing we knew, there were Goose feathers all over the front nine.

In the meantime we’ll have expert opinions on the design work and the Open coming in the next few weeks from such luminaries as architecture expert Ran Morrissett, author Chris Buie, and architect Dan Maples.