Jay and the plaque from his desk in the media tent, Jen Maples and Darren from Ohio, 2005 U.S. Open, Pinehurst No. 2.

The post round interview with Retief that was broadcast on GolfChannel features three of my questions. Here are my snippets: JF: retief with all the chipping areas and collection areas and the variety of chip shots you have to hit around the greens and with the three excellent days you...

JF: Do you think that with all the varied recovery shots you have to play here – bump and run here, pitch and check there, putt from off the green somewhere else – that Pinehurst has helped you when it comes time for St. Andrew’s? FF: Yeah. It sure doesn’t hurt...

My interview with Lee, where he discusses both Pinehurst and Baltusrol, site of his 1993 U.S. Open victory and site of this year’s PGA is below. JF: Lee, the PGA returns to baltusrol, sight of your 1993 Open victory. What can you tell us about the architectural design features that...

click here.

As I pulled into the parking lot today, the license plate of the car in front of me read “ALL PARZ.” That is the order of the day. Damage control. Grinding. A great golf course is really a puzzle. The key is to figure out a game plan and execute it. One of the greatest blights...

While covering the 2005 U.S. Open for Travel Golf Magazine, I kept an open mind all week as the world debate raged on whether $375 is too much for a round of golf at Pinehurst No. 2, or whether $240 is too much for Nos. 4, 7, and 8. I listened to the good points raised on either side...

As we walked in the gate, everyone received a brass pin with the outlined image of Payne in his now famous victory pose. Look for them on the broadcast. One other note. Pardon me while I dislocate my own shoulder patting myself on the back, but in the last year I have been to Pebble...

Retief Goosen has shared or held the lead after the third round three times previously and walked away with two majors. He led the 2001 and 2004 US Open after three rounds and won both. He was tied with Eldrick T. Woods after three rounds of the 2002 Masters, but lost to Woods. In other...

The caddies are concerned about the devilish pin placements for Sunday. “They are evil” one remarked. “Most are four or five paces from the fringe. They are not the most accessible.” When asked if players, when faced with difficult chips might play to a point five...

Lee Westwood agreed with Phil Mickelson’s Friday observations after his +3 73 left him six back of leader retief Goosen. “You have to be very defensive out there, you can’t charge your putts. It’s very difficult. If you miss the green, sometimes you have to treat...

Trip expert Jen maples and her architect dad, Dan, a third generation of Pinehurst area designers. His dad did No. 5 and his grandfather shaped No 2. among others.

Jay and fourth generation architect Brad maples. The apple is close to the tree, luckily for golf. 

Surprise, Jay. Yo, Yo, Yo…rollin in the architect’s mad wheels. 

Jay and Payne. We miss you. 

Meet Zenos Frudakis, one of America’s premier visual artists. Golfers everywhere marvel at his bronze masterpieces – Payne Stewart, Dinah Shore, Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, and many more, some of which grace the clubhouse at Augusta National. But this Philadelphia native and...

JF: I’m here with Adam Scott who is +1 and only three of the pace. Adam, you’re right in the thick of things, what aspects of your game plan have worked so far and what do you want to improve? Adam: Well I want to hit more fairways off the tee. It starts there. I have got to...

The tenth at Monterey Peninsula CC Shore Course 

The 15th at Monterey Peninsula Country Club (Shore Country Club) 

I caught up with Olin Browne and Shigeki Maruyama out in the parking lot post round and they shared their thoughts on the setup at Pinehurst. JF: Olin, did you have more trouble with the rough today or the pronounced swales and chipping areas around the green? OB: Today I drove it poorly...

I caught up with Ian Poulter and his caddie Mike Donagh pre-round. “For a great course outside London try Woburn Sands. It’s my home course and I play it all the time” Ian noted with a smile. Ian looked good in his pink and purple outfit today. Mike, who began caddying...

Swinging a “speed stick” in the parking lot to gauge his swing speed, Boston pro James Driscoll took the time to offer public golf travel tips. “I played Red Tail in the New England Amateur one year and all the players loved it. It’s more modern than many of the...

Remember 1980 and 1982 and 1983…Bill Rogers led and everybody wanted to know if he was going to run a marathon, then Jim Thorpe led and everybody wanted to see him do sprints, then George Burns led and everybody wondered if he handed out free cigars and told jokes. Click here for my...

Hard at work, Jay at the 2005 U.S. Open at Pinehurst. 

I caught up with Sergio Garcia and Brandt Jobe outside the locker room after the round. Here are some excerpts: JF: How were the playing conditions out there? Sergio: Conditions were terrific for scoring. The rough could get tougher and the greens could get quicker. They can’t start...

Very quickly, tune into my travel golf site for up to the minute reports from the media tent and interviews live from the U.S. Open. Next, blogger had some trouble with the rest of my Brian Silva interview, so its to be continued soon. Please read that here. Last, before he passed away...

Tune in to my Travel Golf site for this update on my talk with ESPN’s Andy North and other USGA officials about play conditions. I also posted my tourney preview and some random thoughts on the eve of the Open. The talk in the media tent is actually to watch out for Retief Goosen...

Ian Poulter is his own head cover. Photo courtesy of AP.