US Open Preview

Part 1

The two golf majors so far have seen two British (or one, depending on your politics) men triumph. However, what comes next is a golf course brutal in a way unlike any other. A course so brutal that it has been pushed over the edge of fair the last two times it hosted the US Open. A course so ferocious that it resulted in one of the most insulting, heinous, disrespectful, and even disgusting moments in the history of golf, a man hitting a moving ball on the putting green.

The culprit in question will not be at Shinnecock¹ (and rightfully so), but Shinnecock Hills provides another unique test for the US Open championship.

The Course

The US Open has always preached discipline and accuracy. Shinnecock Hills pushes all of those to extremes. Shinnecock does this in its own unique way, though. The US Open last year at Oakmont was probably the most stereotypical (aside from the standing water) US Open setup. Narrow fairways that are ‘firm and fast’, deep ankle-high rough that engulfs even marginally wayward shots, and tricky, fast greens surrounded by deep rough.

Shinnecock applies a test to golfers in a different way. For one, the fairways are quite wide. Missing the fairway at Shinnecock arguably deserves to be penalized, given how wide they are. Shinnecock shines on its tricky approaches and severe runoffs for errant approaches. While a shot at Oakmont that misses the green could end up in a bunker or thick grass close to the green, many errant approaches will roll away from the green.

The nice thing about Shinnecock is the diversity in approaches available to the players. Some holes, like 1, 3, and 12, for example, allow for players to bounce the ball onto the green from the fairway, while some holes (like 9 and 10) force you to carry the ball onto the green. It gives the players different options to play approaches and can allow a player’s creativity to shine while also testing them to hit exacting shots at certain points.

Like Oakmont, Shinnecock’s greens are rude, disrespectful, radical, and exclusive (much like the membership at Shinnecock). However, the greens punish much more through rollaways from the hole. If you think Pinehurst’s turtle-back greens are mean, then look at Shinneock’s. Many errant misses at Shinnecock will be punished with balls that roll 30-40 yards away from the green’s surface and down steep hills. Additionally, Shinnecock’s green complexes and defenses each have a unique feel, unlike Pinehurst’s greens. Pinehurst’s recoveries are difficult, but many are very symmetrical in feel². Shinnecock does not give you that luxury. Almost every uphill recovery chip gives you a different look and requirement for getting the shot to stick on the green’s surface.

And lastly, the most prominent factor is the wind. Due to the course’s location at the tip of Long Island and its heavily exposed nature, wind is almost always a factor. While there is an elevation change, it does little to counter the whipping winds that come from the Atlantic Ocean and partially from Long Island Sound.

My Favorite Holes:

Hole 1 (Westward Ho): A “handshake” hole relative to the rest of the course. It’s a long iron into a wide fairway and then a 110-120 yard wedge shot to the hole location. Literally, child’s play, you could say. Just don’t overshoot the hole (especially to a back hole location), or the ball will roll 20 yards over the back of the green and force an uphill and partially blind recovery shot. Welcome to the US Open.

Holes 5 (Montauk) and 16 (Shinnecock): The only two par 5s on the scorecard at Shinnecock. I’ll pair them together because the nature of the winds in Southampton will almost certainly cause them to play oppositely. Usually, the 5^th will play downwind and be drivable in 2 shots, while the 16^th will play into the wind and be a 3-shot hole to the green. Don’t take the easy par 5 for granted, as downwind approaches, especially to the green on 5, are very tricky. Hole 16 typically will play over par as its scorecard length will play a true length of up to 650 yards into the wind.

Hole 7 (Redan): This 180-yard par 3 was the bane of many players in the 2004 US Open. The whipping winds, crackly greens, and aggressive slopes made holding the green impossible even for the most skilled of pros. It got so bad in 2004 on Sunday that the groundscrew had to water the green in between groups just to make it moderately playable. This snafu highlights how this green is just straight up mean. The hole threatens to eject any marginal long left misses off the back of the green.

Hole 9 (Ben Nevis): This hole is majestic as the approach shot features a forced carry onto an elevated green adjacent to the clubhouse. This is the one fairway where you are likely to face an uneven approach shot due to the rolling mounds. It is named after the tallest mountain in Scotland and the United Kingdom: Ben Nevis. It will be a mountain to climb for the players to birdie this hole.

Hole 10 (Eastward Ho): Another very short par 4, just like the 1^st, but even meaner. The fairway creates a ravine around 240-250 yards off the tee. Players can elect to chase the ball into the ravine to have a short but blind wedge shot into a green that I can best describe as a surfboard balancing perilously on a wave. Laying up short of the ravine guarantees a flat lie and a clear view of the green, but a longer approach shot.

Either way, players face a huge penalty if they go long or end up short. The green is a wide but short oval that sits on top of a 30-yard-tall hill. It’s a hole where there is no option except for aiming at the flag because the alternatives are awful. Missing short sees the ball roll off the front, potentially even back to your feet. A miss off the back sees a mirror image recovery shot, just slightly less severe. While this hole will only play at around 410 yards, it is beautiful in how difficult the hole truly is.

Hole 11 (Hill Head): A short uphill blind par 3 hole that can best be described as an alluring siren. Missing short ends up in a bunker, while missing long ends up down a hill and a return pitch of 20 yards back to the green. It is a hole in which all of the misses are so bad that putting one in the center of the green on all 4 days is a great result….that is, if you can handle the wind, which further exacerbates the difficulty of the 11^th.

Hole 15 (Sebonack): This hole plays short and features a slanting fairway along with a very difficult green complex to hold. In 2018, this was one of the greens that raised the ire of some players. Eventual champion Brooks Koepka’s approach on Saturday bounced within 8 feet of the hole before his ball was ejected off the green.

Hole 18 (Home): The closing hole. A brute playing at around 485-490 yards. A fairway that turns to the left with multiple dunes and undulations (similar to hole 9) in the landing zone, creating the chance for an uneven lie on approach. There is less of an uphill climb to the 18^th green, but still, most angles require a forced carry to the green. It is a brilliant closing hole that has seen terrific closing shots, such as from Tommy Fleetwood in 2018 and Corey Pavin in 1995.

Summary

Shinnecock is a really cool course that succeeds through challenging players through their approach play, scrambling skills, and ability to navigate through the wind. It will be interesting to see how the USGA sets up the course. Admittedly, a bit of unfair carnage on the course through slippery conditions would be peak comedy. But the lack of ability to get a shot close will eventually frustrate not just the golfers but also the viewers. The winning score truly depends on how strong and consistent the wind is and how soft the greens are. Anything from a 3-over to 6-under could win the tournament based on setup.

Cover photo credits go to Wikimedia Commons

1. Considering the content in my thesis. A follow-up story on…..Phil may be in the works.

2. A peek into some of my……aloof feelings towards Pinehurst No. 2