Does The USGA Go Too Far?
I wrote yesterday that there was tons of hoopla being generated about how difficult the USGA set up Oakmont for this year’s U.S. Open. My personal opinion is that these are the best players in the world, and it doesn’t hurt for them to play a venue, once a year, that really tests their mettle. If they hack the ball around, does it really hurt their confidence in the long run? I think not. In fact, regardless of how difficult a course is, if the greens are soft (as these were this morning), these guys are so good, they can tear it up and go low.
The USGA gets unfairly criticized for their setups, generally speaking. Okay, maybe they misjudged the wind at Shinnecock a few years ago, but that was an exception. I’m watching the tournament right now in fact, and it looks like its partly cloudy, and not a breath of wind. The greens are getting a little hard, but definitely playable. Justin Rose just hit an approach shot within 3 feet and made birdie.
I’d like to see the venues in the FedEx Cup playoffs get set up as if they were a major. Why not? The players that make each round should get challenged with a true test. Unfortunately, the PGA sets up these venues, and they don’t have the same philosophy as the USGA.