The Successful U.S. Open at Erin Hills
While certainly not the typical U.S. Open setup of years past, Erin Hills undoubtedly won over the fans, broadcasters and, most importantly of all, the players. Aside from a few players who found the tall fescue a little too often, the consensus from the normally critical tournament participants was that Erin Hills was a fair test for our nation's most prestigious golf tournament.
Sure it would have been nice had the rain held off and not produce soft enough conditions that allowed the players to throw darts at greens that would normally been monumentally more difficult. But that's always the chance you take no matter what venue serves as host.
Same sentiment goes for the highly anticipated stronger winds that usually accompany a round at the links course. With calm to low winds throughout most of the week, the players were able to be significantly more aggressive than originally thought when the USGA chose the location. Again, however, Mother Nature ultimately chooses what everyone gets to play in.
One of the biggest issues that sparked debate was the average width of the fairways. Some critics eagerly pointed out that most national championship course have very small and demanding fairways that force the players to choose driving clubs with deep thought coupled with overall strategy. Erin Hills has large fairways accompanied with overly penalized fescue rough. Even by "normal" standards, Erin Hills has very tall rough.
The point is that if the course was fast and firm, as hoped and predicted, and if the wind had blown in its typical manner, those fairways would have been the only salvation the players had. But because of the less demanding environmental elements of the sport, the fairways took it on the chin as being too forgiving.
I applaud the USGA for going in a different direction and taking the chance on a newer course playing host to the championship, as opposed to simply allowing the elite facilities like Shinnecock Hills or Pinehurst continue to dominate the schedule. It was the right decision. It should continue to be the right decision.
Congrats to Director of Course Maintenance, Zach Reineking, and his entire staff for preparing the course to meet the sport's best in battle while front and center of an international audience. Well done.
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