All Eyes Turning To Pinehurst's 9th Green

Yesterday at the forum for USGA members the panel was asked where they would sit and watch golf if they had to pick a spot. From the all-star panel of Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw, Mike Davis, Pinehurst director of grounds Bob Farren, only Golfweek's Brad Klein picked the ninth green and his reasons were strictly from the masochistic side, as it appears the green complex is very close to the edge of freak-show worthy.

As Klein spells out, this is the place where Davis and friends will be keeping a close watch, but even if we get a lot of rain or they ove the tees up on the 191-yard hole, I'm not sure it can function entirely well because of the severity of the run-offs around the elevated, severely-sloped and smallish par-3 surface.

Most shocking may be the trouble long and left, where short grass just feels excessive, particularly at the current heights.