"Late and ludicrous"

As I noted earlier today on the Live Blog (and no one believed me!), the U.S. Open will be finishing at 7 p.m. this year. From an unbylined Independent diary:

Any golf fans who have enjoyed watching the Masters unfold these last few days may be interested to hear the timings of the next major, the US Open in San Diego. In its determination to gain the highest television ratings possible in New York the USGA have opted for the ludicrous finishing time of 7pm. That means it will be 3am in Britain when the winner eventually taps in at Torrey Pines. And the golfing authorities wonder why fewer people are taking up the game.

Cast Your Vote...If You Don't Mind Signing Your Life Away

GolfDigest.com has posted the final five candidates for the amateur golfer spot in the pre-U.S. Open reality show.

I would vote, but I'm not really interested in sharing that much information, all so that I can cast a ballot for someone I don't know.

That said, I'm officially endorsing Santa Monica policeman Matt Rice, who gets my thumb's up despite listing Lost Canyons as his home course instead of Rustic Canyon (which, I might note Officer, is much more affordable on a cop salary). Naturally, I want to be on the record endorsing him should I ever be pulled over by Officer Rice here in my hometown.

Danny Gans In Mourning: Real Celebs Tabbed For Pre-U.S. Open Reality Show

Larry Dorman scores the exclusive for the New York Times.

Looks like I may have to cut down on my Today Show viewing if past NBC synergistic plugfests are any indication.

Oh and Joe Dey is officially spinning in his grave. Just wish he was there on the first tee to greet JT. And no, I'm not talking about Sweet Baby James. That's right, Mr. Wardrobe Malfunction. Maybe he'll pull Mike Davis's earpiece out?

Lobbyists, Get Your U.S. Open Passes

I'm not really sure why it's relevant other than as an entertaing look into mooching, backstabbing, hornswoggling ways of politicians in San Diego dealing with U.S. Open tickets. The Union Tribune's Matthew T. Hall breaks down the mess.

"It doesn't make a hill of beans to me one way or the other which way they do it; you still play the same golf course."

Jack Nicklaus answered questions for a conference call plugging the upcoming Wendy's Senior Skins and was asked about the change of par at U.S. Open venues.

Q.  As we go back to Torrey Pines this year for the U.S. Open, it will go as a par 71.  If a course like Torrey or Pebble Beach has been at 72 since it opened, why does it need to be anything less than that just because the U.S. Open's in town?  Any thoughts on that?

JACK NICKLAUS:  The USGA seems to do that with every golf course.  I don't know why they do it.  They seem to do it.  And I don't know if it makes it 18 under par, you get 10 under par with the same golf course if you make it a par 70.  I suppose it takes 10 under, so it looks better and sounds better.

Frankly it doesn't make a hill of beans to me one way or the other which way they do it; you still play the same golf course.  They've made changes at Torrey Pines, and I don't really know what they've done, and I don't really remember the golf course that well.  But the thing that would be different for the guys is that Torrey Pines will more than likely not have any rain after probably March or maybe even February.  And the golf course will have a chance to get fast and hard.

The rough will be probably pretty high.  My guess is the ball will run off.  There's a lot of pitch in those fairways.  Run off the fairways pretty easily.  It will certainly be a different golf course than they played a week ago. I haven't seen it at all since they made changes in the golf course.

"Par is just a number."

Doug Ferguson wonders why Torrey Pines South's No. 6 has to be a par 4 for the U.S. Open and gets Tiger's thoughts.

The sixth hole played as a par 5 at 560 yards last week, and it's worth noting that Woods never reached the green in two in any of his three rounds on the South Course. He didn't even make a birdie at No. 6 until the final round.

The hole will be just over 500 yards as a par 4 in the U.S. Open.

"The USGA just thrives on that,'' Woods said. "Par is just a number. What I mean by that is that Pebble could set up for a 72, and I would have been what, 16-under par? So under par doesn't really matter that much. It's just going out there and shooting a number.''

More than anything, it's a head game.

"When you have four par 5s in a U.S. Open, you always feel a little bit more comfortable because you're going to have some more birdie opportunities,'' he said. "When you get to par 70s and 71s, those opportunities are taken away.''

"I'm actually concerned more the other way, that the course will be too hard"

Steve Elling gets some of Mike Davis's thoughts on Torrey Pines after the Buick and before June's U.S. Open:

"I'm actually concerned more the other way, that the course will be too hard," Davis said.

Yet like most of us, weathermen excepted, Davis doesn't offer 100-percent surety about anything, especially when it comes to Woods, who won his sixth Buick title on Sunday.

"Unless I am totally missing something," said Davis, an amiable guy who doesn't take himself too seriously, "I don't think 20 under is possible even with the best four rounds he can play."

Even the USGA guys aren't brazen enough to say "never." Realistically, it would require a transcendent performance for Woods to finish the Open at 10-under, given how firm the greens will be relative to this week and that par will be shaved by a shot to 71.

And this was a perspective I haven't heard...

Though Davis is certain the course will present a far more daunting challenge in the dry summer months, he had to concede that the story at Torrey will likely be Woods, just because he likes the sightlines.

"If you look at it, all of the holes are pretty much straightaway," Davis observed, quite rightly. "He can hit the driver and won't have to worry about angles or shaping the ball so much. He can hammer away."

Be it a ball-peen or a sledgehammer, the tools don't seem to matter much at the moment. He's equally comfortable with using either brute strength or finesse and the results have been the same.

Images From Torrey Pines: 14th Green

The par-4 14th may be the best and worst change in the new look Torrey Pines. Best with the tree removal and embrace of the canyon, and worst because the canyon use could have been even better. The bunkers that look airlifted onto the landscape left protect balls from heading into the hazard, a feature I dread. Click to enlarge the image.

(Click on image to enlarge)
 

Images From Torrey Pines: 13th Green

There are mixed feelings about this one. I love that balls with too much spin might come back down off of #13 green at Torrey Pines South. And superintendent Candice Combs is wise to protect this collection area...of sorts, with netting and ropes. But something also is just not right when there's a need to cover an area to prevent a sea of divots. In this case, the weak turf in the approach, which appears to be the product of lousy soil, seems to be making it too easy for balls to spin off the green, down the hill and to this ledge.

 

Images From Torrey Pines: 16th Tee

This is a view from the tee that will be used during June's U.S. Open, but not during Buick play this week. It's great to see the sage scrub canyon, unfortunately the bunkers are still those copy and pasted clunkers from Bethpage Black.

 

“One thing I just don’t think we got right was the first cut of the primary rough"

Thanks to reader ken-one-putt for catching this on Torrey Pines in Brian Hewitt's recent notes column:

What people won’t readily see on television, but the players will learn, is the firmness Davis means to insure for June. “The greens typically run from 9 ½ to 10 ½ (on the Stimpmeter),” Davis said. “My guess is we’ll be closer to 13. That’s a speed those greens have never been at before.”
 
For the Buick Invitational, Torrey Pines South will play 7,568 yards to a par of 72. That yardage will be roughly the same for the U.S. Open but the USGA has converted the par-5 sixth to a long par 4 which will make for an 18-hole par of 71.
 
“That hole had no sexiness as a par 5,” Davis said of No. 6.
 
The 18th hole, a relatively short par 5, will remain a par 5 despite a lively debate among USGA officials. Course architect Rees Jones, who did the re-design at Torrey Pines, wanted No. 18 converted to a par 4. Davis wanted a par 5 so he could manipulate the tee box lengths on a daily basis to account for weather conditions and challenge the medium-to-long hitters to go for the green in two all four days.

And this was very interesting because A) I wonder how many times he fell asleep watching and (B) his statement about the first cut being too severe is so refreshing from a USGA official:

One of the things Davis did during the holidays was break out the tapes and watch every minute of all four days of the television broadcasts of last year’s U.S. Open at Oakmont.
 
“One thing I just don’t think we got right was the first cut of the primary rough,” he said. “It was just too penal.”
 
That will change at Torrey Pines. The winning score at each of the last two U.S. Opens was 5 over par. Davis told me he has no problem if 10 under is the winning score in June.

Oh but Rees will! 

Greetings From San Diego, Vol. 1

Arrived today at Torrey Pines where a light, cool drizzle gave way to a beautiful afternoon so that pro-am number nine could finish in all their glory. I walked the back nine, and because it's so bloody cold you can't go outside and have nothing better to do, some food for consideration...

The good...

The U.S. Open hosting South Course is in fine condition. The greens look especially good considering the beating they are taking with all of the Pro-Am play. The rough is benign for the most part, and the fairway widths generous by today's standards (24-31 yards for the holes I paced off, most were 28 on the number...). In other words, expect a fun tournament with some decent scoring and excitement.

The really good...

Tree removal. Lots of it and plenty of trimming too. It's no coincidence that one Tour official told me this is the best he's seen the course in nine years. There are several stunning views that have been opened up, and the Torrey pine's are actually the predominant tree. Considering this is the only place in the world you can see them in abundance, it's a nice touch.

Also, the reworked 18th fairway landing area is much better. It's a generous 31 yards and very inviting for guys to hit driver, which will encourage many to go for the green in two.  I hope it stays close to this configuration for the Open.

The really, really good...

The Lodge at Torrey Pines. Other than the poor soul who has to dress up like a Scottish bagpiper to greet front door guests, the place is stunning in every respect. If you love Greene and Greene craftsman architecture, the replication of their details makes it a modern day architectural marvel. Especially compared to...  

The bad...

The lack of any intelligent purpose to the holes other than hitting it high and straight is beyond belief. It's just a shame considering how much potential there was to embrace the canyons and take advantage of the nice natural ground. Prior to the renovation there were several hole locations that rewarded drives placed on certain sides of the fairways. I don't see that in the current South course.

The ugly...

The shaping. Not only are the bunkers soulless, the tie-in work around the greens is awkward and abrupt. It also appears that poor topsoil was used to elevate the greens because many approaches are thin.

All in all the place is at least feeling like a U.S. Open venue. The scale is grand and the views lovely. And yet it could be so much more interesting strategically, particularly in utilizing the natural features.

Images to follow... 

20,000 And Counting

Golf Digest's Bob Carney reports that entries for the reality show at Torrey Pines have topped 20,000. So glad three spots will be taken up by has beens! I swear that's the last time I'll mention it this week.

All Things Torrey Update

Tod Leonard begins the countdown to the U.S. Open with a look at various aspects of preparations, including this news for anyone thinking of playing the North or South Courses prior to the event:

For golfers who enjoy the North Course, some advice: Play it soon, because after the Buick it won't appear as its normal self for at least seven months.

City Golf Manager Mark Woodward said work on the Open driving range will begin in the days immediately following the Buick Invitational's conclusion on Jan. 27. About 30,000 square feet of sod for the range tee area will be laid in front of the 10th tee and ninth green. Shorter versions of those holes will be available.

On March 1, nine holes of the North will be shut down as corporate villages are constructed. Woodward said the North Course will close completely May 1.

The South Course will be open to the public until May 21. From then on, the maintenance crew will be “dialing in” the conditioning for the Open.

“I've joked in the past that we were going to peak at the last minute,” Woodward said. “But the way things look now, I think we're going to peak in the spring and have really good conditions for the last four or five months.”

"The starter put them with another couple who just started playing golf five months ago."

Doug Ferguson with a fun note on Henrik Stenson booking a U.S. Open tune-up round at Torrey Pines recently:

When he arrived in California for the Target World Challenge, he made a detour to San Diego and booked a twosome on the golf course. The starter put them with another couple who just started playing golf five months ago.

Turns out the woman's name was Pamela Anderson - no, not that one - and Stenson's remembers her boyfriend's name only as Jesse.

"Let's just say it was an interesting round," Stenson said. "She told me, 'The next time you're south of L.A., give me a call.' And I told her, 'Which Pamela Anderson am I going to look up?"'

It was an awakening of sorts for Stenson, who won last year in Dubai and the Accenture Match Play Championship. Outside of a round in Spain last year, he said it had been 10 years since he paid a greens fee. The good news is he received the San Diego County residents rate.

And he bought a bucket of balls for the range, the first time in a while he hit balls with a black stripe around them.

"They were limited-flight balls," he said. "It was cool in the morning, and the ball was going nowhere. But it took a couple of swings to realize this is not down to me. Some of it was the balls."