February 27, 2012

Davis On Olympic's 16th: "It will play the way it did for Hogan"

February 27, 2012/ Geoff Shackelford

Ron Kroichick on Mike Davis's meet-and-greet with San Francisco media Monday to get us excited about the 2012 U.S. Open. The big talk centered around the 670-yard tee for the 16th hole.

“We felt this would make it a true three-shotter,” Davis said of the new tee. “It will play the way it did for (Ben) Hogan and (Arnold) Palmer in ’55 and ’66. It will be a big, big par-5.”

What about for Jack Fleck, Billy Casper, Scott Simpson and Lee Janzen?

Previously, the longest hole in Open history was No. 12 at Oakmont Country Club (outside Pittsburgh) in 2007, at a paltry 667 yards.

An unbylined AP story includes many other details on this June's U.S. Open setup and operation.

December 29, 2011

How Quickly They Forget: 2012 Major Venue Blues!?

December 29, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

Jim McCabe picks a nice mix of storylines he expects to develop in 2012, but clearly his memory his short if he's lamenting 2012's major venues fresh off the single weakest threesome of post-Masters major sites (and I like Royal St. George's!). Congressional v. Olympic Club? Uh, that's the O Club in a 7&6 cakewalk. Kiawah v. Atlanta Athletic Club? Try 9&8!

June 12, 2011

Sneak Peak At The U.S. Open Course...Next Year

June 12, 2011/ Geoff Shackelford

I'm trying not to jump ahead to next year and really, the next decade of U.S. Open courses once we get through this week. Still there were some fun bits on Ron Kroichick's look at what's going on at Olympic to be ready a year from now:

February 25, 2010

Olympic Club's U.S. Open Tweaks

February 25, 2010/ Geoff Shackelford

Ron Kroichick reports on the (exciting) tweaks to Olympic Club's U.S. Open setup that should solve the awkward landing area issue and to address the first hole having been rendered obsolete by uh, improved athleticism.