Pebble Beach's Fairway Contours May Be About The Only Thing To Glean For June's U.S. Open

With this week’s rains Pebble Beach can’t get much softer, so watching Sunday’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am finale won’t yield much insight into what we’ll see for June’s U.S. Open.

One major correction, according to Golf World’s Dave Shedloski after discussing the setup with USGA officials on site this week, is the 11th fairway’s shrinkage at least allowing those who hit the fairway to have the best angle of approach.

One exception is the fairway at No. 11, an uphill par 4 of 390 yards leading to a shallow green that slopes severely from back to front. Hall says the fairway has been shifted to the left, leaving an easier approach, especially for players who take on the hole with driver. “The fairway direction before left a difficult second shot. You weren’t really rewarded for being in the fairway,” Hall said.

In 2010 the USGA attempted to bring trouble down the right into play but it left players in the left rough with a better angle of approach with their approaches. Given today’s bomb-and-gouge approach and the possibility of driving the ball closer to the green, it all may not matter.

New tees at 9 and 13 will also likely be used after getting an initiation at the 2018 U.S. Amateur.