The Ball Goes Too Far Files: U.S. Women's Open Features In-Range Fences To Stop Shots

Photo of Houston’s wall by Golf.com’s Zephyr Melton

This week’s U.S. Women’s Open host has a two-sided range tee and 300 yards between the two. But as players now travel with foam rollers, eat more protein than carbs and are far superior athletes to any generation to ever play the game, ther was not enough room at Champions Golf Club, apparently.

From Brian Wacker’s GolfDigest.com story of 2020’s second bizarro “wall” at a women’s major:

The range is 300 yards long, and the fencing on each side is only about 30 yards in front of where players are teeing off, meaning it makes for not just an awkward look, but awkward shots, too.

“I'm not thrilled about it, to be honest with you,” said Danielle Kang, who is making her first start since a runner-up finish at the LPGA Drive On Championship-Reynolds Lake Oconee in late October. “I do a lot of wedge work. I do my wedge numbers with head covers every single day, so that's kind of bringing in a lot of obstacles for me.”

Zephyr Melton broke down the silly situation for Golf.com and noted another issue besides the oddity of hitting over a normal-height chain link fence.

For tech-reliant players, though, the barrier still presents a problem, because it impedes Trackman monitors from zeroing in down range on pins and can make for some wonky numbers.

“We just had to figure that out ourselves,” said native Texan Cheyenne Knight. “It’s different, but maybe after the cut they’ll take it down — it’s kind of weird.”

September’s ANA Inspiration featured an in-play fence/wall at the 18th green in place of a corporate tent, impacting the finish and earning its “Great Wall of Dinah” nickname from writer Beth Ann Nichols.