Another US Open has come and gone, leaving many players, as well as the loyal, avid fans who watched it in person or on television, feeling emotionally battered. Suffice to say, Oakmont was set up to produce a champion as unpredictable as the weather, who overcame bad luck early and enjoyed good fortune late. Nevertheless, JJ Spaun was a deserving winner and probably the kind of champion the USGA had envisaged.
As for the lacklustre Irish challenge: Shane Lowry’s recent ‘brain farts’ are becoming more regular and inexplicable. Rory McIlroy’s astonishing dip in form is easier to understand. His human vulnerabilities have been on display since reaching Nirvana (the career Grand Slam). As Johnny Miller pointed out, very few are like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, who took winning majors in their stride. Subconsciously, Rory’s psyche may be asking: is that all there is? He hasn’t found the answer yet. His reserves of adrenaline are running on empty, and he may need to take a break from competition to allow a full replenishment in time for Portrush. Otherwise, we may see another performance lacking in lustre.
Come over early, Rory. Go back to your roots. Practise as you please. Play golf with your mates. Fall in love with golf again. Enjoy your mum’s cooking. Go up to Portrush early. Soak up the atmosphere and enjoy yourself.
Before I unload my own frustrations with the golf course set-up, I want to say that one of the most unforgettable thrills in my 65 years of playing golf all over the world was walking into the locker room at Oakmont Country Club, where the wardrobe-sized lockers and rickety wooden benches are the same ones used by Bob Jones, Walter Hagen, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer to tie their shoelaces. Seeing the spike marks left behind by so many ‘departed greats’ of the game gave me chills. As for the shower heads, as large as hovering UFOs in the bathroom: instead of beaming you up, the force of the water they ejected would knock you down.
I am glad the USGA was foiled in its attempt to produce a winning score of even par or higher. I have never ‘bought into’ the USGA’s philosophy of making their Open Championship courses unplayable. Setting par at 70 was artificial; Oakmont is a stiff 71 for the members. Par 4s of 530+ yards and par 3s over 250 yards are a farce. I played at Oakmont more than half a lifetime ago and loved every minute, except for how it introduced itself to me on the first green. The never-before-experienced speed and tilt ‘caught me out’, and I five-putted—the one and only time I ever did that.
Punishment by heavy rough for drives that miss the fairway in a US Open is tolerable, but around the greens and on the sides and faces of bunkers, it isn’t. I prefer shaved edges and surrounds where balls run ‘madly fast’ in whatever direction gravity dictates. The undulating nature of Oakmont is ideal for creating a variety of fascinating recovery shots, with many different ways of saving par available. Hacking and hoping, instead of surgeon-like touches with whatever club you fancy, misses the point of the game. To see an elegant golfer like Adam Scott reduced to thrashing and lashing is sad. Recovery play makes golf exciting. To eliminate it is anti-golf. There was too much luck involved in the way Oakmont was presented. Fortunately for JJ Spaun, it evened out for him.
Some interesting snippets emerged from the USGA’s pre-tournament press conference, hosted by CEO Mike Whan and outgoing President Fred Perpall. From surveys, 24 million Americans say they’re extremely interested in starting to play the game, 40% of whom are Black or Hispanic. Over 47 million people are playing the game, with 20 million playing at driving ranges and simulators. Participation is up 38% since Covid, and, more importantly, rounds of golf are up 55%.
(In my opinion, getting regular and committed golfers to play more is more beneficial and less costly than wooing new entrants. There is a capacity limit to how many golfers can fit on a golf course at the same time. Building new courses is problematic because of a shortage of available land near a population large enough to support them. As it is, too many courses are bursting at the seams from overplay.)
As a rules body, the USGA is not concerned about the recent spate of equipment failures, Rory’s being the most publicised. “If we had concerns about any excessive advantage, we would increase our testing. We think what we do is commensurate with the size of the reality of the issue. If we see a trend that alarms us, we will change the way we approach it.
“We’re full speed ahead on rolling back the ball and equipment. Those decisions have been made. But I won’t lie to you; there’s anxiety. Hitting distances will continue to increase. We know people will chase it, and quite frankly, it’s an advantage that one should chase if it can be accomplished.
“Governance is hard. No one likes to be governed until we have to imagine a world without it. Issues around distance and equipment regulation are really about the sustainability of our sport. Bigger golf courses mean more expense and longer rounds, excluding people who cannot afford the time or money. If you believe, as I do, that this game truly gives everyone the opportunity to come together, to demonstrate that life gets better when we live life together, that’s what golf offers, and that’s why I am so passionate about getting it right.” – USGA President, Fred Perpall
Fine sentiments, but I’ll believe it when I see it! Sorry for being a grumpy sceptic again.
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