Déjà vu All Over Again, Vol. 2

Thomas Bonk in the L.A. Times (reg. required) pens an interesting U.S. Open course setup preview. In “Don’t Expect Apologies,” Executive Director Fay says the USGA won’t back off after Shinnecock Hills.

"A kinder, gentler U.S. Open?" said Fay, the USGA's $485,000-a-year frontman said with his usual drab, err, dry wit. "Huh?"

"The Open has long had the reputation of being the world's toughest golf tournament. I would hate to see the U.S. Open lose that imprimatur. We want to make it as hard as possible, but won't go over the edge as goofy golf."

They certainly know all about goofy golf. Patent pending?

Bonk writes that according to Fay, “the problem with the seventh at Shinnecock had to do with the slope of the green, but it was also mowed differently. It was fast, very fast, Fay said, and the USGA also didn't have any rough on the left side of the green that might have prevented balls from rolling off.”

Uh, does this mean we're back to the mystery mower farce again? And rough at the green edge would still not fix the issue of balls rolling off a green, it would only mean they don't go down to the chipping area!?

Bonk reports that “in hindsight, the only thing the USGA did wrong was not watering the green before the weekend rounds began, he said. And that "the bottom line is that there will be no Shinnecock after-effect at Pinehurst. There's no way in North Carolina that Pinehurst will resemble a payback, or an invitation to par, or just a big, green welcome mat. In fact, Fay said there was nothing even to say sorry about.”

"No apologies necessary,” said Fay. “I don't want to sound smug about it, because we did feel badly about Shinnecock. I have told our people, mixing sports metaphors, that we took one high and inside, a little chin music, so don't dust yourself off and dig in like Willie Mays."

And if you can figure out what all that means, you are one smart reader.

Here’s an eye-opener: “Fay promises the same pin locations as the 1999 U.S. Open and basically the same course” and “narrowing the fairways by an average of about four yards.”

In 1999, the USGA said fairways were 24-30 yards wide, meaning a drop to 21-26 yards this year? Wow. In 1999, a freak cold front and drizzly conditions prevented a 7th at Shinnecock disaster on several holes. Good thinking to go back to those same hole locations then!

Fay says, "I'm not one to say what could have been, but if Phil had not double-bogeyed 17, the story line would have been different. … 'Phil and [Retief] Goosen solved the riddle.' That's a classic U.S. Open type of finish, when a handful of players figure out how to play the course." 

Uh huh. Yep, it's all Phil's fault!