Plodders Rejoice...A Review Of The 2012 U.S. Open Setup

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The digital edition of Golf World has been emailed to subscribers and those of you mysteriously not subscribing should be able to read my story analyzing last week's setup of Olympic Club.

In my story I only included a few holes as examples, but here's the entire comparison of the non-one-shot holes and the "Fairways Hit" stats in 1998 compared to this year. You'll see that other than a few exceptions, the players hit far fewer fairways despite being armed with better equipment than in 1998.

Hole   '98% '12%
1         55    63
2         67    54
4         47    33
5         42    34
6         59    52
7         59    21    
9         45    34
10       63    52
11       57    55
12       55    44
14       69    51
16       69    51
17       62    40
18       64    61

Total    58.5    46

Green in regulation percentage for the field was virtually identical in 1998, 52.5% compared to 52% in 2012.

Open Championship Not Expected To Have Significantly Different 2016 Date

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Nick Rodger talks to R&A head honcho Peter Dawson about the 2016 Open Championship announcement involving Troon, and gets some clarification on the likely date during the Olympic year.

"The condition was pledged that no major golf event – men's or women's – would clash with the Olympic Games in 2016," explained Peter Dawson, the chief executive of the Royal & Ancient. "That will be the case. Just exactly how the schedule will pan out to make that happen is still under discussion. The Open will definitely take place before the Olympics, as it normally would be.

"The question is, with the juggling that has to go on in August to keep the pledge, does that have a knock-on effect? We're still in discussion. It will definitely be in July but it might be a week earlier."

Punters Beware: Early Open Championship Line

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One of the things I love about the Open Championship: wagering! I hope there's a parlor somewhere between Lytham and the swank Premier Inn media hotel, because from what I hear of Lytham and its anti-driver, lush rough setup, I smell some value selections in these odds.

Some names I'll be throwing money away on if they stay at these prices:

RICKIE FOWLER 30/1
GRAEME McDOWELL 30/1
PADRAIG HARRINGTON 30/1
ERNIE ELS 40/1
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN 40/1
NICOLAS COLSAERTS 60/1
PAUL LAWRIE 60/1
FRANCESCO MOLINARI 80/1
HENRIK STENSON 80/1
BRANDEN GRACE 100/1
FIELD (all others) 8/1

No Cabrera-Bello!?

"The Burger Dogs were so good (and the golf so irredeemable) that our group went back after the 14th hole as well for seconds."

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Steve DiMeglio (here) and Scott Michaux (here) filed entertaining accounts of their Monday rounds at Olympic and I was pleased to see Michaux came away a tad critical of the fairway widths that I noted left something to be desired in my Golf World story.

But even better was Michaux's defense of the Bill Burger that validated which I love and which came under intense scrutiny and criticism in the media center when overcooked impostors were served up to the dastardly ditchdiggers each afternoon.

Olympic’s famous Bill’s Burger Dogs are the greatest thing ever served at a halfway house. GREATEST THING EVER!

I’m not talking about the version of the curious hamburger shaped to fit on a hot dog bun that was served to folks who attended the U.S. Open. That was like eating imitation crab meat. Not the real thing.

“Terrible ... inedible,” is how Patricia, the woman who was cooking them up fresh in the halfway house near the 10th green, described the mass-produced facsimiles during the Open. She explained how the California Board of Health came in and mandated that each burger be eviscerated to 160 degrees until they were leathery slabs of meat that would eventually reach the person eating it about two hours after coming off the grill.

The version Patricia cooked fresh to request for everyone (the preferred color was just a little pink unless you really wanted it cooked more) and put on a toasted bun was sublime. It is the perfect mid-round snack/lunch that is easy to grab and go without making the mess that a normal burger would.

Open Championship Returns To Royal Troon in 2016

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For Immediate Release, timing just a wee bit inexplicable:

ROYAL TROON TO HOST THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2016

20 June 2012, Troon, Scotland: The Open will return to the Ayrshire coast in 2016 when the 145th Championship is played at Royal Troon.

It will be the ninth time that the Championship has been held over the famous links, most recently in 2004 when veteran American Todd Hamilton held off three-time major champion Ernie Els in a play-off.

Announcing the 2016 Open venue as the world’s best amateur golfers face the challenge of Royal Troon in the final stages of The Amateur Championship, Jim McArthur, Chairman of The R&A Championship Committee, said: “We are delighted to announce that The Open will be returning to Royal Troon in 2016.

“Royal Troon is an excellent venue which has consistently challenged the best golfers in the world. I am sure that Ayrshire, with its historic connection to The Open, will once again provide a superb setting for the game’s oldest major championship.”

Welcoming the news, South Ayrshire Council Leader Councillor Bill McIntosh, said: “This is great news – not just for Troon, but for the whole of Ayrshire. As well as giving us a chance to showcase the fantastic golf in this area, our stunning scenery, culture and heritage, The Open will also bring a terrific economic boost with a £100 million benefit to its host economy.

“This is vital investment for our area that will help create a lasting and positive legacy for generations to come.

“We look forward to working with The R&A and Royal Troon to provide a memorable welcome in 2016 for an estimated 180,000 visitors to the county where The Open Championship began.”

Hamilton’s victory eight years ago saw him join past winners including Justin Leonard (1997), Mark Calcavecchia (1989), Tom Watson (1982), Tom Weiskopf (1973), Arnold Palmer (1962), Bobby Locke (1950) and Arthur Havers (1923).

Memorable moments at Troon include the first four-hole play-off in Open history when Calcavecchia defeated Australians Wayne Grady and Greg Norman.

An independent study commissioned by The R&A, found that The Open Championship at St Andrews in 2010 delivered a total economic benefit of £100 million to the town and surrounding area.

Tiger Showing Signs Of PR Savvy...

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The Cleveland Plain-Dealer's Tim Rogers reports on the stunning news that Tiger Woods has committed to the WGC Bridgestone in August, maybe his earliest non-major commitment ever and the simplest but best public relations move he can make.

"This is the earliest Tiger has entered since I've been here," executive director Don Padgett III told the newspaper. "Last year he waited until the Thursday or Friday before, which is his right. But having him commit early is a plus."

Davis May Have Missed His Secret Service Calling: First Noticed 'Jungle Bird' On The Seventh Tee

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Brett Cyrgalis talked to Mike Davis at the airport and learned this about the Executive Director's Sunday, which ended with a takedown of a strange man invading the trophy ceremony.

“I was officiating the last group [Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell], and the first time I saw him was on the seventh tee,” Davis said. “He was shouting a ‘cuckoo’ there, but when they were set to play he stopped and was respectful.

“I just thought, ‘Boy, look at that way he’s dressed,’ ” Davis said. “It’s just one of those things.”

Video Flashback: USGA Moved Olympic's 16th Up In '07

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With the continued chatter about the USGA surprising the field by playing the par-5 16th much shorter, it's worth understanding that at least one contender, Michael Thompson, had a preview of the setup in 2007.

Of course, you'll also notice in this video of Jamie Lovemark teeing off in the U.S. Amateur that the fairway is much, much wider. Thanks to reader Kevin for this: