"U.S.G.A.’s Long Relationship With Shinnecock Indians Frays Ahead of U.S. Open"

Bill Pennington of the New York Times says negotiations aren't going well between the USGA and the 1,500 member tribe. A parking area rented for $100,000 in the past is not being used by the USGA this time around, but the Shinnecock logo most certainly will be.  

The USGA is offering to sell products made by tribe members.

The U.S.G.A. also wants to include the Shinnecock in the event’s opening ceremonies and during the trophy presentation at its conclusion. And the U.S.G.A. has suggested other ways that the tribe could generate income during the championship, such as inviting the Shinnecock to sell a locally made product in its massive and usually mobbed merchandise tent.

“We’ve had great success with locally made products in past years — they’re a fan favorite wherever we go,” Annis said.

Annis added that the Shinnecock had also asked to set up a tent and a display for a putting simulator manufactured by a tribal partner. The U.S.G.A. agreed to find a high-traffic place for the tent.

Bifurcation: The Post-Erin Hills Narrowing And Resodding Of Shinnecock Hills For The U.S. Open

Newsday's Mark Herrmann has the definitive account of Shinnecock Hills' last-minute narrowing. 

Given USGA CEO Mike Davis's public concerns about the role distance plays in being able to present courses as the architects intended, the admission that last fall's narrowing of this year's U.S. Open course at least does not come with any aggravating spin. This was a reaction to Erin Hills, where the freedom to hit driver lead to incredible driving distances and low scoring. 

Still, the expense to keep Shinnecock Hills relevant speaks to a very different version of the game.

“They did it almost overnight,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA. “As someone at the club said, it was like a military exercise. When all is said and done, it looks tremendous. It fits your eye because these are the appropriate grasses.”

Herrmann notes that landing areas will still "be wider than they were for the previous three Opens in the modern era — in 1986, 1995 and 2004 — but slimmer than they had been after the club’s recent restoration project."

Three contractors were employed and the fairway grass taken out is resting comfortably at a New Jersey sod farm should the Shinnecock Hills members want it back.

“Some of the fairways had gone to 60 yards wide. It was great fun to play,” Davis said, adding that the average width had been 26 yards in 2004. “What we’ve done is come back and say, ‘You know what? You’re going to have to tighten it up some because accuracy is part of the test.’ ”

As absurd as all of this is to theoretically protect "accuracy", the real issue remains huge distance gains passing by the governing bodies. If the professional game were in balance, the width could be tolerated thanks to the green complexes serving as the defense. Angles would matter. A form of accuracy would be rewarded. Just not this year at Shinnecock. Again.

(Booth) Bifurcation At The U.S. Open!

The Forecaddie says Fox is taking a different approach to the U.S. Open this year at Shinnecock Hills, with two lead teams(ish) featuring Joe Buck and Paul Azinger, along with another team of Shane Bacon and Brad Faxon.

Loomis explained what viewers can expect to see at Shinnecock Hills in June: “On Thursday and Friday at the U.S. Open there will be hours when it’s just Shane and Brad, and hours where it’s just Joe and Paul. On the weekend, there will be times where Joe and Paul will get two holes, Nos. 1 and 2, and Brad and Shane will get two holes, Nos. 3 and 4. It adds up to 10 holes for Joe and Paul, eight for Brad and Shane. Because people don’t see us all year, it allowed us to be a little simpler in figuring out who’s talking for the viewer.”

Congrats to Shane on the big vote of confidence! It must be the Shotmakers bounce!

Not Even A Due Date Yet: Jason Day Already Expecting To Miss U.S. Open For Birth Of Third Child

Breaking new ground in telegraphing a non-entry to one of golf's major, Jason Day has decided he's likely to miss the U.S. Open next June to witness the birth of his third child. A due date has not been set.

From an unbylined AAP story:

"Although I've had some good results at the US Open, Ellie and I are really excited about our third child and I want to be there to support her," Day told AAP.

"I'm not missing the birth."

Day boasts a superb record at the US Open - finishing runner-up twice in addition to three top-10 finishes and will explore every opportunity to be there.

"Once we know the due date, I would have to see what my options are," he said.

Is this option on the table: not bringing it up again in 2017?

Update on 2017-11-07 03:55 by Geoff

**We discussed on Morning Drive.

Shinnecock Update: Restored But Also Narrowed

Golfweek's Bradley Klein visited Shinneock Hills as the legendary layout prepares to host the 2018 U.S. Open.

He is the first expert on site to comment on the recent narrowing revealed by Jaime Diaz at Golf World and writes:

A recent push to narrow the fairways marginally has seen the grounds staff convert seven of the layout’s 50 acres of shortgrass to rough. The idea is to create more strategic twist and turn to the fairways consistent with Flynn’s plan and to bring more fairway bunkers closer to the line of play. Fairway widths are still on the relatively generous side for U.S. Open, 28-34 yards in the championship landing areas. But their delineation pays close attention to the lay of the land and the role of airway bunkers.

Erin Hills Fallout: Shinnecock Hills To Be Narrowed After Restoration Widening

In light of the recent brouhaha over player comments at TPC Boston's forced layup that caused driver-hugging players to go down another fairway, Jaime Diaz concludes for Golf World that recent distance gains are going to keep leading to more setup and design dramas. He says the big picture of recent course setup issues suggests "a day of reckoning is coming."

Much of that conclusion is based on this disheartening news out of Southampton.

Next year the U.S. Open is going to a Golden Age classic, Shinnecock Hills, artful in the extreme, but also shortish. It’s the kind of venue that is most at risk of being overrun by the modern game.

In the last few years, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw restored the course. The fairways were widened (up to 60 yards), the greens expanded, and trees were removed. Visually, the result was spectacular, and the club’s members have loved the changes.

The USGA, too, initially sang the restoration’s praises, but recently officials have reconsidered their original setup plans at Shinnecock. The fairway width—done to create more strategic angles and options—was deemed too wide (perhaps in the wake of Erin Hills). Native fescue rough is now being planted on the edges of the fairway to narrow them back down. The course won’t be as narrow as it was when it held the championship in 1986, 1995 and 2004, but it will be narrower than what was originally planned on for 2018.

Why? Diaz concludes...

So that the art of Shinnecock can be brought out rather than overrun, the decision was made that long and crooked has to be punished.

In an odd way I wonder if such a high profile change to such a high profile course this late in the game is being implemented with the full knowledge that this reinforces the need for a variable distance ball?