Erin Hills is anything but traditional
It’s U.S. Open week and, after the national championship was contested on ultra-traditional Oakmont Country Club last year, it has landed in the middle of Wisconsin on a course that’s anything but traditional.
Erin Hills is barely 10 years old, looks and plays somewhat like a links course, but isn’t anywhere near an ocean. As a result the 156 golfers who tee it up Thursday won’t have to deal with the terrifying winds that will often making playing a British Open interesting.
This course is spread out over 652 acres, twice as the normal size for a golf course.
There is fescue everywhere, deep ugly bunkers and rolling, bumpy and winding fairways. The fairways are wide, but the onus is on the players to find the short grass when the heat is on.
Plans are for it to play hard and fast on a layout that was built with hard and fast and mind. It can be stretched out to 7,800 yards, although the chances of the U.S. Open being played from that distance are pretty slim.
Even though it is a big boy golf course, a premium will be placed on players finding those winding, twisting fairways, including a handful that will feature blind tee shots.
This will be the first time the nation’s championship will played in the state of Wisconsin and there is plenty of mystery as to how it’s going to play out. And as mysterious as the course is, so is trying to pick a pre-tournament favorite.
Dustin Johnson is the favorite, but what do you make of his lousy performance at the Memorial? Jordan Spieth is always a good choice because he makes a large number of birdies, but recently he’s been making a bunch of big numbers, too. Who knows what Rory McIlroy will be as he attempts to come back from his rib injury? How is Jason Day’s back?
Lots of questions, for sure. Despite thinking about this for a couple weeks now and I still don’t have a strong feeling on one player. So, because I have to choose somebody, I’m going with Johnson because he’s the No. 1 player in the world.
A couple other interesting side notes entering the week.
n Phil Mickelson announced last week that he wasn’t going to play in the Open this year because his daughter not only graduates from high school, but is the valedictorian as well. There have been all sorts of rumors about how that might be gotten around. One was a considerable check being written to facilitate moving the date of the ceremony.
As usual with Mickelson, though, there’s always intrigue. He has a 2:30 p.m. appointment Tuesday in the interview tent, which means who knows what.
From my perspective, Mickelson’s not playing is the absolute right call. Yes, he hasn’t won the U.S. Open, but his daughter is only going to speak at her high school graduation once.
Cheers to ya, Phil.
n Steve Stricker, who has been a stand-up guy on the PGA Tour for many years and is the Presidents Cup captain this fall, is a native Michigander. He was not in the U.S. Open field and petitioned the USGA for a special exemption. For some unknown reason, that request was turned down.
Even though Stricker must have been boiling by that decision, he didn’t say much but entered sectional qualifying. And, as if to thumb his nose in the direction of the USGA, shot 67-65 to qualify for the big event.
Class act, Steve Stricker. On the other hand, just another example of the USGA doing some of the damnedest things.
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The strongest field in many years will compete Wednesday through Saturday at Sunnehanna Country Club in the 64th Sunnehanna Amateur. Some of the elite amateurs and highest-ranking college players are in the field.
Think about this for a second: 15 Sunnehanna Amateur alums have won 25 United States Opens.
The fact that such high-quality amateurs have played at Sunnehanna over the years and have gone on to such success is the reason the event has been, and is, so highly rated among the summer’s annual top amateur championships.
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If you have an interesting story about your club or course or an individual who has done something special, let me know. Send your story ideas to mike.dudurich@gmail.com.
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Mike Dudurich is a freelance golf writer and also hosts The Golf Show on 93.7 The Fan, Saturday mornings from 7-8 during golf season. Follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeDudurich.