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Jordan Spieth and Gary Player Really Dislike US Open's Chambers Bay Course


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    Apparently course play at the Chambers Bay golf course where this year's US Open is being held is upsetting a lot of American golfers. Several players have come out very openly against the way the course rolls, how unfair lies fall, and just the overall unpredictable nature of every single green. Not to mention that this course is very, very long, forcing golfers to really put their all into drives.

    For as much as I like the way the course looks, and how different it is, maybe these complaining golfers (who are the best of the best) have some valid points. What do you think? Here are a few good quotes so you can get a better idea ---

    Gary Player - 'the worst golf course I might've ever seen':

    “The worst golf course I might’ve ever seen in the 63 years as a professional golfer… The USGA, who I admire and have chosen great golf courses in this great United States of America — they’re preaching speed of play. Enjoyment. User-friendly. This golf course here, if you’re a 10-handicap, you couldn’t break 100 if you had the best day of your life. They’ve got pros putting from 20 feet and hitting the ball 20 foot to the right, a man misses the green by a yard and he’s 50 yards down in the valley. I mean I don’t understand it.”

    Jordan Spieth venting his frustations about hole 18 in particular:

    "I think 18 as a par-4 doesn't make much sense," Spieth said. "Of course at the moment when I didn't hit the right shots it's going to make less sense. And whatever, if microphones are going to pick up, they're going to pick it up. I'm not going to put a smile on and be happy with the way I played the hole. So I am who I am."

    While on the 18th, Spieth told his caddie, "This is the dumbest hole I've ever played in my life."

    After the round, he explained his reasoning.

    "I think the hole doesn't make sense because you can hit it down the left center of the fairway and still end up in the right bunker in trouble," Spieth said. "There's a group of about 10, 12 guys that can fly at 310 yards that have an entirely different hole to play there. For anybody else you have to hit it in a 5- or 6-yard area. And if it's going to be a par-4 and you're going to bring that other bunker into play, I think the tee should have been moved up more. But I'm not the one that's putting the course together. I just didn't know where I could hit that tee shot. And I wasn't going to hit a 3-iron into a 550 yard par-4. I wasn't going to hit 3-iron off the tee and then hit 3-wood."

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    Dallasite Wrote:

    Apparently course play at the Chambers Bay golf course where this year's US Open is being held is upsetting a lot of American golfers. Several players have come out very openly against the way the course rolls, how unfair lies fall, and just the overall unpredictable nature of every single green. Not to mention that this course is very, very long, forcing golfers to really put their all into drives.

    For as much as I like the way the course looks, and how different it is, maybe these complaining golfers (who are the best of the best) have some valid points. What do you think? Here are a few good quotes so you can get a better idea ---

    Gary Player - 'the worst golf course I might've ever seen':

    “The worst golf course I might’ve ever seen in the 63 years as a professional golfer… The USGA, who I admire and have chosen great golf courses in this great United States of America — they’re preaching speed of play. Enjoyment. User-friendly. This golf course here, if you’re a 10-handicap, you couldn’t break 100 if you had the best day of your life. They’ve got pros putting from 20 feet and hitting the ball 20 foot to the right, a man misses the green by a yard and he’s 50 yards down in the valley. I mean I don’t understand it.”

    Player's quote sticks out to me a lot more because he has been around for a long time and hardly, if ever, complains about anything at all.

    I'm a little conflicted about the players frustrations. Part of me wants to say "you're a professional; suck it up," but the other part of me understands their frustration of having to play holes that is a par 5 on one round, but a par 4 the next day. That doesn't seem to make much sense at all.

    Over all though, I just can't feel bad for professional players being forced to play a tough course. Mastering tough courses is kind of a prerequisite to be a good professional golfer.

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    RCTID Wrote: Over all though, I just can't feel bad for professional players being forced to play a tough course. Mastering tough courses is kind of a prerequisite to be a good professional golfer.

    I agree. These guys are the best of the best. I'd much rather see them struggling to get par than have the entire field at 10 under par. Their frustrations about the pace of play does stick out to me though. This is a terribly long course and it's difficult to play at the pace that is expected of them.