Big Wind Will Lead To Embarrassing U.S. Open Scores

This week’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills could be remembered for the 30 mph wind gusts. Wind is really the only factor that hurts players of this caliber. So, the scores will soar even while USGA officials slow the greens and ease the pin positions.

That’s good news for me as I love U.S. Open mayhem! Bring on stiff breezes, fast greens and high rough to make around even par the winning score. Its early Thursday but the carnage is already occurring.

GolfWorld’s Joel Beall has the details on how Open officials are already tweaking the course.

We have purposely slowed the greens down a little bit today, knowing the kind of winds we’re going to get tomorrow,” said USGA CEO Mike Davis on Wednesday. “We’ve also changed up some of the hole locations, just to make sure they’re in areas that can handle this kind of wind.

“I would also say that if we get some of the top wind that they’re predicting, it doesn’t matter how slow the greens are and how flat the surfaces are. You will see balls blowing, and that’s just the nature when you get up into 30-mile per hour plus, which we might get gusts.”

The carnage was evident Thursday morning, with spectators struggling to hold onto their caps and sandwich wrappers whipping through the property. In terms of play, the wind is rearing its head on the 10th, which is serving as the opening hole for half the field. Coming downwind, competitors have routinely flew the green, finding themselves in an unenviable position.

“The 10th hole already proving very difficult,” Luke Donald said on Twitter. “Probably no more than a 3 iron and a SW today—playing downwind makes holding this green much more difficult.”

Luckily for the field, the early forecasts for the rest of the weekend look relatively tame, with only Sunday drawing an average wind in the teens.

Bummer…