U.S Open

pjchappy · « **on:** 31 May 2009, 05:07 pm »

Anyone plan on watching the U.S. Open (golf)? I'm very much looking forward to it. I'm hoping Tiger can step it up and win another major.

rodge827 · « **Reply #1 on:** 31 May 2009, 05:18 pm »

Yes, I'm planning to watch for sure

We were there on Sat. in 02, trudging through the mud and enjoying every minute of it.

The Black is an awesome golf course, who ever wins will have to be "on" their game.

Chris

BobM · « **Reply #2 on:** 1 Jun 2009, 12:32 pm »

I've been playing all of the Bethpage courses since I was a kid. Unfortunately since the Black became newly famous it has been very, very hard to get a tee time on it, so I haven's been able to play it in years now.

I've got tickets on Tuesday (practice round, when you can bring a camera and get autographs) and Thursday (1st round). I plan on watching from my livingroom on Sat and Sun, where you can't beat the seats and don't miss any of the action.

It sucks being on the 15th green when something exciting happens on 17 and you have no clue what it was.

Bob

drphoto · « **Reply #3 on:** 3 Jun 2009, 10:44 pm »

Hell yes. This is my favorite tournament. Of course, I love all the majors, but I like to see these guys get brutalized every once in awhile. And US Open setups tend to do that!

rodge827 · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Jun 2009, 03:06 am »

So Tiger takes a walk and shoots 7 under today at Jacks Tournament. WOW!!!
This time nobody backed up and gave it to him.
He earned this win leaving some pretty respectable talent in the dust

If he can take today's game to Bethpage he will be hard to beat.
It will be fun to watch

.

Chris

BobM · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Jun 2009, 01:52 pm »

Going to tomorrow's (Tuesday) practice round. Can't bring a cellphone but I can bring a camera. Hoping to get a few good shots. Unfortunately they don't post the tee off times for Tuesday, only Thursday (but you can't bring a camera on Thursday). So it will be the luck fo the draw to catch Tiger or Phil or anyone else.

There was an article that a lot of attendees will be wearing pink shirts in support of Phil's wife having cancer. So look for them on TV, if you're watching.

So far the weather for Tuesday looks good, but it doesn;t look so promising for later in the week.

Anyone else going?

Bob

pjchappy · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 Jun 2009, 09:38 pm »

Let us know how it went, Bob.

BobM · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 Jun 2009, 11:59 pm »

Here's a few shots. Can you guess who they are?

I also got Sergio's autograph on my hat, so now he's my favorite to win it this year (yes, the waggle is gone).

BobM · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 Jun 2009, 12:07 am »

Here's my usual vantage point on the 18th fairway

A view from the teebox on 17

The infamous 15th hole from the fairway

The infamous 4th hole from the teebox

pjchappy · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 Jun 2009, 12:22 am »

Awesome pics, Bob!

gary · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 Jun 2009, 12:58 am »

Fantastic shots... I'm so jealous. I've never been to Bethpage, but I do have a friend who shot in the low 80's on the black course when they were prepping it for the last open. He said it was ungodly hard and far & away the most difficult 18 he'd ever played.

Gary

mjosef · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 Jun 2009, 01:14 am »

Yeahhh...I am rooting for Federer.

ArthurDent · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 Jun 2009, 01:33 am »

Nice pics Bob. Should be an interesting one. Stenson's stepped his game up a notch, let's hope he keeps his clothes on for this one

Paddy's got game. Sergio isn't the 'kid' anymore, but Rory is, and his time is coming to be in the hunt. Won't be surprised to see another playoff. Maybe Rocco's got one more in him

Hope the weather holds for you Thurs Bob, and in particular no T-storms.

satfrat · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 Jun 2009, 04:02 am »

Vermont will finally represent in this year's US Open. Trevor Murphy of St Johnsbury, Vt, 3 time winner of the Vermont State Amateur will be playing in his first US Open.

Cheers,
Robin

BobM · « **Reply #14 on:** 17 Jun 2009, 01:14 pm »

The weather certainly looks iffey for Thursday through the weekend. I've only got one more ticket for Thursday. Don't know what they policy is if it rains. I think they play unless there is lightening. That sound seriously make the course easier for then, except for the rooster tails on their putts

I plan on checking out the American Express tent first thing Thursday. If you are a cardholder they will let you swing and give you a free 10 minute swing adjustment lesson by a PGA pro. It's crowded and you have to sign up for it ahead of time. Perhaps they can cure my short iron inconsistency.

Bob

toobluvr · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 Jun 2009, 02:22 pm »

Great photos, Bob!

Viewing them traumatizes me all over again.

When I last played Bethpage Black several years ago it was 103 degrees at tee-off! As if it isn't hard enough!

Just a brutish beast of a course!

BobM · « **Reply #16 on:** 17 Jun 2009, 03:16 pm »

Yeah, I haven't been able to get a teee time on the Black for several years now. Boy has this course changed from when I used to play it as a kid. They took out a lot of trees and impediments that I used to get stuck behind. They smoothed out and opened the course quite a bit since the old days. The greens are pretty much the same, but cut short and made lightening quick for the Open. Thank god I never had to play on that. I think this is the major discerning factor in the difficulty of the course over what I remember.

Of course the sand traps are pristine now. They used to be typical municipal hard pack whcih were impossible to get out of cleanly. They are also cut differently, with fingers all over instead of just being a big oval patch of sand. The fairways are also cut way narrower than us regular golfers can handle.

There was also a ditch that cut across the fairways on 15 and 16 that your drive would get caught in at least half the time. Thank god that is gone at least. It was totally unfair because it was right in the landing area of the drive. If you hit long you needed to be left to get over it. If you hit short you needed to be right to not roll into it.

Ohh, the good old days.

Bob

pjchappy · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 Jun 2009, 06:39 pm »

Rain, rain. . .go away. Come back another day.

toobluvr · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 Jun 2009, 06:45 pm »

friggin' monsoon here!

forecast is the same for the next 2 or 3 days.

no idea how they're gonna squeeze this event in.

BobM · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Jun 2009, 01:32 pm »

Yesterday sucked big time. I got to sit on the 4th green and watch a few groups come by (saw Tiger par it after landing in the sand). Cabrera made a chip that landed 1.5 ft from the pin - I guess he deserves his masters title. The day ended at 10:15 when they blew the horn though. I felt like a drowned cat.

Oh yeah, I did get a 10 minute PGA pro lesson with a camera and all at the American Express tent. Do I really look that bad? A real eye opener, but some good tips to ruin my game this Saturday.

Bob