Links to the olde sod abound
Ken Fidlin says everything about Shinnecock Hills makes one think of Britain
By KEN FIDLIN -- Toronto Sun
Fall out of the sky on to this little bit of seaside heaven and a guy could be excused for thinking he was at the wrong Open Championship.
The look, the feel, the demands and the weather at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., reek of British Isles links golf, not the parkland target golf courses that predominate in the United States Open rotation.
"Shinnecock has a very English feel," Jack Nicklaus said.
From the understated but elegant cedar-shingled clubhouse trimmed in white to the near-treeless windswept dunes to the unpredictable winds, to the atmosphere of regal exclusivity, Shinnecock simply screams of blue bloods.
It comes by that feel honestly because the golf course was carved out of the dunes adjacent the grand summer homes of the rich and famous from a gone-by era. Indeed, the first discussions that led to the formation of this one-of-a-kind treasure were held in no less glamorous locale than Biarritz more than 115 years ago, with railroad baron William K. Vanderbilt as chief instigator.
HISTORIC PLAYGROUND
It was host of its first U.S. Open in 1896 and didn't hold another for 90 years, when Ray Floyd conquered it in 1986. Corey Pavin was a popular champion in 1995 and this week, the Open returns to this historic playground.
"I can't begin to guess who will win here this week," two-time U.S. Open champ Lee Janzen said, "but I do know this: Whoever it is will be the absolute best player at that moment.
"This golf course will test you in every way possible. It will examine every aspect of your game and then it will examine your character as well. That's probably the most important weapon the winner will bring to the Open this week: His brain.
"People talk about patience and, sure, patience is important. But, to me, resilience is most important. You have to be able to make a double-bogey, regroup and make par the next hole. If you let bad luck stick with you on a demanding course like this one, you'll get buried."
Pavin's victory nine years ago is proof that a big hitter has no advantage over a short, accurate player on this layout. Even back then, Pavin was one of the shortest-hitting players on tour.
"Just because you hit it long doesn't mean you're going to play well here," Pavin said yesterday. "Almost every U.S. Open is that way but this one is especially so. there are a lot of doglegs, a lot of positioning, so just bombing it out there doesn't help you much."
In 1995, the Open was played with thick rough running right up to the edges of the greens. This time, the USGA has shaved the areas around the greens in much the same way it did at Pinehurst in 1999 and at Pebble Beach a year later. Marginal approach shots will roll off the edges of the undulating greens into closely mown collection areas, making for some slippery chips.
"I think this was the way the course was meant to be played," Pavin said. "Having played a bit over in Scotland, and the way the ball runs off those greens, this setup is the true nature of links golf."
For guys such as Pavin, the rough isn't a big consideration because he's seldom in it, but for the majority of the players, it's a big factor. The fescue ranges from ankle-high to waist-high and will be nearly impossible to play out of.
Tiger Woods, as an amateur in 1995, took a wild swing at a ball in the deep hay and suffered a wrist injury. Which brings us to Jim Furyk, the defending champion, who has been sidelined all season after wrist surgery. Originally, it was believed he would not be recovered in time for the Open but he's going to give it a try.
Unfortunately, this isn't exactly the kind of place where you want to test a freshly repaired wrist.
That said, Furyk was planning to play nine holes here yesterday and another nine today before he decides whether he's capable of competing.
Another who could be in over his head is David Duval. When last we saw him he was missing the cut in Las Vegas last October, which was an average week for him last season. He chose to back away from competitive golf until his game was back in order. One of his problems was a wayward driver. He probably couldn't have chosen a more difficult driving course to make his season debut.
Then again, maybe he's remembering his exploits at the 2001 British Open, his only major victory. If that's the case, he'll feel right at home on this patch of ground, as close to the olde sod as you can get in America.
