http://www2.journalnow.com/sports/2...s-longest-hole-in-us-open-history-ar-2352755/
http://www2.journalnow.com/sports/2...s-longest-hole-in-us-open-history-ar-2352755/
Published: June 13, 2012
Home / sports / golf / professional /
No. 16 is longest hole in U.S. Open history
By Associated Press | The Associated Press JournalNow Staff | The Associated Press
Louis Oosthuizen's drive drifted deep into the right rough. He laid up short of the green and stood in awe while measuring his third shot.
Only 240 yards remained.
"If anybody is on the green in two this week, that's something special," Oosthuizen said of the longest hole in U.S. Open history, the remodeled par-5, 670-yard 16th at The Olympic Club.
If length weren't enough, the sharp dogleg left feels like a constant U-turn and the fairway narrows right at 300 yards. The flag is often blind until the third shot, and ones that miss long or left will bounce even farther away because the grass is mowed razor-thin beyond the tiny green.
"The reason we did that is we really felt that would make it a true three-shotter," said Mike Davis, the USGA's executive director. "The wonderful thing about that hole is that from the back, if you miss any one of your shots, it's awful hard to catch up."
Players already are finding out firsthand in practice rounds.
Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, could never remember pulling out a 5 wood for his third shot before. Staring up at the elevated green, he couldn't imagine even the field's longest hitters — Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson among them — going for the flag in two, even under the best of circumstances.
"It's too risky," Oosthuizen said. "The neck there on that fairway or the green is what, 6-7 yards wide? You're going to overrun it."
Lucas Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open champion at Bethpage Black, played the 16th in his first practice round about the best anyone could hope to this week. He drove into the fairway, hammered a 3-wood short, floated the ball onto the green with a sand wedge and two putted for par.
The walk alone still wore him out.
"That hole is all you want," Glover said. "I don't know that anybody, without a serious wind at their back, could get there in two. Getting there? Maybe. Getting the ball to hold? There's no chance. It's a three-shot hole for sure."
K.J. Choi decided to take a shortcut in his opening practice round through the fans instead of walking through the roped-off path that makes it even longer.
"Taking the short route?" one spectator asked.
"No short route here," Choi jokingly responded.
The previous longest hole in U.S. Open history was the 667-yard 12th hole at Oakmont Country Club in 2007.
No. 5 at the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills played at 653 yards, and the 17th at the 2005 PGA Championship at Baltusrol extended to 650 yards from the back tees.
Davis has said the 16th at Olympic isn't a gimmick or a way to level the playing field for the shorter hitters. Instead, it's simply meant to be a true three swings to the green, where shaping shots and placement are paramount.
http://www2.journalnow.com/sports/2...s-longest-hole-in-us-open-history-ar-2352755/
Published: June 13, 2012
Home / sports / golf / professional /
No. 16 is longest hole in U.S. Open history
By Associated Press | The Associated Press JournalNow Staff | The Associated Press
Louis Oosthuizen's drive drifted deep into the right rough. He laid up short of the green and stood in awe while measuring his third shot.
Only 240 yards remained.
"If anybody is on the green in two this week, that's something special," Oosthuizen said of the longest hole in U.S. Open history, the remodeled par-5, 670-yard 16th at The Olympic Club.
If length weren't enough, the sharp dogleg left feels like a constant U-turn and the fairway narrows right at 300 yards. The flag is often blind until the third shot, and ones that miss long or left will bounce even farther away because the grass is mowed razor-thin beyond the tiny green.
"The reason we did that is we really felt that would make it a true three-shotter," said Mike Davis, the USGA's executive director. "The wonderful thing about that hole is that from the back, if you miss any one of your shots, it's awful hard to catch up."
Players already are finding out firsthand in practice rounds.
Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, could never remember pulling out a 5 wood for his third shot before. Staring up at the elevated green, he couldn't imagine even the field's longest hitters — Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson among them — going for the flag in two, even under the best of circumstances.
"It's too risky," Oosthuizen said. "The neck there on that fairway or the green is what, 6-7 yards wide? You're going to overrun it."
Lucas Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open champion at Bethpage Black, played the 16th in his first practice round about the best anyone could hope to this week. He drove into the fairway, hammered a 3-wood short, floated the ball onto the green with a sand wedge and two putted for par.
The walk alone still wore him out.
"That hole is all you want," Glover said. "I don't know that anybody, without a serious wind at their back, could get there in two. Getting there? Maybe. Getting the ball to hold? There's no chance. It's a three-shot hole for sure."
K.J. Choi decided to take a shortcut in his opening practice round through the fans instead of walking through the roped-off path that makes it even longer.
"Taking the short route?" one spectator asked.
"No short route here," Choi jokingly responded.
The previous longest hole in U.S. Open history was the 667-yard 12th hole at Oakmont Country Club in 2007.
No. 5 at the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills played at 653 yards, and the 17th at the 2005 PGA Championship at Baltusrol extended to 650 yards from the back tees.
Davis has said the 16th at Olympic isn't a gimmick or a way to level the playing field for the shorter hitters. Instead, it's simply meant to be a true three swings to the green, where shaping shots and placement are paramount.
