US Open organisers have taken significant steps to mitigate the formidable challenge posed by Shinnecock Hills, driven by concerns over the impact of high winds on this week’s tournament.
The United States Golf Association, typically known for crafting the sport’s most rigorous tests, has responded to forecasts of gusts reaching up to 40mph on Thursday.
In an unusual move, Shinnecock’s notoriously fast greens have been slowed from their usual 11-12 on the stimpmeter to 10.5 – marking the slowest green speeds at a US Open since 1995. Furthermore, unprecedented plans are in place to water the putting surfaces mid-round during the first two days of play.
While the course is still expected to present an exacting challenge, particularly given the weather conditions, USGA officials hope these measures will prevent a recurrence of the chaotic scenes witnessed in 2018.
That year, balls struggled to remain on dried-out greens, famously leading to Phil Mickelson deliberately incurring a two-stroke penalty by hitting his ball while it was still in motion to stop it from rolling off the 13th green.
"We could have brutalised this place if we wanted to but we have pulled every lever to make it fair," stated John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s chief championship officer, who had already opted to leave the fairways wider than is typical for a US Open.
Beyond the sheer speed, the wind’s direction has also prompted careful consideration from the USGA. Forecasts indicate a sustained eight-hour period of winds between 12 and 24mph on Thursday, with a shift to a north-westerly direction on Saturday.
This change means the wind will blow from back to front on some of the more exposed surfaces, a particular "concern" for Bodenhamer, who highlighted the ninth, 10th, and 11th greens as potentially "pivotal."
Bodenhamer added: "We have done everything we can to give every opportunity to play golf Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday."
Reflecting on past experiences, he noted: "As we came into this year, we thought a lot about our plan. We reflected on 2018 and we learned a great deal from 2018 and the experience there."
Explaining the watering strategy, he clarified: "Syringing (a very light application of water to hydrate the grass to preserve turf health) doesn’t impact playability. We believe that it will present a more consistent playing presentation to both the morning and afternoon waves both days. It will be consistent across both days, which we think enhances competitive fairness."
He concluded by acknowledging a shift in the organisation’s traditional approach: "As a USGA guy my whole life to sit here and talk about hydrating greens, slowing green speeds, and modifying hole locations, that’s hard to do but it should be about this magnificent cathedral and these great players, that’s what we want the story to be."
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