U.S. Open: Five bold predictions
Prediction: There will be at least one game-changing weather delay at the 177th U.S. Open
Golfers, like farmers, watch the weather. Ours is a game that can be dramatically altered by changes in temperature, wind, and humidity, and while slight shifts in weather conditions aren’t likely to impact my golf game or yours – let’s fact it – we’re just not that good – the best golfers among us pay close attention to factors that affect ball flight.
And that takes us to Erin Hills and the 177th U.S. Open and the mid-June weather forecast. It’s not an inconsequential bit of trivia for the guys who are getting ready to do battle for temporary possession of one of the most coveted pieces of hardware in the game of golf.
Just consider what could happen if one of those spectacular midwestern summer storms comes roaring across the big open space where they carved a golf course from pastureland. Imagine the possibilities for changes in game plans that will result from a radical shift in humidity or a weather suspension that comes at a crucial moment.
It could all happen, and while I am among those who believe the unpredictability of the weather adds to the allure of the game, I can’t image the top of the field grinning and fist-bumping as they mark their balls and take refuge in the clubhouse to wait for the storm to pass before they complete a crucial putt.
The weather wizards have checked their crystal balls and concluded that Sunday, June 18 is the most likely day for storms and attendant weather troubles.