U.S. Open: Now the USGA is weed-whacking the fescue!
The Erin Hills fescue rough continues to preoccupy players and the USGA in the run-up to the 117th U.S. Open.
The 117th U.S. Open may hinge on the state of the Erin Hills fescue. To be sure, the Erin Hills rough has received more than it’s fair share of attention. It’s tall. It’s thick. It’s going to be harvested and given to the neighboring Amish community for winter fodder.
And now that rain threatens to flatten some of the higher stands of fescue, the USGA has hit the panic button and started weed whacking. The Twitterverse is virtually vibrating.
USGA said the cutting of some rough @ Erin Hills is part of a “prescribed plan based on weather” and not player reaction this week.
— Rex Hoggard (@RexHoggardGC) June 13, 2017
Player reaction? That’s an intriguing tidbit. Rory McIlroy seems to think the fescue shouldn’t be a problem.
Rory McIlroy's reaction to being told that the USGA was cutting down some of the fescue on Tuesday at Erin Hills. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/7NuMQkuIlA
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) June 13, 2017
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It’s tough to sort out the where and whys and hows of the USGA’s decision to trim, or cut down, the fescue, or even clarify where, exactly, the trimming has taken place. The reports and Instagram pictures and tweets are swirling.
Golf.com reports that “multiple pros complained about the intimidating rough” but names only Kevin Na.
Na apparently posted a video of a golf ball disappearing into a thick patch of fescue to his Instagram account.
That prompted a Twitter response from Hurdzan Golf Design, suggesting that Na not hit into the rough and keep to the comfortable short grass of the fairways. Oh my.
Kevin might want to consult with Paula Creamer, who was doing a very credible job of hitting out of some nasty fescue rough at the Manulife LPGA Classic last week. She’s nearby because the LPGA is playing this week in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The crew is mowing down areas of fescue roughs that were knocked down by heavy rains. "It would be unplayable," @USGA's Darin Brevard said pic.twitter.com/5TtEQOaM5e
— Golfdom (@Golfdom) June 13, 2017
The USGA does not seem to have issued an official statement about this unscheduled maintenance of the fescue roughs, at least not on its website. There is, however, a very nice article on the fine fescue fairways at Erin Hills.
Next: U.S. Open: Ranking the amateurs in the field
As we get closer to first round tee time at the 117th U.S. Open we will probably get more focused on the playing of the game and less concerned with the outside factors that are currently creating emotional distractions for some among the field. Let’s assume the USGA is doing the best job it can to manage a highly charged and very complicated event, and look forward to Thursday’s first round.