Let’s talk about a quirky local rule that could cut somebody’s US Open short at Oakmont this week. Now, we are standing on the ninth green, which doubles as a practice green. It’s adjacent to the clubhouse. It’s close to the first, close to the 10th. So, guys will be here. They’ll be able to stop here, hit a few putts before their round. It’s 22,000 square ft, and it’s technically the entire 9inth green. Now, the back portion is the practice portion, and that’s cut off by a blue stake and a blue dot in the middle of the green. And there’s signs everywhere kind of notifying the players what to do and what not to do on this screen, particularly for those practicing on it. Now, here is that blue dot, which lines up perfectly with the blue stakes on both sides. And here’s how guys could get in trouble. If you come out on the practice screen, if you putt, you make a stroke that goes through this blue dot, or if you happen foolishly to go on the other side of the blue dot and make a stroke back up towards this green, you could get in big trouble. The first infraction is a stroke penalty that will be applied to your score in whatever round it is. The second infraction is a disqualification from the tournament. Now, this could also come into play for the competitors on the golf course. Let’s say they go long on this ninth green into the practice section. Let’s say the ball somehow goes into one of these practice holes or simply the practice hole is just in the way. They are entitled to complete free relief, find the nearest point of relief, and play on with their next shot. Now, is this going to happen? Highly unlikely. But if it does, your US Open could end early with just two wrong practice strokes.
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42 Comments
What is this new devilry.
Out of ALL THE STUPID THINGS I've ever seen, not just in golf, this one takes the cake.
This world, what crap,
the officials with this rule is just trying to create controversary so people will talk about their tournament.
We desperately need Jesus to reappear
People in the golf business are not smart.
This might be the dumbest thing in all of sports
Wouldn't a thin strip of rough with fringe on the 9th green side and then having the practice green on the other side solve this problem? It's not 1920 just seperate the 2
Sounds broken to me
Seems like it was just a bunch of crusty old guys getting together to make up and enforce a stupid rule because they have nothing better to do.
Golf has some of the dumbest rules.
Patrick Reed's rumored to be lurking around that line
This is dumb
This place is seriously ghetto. Interstate running right through the middle of it.
Buy pants.
Did monkeys design this course 😂
Everybody is so mad. It’s supposed to be challenging!
I have been watching the open and this is not a serious course. This is a big miniature golf course. Where is the windmill and loop to loop?
We hope the winner at Oakmont is about 2 to 4 over par. We think these pros need a decent challenge…..all year long they destroy golf courses with 20 under. 25 under, 30 under, 35 under. Golf for pros should be a good test ..Physically and mentally.
Nice hoodie.. Which club
That’s just to hold players accountable for their actions. They have the ability to keep it in that zone. They will listen. I bet zero infractions by the top30. Maybe Spieth or Thomas 🤣🤣🤣
I do not like how you talk.
Wow that’s quirky
Yeah this is really dumb for such a nice course it’s like they got cheap so they didn’t have to pay for a separate practice green how dumb lol
You would think that a world class golf course would have a separate practice green!
Tell the members and golf committee to F off
Dumb af
If it hasn’t happened to DJ yet it won’t happen.
I kid because I care !
Garbo
US Open is a quirky tournament in general. The tracks they choose and the way they set em up are disenchanting for players and fans.
The more I hear about the course the more I get why people say it's basically built for upmost difficulty. You can't even practice without a chance of getting disqualified all together 😂 love it
Oakmont seems to find joy in making golf miserable. Just, why??
That’s really dumb and just adds to the punitive bs of this course
As usual, i wont be hitting a singe practice putt
Oakmont sucks. Not a fan.
Tiresome.
There’s dumb, and then there’s whatever this is above that.
Can we all just agree that Oakmont is just stupidly designed?!
ladies and gentlemen, the worlds least charismatic human being
So if they go long onto the practice green is it technically a green in reg and can they mark their ball or is not considered green past the blue dots
Whatever happened to Bermuda length shorts that reach nearly to the knee?
If you’re playing and it goes into a practice hole it’s a free drop
“Scottie come with me this way”
What a ridiculous setup. They can easily afford to have a separate practice green just like every other course in the world.
Okay this rule is dumb. I like the green being a practice green, but getting a stroke penalty for going long is just stupid