Golf Tips & Quips

The 2010 playing of the U.S. Open begins today at Pebble Beach. Over the next four days we are going to look at the keys to winning on this difficult course. The four areas that Michael Breed talked about on The Golf Fix are,

1.)Drive the fairways
2.)Know how to hit a knock down shot
3.)Have a good wedge game
4.)Make the putts.

Driving the fairways is a must at Pebble Beach for three reasons. First, many of the fairways on the back nine are located near the cliffs and shorelines. Any wayward shot can end up in Carmel Bay. The views are beautiful but you don't want your ball to become part of the landscape. Hitting out of bounds incurs a penalty and now you are struggling for par.

Second, the USGA goes out of their way to make the course difficult for the players to navigate if they miss the fairways. If you end up in the rough, you will struggle to make par. In some instances, if you miss the fairway, you can end up in the sea-grass which can be six inches tall and higher. Getting out of there for a green in regulation becomes almost impossible.

The third reason that it is a must to hit the fairways, especially on par fours, are the firmness of the greens. The greens will be playing very fast and with the new groove configurations, it will be difficult to put enough spin on the ball to stop it out of the rough. Bogey and double might become the norm if players don't position themselves properly off the tee.

I feel that this is going to be a great U.S. Open. There are so many compelling stories surrounding this tournament. There's Phil Mickelson trying to get the world's #1 ranking. Tiger looking to prove to himself and others that he is still the best golfer in the world. Tom Watson returning to the venue where he made probably the greatest chip shot in the history of the championship. And then don't forget about the young guns looking to make their mark on the tour.

All the story lines are there. Pebble Beach seems to attract great moments. Who will win the 110th U.S. Open? Time will only tell, but my guess it will be someone who hit a high percentage of their fairways. For those that miss a lot of fairways, it will be a long, frustrating, but scenic walk at Pebble. Have a good one and always hit your target.

Here's a couple of videos about hitting the driver.





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