This One Isn’t Wide Open

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. —  Remember that fantastic four-wood that Corey Pavin hit on the 72nd hole of the 1995 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills? If he puts the ball in the same place this week, it will be in the rough.

And, chances are, it’s going to be rough going for the pros this week at the 104th U.S. Open, which revisits Shinnecock after a nine-year absence and finds the place a much more difficult track than it was the last time.

On the last hole on the last day in 1995, Pavin drove his tee shot to the right side of the fairway, then sent a low shot to the green that rolled to within five feet of the hole.

He would not be on the fairway with the same shot this week because they’re a lot narrower. The fairways at Shinnecock are going to be an average of 26 yards wide this week. In 1995, they ranged from 28 to 32 yards wide.

To make sure the rough and the waist-high fescue grass come into play, the USGA has moved the gallery ropes to 35 to 40 yards away from the fairway. And to make sure wind will be a factor, course superintendent Mark Michaud oversaw an extensive brush removal and tree-clearing project so neither vegetation nor trees would stop breezes from influencing the flight of golf balls.

Michaud estimated that as many as 1,000 trees were removed.

“If we get a little weather, we’ll have a pretty good show,” he said.

Most of the holes on the north side of the course will be affected by a crosswind, such as Nos. 15, six and 12, but Michaud said the 189-yard par-three seventh might be most affected by gusts. All but one tree, each about 40 feet tall, were removed.

“The wind howls through there now,” he said. “It’s going to be fun to watch.”

The USGA’s ideal recipe for Shinnecock is for dry, firm and fast fairways and greens. Michaud said water is being put on the fairways only when it is necessary to keep the grass from dying.