- Dec 19, 2006
- 462
- 107
So, I was treated to a round of golf at Erin Hills yesterday (site of the 2017 U.S. Open). For those who don't know where it is, it's about a half hour northwest of Milwaukee, and just a few miles from Holy Hill basilica (which you can see from several locations on the course). It is a walking-only course, and you play with a caddie, which was a very different experience for me. It is a very long course as well; we played from the whites which were set at 6,400 or so yards, but played from about 6,800 yards (the caddies were saying that for the Open, the length is going to be stretched to ~8,300 yards). The fescue that lined every fairway and every bunker was brutal. Absolutely brutal. Finding a golf ball in there was borderline impossible. The sand wad also heavy (heavy rains the day before), but the greens were running at about an 11-12. But everything about the course from the fairways to bunkers to greens were beautifully maintained. It is truly a championship golf course.
Our caddies (Jake and Tom) met us on the practice range, and watched us hit balls for a few minutes, taking stock of each of our swings, misses, and getting to know each of us a little bit. We headed to the practice green and they just observed us for a few minutes before we headed to the first tee.
I won't go through the whole round, but what was different to me about playing with a caddy was that I can see how a player could get very used to having one and becoming reliant on their judgments, especially on the greens. Our caddy, Jake, was actually a very good reader of the greens, telling me about subtleties in the green that I couldn't see. And sure enough, though it looked for all the world to me that the putt would break right about 6 feet from the hole, he had me aim dead straight, because the ball would actually be a little right and then a hard left right by the whole (I missed the putt, but it was a tap-in from 2 feet as opposed to a 10 misread).
Also, for approach shots, I'd meet Jake at my ball and he'd have a club ready for me. By the end of the first nine, all his club selections were spot on (provided I could have hit the shot where I was supposed to).
Just a very cool experience, though it just felt weird to hand my clubs to someone and then have them run off with them up the fairway.
By the way, I shot a 97, which I will happily take from this golf course.
Our caddies (Jake and Tom) met us on the practice range, and watched us hit balls for a few minutes, taking stock of each of our swings, misses, and getting to know each of us a little bit. We headed to the practice green and they just observed us for a few minutes before we headed to the first tee.
I won't go through the whole round, but what was different to me about playing with a caddy was that I can see how a player could get very used to having one and becoming reliant on their judgments, especially on the greens. Our caddy, Jake, was actually a very good reader of the greens, telling me about subtleties in the green that I couldn't see. And sure enough, though it looked for all the world to me that the putt would break right about 6 feet from the hole, he had me aim dead straight, because the ball would actually be a little right and then a hard left right by the whole (I missed the putt, but it was a tap-in from 2 feet as opposed to a 10 misread).
Also, for approach shots, I'd meet Jake at my ball and he'd have a club ready for me. By the end of the first nine, all his club selections were spot on (provided I could have hit the shot where I was supposed to).
Just a very cool experience, though it just felt weird to hand my clubs to someone and then have them run off with them up the fairway.
By the way, I shot a 97, which I will happily take from this golf course.
United States
