US Open Practice Day 1

US Open 2012 Practice Day One. Observations from inside the ropes at Hole 13.

The par 3 Hole 13 on the north edge of the Lake course plays at about 200 yards from the back tees. The fairway is somewhat narrow and tall trees near the green take away some ball shaping options. A red-staked hazard with wild grasses, trees and a deep ditch runs along the left side of the fairway and green. We think of the frequent westerly wind as another hazard.

The approach is dominated by a moderately deep bunker at the front edge of the green and two nearby bunkers on each side. The narrow front third of the green opens up into a gently contoured putting surface with a back to front slope. Closely cropped fringe slopes down significantly in the back and on the left. A ball that rolls off the left side of the green can easily reach the hazard. All of these features provide an incentive to hit a high striaight tee shot to place the ball safely on the putting surface.

This morning I had the rare privilege of watching the greatest golfer of our generation practice short game strategy on the ~200 yard par 3 Hole 13 at the Olympic Club. It was a practical tutorial on how to prepare for a competition.

The first two shots were from both tee positions currently projected for competitive play at the end of the week. Both shots landed exactly where they need to be on the green for makable birdies. Tiger was the only player I noticed all day who played from both positions on this hole. At the green complex, a variety of putts and chips were aimed at detecting the subtle undulations that are critical to making par. 

The key strategy was to understand the contours of the left side of the green where hole locations are expected. The green curves gently to the left and any ball that reaches the fringe can easily pick up speed down the slope and find the hazard below. As putts from the back of the green slowed their pace, the ball curved towards the dangerous north fringe.

Several balls were tossed hard at the green in different directions to watch how they rolled down the leftside slope. Practice putts and chips were tried as options to get the ball back on the putting surface. Bunker shots were on the agenda, and anything too aggressive from the rightside bunker rolled through the green and down the slope towards the hazard.

All-in-all, Tiger spent quite a bit of time testing how the Hole 13 green might be played. It was a lesson on how to prepare for a tournament. Greatness doesn't just happen. It's earned.