US Senior Open, Sauron CC,Bethlehem, PA

[Foreleft]

Attended Thursday opening round, 8:30-3 pm.  Weather was pretty dismal, with a steady mist almost constant, with harder waves of rain coming in.  Never got to point of suspension.

 

Didn’t put this in equipment section, because with the rain hoods and towels out in force, it was very difficult to see WITB.  I had the privilege of being under cover on the 17th green, which was good from a comfort standpoint, but not too hot from getting a good feel for what the players were bagging.

 

Random observations:

 

• These guys, generally, are a young 50ish.  Most are very fit and work hard on their game.  John Daly was not in field, which would of skewed my comment.
• Most drivers I saw were Titleist, Callaway and Ping.  TM seemed like older models and I did not see any Stealth.  
• Ventus and Graphite Design shafts were well represented.
• Lots of Odessey putters, and many with Stroke Lab shafts.  Number of Lab shafts surprised me.
• Probably 80% of bags were carry bags, far fewer full staff bags.
• Caddies were as old, or older, than players.  At least they looked that way.  Not a lot of younger caddies.  See comment above.
• Morning scoring was tough, Goydos was best I saw at -2
• Trying to get volunteers rowing in same direction has to be a monumental task.  Saw two carts collide, which given that they were the only two carts within a 100 yards, was no small feat.
• Champion tour players express marginally more personality and interaction with fans than their PGA counterparts.

 

Having played the course last year, it gives a different perspective when viewing a tour event.

 

 

[seis]

Really sucked that coverage on GC was limited to late night afterthought.

[cinnepa]

i gotta get down there, only an hour or so from me - been there years ago for last us senior open.

[bankbank]

I thought Sauron CC was in Mordor

[CSagan]

12 minutes ago, bankbank said:

I thought Sauron CC was in Mordor

Thats Sauron National.

[jonsnow]

34 minutes ago, bankbank said:

I thought Sauron CC was in Mordor

Good catch, bankbank!

 

 

[So_Cal]

Nice to see Paddy playing great golf at Sauron.  He looks motivated and is hitting it a mile. 

[Greg_B]

10 hours ago, seis said:

Really sucked that coverage on GC was limited to late night afterthought.

I watched it live mid-afternoon Thursday.  

[farmer]

If Phil hadn't s*** on his shoes, this could be a way to win a US Open.

[puttfordoux]

46 minutes ago, So_Cal said:

Nice to see Paddy playing great golf at Sauron.  He looks motivated and is hitting it a mile. 

Selfishly, I'd like to see him at the Senior Players Championship, so he can sign the 2008 PGA Championship hat I have, that he won. But it is the same week as the Scottish Open, I assume he will be playing there...

[bankbank]

10 hours ago, CSagan said:

Thats Sauron National.

Ahhh, I stand corrected 😂

[lowndes]

Why do so many of these guys use yellow balls?  I find those to be hard to see on TV (I find them hard to see in real life too).  I don’t recall every seeing anybody on the PGA Tour using a colored ball.

[Stevens24]

Would be easier to watch is the sound did it out every 45 seconds. What is it with NBC and crappy USGA production

[jplroper]

    I like watching the Champions Tour, Steve Stricker is a great ambassador for golf, full disclosure I am from Wi., I'll add Jerry K. to that comment also. 

[Stevens24]

9 minutes ago, lowndes said:

Why do so many of these guys use yellow balls?  I find those to be hard to see on TV (I find them hard to see in real life too).  I don’t recall every seeing anybody on the PGA Tour using a colored ball.

Bubba does and a few others but not like the senior tour.

[lowndes]

Just now, Stevens24 said:

Bubba does and a few others but not like the senior tour.

Do you know if there is a reason?  Easier to see as you age or something.  Just shocked at how many guys are playing them.

[JDCON]

20 hours ago, jonsnow said:

Good catch, bankbank!

 

 

They don’t walk into Mordor because they rode golf carts.

Edited June 25, 2022 by JDCON

[goaliedad30]

No mention of Jay Haas bettering his age in a US Open? That may never be duplicated!

[grm24]

3 hours ago, So_Cal said:

Nice to see Paddy playing great golf at Sauron.  He looks motivated and is hitting it a mile. 

He already has 3 second place finishes on the Champions Tour this season. 

[PhilsFanDrew]

Will be attending with my brother in law tomorrow.  How about Miguel Angel Jimenez?  Shoots +8, 79 on Thursday and Friday shoots -7, 64.  Glad he made the cut as I was hoping to get to follow him for a bit.  By the way its Saucon Valley CC not Sauron.

Edited June 25, 2022 by PhilsFanDrew

[grm24]

22 minutes ago, goaliedad30 said:

No mention of Jay Haas bettering his age in a US Open? That may never be duplicated!

It's great Jay did it again especially in this event. However I'd imagine Bernhard Langer does it multiple times going forward. He's already done it at age 64 earlier this year.

[iBanesto]

I thought Jimenez would miss only his 2nd cut in his Champions Tour career. But he proved me right wrong.

 

[iBanesto]

1 hour ago, goaliedad30 said:

No mention of Jay Haas bettering his age in a US Open? That may never be duplicated!

 

Quote

https://www.facebook.com/PGATOURChampions/photos/a.256563624298/10159935468059299/

 

1974: Jay Haas played in his first U.S. Open.

2022: Jay Haas shared the lead into Round 2 of the U.S. Senior Open.

 

Incredible longevity!

 

 

[Tpfol]

8 hours ago, lowndes said:

Why do so many of these guys use yellow balls?  I find those to be hard to see on TV (I find them hard to see in real life too).  I don’t recall every seeing anybody on the PGA Tour using a colored ball.

Jerry Pate used an orange ball back in the day! Dating myself I'm sure... Hale Irwin used a yellow ball on PGA tour as well IIRC. Agreed though, it isnt easier to see IMO, and from personal experience they're just as hard to find in the rough as the white. Haha

[betarhoalphadelta]

10 hours ago, lowndes said:

Do you know if there is a reason?  Easier to see as you age or something.  Just shocked at how many guys are playing them.

 

I find yellow easier to see, personally. 

 

[JohnnyCashForever]

On 6/24/2022 at 9:51 AM, seis said:

Really sucked that coverage on GC was limited to late night afterthought.

I'm really disappointed that the US Senior Open, arguably, the 2nd or 3rd most important event the USGA conducts every year, behind only the US Open and possibly the US Women's Open, is not on live basic cable all four days.  

[Tpfol]

1 hour ago, JohnnyCashForever said:

I'm really disappointed that the US Senior Open, arguably, the 2nd or 3rd most important event the USGA conducts every year, behind only the US Open and possibly the US Women's Open, is not on live basic cable all four days.  

I guess the LPGA PGA Championship is a bigger draw than the Senior Open?

Strange indeed. 

[Stevens24]

14 hours ago, lowndes said:

Do you know if there is a reason?  Easier to see as you age or something.  Just shocked at how many guys are playing them.

It is definitely easier to see. I switched several years ago when my vision got worse (I am 55) Actually used the Srixon Divide ball as well (Yello/Orange) Very easy to spont and has an aligment aid build in. 

[MUNIGRIT]

Paddy has the Gankas distance going! 90 percent of the old guys I play with at the muni seems to play a colored ball. The yellow aren't bad but the rest are hard to see in the grass compared to a white one. They are like a fishing lure that was designed to catch the fisherman.

Edited June 25, 2022 by MUNIGRIT

[NoTalentLefty]

Padraig looks like he’s playing with regular tour distance on the forward tees.