The USGA is preparing for a significant test at the U.S. Open as high winds threaten to push Shinnecock Hills to the edge. With a history of controversial setups at the venue, officials are focused on balancing the course’s natural difficulty with challenging weather conditions.
Shinnecock Hills has been the site of past issues, most notably in 2004 and 2018. In 2018, fast, firm greens led to scoring averages over 75, prompting Zach Johnson to say the USGA had “lost the course.” This year, course architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw’s design changes, featuring wider fairways averaging 48 yards, are in use. This change is intended to reward strategic play and allow better angles into the difficult green complexes. However, the forecast presents a major complication. With no rain expected and sustained winds predicted above 20 mph with gusts near 40 mph, conditions could become extremely firm and fast despite the USGA’s best efforts.
Officials have stated they will be proactive, watering greens during play and keeping speeds slower than they otherwise might. The goal is to prevent a repeat of past championships where certain holes, like the par-3 7th, became nearly unplayable. USGA’s John Bodenhamer acknowledged the fine line they must walk. “We could brutalize this place the next few days if we wanted to,” he said. “That’s not what we’re about. We really want it to be fair, and we want it to be what Shinnecock Hills has always been. It will be tough enough. We have pulled every lever that we can to make it fair, and I think that’s a message we really want to get out there.”
The focus will be on the most exposed parts of the course, such as the greens on the 10th and 11th holes, which could be severely affected by the wind. Brooks Koepka’s winning score of one-over-par in 2018 highlights the course’s inherent difficulty. With even stronger winds on the forecast this year, the USGA’s management of the setup will determine whether the championship is remembered for great play or for controversy.
