In a way, Oakmont – or, rather, its notoriously fast greens – is responsible for the birth of the stimpmeter, the device that is used to measure the speed of greens.
Edward Stimpson, a former Harvard golf team captain and a good amateur player who numbered the Massachusetts state championship among his wins, was a spectator at the US Open at Oakmont in 1935 where he saw Gene Sarazen putt off a green and, as an observer, felt an unfairness in it all.
Consequently, Stimpson developed a device made of wood that became known as the stimpmeter, an angled track which released the ball at a known velocity so that the distance it rolled on the green could be measured.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) redesigned the device in 1976 – when it was briefly known as a speed stick before reverting to being known as a stimpmeter – and to this day the device, simple in its methodology, provides information on the speed of greens.
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Incidentally, a USGA survey in the 1970s estimated the average speed of greens on United States courses at 6.5. Nowadays, 8 is considered slow, 10 medium and 12 fast.
Here at Oakmont, the greens will be running closer to 15. Which would fall into the category, perhaps, of superfast.
No self-doubting for Justin Thomas
Although Scottie Scheffler might be a country mile ahead of everyone on the world rankings, Justin Thomas has made it a goal to claim the top spot again. Even this year.
Thomas, still looking out for number one, remarked: “I’m sure some people will laugh, but if I can even catch him this year. Win however many tournaments the rest of the year, and maybe Scottie doesn’t play or something,” said Thomas, whose return to form has seen him move from 19th at the start of the year to fifth.
“It’s still on the forefront of my mind, and it’s something that I’m working toward. I obviously can’t do anything about what he’s doing, and he doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of slowing down or wanting to. [I’ll] just try to go win some tournaments, and hopefully get close sooner rather than later,” said Thomas.
Replica trophy for the winner – but real money
The last man standing at Oakmont on Sunday evening – or Monday if the dire weather featuring thunderstorms hits over the weekend – will walk away with a collection of material gains.
Although the US Open trophy itself will remain in the USGA museum in New Jersey, the champion will be presented with a full-sized replica for his 12 months as champion and then receive a smaller replica for his trophy cabinet or kitchen island or wherever.
The winner will also get a gold medal – which features the iconic image of Jack Nicklaus’s swing, presented to the champion since 1985 – along with a wheelbarrow of greenbacks. Bryson de Chambeau won $4.3 million last year. This year’s purse has yet to be announced.
Playing privileges beyond the material wealth will include a 10-year exemption into the US Open and five-year exemptions to the other three Majors.
Clothes maketh the golfer
As a golfing clotheshorse, Jason Day is clearly intent on breaking away from the traditional argyle checks and suchlike.
Day – who has a sponsorship deal with Malbon, a relatively new golf clothing company founded in 2017 – may be Australian but he coolly sported shorts akin to the United States flag in his practice round at Oakmont, which made him very much one of a kind.
The clothing company has been making bold statements with its sense of style – but it has not found favour with everyone. At last year’s Masters, Day was asked to remove the oversized sweater he sported in the tournament.
Quote
“I don’t think people turn the TV on to watch some of the guys just hit like a 200-yard shot on the green, you know what I mean? I think they turn on the US Open to see a guy shooting 8-over and suffer. That’s part of the enjoyment of playing in the US Open for viewers.” – Xander Schauffele.
By the Numbers: 96
Adam Scott will extend his sequence of playing in consecutive Major championships to 96 at the US Open, a run that stretches back to the 2001 Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes. In that time, Scott has made the cut in 72 of the 95 Majors he has played in, his only win coming in the 2013 Masters.
