My wife and I made reservations last week to go to Pittsburgh in July to see the U.S. Women’s Open at Oakmont. This is one of those “ever since I was a kid” wishes, that I could walk around this course and a few others of its stature. I did Pebble Beach in 1960, and Merion is on my calendar for 2013.
This course is one of the hardest courses in America, featuring more bunkers than you can count, and dipsy-doodle greens that are slicker than (you know what). The Church Pews bunker between the 3rd and 4th holes is forty yards wide at its widest and 60 yards long. You can get the shakes over a one-foot putt.
We’re going to spend two days there, the Wednesday practice round, and the first round of competition on Thursday or Friday. On Wednesday, we’ll get to walk all around the course and take lots of pictures. I figure this is the only time I’ll get to be on this course with so much of the course showing (small crowds).
On the competition day we go to, we’ll start off the first tee with a group of interest, follow them for a few holes, then park ourselves at a green until a few more groups go through and someone else is worth following comes along. In about six hours, we’ll have made a restful tour of the course and have seen a lot of players.
This is going to be fun. I’ll keep you posted come July.
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