Chambers Bay courts controversy with 2 drastic proposals ahead of 2015 U.S. Open
With the U.S. Open over a month away, players and fans continue to scratch their heads at the selection of Chambers Bay as the tournament's host.
The ever-vocal Ian Poulter tweeted in April that Chambers Bay was a "complete farce" after hearing from fellow pros that had played there. PGA Tour veteran Ryan Palmer added that the greens weren't championship quality.
The jabs at the Tacoma, Wash. course continued this week when USGA executive director Mike Davis warned that players would be helpless if they only came and played two practice rounds. The players weren't too worried about the threat.
Davis has made two proposals to mix things up at Chambers Bay that would be firsts in major championship history. The remainder of this article is not suitable for traditional golf fans.
Changing pars
"You can't change par in the middle of a tournament."
That was Tiger Woods in 2011 when Davis suggested the par total at Chambers Bay could change throughout the week. The majority of U.S. Open courses play to a par 70 with some par 71s mixed in, but the idea that the number could change throughout the week was not popular.
Davis finally announced in April that, though the par will stand at 70 for the duration of the tournament, the 1st and 18th holes will play a combined par of nine - but could alternate between playing as par 4s and par 5s as the weekend progresses.
The opening hole can be played from 496 and 598 yards, while the final hole at Chambers Bay can be played from 525 and 604 yards. While this should add intrigue to those two holes as fans watch the day-to-day adjustments, it might prove simply frustrating for players.
Uneven lies for tee shots
Another strategy-altering adjustment Davis has alluded to is potentially placing tee markers on sloped areas.
"Architects put in what they refer to as ribbon tees ... it allows us to put tee markers where we want," Davis said at the U.S. Open's media day April 27. "And in some cases we may end up putting tee markers on slight slopes."
The possibility of teeing off while standing on upward, downward or sideways slopes will be just the kind of factor players need to blame for potential poor performances come June. Regardless, these changes should make the 115th U.S. Open a must-watch.
But potentially for all the wrong reasons.