MONSOON AT MERION? The lingering after-effects of Tropical Storm Andrea may play a big role in this weekend’s U.S. Open at tradition-rich Merion Golf Club.
While the USGA’s worst-case scenario didn’t come to fruition over the weekend — that of the nearby creek flooding on the host East course’s 11th hole, forcing emergency use of holes on Merion’s mile-away West Course — its still wet, and was raining hard enough to suspend practice rounds Monday.
More rain is expected for Thursday’s first round, which will continue to soften the course and maybe take some of the difficulty out of the “Merion Lightning,” a local term for the course’s speedy greens.
The typically tough U.S. Open rough is still in place, and if tee shots find their way into it, we will see players having to chop out at 100- to 145-yard chunks just to get back in the safe confines of the fairway.
Merion is an old-school course, with an old-fashioned length of 6,996 yards and a par of 70.
Red (front nine) and orange (back nine) wicker baskets adorn the “standards” (flag sticks) at Merion, taking the ability to get a read on wind conditions at the green away from players.
Fabled players like Bobby Jones, Jack Nickalus and, of course, Ben Hogan have played here, with Hogan’s 1-iron approach to the 18th green in the final round of the 1950 U.S. Open likely the most iconic golf photograph of all time.
Hogan of course, was just 18 months removed from a head-on collision with a bus that shattered his pelvis and left many doubting he would ever play again.
He showed them.
That iconic shot came on the 36th hole of the final day (they played 36 in final rounds back then), and he still needed to two-putt for par and win an 18-hole Sunday playoff for the lore of the photo to grow in stature.
He did and it did.
Nothing may approach Hogan’s approach at this tournament, but I think we are in for a good deal of magic at Merion.
My two picks to win are Graeme McDowell or Matt Kuchar.
Clallam best ball
SunLand Golf & Country Club in Sequim and Peninsula Golf Club in Port Angeles will co-host the second annual Clallam County Best Ball.
SunLand will host play on Saturday, June 29, with Peninsula hosting the final round on Sunday, June 30.
Shotgun starts are planned for 9 a.m. each day.
Entry is $50 for SunLand and Peninsula players, and $80 for nonmembers.
A $4,800 purse (based on full field) is up for grabs.
To sign up, phone SunLand at 360-683-6800, ext. 13 or Peninsula at 360-457-6501.
SunLand junior camp
SunLand is taking registrations for its junior golf camp, set for 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. July 22-25.
Golf skills, sportsmanship—including rules and etiquette — golf and “near-golf” experiences will be taught.
Kids will be able to participate in fun games and activities, including a water-balloon toss, and each student will receive a PGA Sports Academy book and bag tag.
Cost is $75, and registration is available at the clubhouse or at www.sunlandgolf.com.
The camp is limited to the first 25 who register.
Aldrich cards single
Ray Aldrich notched his third career hole-in-one and first at SunLand on Thursday, June 6.
He aced the 126-yard 17th hole at SunLand with his TaylorMade 7-iron and a Bridgestone ball.
It was witnessed by Mike Main and Wes Stoecker.
SkyRidge anniversary
The 10th anniversary of Sequim’s SkyRidge Golf Course will be celebrated Saturday with a two-person modified Chapman “SkyRidge Anniversary” Golf Tournament.
The event has a 9:30 a.m. shotgun start, and golfers will receive 18 holes of golf, a great tee prize (a secret), range balls, lunch after play, and a chance at winning KPs and long-putt contests.
Cost is only $70 per team, and an optional honey pot is an additional $30 per team.
A Horse Race contest is also possible after lunch.
Gross and net division winners will be crowned.
Get in the game by phoning 360-683-3673.
SkyRidge yields aces
SkyRidge reported that its year-and-a-half-long hole-in-one drought had been snapped.
John O’Rourke scored his second lifetime hole-in-one Sunday, June 2, acing the 137-yard No. 8 hole.
It was described as “a beautiful shot, bouncing twice before going into the hole.”
He played an 8-iron, hitting a yellow Z Star Srixon golf ball.
Witnesses were Jerry Pedersen, Scott Mackay, Lance Gardner, Shane Price, Allen Patton, Al Quattrocchi and Jeff Pedersen.
Ludlow golf camp
Youth ages 6-16 can participate in Port Ludlow’s inaugural golf camp, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Saturday from June 29 to Aug. 3.
Cost is $100 per participant, and includes shirt, hat and lunch on the last session.
Call the golf shop to sign up at 360-437-0272
Ludlow bird watching
A close encounter of the feathered variety occurred while Port Ludlow members Caryl Oros, Sheila Schoen, Cyndy Kelly and Grace Allen were playing in the annual Captain’s Cup match play tourney last Tuesday.
The foursome were on the Tide Course’s fourth fairway when they spied five mallard ducklings heading across their path to the pond.
In Oros words, “Suddenly, after some squawking by their mother, they put on a burst of speed that astonished us, their feet were going like paddle wheels, and from up above, a gigantic bald eagle swept down on them like a 747 coming in for landing — flaps out, gear down, tail feather spread out like speed brakes.
“He swooped down for the pickup. The ducklings dove into the tall grasses at the last second, and the eagle came up empty.
“Then a chorus of alarm all around the pond, as the other ducks in the water quacked their alarm calls.
“The eagle retreated to a tall tree, and we all breathed a sigh of relief.”
The things you can see at Port Ludlow, a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary since 2000.
YMCA tourney in PT
A benefit golf tournament to raise funds for the Jefferson County Family YMCA will be held at Port Townsend Golf Club on Saturday, June 22.
This four-person scramble event has an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.
Fees are $40 per player plus $12 greens fees for nonmembers.
Entry includes lunch, tee prize and tournament prizes.
Carts are available on a limited basis.
For more information on Port Townsend Golf Club events, phone 360-385-4547, or stop by the course.
Port Townsend reports skins game fields on Thursdays and Saturdays are getting larger.
Players in gross and net divisions can play for $10, plus reduced greens fees for nonmembers.
Thursday is a nine-hole event, and Saturday is an 18-hole competition. Players will need a GHIN handicap or play as a zero handicap.
Junior golf camp
Port Townsend will host a junior golf camp next week. Phone the course at 360-385-4547 for details.
Friends of OCS tourney
Players can sign up to play in the inaugural Friends of Olympic Christian School Charity Golf Tournament set for Cedars at Dungeness on Saturday, July 20.
The scramble format event has a 9 a.m. shotgun start, and the $85 entry fee includes green fees, a bag of goodies, use of cart and a buffet lunch.
Players will have the chance to win a $10,000 prize for a hole-in-one on Cedars’ fourth hole, and a new Nissan courtesy of Wilder Auto Center on the Cedars’ 17th hole.
Sponsorships also exist.
Diamond Level sponsorships are $1,000, and include on-course GPS advertising, large tee-box and green advertising signs, dominant recognition on course banners and all external advertising (radio, newspaper, posters displayed throughout Sequim and Port Angeles), and free golf for up to four players.
Platinum sponsorships are $500, and include on-course GPS advertising, large tee-box and green advertising signs, dominant recognition on course banners and all external advertising displayed throughout Sequim and Port Angeles, and golf for two players.
There’s also a $100 Gold Level sponsorship with on-course tee-box and green advertising, and external advertising.
To sign up or for more information, stop by the Cedars pro shop, visit www.olympicchristian.org, phone the Olympic Christian School office at 360-457-4640, or email ocs@olympicchristian.org.
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Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-417-3527 or pdngolf@gmail.com.