The view standing alongside the sixth fairway on The Broadmoor East Course.Chatter from the players this week revolves around The Broadmoor's thick rough, tricky greens and Jones' stretch of long, difficult holes.
"The fairways are generous for a U.S. Open," said Cristie Kerr, who is one of just nine players this week who competed at The Broadmoor during the 1995 U.S. Women's Open, when it measured just over 6,400 yards. "But if you do miss the fairway, the rough is brutal."
The fairways this week are bordered by 6-foot-wide swaths of intermediate rough that are an inch high. The rough's height then gradually increases from 2.5 to four inches high. Additionally, The Broadmoor's slopey greens will run as fast as 11 on the Stimpmeter.
"The greens are awesome," said Kerr. "There's a lot of slope, a lot of
mountain effect. I just charted the greens, finding where the highest
point on the green is, where the lowest point is, so I know where the
fastest direction on each green is...I'm planning all that out ahead of
time, so that when you're in tournament competition you glance at it and
say, 'Okay, I know what's going on.'"
Holes 7 through 15, which includes six par 4s that measure more than 400 yards, will likely play the toughest this week. (Thank you, Mr. Jones!)
"They're just long par 4s," said Stacy Lewis, who's playing in her fourth U.S. Women's Open. "I think they're all over 400 yards and tricky greens...The key to this course is getting off to a good start. You have 1 through 4 that are pretty good birdie holes."
--Ashley Mayo
Holes 7 through 15, which includes six par 4s that measure more than 400 yards, will likely play the toughest this week. (Thank you, Mr. Jones!)
"They're just long par 4s," said Stacy Lewis, who's playing in her fourth U.S. Women's Open. "I think they're all over 400 yards and tricky greens...The key to this course is getting off to a good start. You have 1 through 4 that are pretty good birdie holes."
--Ashley Mayo
