A Journey to the 2022 US Open
The Country Club Brookline Mass
I spent my summers in Brookline Massachusetts, growing up only 10 minutes from the course. I returned to visit, to volunteer, watch a US Open and spend time with my Dad on father’s day. This piece is part history, part spectator, part lore and part family.
The History
The Country Club, located in Brookline, Massachusetts, is the oldest golf-oriented country club in the United States. It holds an important place in golf history, as it is one of the five charter clubs that founded the United States Golf Association, and has hosted numerous USGA tournaments including the 1913 U.S. Open won by then-unknown Francis Ouimet. The Club was the back drop for the 2022 US Open.
The golf facilities have a total of 27 holes, divided between two courses. The Main Course is composed of the Clyde and Squirrel nines, essentially the original 18 holes. This was the course used for the 1913 U.S. Open, and is the course played by members today. The other nine holes are the Primrose Course, an executive course built in 1927. This was designed by William S. Flynn, who also (re)designed Shinnecock Hills, Cherry Hills Country Club near Denver, and the Kittansett Club also in Massachusetts.
The Championship, Composite, Anniversary, or Open Course is used for major competitions today, when a longer layout is required. In this configuration, three and a half holes from the Primrose Course are used to replace three holes of the Clyde. Specifically, one hole from the Main Course is replaced by a composite hole that uses the teeing ground of the 1st Primrose hole and the putting surface of the 2nd Primrose hole, while two other Main holes are replaced in their entirety by the 8th and 9th Primrose holes. Today, this results in a length of over 7,300 yards.
Being a Spectator at the US Open 2022
I must admit being a spectator at the Club, the US Open 2022, was filled with beautiful views and lots of obstacles. I have attended over 30 PGA tournaments, 2 US Opens, 2 US Amateurs and I like walking. When I attend a golf tournament I am the type of guy who wants to pick a pairing and walk with them every shot, from the first shot on #1 to the final putt on the 18th green on number 18 green. My hopes of doing that at the Club were altered on the first hole and by number 3 – forget about it
This is the landing area of the number one fairway. I took this from a gallery pavilion, which is not free, not open to the public. You can see on the other side how the fairways is not accessible for walking with the groups.
Number 2 is a long par 3 and the green is sandwiched between #6 tee box and 5 green. The picture, lower left, is taken the tee box of #6 – The next picture is that same view during play. You can barely see #2 green in the center and it’s was a journey to get around the grandstands to make it to that green in a timely manner to stay with your group.
Most people never even see one of the best greens on the course, #3. Hole #3 is a par four which gives the player a blind shot to a landing area and another blind shot to the green; the center right picture is the approach shot to the green. The green is located is lower right corner. The only way to get to the green is to wait until the 4th fairway is cleared – image below far right – cut through, run, run fast, and try to get to the green before the final putt to fall. This type of set up the course gave the spectators, great for staying in one spot, beautiful colors and landscaping, watching the worlds best play through. But for me the die hard walking spectator – not so much.
Number 6 green
My favorite picture from the Open, This is Dennis McCarthy on a Wednesday practice round walking up 7 fairway
The best hole on the course , the daunting #10. 500 yard par 4 , blind tee shot to the landing area with a blind uphill approach shot to a sloping green.
The short but dangerous #11 which plays 133 down hill to this green.
This is the view from #12 green of the #10 fairway. #10 fairway has these great rock formations on either side.
The par 5 #14 – this view is your approach shot to an uphill, blind, two tiered landing area to green set up to make this shot so difficult
Another blind landing area of #15 – the long par 4 , 510 yards – you now get why trying to walk with the golfers hole by hole was really not doable.
The majestic 18th green
Other photo’s that made this trip so enjoyable
The Lore
Any discussion of The Country Club begins with the knowledge that, having debuted in 1882, it has evolved greatly over its 140 years. In fact, golf was not even in the mix when it opened its doors, the lion’s share of the acreage at the time devoted to polo and horse racing – the racetrack oval roughly encircled the present-day first and 18th holes.
This layout was first used in the 1957 U.S. Amateur, but its routing significantly changed for the 1963 U.S. Open. The 1963 routing was used for all major events at the club through the 2013 U.S. Amateur. The Championship Course was altered again for the 2022 U.S. Open, with the par-4 4th hole of the Main Course removed and the par-3 12th hole of the Main Course added, resulting in a 7,312-yard par-70 layout.
Family
I think it’s great that the US Open finishes on father’s day. This gave me a chance to return home, attend the Open, and spend some time with my Dad.
Happy fathers day Herman Fritz “Pat” Goeters
