Here is the official USGA update on set-up and conditioning for the weather-delayed third round of the 2011 U.S. Open on the Blue Course at Congressional CC in Bethesda, Md.:
COURSE SETUP: ROUND THREE OF THE 2011 U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (12:45 p.m.)
The following are details on the course setup for Round 3 of the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club, from Mike Davis, USGA Executive Director.
Weather Forecast for Saturday (provide by Greg Quinn and Jake Swick with Thor Guard Weather) — The overall weather pattern will not change much during the next few days. Overnight and morning shower activity will continue with redeveloping showers and thunderstorms possible during the afternoon hours. An area of showers and thunderstorms is currently moving through West Virginia. Warm and humid conditions will prevail today with high temperatures in the mid-upper 80s with scattered showers and thunderstorms redeveloping during the mid-late afternoon timeframe
Green Speeds — This morning’s green speeds averaged 13 1/2 feet on the USGA Stimpmeter after the heavy rains, which will likely settle out in the low 13s by midday.
Rough — The closer-in firstt cut of rough (3 1/4” and 3 3/4” on the long and short approach-shot holes) along the fairway was mown late yesterday afternoon in a direction from tee to green. The further-out longer second cut was not mown.
Water Management — Another quarter-inch of rain fell early this morning leaving the golf course very wet and soft. Between yesterday’s and this morning’s rain, there was no need to apply water to the golf course.
Total Course Yardage for Thursday (tee marker settings to flagstick) — 3,606 yards out; 3,807 yards in for 7,413 total yards
Hole-by-Hole Information
Hole 1 – 394 yards; hole location is front right just over the bunkerHole 2 – 241 yards; tee markers placed on back teeing ground; hole location is placed in the back-right portion of the green
Hole 3 – 480 yards; hole location is placed in the far, back-left corner of the green
Hole 4 – 474 yards; hole location is placed in the right portion of the green
Hole 5 – 419 yards; hole location is back-center portion of green, a few paces away from a fall-off ridge to the right
Hole 6 – 553 yards; tee markers placed on the back-left teeing ground; hole location placed in the center-left trough
Hole 7 – 143 yards; tee markers moved up 23 paces; hole location is lower, front-right portion of the green – just over the front bunker and below the ridge/“backstop”; with the soft conditions, any shot with too much spin could come back off the front of the green
Hole 8 – 342 yards; tee markers moved 19 paces forward; hole location placed far-right side of the green; it may be possible to drive the green
Hole 9 – 556 yards; tee markers moved 72 yards forward from the back teeing ground; hole location placed in the center trough (a very receiving area of the green) – may see an eagle or two
Hole 10 – 191 yards; tee markers placed two teeing grounds forward; hole location is on the tricky, upper-center ridge – the center “spine” and front-right “bowl” will affect many shots; a ball hit over the green will almost surely be a bogey
Hole 11 – 496 yards; tee markers placed on upper back small pad; the hole location is in the front-left portion, just left of the center “spine”
Hole 12 – 490 yards; hole location is placed in the back- right corner of the green
Hole 13 – 182 yards; hole location is placed in the narrow front “tongue” of the green
Hole 14 – 473 yards; hole location placed in the back portion of the green just over the right ridge
Hole 15 – 482 yards; hole location placed in the front-left quadrant just over the bunkers that front the green
Hole 16 – 570 yards; tee markers moved 19 paces forward; hole location is in center but only 4 paces away from the back fall-off – difficult to access with a soft green and a wedge shot approach, if played as a 3-shotter
Hole 17 – 448 yards; hole location placed on the far, back-right corner of the green
Hole 18 – 476 yards; penultimate teeing ground used; the hole is placed tight against the water in the front-left portion of the green
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