The Aussie Open Has Some Serious Green Problems

Remember the 2004 US Open at Shinnecock Hills?  The final round was played on a course so dry that the USGA actually had to water greens between groups at one point because the greens were unplayable in those conditions.

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The Australian Open faced a similar issue yesterday that prompted a six hour delay.  Players, including leader Stuart Appleby, were livid that Golf Australia and other tournaments officials did not listen to their pleas to slow the greens before the tournament.

Winds reported to top out at some 65 km/hr resulted in balls on the green that were at rest to continue moving for meters.  (To us, yards.)  Eventually, officials called play to water greens, but the damage had been done to the field.

New South Wales Golf Club, host of the tournament, was slammed because of its reputation for being crushed by wind.

Golf Australia was slammed for presenting a tournament that, according to the Herald, was played on overly fast greens for the third time in eight years.  Now that's a tradition unlike any other.

"It takes a lot to get me upset and I was upset today," Peter O'Malley said. "The greens were obviously too fast for the conditions."

Aussie great Peter Senior said, "All tournaments have problems, it's just funny it's the Australian Open every time."

Even Stuart Appleby, who shot what partner Steve Marino called the greatest round of golf he had ever seen, was critical.

"The powers that be didn't get the course set up right."