Horrible Southern Hills Country Club

``It is the only matter who will be the winner. The score does not have to be under-par,``

said the United States Golf Association (USGA) who hosts the 101st U.S. Open Championship.

Regarding the course setting of the Southern Hills Country Club, the USGA made the players terrified only with the indirect expression ``not easy to win the championship with under-par`` rather than the direct expression, ``difficult``.

The Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma which opened in 1935, was originally constructed with par-71. But when the major tournament such as the U.S. Open is conducted, a par-5 hole is changed to a par-4 hole and the notorious `Bermuda rough` over 10cm compared to the `iron fabric` makes the course even tougher to play.

The score of Tom Lehman who won the title of the PGA tour in this course in 1996 was 12-under-par 268 in total. But Tommy Bolt and Hubert Green who were the winners of the 1958 U.S. Open and 1977 U.S. Open, recorded respectively 3 over-par 283 in total and 2 under-par 278 in total in this course.

The Southern Hills CC. is constituted of the band grass green, which was newly implanted after it had dried up due to the chemicals which somebody had sprayed. It has been heard that ``It looks like the surface of silk scarf.`` The green of the Southern Hills CC. is the `glass ball green` which does not allow the easy two putts.

And the distance of the par-4 and par-5 holes was extremely extended in 1977. The fifth hole (par-5) became the longest hole (642 yard) in the U.S. Open history. The USGA explained that the hole was extended in order to prevent the eagle putting attempt after two-on by any player.

Meanwhile, the 16th hole of par-4 which was previously par-5 hole, is also the longest par-4 hole in the U.S. Open history. Even though the driver shot goes over 300 yard, two-on is hardly attainable. Hence, even par-save has been regarded as a luck.

In addition to the long distance of the course, the width of the fairway is very narrow with the average of 22 yard. If the player hits the short tee-shot being afraid of the Bermuda rough, the second shot would be a big burden.

What is the way to conquer the notorious Southern Hills CC.? The answer is very simple. There is no other way like hitting distantly and straightly.

Ahn Young-Sik ysahn@donga.com