I am very excited about the 2007 United States Senior Open Championship at Whistling Straits Golf Club in Kohler, Wisconsin. If there is ever going to be a United States National Open Championship that looks like a British Open Championship, this could be it! Whistling Straits is an incredibly authentic "European" style golf course with the look, feel and characteristics of a true 'links' course.
We saw another major championship played at Whistling Straits a few years ago when Vijay Singh won the 2004 PGA Championship there. It was a struggle all week for the entire field, as the wind off of Lake Michigan plays a big part of your day and can cause a lot of problems.
The USGA has always felt that a score of par should be the ultimate goal on each hole and each round. As a result, the course set-up at their championships is always controversial and questioned. Thick, heavy rough, tight fairways and firm and fast greens welcome every contestant. Virtually every USGA championship is played under some of the toughest conditions that we see all year long.
Some people think that these tough conditions are unfair to the competitors. They also say that the USGA seems intent on embarrassing the best players in the game at all levels. While I do agree that the thick, heavy rough can sometimes be overkill and unneccesary, I have no problem with the philosophy of a USGA championship course set-up.
You should be required to play precise golf to win a national championship and hitting fairways and greens is what winning a USGA championship is all about. When course conditions get tough, all other aspects of your game get tested as well...recovery, strategy and patience become the most important "clubs" in your bag. There is no "bail out" at a USGA championship. You simply have to suck it up, accept whatever comes your way and deal with it. And in the end, if you've kept it together all week, you might be in a position to win that "major" championship we all covet so much.
At least, that's my take...what's yours?