Shinnecock Hills study starts before US Open practice rounds to avoid long waits

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — The U.S. Open brought big wind and not nearly as much activity for a Monday, typical these days of practice rounds at majors that move to a different course each year. More players are coming early, not so much to avoid the rush but to avoid the wait. "It's gotten terrible," Justin Thomas said leading into the third major of the year. "You have to sign up for tee times at the (British) Open and U.S. Open, and then people sign up with you and play in a foursomes. You can't play nine holes in less than three hours." The way around that is to follow a script from Jack Nicklaus back in his prime — see the course early before it becomes populated with pros and amateurs, contenders and dreamers. Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy took a detour on their way to Ohio two weeks ago to play Shinnecock Hills, the first time seeing it for the No. 1 player, a refresher course for McIlroy. Jon Rahm arrived last Friday to see what he should expect for the U.S. Open. Patrick Reed, who hasn't played since the PGA Championship last month, is said to have played the course more often than some of the Shinnecock members. This is one of the most energy-draining weeks of the year, a product of the mental stress a course like Shinnecock — and a major like the U.S. Open — tends to elicit. Thomas and Jordan Spieth arrived over the weekend and played practice rounds two days before the official start of practice rounds. They didn't have the course all to themselves, but it felt like it. And it beat the alternative of long rounds when players hit different clubs off the tee, dozens of shots from the rough and closely mown area around the green, putting to all four corners of the green. Their preparation largely done, official practice days are now light work. That's the Nicklaus way. "That's why I never wanted to practice then," Nicklaus said of the early part of the week at the majors. "I got my practice in the week before so I knew what I wanted to do, instead of waiting for everybody else. I didn't like that. So I tried to get my practice in, and go back on Tuesday (of major week). I didn't want to get stuck in that six hours. "If I had been there the week before, why did I need to get there on Monday?" McIlroy had limited practice time at the PGA Championship because of a nagging blister on his right toe. But then, he had come to Aronimink two weeks earlier for serious practice. But there was one image during his practice round when McIlroy had a small army tagging along inside the ropes, from television personalities to equipment staff and photographers. It didn't feel very productive to him. "Too many people inside the ropes I think is the big part of it," he said of the long practice rounds at the majors. "I think as well, guys are resigned to the fact that they're going to play nine holes, so it's OK to be out there for three hours. No one plays 18-hole practice rounds anymore the week of (a major). I guess it gives everyone the ability to play slow and hit as many balls as they like." Tiger Woods used to have his own routine, playing first to have at least nine holes to himself. One year at the Masters, he walked out of the clubhouse at 7:25 a.m. toward the first tee unaware of a wooden clock at the tee box indicating the course would open at 8 a.m. Not to worry. His caddie, Steve Williams, moved the hands back a half-hour. Woods stepped onto the tee at 7:28 a.m., saw the clock and moved the big hand back two more minutes and fired away. He was on the links courses of the British Open around 6 a.m. Anything much later than that meant he had overslept. Scheffler had a dream day of practice at the PGA Championship before he won at Quail Hollow last year. He was the only PGA Tour player on the course the Sunday before official practice because most everyone else was at two PGA Tour events that day. Monday through Wednesday can be as slow. "I don't remember it being as bad as it is," Thomas said. "The U.S. Open and PGA Championship to me are the worst. It's getting treated more like the range and chipping green. I get that you need to get used it — I totally understand that. But it's gotten to be a lot." The wind ushered away overnight rain clouds and bathed Shinnecock in bright sunshine on Monday. Wind and the greens are the greatest defense on this century-old course, and it was a preview of the test that awaits. Wyndham Clark already knew that. "The one thing today is I actually didn't do a practice round," he said. "I came in earlier and did some work. This wind is not the normal wind, so if there's any time to take a day off, it was today."