Would greens like concrete have made a difference?
As Europe’s top players gather in East Lothian this week, there is no doubt what the hot topic is – Bryson Dechambeau and his six-shot victory at the US Open.
The American’s decision to pile on muscle – 20lb between March and June – was vindicated as his brute force tamed treacherous Winged Foot.
But seeing him smash his driver miles, but often miss the fairways, did not please the purists.
David Drysdale was as fascinated as the rest by Dechambeau’s success, but he has another way of keeping the American’s game under control.
“I played with Bryson two years ago in Abu Dhabi when he was a lot skinnier,” smiled Drysdale.
“He’s quite scientific in his approach, and he’s spent a huge amount of time in the gym.
“I spoke before the US Open to my coach, Jamie Gough, who also coaches Andy Sullivan, and he said he couldn’t see how anyone could playwinged Foot.
“Then they cut the rough down a little bit. If that hadn’t happened, Bryson wouldn’t have been able to do what he did.
“He was so open in his approach about how he was going to take the course on. That may add fuel to the fire for the R&A and USGA to change things.
“But, fair play to Bryson, it’s not just his length – he has some game apart from that.
“I just wonder if the USGA could have made the greens like concrete. Then there would have been a premium on hitting the fairway. “I just think of the course we play on the European Tour in Hong Kong. It’s the shortest course we play at about 6,700 yards, and there is barely any rough.
“But it plays firm and fast and you have to hit the fairway to have any control. In a normal season, the scoring means it is usually one of the highest cuts we have.”