By Christopher Powers
Last Friday at Muirfield Village, some were quick to describe Bryson DeChambeau’s epic 10 at the par-5 15th as Bryson going full “Tin Cup.” The only problem with that comparison was that, unlike the ending of the Kevin Costner movie, there was no water involved. DeChambeau kept reloading, yes, but his golf ball kept finding someone’s backyard rather than a watery grave.

RELATED: Bo Van Pelt makes nonchalant ace at 3M Open

A true “Tin Cup” happened on Thursday at the 3M Open, where South Korea’s Sangmoon Bae almost went full Roy McAvoy at the par-5 ninth hole at TPC Twin Cities. At four over on his round, things appeared to get even uglier for Bae as he rinsed his tee shot in the water down the right side. Then Bae took a drop in the fairway, 250 yards from the green, and deposited another ball. Woof.

Now, Bae was hitting his fifth from the exact same spot, 250 yards away. This time, instead of finding the drink again, his ball found the bottom of the cup for what may very well be the greatest par in the history of professional golf:

At 18th hole in Rd.1 @3MOpen, Sangmoon Bae sets ShotLink-era record by holing out for par from 250 yards.

Previous longest hole-out for par was Steven Bowditch/2011 RBC Heritage, Rd.1, hole #4, 176 yards. pic.twitter.com/4vqP4gXjLp

— Mike McAllister (@PGATOUR_mikemc) July 23, 2020

Seriously, it was already in the running for greatest par ever before finding out it was indeed the longest par hole-out in the ShotLink era. If there was a greatest par debate, it’s now over.

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By Luke Kerr-Dineen
It’s a common refrain that the U.S. Open is the most democratic of golf’s majors. In the immortal words of Roy (Tin Cup) McAvoy:

“They can’t ask you if you’re a garbage man or a driving-range pro whose checks are signed by a stripper. You qualify, you’re in.”

It’s still true, of course, and it’s one of the many things that makes the U.S. Open so great. But in practice, the USGA’s marquee event has also undergone a subtle, but noticeable shift in recent years. Whereas the Open Championship, for example, has boasted winners of all sorts—aging stars like Phil Mickelson, to bombers like Rory McIlroy, to plodders like Zach Johnson—a subset of tour pros has emerged as U.S. Open specialists, guys who have a specific skill-set that helps them stand out in the national championship.

Leading the way the newly (re)crowned champion, Brooks Koepka, who became the first back-to-back U.S. Open winner in nearly 30 years. Prior to his two victories, he finished T-4, T-18 and T-23, hinting that big thing could be in store. But it’s not just him is the obvious example. Koepka was surrounded by players with similar games, many of them past champions themselves, along with a host of other players with impressive records at the event.

So what makes a U.S. Open specialist? Looking at the stats of seven different players with some of the best U.S. Open records since 2013—Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Justin Rose), there are a few common threads:

Swing Fast

It’s tempting to say that big-hitters thrive at U.S. Opens, and while that’s not untrue, it’s more accurate to say that players with high swing speeds do well at U.S. Opens. Only one of the seven players listed above (Fowler, who knowingly sacrificed some swing speed when he switched to a shorter driver rank outside the top 50 on the PGA Tour in swing speed with players like Koepka and DJ (and Tony Finau, who may be on a list like this next year), often falling in the top 10.

Why look at swing speed rather than driving distance? Because driving distance could be the result of lots of things, like how efficiently a player swings, and how finely tuned their equipment is. Swing speed doesn’t just indicate power, but it also extends throughout the bag. In other words: If you swing your clubs at an above-average speed, you’re not just likely hitting your driver further. It also makes hacking your way out of rough a lot easier, which is a thing at most U.S. Opens.

RELATED: The clubs Brooks Koepka used to win the U.S. Open

Great Drivers

The importance of power is self-evident—after all, on today’s PGA Tour, you can’t be a great driver without hitting it far—but you can’t get away with bombing-and-gouging your way around the U.S. Open. You need to hit it far, but you simply won’t survive not hitting fairways. That’s why you’ll see the U.S. Open contenders littered among the top not just of the strokes gained/off-the-tee rankings, but also the more primitive and much-derided Total Driving statistic.

Fleetwood, Rose (first and fourth so far this season) Fowler, and Schauffele have all ranked within the top 25 of Total Driving within the past two seasons, while stroke gained/driving routinely highlights DJ, Koepka and Day’s driving prowess.

RELATED: Brooks Koepka proves he’s more than just a bomber

Experience

The most intangible factor on the list, but no less important. I opted for “experience,” but “ability to grind” is probably more accurate to say this.

Justin Rose won his U.S. Open in 2013 with a one-over 72-hole total at Merion and showed his toughness grinding-out a 73 on Saturday despite hitting just six of 18 greens. Fast forward to last weekend, and the number of clutch putts Koepka made down the stretch on Sunday at Shinnecock was incredible. And this week also showcased Fleetwood bouncing back with nine- and 15-shot round-over-round improvements following his first to second rounds (75 to 66) and third to fourth rounds (78 to 63).

The U.S. Open truly is the most unique test in golf. It may be a borderline cliche, but the ability to be tough, grind out a score and stay mentally strong is probably the most important quality for a successful Open player to have.

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“It” being Southampton Golf Range—not to be confused with Southampton Golf Club—a mom-and-pop, hole-in-the-wall driving range, filled with a cast of characters one envisions at such an establishment. Its existence, operating outside three of the world’s most prestigious clubs in Shinnecock, National Golf Links and Sebonack, is almost clichéd. After all, how many movies have used the “rich guys attempt to buyout neighbouring common man’s hangout to turn into parking lot” plotline?

But the truth is often stranger than fiction. Especially when Reid Hanson’s watched that story play out on an annual basis.

“I lost count on how many offers we’ve received,” said Hanson, owner, operator and instructor at SGR. “Real estate developers, businesses, other clubs. This land is worth a lot of money, and running a range was probably the least profitable use of it. But we love it, and could never close it.”

It is the antithesis of the links that surround it. The conditioning of Shinnecock, the National and Sebonack are pristine incarnate; SGR is half dirt. They are three of the toughest tests in golf; SGR has a mean closing putt-putt hole. The Southampton clubs’ have strict dress codes; at SGR, you get weird glances if you’re not wearing gym shorts or jeans.

“Yeah, we don’t see many guys from Shinnecock or the like,” said Tommy Garrison, who works at SGR. “This is a family place. You’ll see people who’ve never played before coming out or who just want to goof around. It’s laid-back around here.”

The range has been in the Hanson family since 1957. Which seems right, because… “Until last year, most of this place looked like it was from 1957,” Hanson says, beating you to the punchline.

Except, the range still appears like a property lost in time, in the most positive connotation possible. Attached to the range’s front desk—which is the size of a starter’s shack—is a hamburger stand, with a red-and-white striped awning evoking a different era. The driving range cart is just an old Jeep with a picker attached to the bumper. It’s a cash-only business—millennials, cash is that green stuff that’s not your credit card—and the shop doesn’t have bags filled with new merchandise to sell, just a rack of old, beat-up sticks for those who forget their clubs.

“I love it,” said Martin Lopez, 34, of Stony Brook. “It’s welcoming. Great for people with kids. I feel ‘on guard’ when I bring them to a golf course. Here, they can be themselves.”

Lest we wax too poetic, you’re not going to find amenities here, because “amenities” isn’t in the vocabulary. Like other public ranges, the balls appear to be from the Reagan Administration. There are wooden blanks under some of the mats which, if you catch the artificial grass heavy, will make your shoulder scream for days. On both Monday and Tuesday night, the bathroom didn’t have soap.

But in a romantic way, the lack of features makes SGR all the more charming.

“There’s nothing overly fancy about it, which I like,” said James Heinz, who lives in Huntington but works in Southampton. “You don’t find many setups like this, especially out this way.”

Which hits a harsh reality, as thousands of courses and ranges have succumbed to golf’s changing economic landscape. Pressures that are especially tough in Southampton. One of the richest areas in America, yes, but those with access to the swank facilities of local gemstones don’t look twice in SGR’s direction.

Yet there is a desperate need for places like SGR. Golf is accused of being an aspirational sport, and it, unfortunately, presents itself as such from time to time. But at its heart, it is a game for all. Which is why the town of Southampton recently struck a deal with Hanson, giving his family financial backing for upgrades and capital while ensuring it stays a driving range to serve the community.

“This is a meeting place in town,” Hanson says. “Without it, there’s not much to do out here for the average person.”

Hanson has used the money to bring in new mats, add fire pits, refurbish the putt-putt, all while keeping the throwback ambience intact. “It’s tough because so many people love the nostalgia factor,” Hanson says. “You want to keep everyone happy.”

Hanson shouldn’t worry about that, because all in attendance on Monday night seemed to be having a hell of a time. A mother watched in delight as her children tried their best to send golf balls as far as possible, which included a baseball-like toss by the youngest. A horde of college kids who had worked the U.S. Open practice round was reliving their day over a few buckets, while an older couple complained and hassled each other like older couples are prone to do. Garrison, a college student himself who didn’t consider himself a golfer before starting at SGR, looks out and understands why so many are enchanted by this range.

“It’s just so fun to be here,” Garrison says. “You don’t see anyone not smiling and having a blast.”

Thanks to Shinnecock and the National, as well as prestigious clubs like Maidstone and Atlantic, the stretch along the south fork of eastern Long Island is often referred to as the cradle of American golf. But it’s places like Southampton Golf Range that keep the cradle rocking.

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