2023 US Open: Fowler’s Game-Plan for LACC’s 15th

Today’s opening round of the 2023 United States Open at Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course presents the field (of players) with a test on (relatively) unknown grounds. If you’re Max Homa (who shot the LACC course record, 61, during his college days), odds are you’re feeling good heading into (what hopefully is) 72 holes of major championship golf.

Similar to the course design/layout of the 2013 US Open at Merion GC, ten years later the worlds best players are tasked with tackling a par 70-layout at LACC with funky green contours, penal rough, and a variety of contrasting par 3-s.

Back in 2013, several players were forced to hit driver on the (uphill, into-the-wind) 260-270 yard par 3-3rd hole. In addition, the beautiful diversity amongst Merion GC’s 4 par 3’s is evidenced thru its varying yardages (Hole 3: 260, Hole 9: 230, Hole 13: 125, Hole 17: 240). Similar to the (contrasting) nature of Merion-East’s par 3-s, the par 3’s at LACC hop from one extreme to the next with respect to its yardages. However, the seventh hole at this week’s US Open (has been adjusted to a harder par 3) presents players a (more) demanding test than its original design intended to. Typically, LACC’s seventh hole is a (short) par-4 measuring 290 yards and poses as a birdie opportunity.

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In all, LACC is now a par-70 (rather than a par-71) represented by 5 par 3’s, 3 par 5’s, and 10 par 4’s. On LACC’s (short) par 3 15th hole, players must prepare for a hole that could play as long as 135 yards and as short as 85 yards thanks to a (deep) green measuring close to 50 yards from front-back. From the outside looking in, one would reasonably assume that any single player in this week’s field who plans to layup on a par-3 would do so on the 7th hole or the 11th hole (both par 3’s measure north of 280 yards). Think again.

After playing the par 3-15th hole a couple of times during his practice rounds, Rickie Fowler plans to “layup short of the green” with his tee-shot if the pin is located in the front-portion of the (lower-case “r” shaped) green. With a front-hole location, the hole measures merely 80-90 yards.

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If you take a look at the green, you can (sort of) understand where Fowler’s coming from (in deciding to layup). The front/middle portion of the green is remarkably thin, and in a fashion similar to other classic designs in the United States like Merion GC’s East Course, the back-to-front-sloping-green doesn’t react too kindly to players who miss past (or long of) the hole. Also, Fowler claims that (both) missing in the left/right green-side bunkers (bordering the front portion of the green) makes for an extremely difficult up-and-down (regardless of the lie) and any tee-shot that lands in these two bunkers could plug.

Clearly, Fowler’s game-plan (to layup in-the-fairway/throat/run-up-area) reveals he has no intentions of missing in these two bunkers when the hole-location is up-front. Playing from such a short-distance of just 80-90 yards, tour players typically take dead-aim at the flagstick. Furthermore, tour players are (most) oftentimes trying to knock down flagsticks from such a short distance (inside 100 yards) when playing from the fairway or even the rough. With a tee-in-hand (on any par 3), Fowler’s game plan strikes me as quite confusing from this perspective too (in addition to the 15th holes short yardage).

At Merion GC’s West Course (not the East), the par 3-sixth hole measures (just) 100 yards and plays some 20-30 yards straight-downhill. It’s a hole that can (easily) yield a birdie just as it can a bogey (or worse) depending on the quality of your tee-shot. Unlike the easier-access point/area which defines the par 3-15th at LACC, the (front portion) sixth green at Merion-West doesn’t allow for a run-up as its protected by multiple surrounding bunkers. But, with a tee-in-hand, there’s no excuse to not hit the green for any player who plays to a handicap of 5-7 (or better).

Often, a front/back hole-location is used on the sixth hole in order to tempt players into pin-seeking off-of-the-tee (to a sucker’s pin). As the Episcopal Academy golfers and Merion GC’s membership (both) understood (in properly approaching the short par 3 sixth), the best strategy is to aim for the (dead center) middle-of-the-green. Regardless of the holes location on that day, your best bet (in attacking the sixth hole) is to try and hit the dead-center of the green.

If you know what the hole calls for off-of-the-tee, you can practice it. Playing from a perfect lie on the tee-box, (hitting) wedge is commonly referred to as the go-zone. In other words, most shots around 100 yards should be met by ultra-precise shots. If it’s prudent to do so, exercise ultra-precision by going pin-seeking. If it’s not, exercise ultra-precision by aiming for the front/middle/back (or wherever!) on the putting surface.

Now, I’d understand if Fowler’s “layup” strategy on the 15th hole entails less-of-a-layup and (more of) a plan to keep his ball below-the-hole by landing it on the front-edge of the green or within 5 yards short of it. But, if Fowler’s planning on leaving a 90-yard wedge shot (to a front-hole location that’s not protected by a bunker/rough/water or anything else) some 15-plus yards short-of-the hole, I’d have to call into question his strategy. If he pulls/pushes the ball just a few yards, he may not have the proper-angle in order to attack the front-hole location.

While I understand his thought-process as it relates to attempting to leave an easy up-and-in from the fairway/run-up-area-of-the-fairway (below-the-hole), this strategy strikes me as super-conservative. With a wedge in hand, tour players are money. Trust your wedge game, Rickie, by landing the ball on the front-edge or a couple of paces onto the green.

Chances are, the 80-90 yard range is a bad number for Fowler. In other words, this distance isn’t a comfortable shot for him to play. Probably, a full 60 degree wedge for Rickie travels roughly 85-90 yards. Depending on what he plans to carry this week, however, he may/may not have the club which fits that perfect shot-description on the 15th tee. Nevertheless, opting to REALLY layup means he’s taking away ANY chance that exists of having his ball come to rest either in the left/right green-side bunker or within a few yards of the green’s (putting) surface. If that’s the plan, you can bet on Rickie’s ball being at least 5 yards short of the front-edge should any of those prior conditions be met in hole 15’s setup.

In more general terms, the lesson here is to prepare properly, play to your strengths, and (when in the slightest bit of doubt) STAY BELOW THE HOLE. And, last but not least, hit the middle of the green. I know you want to go pin-seeking and think you know your/the game really well, but (odds are) the guy who designed the course/hole knows the game even better. Show him you know better by playing to the middle-of-the-green and sinking a (longer) 20 foot-plus putt for your birdie. At the worst, you’ll walk off the green with par (or bogey) as opposed to taking dead-aim at the back-right hole location and walking away with double.

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