VOLUME 12 ISSUE 6 J U N E 2 0 1 6 Cole’s Corner: History of U.S Open By Cole Lee, Tournament Director: Beginning in 1895 as almost an afterthought to the U.S. Amateur, the U.S. Open INSIDE golf tournament is now one of golf's four majors, and one of the most storied tourna- THIS ments in the world. I S S U E : The United States Golf Association holds the tournament, which is held on some of the top-rated and most well respected golf courses around the country. The U.S. Open is staged at a variety of courses, set up in such a way that scoring Fresh From The 2 Grill is very difficult with a premium placed on accurate driving. U.S. Open play is characterized by tight scoring at or around par by the leaders, with the winner usually emerging at The Hartman 2 around even par. A U.S. Open course is seldom beaten severely, and there have been Tree many over-par wins (in part because par is usually set at 70, except for the very longest courses). Normally, an Open course is quite long and will have a high cut of primary From The 3 rough (termed "Open rough" by the American press and fans); undulating greens (such as Ground Up at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2005, which was described by Johnny Miller of NBC as "like trying to hit a ball on top of a VW Beetle "); pinched fairways (especially on what are expected Welcome New 4 to be less difficult holes); and two or three holes that are short par fives under regular Members play would be used as long par fours during the tournament (often to meet that frequent- ly used par of 70, forcing players to have accurate long drives). Some courses that are Member 4 Calendar attempting to get into the rotation for the U.S. Open will undergo renovations to develop these features. Rees Jones is the most notable of the "Open Doctors" who take on these projects; his father Robert Trent Jones had filled that role earlier. As with any profession- al golf tournament, the available space surrounding the course (for spectators, among other considerations) and local infrastructure also factor into deciding which courses will Inserts host the event. Tournament 1 The first U.S. Open was played on October 4, 1895, on a nine-hole course at the Updates Newport Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island . It was a 36-hole competition and was played in a single day. Ten professionals and one amateur entered. The winner was a 21- Member Inter- 3 year-old Englishman named Horace Rawlins , who had arrived in the U.S. in January that views year to take up a position at the host club. He received $150 cash out of a prize fund of Notes from G 6 $335, plus a $50 gold medal; his club received the Open Championship Cup trophy, which was presented by the USGA. [1][2] In the beginning, the tournament was dominated by experienced British players until 1911, when John J. McDermott became the first native-born American winner. American golfers soon began to win regularly and the tournament evolved to become one of the four majors . Since 1911, the title has been won mostly by players from the United States. Since 1950, players from only six countries other than the United States have won the championship, most notably South Africa , which has won five times since 1965. A streak Continued on page 3….see “U.S. Open” Fresh From The Grill Chip Connelly, around the corner. Our be split, but seated Director of Food and Bev- dates are June 16-18; in close proximity. erage: Thursday evening social, Please remember to make Friday & Saturday tour- reservations for Satur- Greetings from the nament play. As before, day’s “Steak Night” to let Grill! We hope you are you and your guest are us know you are coming enjoying the “kinder” and to discover what the weather we have been weekly special is. Also, experiencing as (at the with the longer daylight time of this writing) hours, we are seating March has finally surren- more golfers coming off dered, April showers are the course, so we ask that passed (maybe) and we if you must place a carry- are into summer weath- out order, to do so for er. pick-up prior 6 p.m. The season is definitely getting busy fast. The invited to all meals; your As mentioned before, best way to know what significant others are in- there are some new faces is going on is stay in vited to the Thursday this year, so please intro- touch with the website, social, Friday dinner and duce yourselves and let rockharborgolf.com and the Saturday luncheon your servers know your go to “Course Info” and (reservations for these account numbers to en- then “Calendar of events are impera- sure proper billing. As Events” to see what’s tive). We will try to always, we look forward happening at The Rock. honor seating request, to seeing you, and serving Member/Guest is just but some of the larger you. groupings may have to The Hartman Tree have planted a tree on the front entrance so I Rock #1 to replace the could see the tree each unshapely elm in front of time I pull in to the course, the green. An “October I hope when you see the Glory” has been chosen to tree you will think of The honor their memory. Each Hartmans and the light and time I would see The Hart- joy they brought to Rock man's they would always Harbor. They will be great- want to talk about some- ly missed and always thing new they had discov- thought of fondly. You can Bob and Nancy Hartman ered on the course or re- read their member inter- were beloved members of cent course strategy they view from November 2014 Rock Harbor Golf Course had been thinking about. on our website. who both passed away last When considering place- - Denny Perry year. In their memory we ment of the tree, I chose “U.S Open” Continued from page 1 of four consecutive non- The U.S. Open is 1931 , a second 36-hole American winners oc- the only one of the four playoff was required. curred from 2004 to major championships (That is a lot of golf!!) 2007 for the first time which retains a full 18- So as usual I run since 1910. These four hole playoff the following the golf pool for the ma- players, South African day (Monday). If a tie jors. The format will be Retief Goosen (2004), exists after that fifth 3 player aggregate scor- round, then the playoff New Zealander Michael ing with 1 alternate play- continues as sudden- Campbell (2005), Aus- er in the event you have tralian Geoff Ogilvy death on the 91st hole. a player miss the cut. (2006) and Argentine The U.S. Open has ad- Each entry is $5.00 as Ángel Cabrera (2007), vanced to sudden-death are all from countries in three times ( 1990 , 1994 , before. I will need the the Southern Hemi- 2008 ), most recently entry the Wednesday sphere . Northern Ire- when Tiger Woods de- before the tournament land's Graeme McDowell feated Rocco Mediate on begins. Good Luck to (2010) became the first the first additional playoff everyone and happy hole in 2008. Before sud- Gift Certificates to the European player to win Father’s Day! the event since Tony den-death was intro- Pro Shop for apparel or Jacklin of England in duced in the 1950s, addi- tional 18-hole rounds cigars make great 1970; three more Euro- peans won in the next were played ( 1925 , 1939 , Father’s Day gifts for four editions, making it and 1946 ) to break the tie. When the playoff was the golfer in your life. only three American wins in the 11 tourna- scheduled for 36 holes ments from 2004-2014. and ended in a tie, as in U.S. Open Trophy at the 2008 PGA Golf Show From The Ground Up Bobby Jenkins, The maintenance crew Course Superintendent: is spending all their time mowing and trim- As you know, May has ming right now. been a very wet month Our crew is also dili- but our maintenance gently trying to get crew has done a fan- everything ready for tastic job of keeping the upcoming Member/ the course in good Guest tournament in playing condition. mid June. The greens are healing Have a safe Memorial pretty good but they Day. are in need of some warm days and nights so the vitamins (per “Y h r, y stn t say) that were applied lo t b y i i.” will kick in and start showing results. -S Sea Welcome to New Members The Foley Family: Edward, Kimberly, Kayla & Dalton D. Craig Morcom, II George Bivens Mailing Address: 117 Limestone Lane Winchester, VA 22602 Physical Address: 365 Rock Harbor Drive Winchester, VA 22602 Phone: 540-722-7111 Toll Free: 866-273-1934 Fax: 540-722-1139 To subscribe or unsubscribe to this free newsletter send an e-mail to [email protected] Follow us on Twitter We’re on the web and Instagram We’re on Rockharborgolf.com Facebook Summer Activities for Members Member/Guest Practice Rounds Thursday 6/16 Member/Guest Friday & Saturday 6/17-6/18 Member Glow Ball Saturday 6/25 Member Evening Social Wednesday 6/29 Check out our website for all our leagues and events happening throughout the month Please visit our website for full details .