I will deviate from my usual focus on politics to offer a reporter's view of this weekend's U.S. Open golf championship, which is being held at Congressional Country Club outside of Washington, D.C.
It was 31 years ago this week that I started my first job on Capitol Hill, as a Page in the House of Representatives, which has allowed me to get a unique first-hand view of the ways of Congress.
It was also over 30 years ago this summer that I began playing golf at Congressional, giving me a unique first-hand view of how to handle that championship course.
If you're a golfer, enjoy the tournament and keep an eye out for me in the galleries with my kids.
Hole 1 - Par 4, 402 Yards
This is one of the few birdie holes on the course, as golfers don't have to hit a Driver to put themselves in good position. If you lose your drive way right off the first tee, you will end up in the driving range. A bogey here is a lost shot - or two - on the field.
Hole 2 - Par 3, 233 Yards
Now the fun begins. This is an uphill par 3, with a two-tiered green that is guarded by six bunkers. If you are above the hole on the wrong section, it could be a dicey putt down the hill. Even the pros will hit more club than you might think on this hole. A birdie is a real plus here.
Hole 3 - Par 4, 466 Yards
This hole has a new tee which makes what was a straight par 4 into a slight dogleg left, bringing a set of fairway bunkers into play on the right. Tee shots that go far left or far right may mean a certain bogey. This hole will not yield a lot of birdies; it played as the fourth most difficult hole in the first round.
Hole 4 - Par 4, 470 Yards
A new back tee will test golfers on the 4th, which is the #1 handicap hole for the members. This is a dogleg right hole which requires a very accurate tee shot. Lose it left or right and you could be looking at bogey or worse. This green has several undulations which can really test your putting and chipping skills.
Hole 5 - Par 4, 413 Yards
This hole begins a series of birdie opportunities that golfers must take advantage of, because the back nine is definitely more difficult. The USGA may even move the tees way up and give the field the chance to drive this hole, which doesn't usually require a Driver. A bogey here is a real missed opportunity.
Hole 6 - Par 5, 555 Yards
Historically, this hole played as a Par 4 in the U.S. Open, but it's now a hole that the players can hit in two and possibly make eagle. This was the easiest hole on day one, but don't get too cocky - if you can't keep it in the fairway, you won't have an easy layup to the green, which is protected by a pond and bunkers in front. Of note here - off to the right of the fairway is the house where boxer Mike Tyson once lived.
Hole 7 - Par 3, 173 Yards
The shortest hole on the golf course has a tricky two-tiered green as its main defense. On Thursday, the pin was on the lower half, which wasn't as difficult. The key here is not to miss the green left in the deep grass. In 1995, I was at the green when Jack Nicklaus made a hole-in-one during the U.S. Senior Open. This is another important birdie opportunity.
Hole 8 - Par 4, 354 Yards
This is the shortest par 4 on the course. Even I can have a reasonable shot at birdie on the 8th, as long as your drive ends up in the fairway. On Thursday, Phil Mickelson drove the ball so far off line that he ended up in a bunker on the adjoining 5th hole. Along with the 6th hole, this was one of only two holes that were played under par on day one.
Hole 9 - Par 5, 636 Yards
This is a monster of a hole that requires two very good shots to put you in position for your short iron approach shot into the green. But if you don't drive it in the fairway, then you could be in big trouble. There is no way to go for this green in two shots, and if you do, there is a huge ravine before the green that drops probably 40-50 feet down. (Trust me, I've been down there.)
You better have taken advantage of holes 5-9, because now things really get interesting.
Hole 10 - Par 3, 218 Yards
This hole did not exist for the 1997 U.S. Open, as it takes up the spot that used the be the par 3 18th. The hole was turned around and is really a great par 3 shot that goes well downhill to a green fronted by water. The best place to miss is pin high to the left. The back bunkers are tough. Yes, I did par it last week, one of my few bright spots on the way to shooting 86.
Hole 11 - Par 4, 494 Yards
This hole was the nemesis of Tiger Woods the last few times he played at Congressional, as he didn't par it once in four rounds. The creek down the right grabs a lot of tee shots, as does the pond to the right of the green. If you get a birdie here, you have really picked up a shot or two on the field. In 1997, Ernie Els chipped in for birdie from just off the front of the green, starting his run to victory.
Hole 12 - Par 4, 471 Yards
This hole is a sweeping dogleg to the left that has a new tee as well, some 50 yards back. In fact, it's actually part of the tee box from the 15th hole. This is one of your few birdie chances on the back nine, so the players need to take advantage of it, if possible. The green has several distinct levels and a chipping area off the back left.
Hole 13 - Par 3, 193 Yards
This is another hole that could offer birdie chances, but if you don't end up in the right place, you could just as easily three putt and put up a much worse score. The green is sort in the shape of a "T" with the a pronounced back to front tilt of the green. When they put the pin up front on this hole, look for some very fast putts from above the hole.
Hole 14 - Par 4, 467 Yards
If you didn't make birdie on either 12 or 13, then cinch your belt tighter for the next two holes. To me, #14 is the most underrated hole on the course, especially from the back tees. The downhill drive has big trouble left with out-of-bounds and deep rough on the right. At 160 yards to the flag, the fairway pinches in to just 15 yards. The approach shot goes way uphill to a green that has two tiers. Watch out for the pin placement on the lower right, with the big hump just above the hole.
Hole 15 - Par 4, 490 Yards
With the addition of a new tee some 50 yards back, this hole is very tough, especially if you miss the fairway. But on day one, it played fairly easy, at an average of 4.1 strokes. We'll see if that changes with a different pin placement. The green is cut in two by a big swale and when the pin is on the right, you can't see much of the flag at all from down below in the fairway. Do not go over this green into the bunker or the rough, because the chip back will be diabolical.
Hole 16 - Par 5, 579 Yards
Late in the final round, this could be a pivotal hole, a realistic chance for birdie on what is likely another 3-shot par 5 hole. Like the two other par 5's in this U.S. Open, if you don't drive the ball in the fairway, you will make it very difficult on yourself. This green has one major change from 1997 in that the rough has been shaved down like a green at Pinehurst, allowing the ball to roll off and down a 15 foot hill, leaving a difficult chip from either fairway type grass or pine straw under the trees.
Hole 17 - Par 4, 437 Yards
This hole is interesting in that the fairway runs out at 295 yards from the tee, dropping some 50 feet down to another section of fairway that's about 100 yards from the center of the green. This year, the USGA shaved a center section of that rough, which will send some balls down the hill and provide a tilted lie. While this hole can give you a birdie opportunity, if you are in the wrong spot on this three section green, you will be in big trouble.
Hole 18 - Par 4, 523 Yards
By far, this is my favorite golf hole in the entire world. The tee has been moved back to the fence line, forcing players to hit a Driver. That will still leave them with 200 yards or more into a green that is basically a peninsula jutting out into the water. The Sunday pin placement is back left, and you have to have a lot of guts to hit at it. In the 1964 U.S. Open, Ken Venturi blocked his second shot into the trap on the front right and then got up and down to win. In 1997, Tom Lehman dunked his ball in the water, ruining his chances to catch Ernie Els.
Par 72 - 7,574 Yards
Congressional's Blue Course is not a flashy track, but it forces you to play good shot after good shot to score. While the pros can do things that I can only dream of with a golf club, they can also suffer the fate of double bogeys and worse. It would be great to see someone standing in the 18th fairway on the final day, with the chance to win by going for the back left pin. To get to the point where victory is in your grasp, you must do well on holes 5-9 and then limit the damage on 10, 11, 14 and 15. The back nine is a fantastic group of holes which will only play that much better under the pressure of this tournament.
