Oakmont’s rough has U.S. Open golfers losing balls and hope

It will inevitably get lost to time, but the winner of the 2025 U.S. Open will be about one golfer conquering the roughest of roughs at Oakmont. We are about to embark on the third major in golf this weekend, and all anyone can talk about is how thick the rough is at this particular golf course. I understand that the U.S. Open rotates venues, but you have to be better than this months in advance.

While every golf major is different, I struggle to see the point of the U.S. Open being so unnecessarily difficult year after year after year. I could be wrong in this, but this plays a part in why I am much more partial to The Masters and The Open Championship than the U.S. Open. I forget about the PGA Championship most years, just like most people forget about the Australian Open regarding tennis.

I am not one to see the best of the best struggle with the worst of the worst when it comes to course. To me, it is all about seeing the best golfers in the world tear apart a golf course by shooting several strokes under par. The U.S. Open may be more about the golfers really earning their keep, but I am at best a casual fan of the sport. I do not need to see courses maintained worse than someone's yard.

This is what happens when the Homeowners Association is about to put a lien on your buddy's place.

Xander Schauffelle said it best with this very tongue-in-cheek remark when it comes to Oakmont.

"I don't think people turn the TV on to watch some of the guys just hit like a 200-yard shot on the gren, you know what I mean? I think they turn on the U.S. Open to see a guy shooting 8-over & suffer. That's part of the enjoyment of playing in the U.S. Open for viewers.”

Do you know where James Nicholas' ball was or where it was going because I have not a clue either?

Five inches of rough looks to be rough stuff for Ben Griffin who has no idea where his ball is either.

Since the HOA constrictor really hates your friend, Oakmont was back on its BS for Jhonattan Vegas.

Byeong Hun An went to Cal, and he seems to think this course is harder than Berkeley's curriculum.

And here is Tyrrell Hatton looking for his ball like you are looking for your wallet after The Chop House.

I might not have my own yard to take care of now, but I would have a greater level of pride than this.

Oakmont's rough is rougher than a shipwrecked Tom Hanks in Cast Away

I may have flowing blonde locks down to my chest. I may have an occasionally maintained beard that I have been rocking for over a decade now. That being said, I am no slob; I am a damn handsome man! Golf is not my cup of tea, but to all the golf guys out there, you are a real man when you take care of your lawn. Power tools should be the next Olympic sport. I am willing to die on that hill above all else.

Once again, this is what golf signed up for by taking it on the road to Pittsburgh. It may still be spring across the world, but spring has sprung and the grass is growing like the list of reasons Bob Nutting should sell the professional baseball team! I know that you have to essentially fade it like a skin-fade to make it look cool on the links and whatnot, but what if the barber botched your skin-fade like this?

While I understand that the roughest of roughs is not going to rip sinew to shreds like Neyland Stadium, Soldier Field of whatever kind of material the Giants and Jets play on at MetLife, but we have to do better than this. Perhaps this was all part of the plan by Oakmont? As a man who once cut grass on a golf course before college, I can safely say that the course I worked at would not tolerate this.

Expect for the winner of the 2025 U.S. Open to shoot 10 over par and lose his ball a dozen times.