Justin Thomas on practice-round wait times at Shinnecock: ‘It’s gotten terrible’
Justin Thomas criticized the growing delays during U.S. Open practice rounds at Shinnecock Hills, calling wait times 'terrible.' Players are arriving early to avoid congestion, mirroring a trend seen at other majors. The issue stems from tee-time sign-ups and foursomes slowing play to a crawl. Windy conditions on Monday did little to ease the problem.
What changed
Thomas explicitly linked the delays to mandatory tee-time sign-ups and foursomes, framing it as a worsening trend across majors.
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Justin Thomas: 'U.S. Open practice waits at Shinnecock are terrible'
confidence 98%Justin Thomas criticized the growing delays during U.S. Open practice rounds at Shinnecock Hills, calling wait times 'terrible.' Players are arriving early to avoid congestion, mirroring a trend seen at other majors. The issue stems from tee-time sign-ups and foursomes slowing play to a crawl. Windy conditions on Monday did little to ease the problem.
What's confirmed:
- Justin Thomas said wait times during U.S. Open practice rounds at Shinnecock Hills have become 'terrible,' with nine holes taking three hours or more due to tee-time sign-ups and foursomes.
- More players are arriving early at Shinnecock to study the course before it fills with amateurs and professionals, following a strategy used by Jack Nicklaus.
- Monday’s practice rounds saw limited activity despite windy conditions, typical of recent U.S. Open practice rounds at rotating courses.
- Tee-time sign-ups at majors like the U.S. Open and British Open force players into foursomes, contributing to slower rounds.
Still unconfirmed:
- A course study by Shinnecock Hills began before practice rounds to address wait times, though details on its effectiveness remain unclear.