Peter Kostis, Gary McCord clarify the ‘genius’ of Pinehurst No. 2

Because the greatest gamers in golf get set to tackle the problem of Pinehurst No. 2 this week for the 2024 U.S. Open, it appears all anybody can discuss is the greens.

However Peter Kostis and Gary McCord, the titular hosts of Kostis & McCord: Off Their Rockers” podcast, a GOLF manufacturing, consider it’s these very greens which can be the “genius” of Donald Ross’ design at No. 2.

“I performed right here with my dad 100 years in the past,” Kostis joked. “My dad was a 15 handicapper. We each miss the inexperienced in the identical place. He would take a putter, whack it up, whack it up the 20ft, two-putt and make a rating or no matter.

“I’m sitting there and I’m going via every kind of iterations of what shot I can hit to try to get it shut,” he continued. “It’s straightforward to make bogeys and it’s very tough to make pars in case you miss the greens. I feel that’s the genius of his design right here.”

McCord defined that these selections are the one factor a professional doesn’t wish to must do towards the tip of an occasion.

“They’re comfortably numb at that specific level,” McCord, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour Champions, mentioned. “And do I pitch it in opposition to the hill, in opposition to the Bermuda grain? Do I run it up with a putter? Do I flop it and have the possibility to roll it again previous the place I used to be going the opposite means?”

That is when Kostis thought again on his many years of expertise as one of many recreation’s greatest instructors.

He defined that the primary signal of stress isn’t poor execution however in truth poor decision-making. With so many alternatives for selections at Pinehurst No. 2, there are additionally loads of alternatives for unhealthy ones.

“Structure as of late, the examination isn’t about selections as a lot because it’s going to be right here at Pinehurst, particularly within the brief recreation space you’re going to be confronted with, Oh, do I do that? Do I do this?” Kostis defined. “Perhaps I’ll do this. And in case you and in case you stroll in there and also you’re not dedicated to your resolution and also you haven’t made the correct resolution, double bogeys and triple bogeys are a snap of the fingers away.”

For extra from Kostis and McCord, take a look at their total U.S. Open preview episode beneath.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State College, incomes levels in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his highschool golf staff and lately returned to this system to function head coach. Jack additionally nonetheless *tries* to stay aggressive in native amateurs. Earlier than becoming a member of GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but additionally producing, anchoring and even presenting the climate. He may be reached at [email protected].