Fans who were hoping for a Shinnecock Hills on the edge are going to be disappointed in the U.S. Golf Association’s announcement Wednesday during its pre-tournament press conference ahead of the U.S. Open.
Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer said the USGA is planning to syringe greens between waves Thursday and Friday. Syringing greens means putting a light layer of water down, allowing it to hydrate the grass leaf blade and prevent wilt, preserve turf health and reduce stress on the poa annua putting surfaces.
The goal is to offer a more consistent presentation for players in both waves and preserve the health of the greens going into the weekend at Shinnecock.
In addition, due to forecasted winds, the USGA plans to have the greens rolling in the mid 10s on the stimpmeter, down from the 11½ to 12 that was originally planned.
Bodenhamer said they’re allowing for more time between the morning and afternoon wave for crews to go to each green and syringe them with water. He said it will not impact playability of the greens and compared it to the misters lightly spraying lettuce in a grocery store.
The USGA has come under fire in each of the past two U.S. Opens at Shinnecock for “losing” the golf course, aka, unfair playing conditions due to the greens being too quick, and some players claiming it was not playable.
Throughout practice rounds, crews have been syringing greens and watering the course way more than in year’s past.
For fans who want a stern and tough U.S. Open test, that can be expected still this week. But the USGA is doing everything it can to ensure the golf course stays playable, and if you hear the term “syringing the greens” this week, now you know what it means.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: USGA plans to syringe greens during US Open 2026 at Shinnecock
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