WGTniv:
http://www.montereyherald.com/sports/ci_15299593?nclick_check=1
It's really just a tale of two different events on the same course. The article above really explains how the course plays differently depending on the setup. And of course, the USGA has it set up for maximum difficulty for the Open. I've watched many top pros miss the hole entirely on a simple 5-foot putt today.
Typically when the players visit Pebble in February for the National Pro Am the greens are rolling much slower (9 or 10 on the stimp) and the fairways are 40 yards wide on the average. During the open the greens are much faster (I've heard high 12's, low 13's) and the fairways are only 27 yards wide on the average. The course is also much firmer in the summer and plays an extra 200+ yards longer.
When the USGA comes to town, things get difficult. That's the way Championship golf should be played. =)
Actually, the way Championship golf "should be played" is that if you hit a bad shot or make a mistake, then it should cost you a stroke or 2 to get through the hole. But even Open golf shouldn't allow the ball to roll off the green if you tap a 15 ft putt at 1 ft speed downhill/sidehill. Watching the recent U. S. Open, even good shots at times penalized the golfer.
But the engineers have taken over the game and club and ball design are more important than skill on the pro tour. Thus the USGA has to bastardize the courses to keep Open scores close to par. Changing the grooves back on the irons is the first step in reclaiming the game back from engineering to golfing.
Next the shafts need to be restrained to bring the drives and long irons back to reasonable distances. Then the game will resemble the true game of golf. 300 yard par 3s?
This is all just my opinion, but watching golf is no longer interesting to me.