Many of the pros complained about the SET UP of the course, not the course itself. With the U S Open, the rough is grown to an outrageous depth, the pins are put in the most difficult locations, while the greens are manicured to a glass-like height.
During the broadcast many comments were made about keeping drives in the short grass. Yet we saw players consistently hitting off line, perhaps because of the wind. Sunday the wind was lighter and the pins were located in far easier spots. The professionals were thus able to give us an entertaining final round.
But let us also consider one last fact. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is played daily by mostly amateurs The set up for these amateurs is far different than the open set up. The professionals drop by every few years and at that time the course is changed. To have Shinnecock ready for us to play around the time of the open, it would have been photographed and developed by WGT the way the locals see the club.
We would have gotten a far different course, had WGT been able to give it to us.