U.S. Open: What is 'syringing'? Explaining the plan to tame Shinnecock Hills

Shinnecock Hills is undoubtedly one of the greatest U.S. Open host venues of all time, but the lead-up to this today's U.S. Open start round has, once again, largely been dominated by talk over the course's condition.

Windy conditions are once again expected for the weekend's play, and already the USGA has announced a contingency plan to ensure that Shinnecock Hills presents a firm, yet fair, test over the course of the weekend. 

Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer said the USGA is planning to syringe greens between playing groups on the tournament's first two days. But what does that actually mean, and why is it so important this weekend? Here's what you need to know.

What is Syringing?

Already, videos have been posted to social media detailing just how fast the greens at Shinnecock Hills are this week, and there's understandable concern that this could could get out of control if measures aren't taken.

Syringing greens effectively means putting a light layer of water down, allowing it to briefly rehydrate the blades of grass on the greens. The USGA is planning to do this between waves of players on Thursday and Friday. 

The chief aim, according to Bodenhamer, is to "prevent wilt, most importantly, to preserve turf health, and to reduce stress on these poa annua greens,” 

“Poa annua reacts differently and more quickly than most other grasses in these types of conditions, so we think syringing is very important,” he continued.

Bodenhammer clarified that the process will will not impact playability of the greens, comparing the application to the way misters lightly spray lettuce in a grocery store.

What else is the USGA doing to tame the course?

Syringing has been deemed necessary this time around not just to ensure the continued integrity of the course, but also in order to keep the greens from getting too firm and fast. While the USGA reportedly planned to have the greens rolling at around a stimp reading of 11½ to 12, this number has now been reduced to somewhere in the mid 10s.

Bodenhammer also stated that the USGA will set out more relaxed hole locations, in an effort to avoid a repeat of prior instances where a combination of speed and hole locations made some holes nearly unplayable.

A couple of of Shinnecock’s most difficult green complexes, including on the par-3 seventh and par-3 11th holes, will also receive particular attention over the course of the weekend.

Why is it so necessary at Shinnecock Hills?

Courses like Shinnecock Hills present a unique challenge in finding a balance when preparing for a major championship. Its open layout, harsh winds and elevated greens mean its putting surfaces are extremely exposed, and liable to rapidly dry out as a result. 

Winds can then polish the greens further over the course of a championship weekend, making them borderline unplayable.

The New York course has gone down in major championship folklore over the decades, with its tight, sloping greens and windswept nature making for some of the most brutal putting conditions ever seen in professional golf. 

2004's playing saw a windstorm hit the course on a warm day, baking out the greens that the USGA had already chosen to starve of water after under-par scores on Thursday and Friday. 

The combination of the dry and wind made the greens brutally firm and fast (caddies reported spiking balls onto the practice green and having them bounce head-high), forcing the USGA to eventually step in and, in a farcical scene, water some greens between playing groups.

2018 saw Shinnecock at perhaps its lowest ebb, when Phil Mickelson, driven to distraction by the greens, struck his moving ball on the 13th hole to stop his missed putt from rolling away, leading many players to speculate that the USGA had once again lost control of the course.