LOS ANGELES — As you watch the 123rd U.S. Open this week at Los Angeles Country Club, you’re going to love some of the things you see because you haven’t seen a lot of them before in a course.
For starters, LACC has five par-3s. One of them, No. 11, plays more than 290 yards and another, No. 15, can play as short as 78 yards.
The course, too, has a short par-4 — No. 6 — that has a chance to be one of the most exciting risk-reward holes in U.S. Open history.
There also is a 542-yard par-4 — the 16th hole.
The sixth hole, though, is the one that figures to confound the players most. It’s 330 yards off the tee, but a dogleg right with a shortcut over trees.
But the green is well-protected by bunkering that can make for a treacherous second shot. The hole is reachable for most players with driver and some with 3-wood. But caution is warranted.
“[No.] 6 is going to be interesting,’’ Brooks Koepka said. “You could see anything from a 7 to possibly a 2. It’ll be a fun hole to just stand on and watch. If I was watching, that’s where I’d go stand.’’
Jon Rahm was coy about the way he plans to attack No. 6.
“I’m not going to sit here and tell you what I’m going to do,’’ Rahm said. “It all depends. It can be circumstantial. It’s depending on the wind and pin location, as well. There will be people that go for it and make eagles, hit great shots, give themselves a lot of good looks at birdie, but I think it’s also the way you’re going to see the highest numbers. People that go for the green and put themselves in a difficult spot.’’
Then Rahm dropped this hint for his plans.
“I think if you hit the lay-up to the spot you want to every day, which isn’t the hardest lay-up, I think your scoring average will be lower than going for it every day,’’ he said.
“It’s not set in stone yet,’’ Collin Morikawa said about his strategy on 6. “Right now, I am kind of leaning towards going for it, which I definitely was not. I was probably set 90 percent I was going to lay up before we saw [this week].’’
As polarizing as No. 6 is, the short 15th is going to be a fascinating watch as well.
“That little shot is awkward,’’ LA native Max Homa, who owns the course record of 61, said. “You’re going to have to spin the life out of it and hit your number. They have two of the longest par-3s that we’ll play, hopefully, and the coolest hole is 78 yards. Yeah, I’m looking forward to that. It’ll be great to watch on TV.
“When I came here for the Walker Cup [in 2017,] my mom and I sat behind 15 green because … it was so fun watching everybody kind of make a mess of this little dinky hole. I’m looking forward to the fans getting to enjoy that this week.’’
Scottie Scheffler called the hole “really kind of a genius design with the way the green is,’’ adding, “I love those little short par-3s. I think that’s the way most par-3s should be, just because there is opportunity for birdie and bogey. They’re good separater holes.’’
Defending champion Matthew Fitzpatrick said, “I would argue that at 78 yards, stood there with a lob wedge in your hand, you’re going to be a little bit more intimidated than if you stood there with a 3-wood in your hand. I imagine that the target is going to be very small and you’re going to have to hit a good shot.’’
Added Cam Smith: “I think a lot of the greatest courses that we play around the world all have a short par-4 and a short par-3, and they can end up being kind of the trickiest [holes].’’
LACC has both, and it’s going to make for appointment viewing this week.
