Added to this Europe has produced some excellent golfers such as Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo and of course, Severiano Ballesteros. Recent European Ryder Cup victories have also helped to redress American domination of the game. The Masters has also been heavily promoted by the Augusta National GC causing a split in the American consciousness as to which of the three Majors hosted in their country is the most prestigious. The US Open is indeed a great championship. It has been hosted by many clubs which are always meticulously prepared.
Fairways are usually narrow and the rough heavy.
Stimpmeters are employed to ensure that the greens are fast and consistent with one another. Accuracy and courage are required to win with most contestants taking a cautious approach. Testament to the difficulty of the courses is that to finish a round on par is considered very good. More than any other Major, victories have been determined by a playoff.