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Anyone who watched the U.S. Open Championship on television, particularly HDTV, probably thought the greens at Pebble Beach Golf Links were dead.  And if you listened to several complaining competitors, you would think the situation was "awful."  It was not.  Contrary to some opinions, every square inch of greens does not have to be green to be a championship putting surface.

Here is some perspective from Pat Gross, USGA Green Section Southwest Region Director, in a letter to USGA members:

Some television and on-site viewers who observed the greens at Pebble Beach Golf Links at the 110th U.S. Open Championship may have asked why they did not look like the emerald green putting surfaces everyone has come to know at Pebble Beach.

The mutual goal of the USGA and Pebble Beach was to provide firm, smooth and fast putting greens to test the skills of the best players. Cosmetics and appearance were not high on the priority list. ... When the greens were maintained on the dry and firm side, significant color differences became more apparent.

The U.S. Open is not about cosmetics; it's about providing a challenging and rigorous test to identify the best player. Producing a cosmetically attractive golf course would have been the easy task: a little more water, a touch of fertilizer, and we would have had green, pretty putting greens and soft conditions, but that was not the goal. ... Dry, firm greens require nearly perfect shots to keep the ball on the putting surface.

Following the championship on Monday, I viewed Pebble Beach greens that were well on their way back to normal following a little drink of water. They looked great and will continue to provide outstanding enjoyment for golfers who want to see how their game holds up on one of golf's greatest courses.