1 – Lucky them

The players who each won the U.S. Open four times (Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus) shared the same great luxury – they didn’t have to put up with any Shinnecock nonsense.

2 – Afford her the spotlight she deserves

The major championship stage is yours, Nelly Korda. Go catch some history in this week’s KPMG Women’s LPGA Championship at Hazeltine. In this era, only In Bee Park (2013) won the first three majors of the season, but Nelly could match that.

3 – Darn those winds

When it was reported that our flight was confronting 62 m.p.h. head winds, a passenger asked if the USGA was going to put some water down to keep the aisle running slower to make for a safer walk to the bathrooms.

4 – Flaming the fires

Wyndham Clark might just be the antagonist the Americans could use for the 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland.

5 – You know, like a driver's test

At some point, shouldn’t you have to prove you know how to rake a bunker, repair a pitch mark, and discard of broken tees before you are pointed toward the first tee?

GOLF COURSE SIGN -- All right, so it's not a true "sign," with words that bring a smile to your face. But if there's a universal sign of golf joy, flags flapping in the breeze at the iconic Royal Dornoch Golf Club up in the Scottish Highlands might be it. At least tens of thousands of golfers who have been there would tell you that. A good friend of mine forwarded this photo to me, sent to him by a relative who was just letting us know that we need to get there. Golf course signs tickle my fancy, of course, so forward to jim@powerfades.com if you find a good one.

6 – Good look, good game

Visor, full head of ruffled hair, cashmere sweater with bottom button unbuttoned, ultra-aggressive game . . . yes, sir, Keith Mitchell brings the heat, the look, and the panache.

7 – Someone fumbled this move

Personally, methinks if USGA publicists had been on their game, they would have invited the Tartan Army to liven things up at Shinnecock and put some fannies in the bleachers.

8 – An overreach

As resorts go, Pinehurst is superb. But not sure I’d call Pinehurst No. 2 “a cathedral” where you want your U.S. Open played every five or six years; at least it’s not on par with Pebble or Oakmont or Riviera or Merion or Winged Foot.

9 – Not what he had in mind

I’m not sure this is the sort of “content” Bryson DeChambeau talks of providing. But his misery in the majors this year (six rounds, 18-over par, three missed cuts) is being consumed by a lot of golf fans.

Power Fades will not be published next week. It will return July 8.