I will attempt to set a bit of the scene before I turn in for the night.

Most of both teams have had a chance to warm up and acclimate to the conditions for the better part of the last two days. The exceptions are Stephen, who managed to squeeze in a round on Pinehurst #2 this morning and Matthew Essick who attended half a day's classes at North Davidson High School about an hour and a quarter west of the venue.

Three of the four lawns at the Pinehurst Club will be utilized. Lawns 1-3, positioned vertically in order from the historic clubhouse have been totally redone after the U.S. Open. It was included in the terms of use for the facilities that the USGA would pay to have all four lawns totally redone, however, the work has been staggered so that both the bowls and croquet clubs would have at least one lawn to use in the mean time. As a result, lawn 4, the permanent bowls lawn still bears harsh gashes and worn spots from where the entrances to the hospitality tents where located.

The lawns are firmer than I remember them, and I have been told that they have been rolled regularly since their installation
. While I have not timed the lawns myself, I have been given reports of 12 seconds. Hopefully, with continued mowing and rolling, the conditions will toughen (the chance of rain in the forecast will have much to do with that).

While pairings and orders have not yet been announced, I can say that the plan is to get in 2 full doubles rounds tomorrow, followed by singles on Saturday and Sunday and finishing with doubles Monday morning.

Plenty of pomp and circumstance is scheduled in the morning as we will joined by the mayor of Pinehurst as well as the General Manager of the Pinehurst Country Club.