Cooking up the right dish on this open range

USPGA BUILD-UP: PHILIP REIDjoined the Monday crowds on the practice range of Hazeltine, where the pros' shots are hit off the turf with clockwork regularity

THIS IS a major. It’s only at a major that the bleachers – ahem, grandstands – behind the driving range are full to overflowing on a Monday. Jam-packed, in fact. It’s only at a major where there’s literally no room on the range, as players crowd in to the allotted space with barely any margin for error as clubs move to a choreography akin to a well-tuned ballet and shots are hit off the turf with clockwork regularity.

Take yesterday.

The driving range at Hazeltine is probably the best to be found anywhere. From one end to the other, it measures almost 500 yards, which means even the likes of Bubba Watson – who occupied the space next to Justin Leonard and Davis Love – didn’t have to worry about hitting his shots beyond its confines.

What do you learn from watching these robots in action?

Oh, that there are very few poor shots hit on the range. Very few. Each shot is hit with precision, the immaculate divots resembling a map of the world . . . and the interaction between the players, joking about the size of belt buckles, is relaxed and good-natured.

Yet, this is a place for serious work.

You find the two Argentines, Angel Cabrera and Andres Romero, side-by-side.

You find Camilo Villegas, aka “Spiderman”, at the far end, the veins bulging on arms that lift weights in the gym for fun. Villegas is using what look like canes to guide one fairway wood shot after another on a diagonal route towards the far corner, sending his shots into the crossfire as other players to his right use the more direct route.

Ryo Ishikawa is never alone, his every move followed by a posse of Japanese cameramen. Yesterday was no different. This week, the player known as The Bashful Prince will become the youngest to take part in the USPGA championship.

He’ll be 17 years 10 months and 27 days old come Thursday, but the teenager – already a four-time winner as a professional in Japan – has adopted the same work ethic as players who have been around an awful lot longer as he worked through his clubs and dispatched perfect shot after perfect shot in the direction of the merchandise tent.

And, yet, nothing compares to watching Tiger Woods on the range.

He was there yesterday, having completed a full 18 holes of practice with his coach, Hank Haney, by his side.

Of course, Woods’ presence accounted for the madcap scenario behind him, as spectators – who couldn’t find a seat on the grandstands – crowded behind the ropes with cameras in hand.

One youngster had a placard.

“Triplets for Tiger,” it said.

We assumed it referred to the world number one’s quest for a third straight win on tour rather than any news about an expanding family in the Woods household.

A local television reporter was interviewing a youngster who had a perfect view of Woods, who was routinely hitting shot after shot with the perfection that he alone possesses.

“Do you think the other players get jealous of all the attention that Tiger gets?” she asked.

“No. He’s the greatest,” replied the kid.

Another youngster in the grandstands had questions for his father.

“Why is Tiger practising? Didn’t he win yesterday?”

“Because he wants to get better, to keep winning,” came the response.

The edge to the answer was unmistakable: if you want to be like Tiger, practice like Tiger.

The son nodded, but the message could be taken on board by every other player on the range.

Practice makes perfect.