If you thought the preparations for a major golf tournament would be high-tech and ultra-modern, the recent glimpse of the US Open setup at Oakmont might catch you off guard.

Instead of sleek machines or futuristic gadgets, fans got a peek at something much more old-school—and honestly, pretty amusing.

A Crowd of Workers and Hand-Pushed Mowers? Really?

Venezuelan PGA Tour player Jhonattan Vegas shared a video on social media showing a whole team of groundskeepers pushing lawn mowers by hand to cut the rough.

That’s right—no fancy automated equipment, just lots of folks pushing mowers inching along the grass.

On X (formerly Twitter), fans reacted with disbelief and humor.

One person joked, “These are the mowers they use… Is this AI?”

Another commented, “Am I the only one laughing my a** off at this?” And someone else quipped, “Neighbors at 7:30 am,” imagining the early-morning noise.

Plenty wondered if there wasn’t a faster, more efficient way to get the job done.

The Rough Looks ‘Unplayable’ — And That’s By Design

Vegas himself described the rough as ‘unplayable,’ noting the mowers didn’t seem to cut much off the grass in the video.

But that’s exactly how it’s meant to be.

Mike McCormick, Oakmont’s Grounds Superintendent, explained on The Fried Egg Golf Podcast that the course uses special mowers designed to leave the rough higher than usual.

The idea? To make the course tougher by preventing golf balls from sitting cleanly on top of the grass after a shot into the rough.

It forces players to deal with thicker, more challenging lies.

Oakmont’s Reputation as a Tough Course Continues

Oakmont, just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is famously one of the toughest courses in the world—and the course staff wants to keep it that way for this year’s US Open, as the top golfers gather to compete.

What’s Next for the Players?

Jhonattan Vegas last played the US Open in 2021, where he made the cut and finished tied for 57th place. Before that, he missed the cut in 2019.

This year, Bryson DeChambeau is aiming to defend the US Open crown he won last year.

Recent winners include Wyndham Clark (2023), Matt Fitzpatrick (2022), and Jon Rahm (2021), so the competition will be fierce as always.