By Matt Slater Golf editor

If the bleating of the world's best golfers is any indication, the US Open should perhaps be known as the S&M Open.

Because over the years it is the US Open that has given sadistic weekend hackers their biggest slice of schadenfreude.

You want to see masochistic professionals chopping from one side of the fairway to the other? Try Bethpage in 2002.

I played some of the best golf of my life and I still couldn't shoot par

You want to see a superstar putt into a bunker? Try Shinnecock Hills in 2004.

In fact, it was last year that saw the dominatrixes at the United States Golf Association, the event's organisers, crank up the difficulty factor to Spinal Tap levels.

As a shell-shocked Ernie Els said, shortly after carding a final-round 80: "From one to 10, it's an 11."

The amiable South African wasn't the only player to feel roughed up. Phil Mickelson, the runner-up, was almost as bruised after four rounds with Shinnecock.

US Open course set up 'fairly'

"I don't know what to say," he said. "I played some of the best golf of my life and I still couldn't shoot par."

It was so hard Mickelson almost stopped smiling. Almost.

MAJOR MARKERS US Open -3.8 Open -7.1 Masters -11.3 USPGA -11.4 Avg score to par for winners at the four majors 1995-05

And as the scoring went through the ceiling on Sunday, the language got worse.

Pretty soon almost all the players were liberally using the "f word" and the USGA had a PR crisis on its hands.

It's one thing being hard but was Shinnecock "fair"?

For its part, the USGA protests innocence. And for evidence of its good intentions you only have to look at its mission statement - this is America, after all.

"We intend that the US Open proves the most rigorous examination of golfers," says the USGA.

"A course should test all forms of shot-making, mental tenacity and physical endurance under extreme pressure."

It then goes on to list 14 factors that are considered for a course, and neatly excuses itself from blame should the weather mess things up (as happened at Shinnecock's seventh green).

And then, after the 14 articles of USGA faith, it categorically denies setting a "target winning score" of "at or near par".

Typically, the US Open is too difficult and not really the ultimate test Jay Townsend BBC Five Live US golf expert

Well, the "rigorous examination" bit sounds fair enough, this is a major, but does anybody really believe the part about not wanting to see players struggle to make par?

As defending champion Retief Goosen said: "Sometimes the players feel [the USGA] has gotten a little close to the edge on some holes and I'm sure [at Pinehurst] there are going to be a few holes close to the edge.

"But that's how these tournaments are, they want to see something around par win."

Now a large share of you are probably thinking, "What's wrong with that? That's the point of par."

And you would be right, but that does not address the fairness issue, and a winning score close to par does not necessarily mean the US Open is golf's "ultimate test".

As Jay Townsend, BBC Five Live's US golf expert, put it: "Typically, the US Open is too difficult and not really the ultimate test, whereas Open Championship courses are because they test your shot-making skills better.

A green got so fast at Shinnecock last year, the USGA had to act

"It's not that US Open courses are unfair, but they do cater to a one-dimensional player. Somebody who happens to be hitting it very straight that week will do well because you just can't hit it out of the rough."

So by concentrating on narrow fairways, punitive rough and stick-proof greens, the USGA has perhaps failed to provide a sufficiently broad examination of a golfer's game.

Townsend, however, feels this year may be different.

"Pinehurst is not a typical US Open golf course," he said. "This week might be the ultimate test because the greens aren't surrounded by long rough where you just have to hack out.

"But it is very difficult and demanding, particularly with your iron shots. It's like Royal Melbourne in that the ball is repelled off the raised greens to the edges.

"The winner this week will be a guy who drives the ball straight and chips very well. A good short game will be at a premium, much more so than at a usual US Open."

But regardless of whether Pinehurst is typical or atypical, one thing is certain: come Sunday evening there will be plenty of duffers sitting at home feeling better about never getting close to 80.

Let the carnage begin.