Super Bowl The NFL logo is seen on Jan. 31, 2023, on the field for Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Syndication Arizona Republic

While the controversial holding penalty at the end of Super Bowl LVII was a major talking point in the final minutes and in the aftermath, the playing field at State Farm Stadium was an unavoidable issue throughout the game. And a group that acknowledged its role in helping get the field ready before the game is now likely seriously regretting doing so.

Before the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles got going, the United States Golf Association tweeted an ESPN.com article with the Twitter caption, “The grass making its debut today at #SBLVII was developed by USGA-funded research, and is the same turf on which you’d play 18!”

Golf Digest, meanwhile also bragged about the USGA’s role, tweeting “As you watch the Eagles play the Chiefs at State Farm Stadium, thank the USGA, which helped develop the turf being used at the big game” along with its own article.

And as one might expect, those tweets were not treated kindly throughout the Super Bowl. That list included professional golfers, like Luke Donald and Steve Flesch.

But they were not the only ones slamming the USGA.

Indeed, criticism of the USGA’s setup of the course may not happen every U.S. Open, but it’s not exactly like spotting a unicorn, either. Even if one U.S. Open is played on a good course without any controversy, chances are that you won’t have to wait too long or look back too far to find one that wasn’t.

And in a way, it’s strangely fitting. The USGA is no stranger to messing up the U.S. Open — its No. 1 event. Why wouldn’t that same group be good at messing up another organizations?

[USGA on Twitter, Golf Digest on Twitter]

Related: PGA Tour golfer’s insane Super Bowl prediction goes viral

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