PINEHURST, N.C. (Reuters) -- British Ryder Cup player Ian Poulter was left fuming after the U.S. Open first round on Thursday, and not simply because of his 7-over 77.

The 29-year-old Englishman, playing in the tournament for the second time, was outraged by short putts he hit on the 18th and first greens where he felt the cups were not lying deep enough in the ground.

On 18, his tap-in for par almost popped out of the hole after hitting the back rim while a two-foot putt for par on No. 1 did jump back out after the ball had seemed destined to drop.

"I'm choosing my words very, very, very, very politely at the minute," Poulter told reporters after enduring a difficult day in bright sunshine on Pinehurst's treacherous No. 2 course.

"The rough's three inches thick out there. It's difficult to hit the fairways. The greens are drying out. There are enough things to think about out without wondering whether the hole's actually been pushed down an inch or not, especially when you hit the perfect putt and it comes back at you.

"It's a mistake which shouldn't happen."

After his experience on 18, Poulter, starting his round at the 10th, summoned a tournament official who duly arrived at the next hole where he ruled the cup was in order.

"There's nothing I can do," added Poulter, who missed the cut on his U.S. Open debut at Shinnecock Hills last year.

"They (tournament officials) feel like the hole was an inch down. I'm telling you it wasn't. I think the hole on 18 is borderline being an inch pushed down and the one on one is not down an inch.

"It was down an inch once I put the flag back in the hole. I made sure so it wouldn't happen to anybody else."