20 things you need to know about the US PGA

20 things you need to know about the US PGA, which takes place at Valhalla in Kentucky from August 7-10, 2014. 

1 Opened in 1986 and designed by legend Jack Nicklaus, Valhalla Golf Club is ranked as one of “America’s 100 Greatest Courses”. It was the site of the 1996 and 2000 PGAs, plus the 2008 Ryder Cup. 

2 In Norse mythology, Valhalla was the Great Hall of Odin, where the bravest warriors who had died in battle lived forever. Every morning they went out to battle; every evening they returned, had their wounds tended to and drank and feasted. A bit like Tour players…

3 Nicklaus described the site in 1983 as a “golf designer’s dream because there is a variety of terrain, vegetation and water to work with. Everything necessary for an excellent golf course is here: room for wide, tree-lined fairways and spectacular golf holes”. He considered 40 potential routings before deciding on the final location for the 18 holes.

4 The PGA of America spent $5.5million after the Senior PGA Championship in 2011, giving the course a total facelift. They relaid all the greens, putting in a SubAir system to suck out or add moisture under the surfaces (like Augusta).

5 Some 650,000 cubic yards of earth has been moved to build up tees, greens and fairways to a level that would protect the course from major storm damage. Overall, there are 62 bunkers, while the slick greens feature distinct tiers and sections.

6 “Overall, the alterations have helped to modernise the look and playability,” said Valhalla head pro Keith Reese. “Agronomically, we are in a better position to fight the hot summers; the reshaping of the greens has allowed for many new hole locations; and the course is more playable for members and guests while still remaining a stout challenge from the championship tees.”

7 The front nine has hints of a links, while its back nine is more traditional. The signature hole is the 13th, a 350-yard par 4, requiring a tee shot to a small landing area, then an approach shot over water to an island green.

8 Valhalla is owned by the PGA of America, who initially purchased a 25 per cent stake in the club in 1997. It then raised that to 50 per cent, and said the PGA would return to Valhalla in 2000, before buying it outright and revealing it would host the ’08 Ryder Cup.

9 Bubba, Phil and Rory may take part in a long drive contest on the Wednesday, which is being resurrected by the PGA. Back in the 1960s it was a regular sideshow at the final major, and in 1963 Nicklaus won with a knock of 341 yards with his persimmon driver.

10 This year’s prize fund will be $2million higher than last year. At $10million it’s on a par with The Players as the richest event in golf. The winner will walk away with $1.8million.

11 The most recent majors here have been decided by play-offs. In 1996, local Kentucky hero Kenny Perry lost to Mark Brooks, while in 2000, journeyman pro Bob May went toe-to-toe with Tiger Woods in his prime.

12 That play-off in 2000 has gone down as one of the greatest ever. Woods had to shoot seven-under over the last 12 holes just to force extra time. On the first play-off hole, he tracked his 20-foot birdie putt, pointing at the ball as it disappeared into the cup. “It was incredible,” Woods said. “We never backed off. Birdie for birdie, shot for shot, that’s as good as it gets.”

13 The original Wanamaker Trophy weighs 27lb. It’s the heaviest of the trophies for the majors. Full-size replicas given to winners (like Jason Dufner) are said to weigh more – Padraig Harrington said his weighed 44lb when he won in 2008. 

14 The trophy is 28 inches high, 27 inches from handle to handle and 10-and-a-half inches in diameter. Rodman Wanamaker was heir to a department store chain in New York in 1916 when he put up $2,500 of his own money to create the silver prize.

15 Monty won’t be commentating for Sky Sports at Valhalla; by virtue of his Senior PGA win in May, he will be playing instead.

16 A 38,000 square feet retail area is expected to sell 60,000 hats, 43,000 golf shirts, 16,000 T-shirts, 12,000 golf towels and 11,000 pin flags during the week.

17 For the second consecutive year, fans will have some input on the final-round hole location at the long (510 yards) par-4 16th. 

18 The 17,500-square foot clubhouse, which features a 45-foot Omega clock tower and a veranda overlooking the 18th green, only opened in 1996.

19 Valhalla was the site of Nick Faldo’s Ryder Cup captaincy, the only time in the last six that the USA has won. But the less said about that the better…

20 The course has been mooted as a potential permanent Ryder Cup venue by Ted Bishop, president of the PGA of America. “Somewhere you can go in and you can do the kind of infrastructure that they’ve done at Augusta National.” The next available date in the USA is 2028.