Three key holes at the US PGA
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Sometime in 1984, course designer Jack Nicklaus asked course owner Dwight Gahm, a man who made his fortune from kitchen cabinet-making, for his thoughts on one particular green. “If you don’t tell me how to design kitchen cabinets, I won’t tell you how to design golf holes,” Gahm replied.
Staying out of Jack’s way was a wise move on Gahm’s part as routing 18 championship holes through these 236 mostly-wooded Kentucky acres was a challenge given the power line that crossed the property, and a creek – Floyd’s Fork – which would lend certain holes beauty and strategy but which was prone to repeated flooding. Jack built up the greens and tees and created two distinct nines – one fairly open, the other dominated by trees – incorporating the water into eight holes. “It’s such a great test. There isn’t a single weak hole out there,” says the club’s head pro Chris Hamburger, who reckons the three most pivotal holes during the championship will be the 13th, 16th and 18th.
Hole 13: Par 4, 355 yards
“‘The Island’ is a short par 4 whose green is built up on rocks and surrounded by a moat. At 355 yards it sounds pretty tame, but it can be deceivingly tricky. Finding the fairway is an absolute must. The beauty is that it’s definitely a birdie opportunity, but we’ll see sixes too.”
Hole 16: Par 4, 510 yards
“Altered significantly during the course’s renovation in 2011/12, ‘Down the Stretch’ now plays 64 yards longer than in 2000 and its green now sits in a large amphitheatre. Fans will have the opportunity to pick the final-round hole location – choosing from one of four options in the ‘Pick the Hole Challenge’.”
Hole 18: Par 5, 545 yards
“‘Gahm Over’, is a reachable par 5 that will provide great closing drama. Like all good par 5s, it will throw up its share of eagles but, with the water hazard down the right side of the fairway, and a huge bunker defending the front middle of the boomerang-shaped green, sixes and sevens will also be plentiful.”
