[Don Dinkmeyer]

I've been fortunate to be a walking scorer at the BA Classic in DC this week. Usually held at TPC Avenal (to be renovated, but they did not, but they will w/25 million in improvements, at some later date, but thats another story), the event comes to Congressional (site of 2011 US Open) just this year.

I really like the way it fits the land--doesnt seem to me they moved a lot of dirt. The 17/18 finish, a tough 4 and they a 3, are unique and might shift a few scores. Both involve water around the green. There's a lot of subtle slopes in most of the greens.

With the US Open next week at Pinehurst, 8 of the top 10 players are here - Singh, DiMarco, Garcia, etc. It will take a little time to shake out the group, but the cut appears to be well under par.

Anyone who has played or visited Congressional, i would be interested in your comments about the course. I am still learning the architectural ropes!

[Rob_Waldron]

Rees Jones did a wonderful job with his renovation of The Blue Course more than a decade ago. He will also be responsible for reversing the direction of the existing Par 3 18th hole in 2006 in preparation for the return of the US Open.

I spoke to the Greens Chairman last week and he indicated that Rees has also proposed 11 new tees for the Open lengthening the course to just over 7,400 yards.

I have played the course many times and prefer to play it when the conditions are fast and firm. When the course is wet it plays extremely long requiring long irons and woods into the par 4 holes. You cannot appreciate the subtle movements in the greens. However when it is firm and fast it shotmaking for approach shots really comes into play.

[Doug Braunsdorf]

Don;

  There are some earlier threads on here--go to "search".  

The basic routing of the first nine is all that remains from Emmet's original course of CCC, dating to the mid-1920s.  

The modern first nine occupies the same basic area, and plays down a lot of the same corridors, but the order of holes "be" different.  

I'm not sure if any original greensites were used in creating the modern course, or if any original greens were used, but I highly doubt it.  

The modern second nine was done originally by Trent Jones.  

Greens are usually kept between 8.5 to 10 on the stimp.  Most contours are pretty soft-if I recall correctly, most are sloped back to front.  

The rough is usually of the nature that balls sink to the bottom--I don't recall the ball ever really sitting up.  

I'm not a huge fan of the bunkering style and excessive mounding that Rees Jones created, but it's just my opinion.  I don't have a say.  

Most holes are basically straight, with the exception of : 4, gentle L-R; 5, hard R-L, 8, gentle L-R.  17 is also a gentle R-L.  

It is a fun course to play, and a good test of golf.  

[Jonathan Cummings]

Man - these guys are RAVING about Congo.  Adorned with media credentials I am spending time in the interview tent.  Sergio told a local TV (channel 9 news) that the back 9 at Congressional was the finest nine holes of golf he has ever played!

Brad Klein just told me that he heard recent neo-architect Singh complaining, "why can't they build courses like this today?".... Ugh!

JC

[Paul Carey]

I agree with Rob as to Rees Jones work.  He made the golf cousrse much better than his father's original design.  It is a better test for the Tour and more importantly much more playable for the membership.  A few too many mounds bordering the fairways for my liking but it is a very good golf course.  

It is much better when it is firm.  More fun and playable for the mere mortal.  We have had a lot of rain here and after watching play on Thursday it is impossile to make a golf course too hard for these guys if the greens are soft and conditions good.  "These Guys are Good"

Geoff Shackleford wote on his site today about Els great five iron to essentially win the Open in 97.  Today he smoothed a wedge into the same hole in soft conditions.  

[Doug Braunsdorf]

Geoff Shackleford wote on his site today about Els great five iron to essentially win the Open in 97.  Today he smoothed a wedge into the same hole in soft conditions.  

Paul-

  If I remember correctly, Ernie hit 2 iron from the tee in '97, and had about 212 for his approach.

He hit driver today, as did most of the pros.  

  You're right; it is a very playable course for the membership, but also has the ability to become tougher.  

  It was always fun to play there.  

[Paul Carey]

Doug,

I think he hit 3 wood from the tee but you may be correct.  Whatever it was the hole is not the "monster" that it used to be.  Most of the guys I saw on Thursday were hitting 7 irons to 9 irons in to the green.  

It is a fun but hard golf course for most of us and I love to get the invite to play it.

[Craig Disher]

Maybe the raves from the pros say more about the courses that they usually plan on tour than about Congressional itself. It's the only course in the DC area that could host the US Open but I've always found it a little bland. The conditioning and ambience are as perfect as anyone could want but there just is something missing. Emmet's design was placed on an almost treeless tract and the wide fairways he employed brought more of the great ground contours into play. His design also left plenty of room for stretching the course to today's lengths. If the club, or the Joneses, insisted on perfect rows of trees lining the fairways, it would have been nice to keep a couple of Emmet's cross bunkers out of respect   .

Doug - I think you're right that none of Emmet's greens were used. I think the location of the 3rd green is the same as Emmet's 2nd but none of the others match. As I see it, Jones followed Emmet's routing almost exactly on the front but changed the holes significantly - e.g. Emmet's 3rd and 4th, a par 3 and short par 4 became Jones's 4th. The back 9 is a complete redo.

[Jerry Kluger]

I think that the pros like the course because it is so straight forward and while it requires that you shape your shots on some of the holes basically it is what you see is what you get.  If you don't execute the necessary shot then you will pay a price but you can't blame it on the course or some quirk that they put in just to try and make it tough.  There is though a sense that they can over power the course and the question is whether they will do it.  They are getting real close on 14 which used to be a brute.  I'll be curious as to how they do on the weekend.

[Doug Braunsdorf]

Craig-

  That's an interesting point and one I've thought about a bit earlier tonight.  Jerry echoed my thoughts as well-specifically, "the pros like the course because it is so straightforward..." and "what you see is what you get."  
I think the pros are probably tired of TPCs and the like.  They seem to love Westchester, Congo, Riviera, Winged Foot, Shinnecock (prior to Sunday), etc.  The "classic" courses.  

They look old, established, whatever.  Not like, for example, that new course they play the New Orleans event on--Daly was right when he called those little pot bunkers "pimples". They're hideous.  

  I went on record last year with the membership in preferring Bethpage Black to Congressional--but I am a little NY/NJ-centric.  Just a little.   And I was homesick.    
My personal opinion was that it was a little repetitive (most of the holes are straight, fairway bunkering decorative rather than strategic) but it was a good test of your game, specifically driving the ball straight, hitting good iron shots.  It is extremely well cared for, and the membership and staff there are all exemplary people.  They want the best for the club and the golf course, and it shows.  


Back to Emmet's routing, we talked about this some, right about this time last year or so.  There should be threads in the archives on here.  


Hey, 300!  Cool!

[Jonathan Cummings]

It's going to facinating to watch what happens to Avenel.  There is simply no other long term home in the DC area that makes sense for the Booz Allen - they are going to have to use Avenel.  With such blistering attacks from the media (Boswell - yesterday in The Post) and with the glowing accolades the tour is bestowing on Congo, Booz is going to press like hell to have the tour 'Congressionalize' Avenel.  Boswell quotes a $25m budget which includes a modified clubhouse, 5 new holes and 13 redone green complexes.

'Agressionel' will debut for the tour at the 2008 Booz Allen.  

JC  

[Jerry Kluger]

Jonathan: Any idea of who is going to be doing the redesign at Avenel?

[Jonathan Cummings]

Devereux Fazio unless Vigay with his new found insight on GCA can be persuaded to do it.....

[jeffwarne]

Jonathon,

Rees and his team can build 8 new tees too if they go too low at Agressional
I guess it's easier to call in the "Open Doctor" than it is to doctor the ProV1!

[Jonathan Cummings]

Jeff - I don't believe Rees was even considered.

[tonyt]

Just like in '97, Congressional showed that there is no demonstrated disadvantage in finishing a Championship on a par 3. Indeed, that like any other type of hole, the right circumstances with a leader on the final tee can make just as great and worthy a finish as any other.

Re: comments about Ernie on #17.

Playing from that tee with the deadliness of missing the fairway and then having to approach a water surrounded green under US Open conditions is a far cry from being able to bomb it down there under Booz Allen conditions. A 3 wood then being played to a must-hit fairway and a 3 wood last week to remain within a desired layup point are not the same animals.

[Chris Munoz]

I think the course looks boring from holes 1-16...17-18 are great.  The bunkers are just boring and are no fun....Bunkers are supposed to be hazards...Seeing what Jeff B. did at Shelter Harbor and what Tom Doak is doing at Sebonack, I can see what bunkers are supposed to be.  

Adios...

Chris Munoz  

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