Tom Egan,
I've never understood the bashing, most of which isn't grounded in fact.
Anyone who says it's unremarkable probably needs to be hit by a shovel to know that they've encountered an outside agency.
It's got 14 or 15 direction changes, interesting green surrounds and putting surfaces.
It's also not a flat golf course as many claim. There are a number of holes with elevation changes, some more pronounced than others like # 2, # 3 and others.
I think part of the bashing comes from the rivalry with Plainfield and being in the same state as Pine Valley which has very hilly topography.
There seems to be a need to compare Baltusrol with Pine Valley, and even Somerset Hills.
Certainly, it can't be claimed that the 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th and 16th greens at PV are highly contoured or highly sloped, yet Baltusrol gets bashed with greens that are the equal or better than the ones mentioned above.
I also think there's an element of envy.
Baltusrol has hosted innumerable championships, and for whatever the reason, some seem to take offense at their history and tradition.
My theory on the real reason that I think the golf course gets bashed is as follows.
Historically, it's been the non-golf staff and how they treat guests, and members too.
I've observed rude, discourteous behavior on the part of the staff. To the point that I'd classify it as systemic.
There was an attitude that the staff were more important than the members and guests.
I've always felt that this was directly proportionate to the number of outings that the club hosted, and the number of transient golfers that would flow through Baltusrol on a one time basis. When so many outings take place, perhaps the participants weren't the best of tippers, or the most respectful individuals in the world, but, that's no excuse for improper conduct and service to others.
There appeared to be an institutional arrogance about the club.
However, it was just the opposite with the golf staff, who were fabulous.
So, my read on the bashing of Baltusrol is that it's not so much rooted in specifics dealing with the golf course, but an uncomfortable feeling that permeated the staff and left its mark on outside golfers.
I once mentioned this to two prominent members.
Their response was that those same staff treat the members the same way. My response was, "then they should be fired tomorrow". The non-golf staff seemed to have forgotten their role as employees and blurred the lines of demarcation between staff and members and their guests.
But, that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.