[Bill Brightly]

[Bill Brightly]

Hint #1

Former and future Open course

[Jim Franklin]

Is it near San Francisco?

[Marty Bonnar]

That's one of those old Native American-named courses, isn't it?:
Penaltystrokefortestingsurfaceinbunker if I'm not mistaken.

FBD.

[Brian Laurent]

That would be Saucon Valley (Old Course).  When did they start allowing shorts?

The first picture is of #18...used to love hitting this approach shot late in the day with everyone watching from the patio.

The second is the dogleg left par 5 #15...great hole!  Used to live just through the trees to the right of this hole.  

Looks like Rees finished up the bunker work.

[Jim Sweeney]

Alas, MGB, you are mistaken. A player may take anything into a hazard and set it down in tht ehazard so long as nothing is done to test its condition. No penalty here.

[Sean_A]

Alas, MGB, you are mistaken. A player may take anything into a hazard and set it down in tht ehazard so long as nothing is done to test its condition. No penalty here.

Jim

Never mind the club - I have seen a guy call someone for testing the sand by dropping a rake in the bunker - no lie!  To be honest it appeared as though the chap was guilty.  I couldn't put my finger on it, perhaps the way this guy had a habit of throwing the rake into a bunker yet watching the rake rather than doing it without paying much attention.  In a proper match, I never place the rake in the bunker anymore.  I spose the point is if you take something into the bunker you leave yourself open to be accused.

Ciao

[Bill Brightly]

Correct, Saucon Valley Old Course!   Also correct on hole #s.

Two past US Senior Opens and future 2009 US Womens Open.

Shorts allowed 3 years ago!

Tom Fazio just did the bunkers, not Rees.

Also correct, you CAN bring clubs into trap, you can throw your whole bag in there! Just dont test the sand!

[Brian Laurent]

Tom Fazio just did the bunkers, not Rees.

My mistake!

Do you know if they plan on changing the sequence of the back nine again for the ladies in 09?  IMO, 12 does not make for a memorable finishing hole.

[Bill Brightly]

Brian,
Yes, I hear they will reverse the inside/outside loops on back nine and use the normal #12 as #18. My understanding is that they need the room behind 12 for the big grandsatands requied for an 18th hole. The clubhouse is too close to the normal 18.

But wait until you see the new 12th! (18 in the open) In my opinion, this was the most dramtic and best change made by Fazio. (I love 15, too,) Driving area lengthened and expanded to the right,many trees removed, all new bunkers on inside of dogleg. Sorry, I don't have pictures, but is such a much better hole now.

[Mike_Cirba]

I do need to get over there and see the changes.

Did Fazio's work include anything with the greens?   They were always the best part of that course.

[Bill Brightly]

Mike

Three greens were re-done: #3, #10 and #14. (I dont think there were any others...)

#10 an #14 were greens that have severe back-to-front slopes, and with today's green speeds, had very few pinnable loactions. So they re-did these greens, taking some of the slope out, and greatly increased the number of pinnable locations. If you know these holes, IMO, they returned them to the playability that Strong had in mind: still PLENTY of slope to deal with, still really important where you leave your ball, but very fair golf holes without some of the goofiness that you could get with "too fast greens" if you know what I mean.

#3, they had big problems with stream overflowing its banks and washing out front bunker, so they took out the bunker, raised the area and  brought the green back closer to the stream. Now there is now a real scary set of front pin locations.

[Brian Laurent]

I look forward to seeing the changes...I haven't been back in about 5 years.  

Here's my favorite photo of #15, from 1992:

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