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[Pete_Pittock]

  Golfweek's Forecaddie reports that changes may be made at the Olympic Club and Erin Hills in the June 14th issue. I haven't been able to find the e-article or I would link.
   The gist of the article is transitioning greens to USGA spec and choosing bentgrass. The driveable 7th will be slighty lenghtened and the green modified. The par 3 8th will be slightly re-aligned.
   Changes are club inspired.

Erin Hills may see much more modification, with emphasis on the 2nd hole.

[Jed Peters]

I understand that 17 will be converted back to a par 5, with the tees moved further back behind the road and trees will be pulled out as well.

[Mike Benham]

Changes are club inspired.

Is this your comment based on the article, or is it stated in the article?

[Pete_Pittock]

Mike,
"The Man Out Front hears that the impetus for change came from within the club, not from the USGA."

"The changes...have been drafted by the club's consulting architect, Bill Love, and are to be presented to the membership for discussion in mid-July."

[Tim_Cronin]

There will be a new second green at Erin Hills, to the right of the hilltop green. USGA couldn't find enough pin placements on it.

[Mike Nuzzo]

 "transitioning greens to USGA spec and choosing bentgrass"

How does one make a transition - without blowing them up?
What is their current make-up?

[Pete_Pittock]

Mike,
Transitioning was my choice of words. Rebuilt would have been accurate. According to the article they are currently "nematode infested poa annua"

I should have known better because my course has been transitioning from bent to poa for the last three years.

[Phil McDade]

There will be a new second green at Erin Hills, to the right of the hilltop green. USGA couldn't find enough pin placements on it.

Tim:

Will that be for the Publinks tourney?

As I recall from previous threads, several GCA folks (including Shivas, who I believe EAGLED this thing first time out) thought the 2nd hole generally, and esp. the 2nd green, was among the best that EHills had to offer.

The other primary criticisms I've heard about EHills are:

-- The opening hole, esp. the opening tee shot and second shot --  some have suggested it's out of character with the rest of the course and has an awkwardly, can't-figure-out blind, second shot.

-- The loooong walks between some greens and tees.

-- The use of the Dell Hole (and its merits as a hole) vs. the alternative par 3, which some really like.

Tim -- any info. on whether any of this is being addressed? Thanks....

[Matt_Cohn]

My interpretation of Golfweek's description of proposed changes at Olympic's #7 and #8.

[Matt_Cohn]

Golfweek says the seventh would be lengthened 18 yards. But it says the 8th would be lengthened only 4 yards when it should obviously say 40. Both misprints? Would #7 be lengthened 180 yards to 466?

[Wayne Wiggins, Jr.]

Golfweek says the seventh would be lengthened 18 yards. But it says the 8th would be lengthened only 4 yards when it should obviously say 40. Both misprints? Would #7 be lengthened 180 yards to 466?

An absolute tragedy either way!  Two great short holes about to be ripped up for the sake of 4 days of golf played by 150 players.  Stupid is the only word I can think of. 

[Tim_Cronin]

There will be a new second green at Erin Hills, to the right of the hilltop green. USGA couldn't find enough pin placements on it.

Tim:

Will that be for the Publinks tourney?

As I recall from previous threads, several GCA folks (including Shivas, who I believe EAGLED this thing first time out) thought the 2nd hole generally, and esp. the 2nd green, was among the best that EHills had to offer.

The other primary criticisms I've heard about EHills are:

-- The opening hole, esp. the opening tee shot and second shot --  some have suggested it's out of character with the rest of the course and has an awkwardly, can't-figure-out blind, second shot.

-- The loooong walks between some greens and tees.

-- The use of the Dell Hole (and its merits as a hole) vs. the alternative par 3, which some really like.

Tim -- any info. on whether any of this is being addressed? Thanks....

Phil,
    This will be done after the W. Publinks, according to Bob Lang. Not sure of the precise timetable. They've also done a little work on the first, making the routing of the hole more visible, and may be doing more.
    The USGA doesn't want to use the Dell hole, so will use the bye hole instead. For an Open, they might flip the nines, or at least the ninth and 18th. I hope to get to the WAPL on Saturday to look around and quiz a few people.

[Phil McDade]

Tim:

I may try to get there Fri. or Sat., but it's a bit uncertain. It's really too bad about the recent weather -- I'd like to see the course play F/F, but wonder how much water it can absorb from all the recent rains.

[Joel_Stewart]

Changes are club inspired?

If you consider two non members, the architect and superintendent club inspired then you are correct.  There is not a single member that has made these suggestions.   There is not a single good reason to make these changes especially since the super has failed to maintain the greens and bunkers so they are just going to move the 7th and 8th and rebuild all the greens.

This is a bad situation becoming worse.  Sadly the club is moving in a direction of ANGC or Medinah and doing everything to appease the USGA which probably doesn't care.   The club has had a number of years to restore the course but everything has been rejected by the superintendent.

Lastly the meeting in July is for a briefing.   The club is not an equity based club and the members have no vote.  Its a ram rod situation, and the architect is going to tell us what to do and the management will accept it. 

[Jed Peters]

Changes are club inspired?

If you consider two non members, the architect and superintendent club inspired then you are correct.  There is not a single member that has made these suggestions.   There is not a single good reason to make these changes especially since the super has failed to maintain the greens and bunkers so they are just going to move the 7th and 8th and rebuild all the greens.

This is a bad situation becoming worse.  Sadly the club is moving in a direction of ANGC or Medinah and doing everything to appease the USGA which probably doesn't care.   The club has had a number of years to restore the course but everything has been rejected by the superintendent.

Lastly the meeting in July is for a briefing.   The club is not an equity based club and the members have no vote.  Its a ram rod situation, and the architect is going to tell us what to do and the management will accept it. 

Joel:

What do the actual golf club members think about it? Don't they presumably have more "say" in golf club goings on than downtown club members? I know my friend who has been a golf member for 27 years sure seems to think so....

[Jim Nugent]

Is Olympic really scrapping #7, and turning it into a long par 4?  I thought that was a misprint, or a sick joke. 

Who is the architect?  Makes me want to vomit. 

[Tim Nugent]

Will someone get some factual on Olympic info before we go crazy? I would hate to see the demise of #8 - it's a great little uphill "buck-and-a-quarter" hole with great framing trees.  I could see them adding a couple more yards of teeing space because of the wear and tear issues of a hole like this - but to play it from the side like the armchair architect depicts? Say it ain't so Joe. (although, if you put #7 green behind the right - hand tree in front of #8 tee - himmm??? - nah - couldn't sacrifice #8 for that)

Why not just call #7 a long par 3? They've been down-parring short 5's into long 4's for years, why not short 4's into long 3's - par's just a number anyway - low score wins.

[David_Tepper]

Jim & Tim Nugent -

The possibility of altering #7 & #8 on the OC Lake Course has (for better or more likely worse) been floating around  the club for 10 years or more.

#7 would not be turned into a "long" par-4. The green would likely be moved back 30-50 yards at most, which would make the hole no more than 350 yards.

#7 is/was my favorite hole for spectating in the 2 Opens and Tour Championships I have seen there. Of course, those events were in a different era distance-wise.

I once saw Larry Mize drive the green on #7 and then 4-putt. It would be a shame if the hole was changed.

DT
 

[Ari Techner]

It will be a real tragedy if they rip up and replace the second green at Erin Hills.  It is one of my favorites on the course. 

[Jim Nugent]

#7 is/was my favorite hole for spectating in the 2 Opens and Tour Championships I have seen there.

Mine too.  Loved that hole. 

What is the rationale for making it 50 yards longer? 

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Matt you diagram is very close to what I understand. I am excited about the changes to 8. However I am concerned about the ability to recreate and keep the 7th green as dramatic and wild as it is now. The extra 20 yeards are a good change though.