PGA Championship memory, OHCC

[Jeff_Mingay]

I was fortunate to spend Thursday and Sunday at OHCC, during the PGA Championship.

Thursday afternoon I'm walking down the left side of the second hole. There were very few people around. I glance over to my right and see an older gentlemen standing by himself. I take a second look... it's Pete Dye!

After introducing myself as a Canadian who works with Rod Whitman, we had a very interesting 20-odd minute chat. Mr. Dye was there by himself to see some good golf.

I'll never forget it.

A young associate who works with Rod and I was with me. He almost passed out when he saw this older gentlemen's name tag 

It was priceless.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Mr. Dye was there by himself to see some good golf.

Jeff, did you send someone out there to fetch him Sunday night or do you figure he gave up early?

[Jeff_Mingay]

Huh?

Mr. Dye told me he was there for Thursday's first round, Mark. Then out.

He was typically entertaining though. Reporting that his current projects are over budget, and late to complete. Seems he was trying to embellish the legend of Pete Dye even through us, "nobodies"!

Classic.

[Jeff_Brauer]

My memory of the PGA is not being able to meet up with Jeff Mingay as planned......I can see why I was dumped though!  He went for the upgrade!  (just kidding, JM)

I went on Friday and it was as perfect weather for golf watching as I have ever experienced.

I went specifically to see how the reverse slope 14th green played and watched several groups, including fw metal approaches, and JB Holmes short iron after a 340+ drive (on a 501 hole playing downwind that day)  Even with the short iron, he had to play it to bounce about ten yards in front of the green.

So, it worked pretty much as I expected.  After all, I wouldn't want to propose something to an owner i wasn't pretty sure would work as I planned!

[Jeff_Mingay]

Sorry I missed you, Jeff. Next time you're in Toledo, come up and we'll play golf... on me!

Isn't the 14th green -- the 14th hole! -- at OHCC-South great. I love this hole... particularly the fall-away green.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Jeff,

I always liked that hole and green. I didn't recall it being on a 501 par 4 when you and I toured OH a few years ago on a cold March day.

How many times did Ross use that feature?  A slightly simpler version is at White Bear Yacht Club on a moderate par 4. 

On Friday, when the pin was on the far left, and it seemingly took a shot bouncing out of the rough to go at the pin on 14, I wondered if that particular approach might have been widened by a few yards.  What do you think?

[Brad Klein]

Jeffs, I walked OHCC again on June 28 during an absolutely torrential downpour. Had I brought my camera it would have been useless, but I stood there (under my umbrella) at the 14th green for 15 minutes and watched as a massive pool of water built up towards the back of the green as everything up front sheet flowed back. But the water did not outlet there because the very back of the green was tipped up ever so slightly in a counter-slope you'd barely discern.

From afar I figured it was going to create a standing pool of water until I walked over more closely and saw -- what scandal this is -- a catch basin ten feet in from the back edge of the putting surface through which the water could outlet. Inside the perimeter of the green! So maybe that green needed to be tipped out even further because it didn't allow for complete fall off behind.

[Chuck Brown]

Jeffs, I walked OHCC again on June 28 during an absolutely torrential downpour. Had I brought my camera it would have been useless, but I stood there (under my umbrella) at the 14th green for 15 minutes and watched as a massive pool of water built up towards the back of the green as everything up front sheet flowed back. But the water did not outlet there because the very back of the green was tipped up ever so slightly in a counter-slope you'd barely discern.

From afar I figured it was going to create a standing pool of water until I walked over more closely and saw -- what scandal this is -- a catch basin ten feet in from the back edge of the putting surface through which the water could outlet. Inside the perimeter of the green! So maybe that green needed to be tipped out even further because it didn't allow for complete fall off behind.

Very observant, Brad!  That drain has been there as long as I can remember -- upwards of 30 years.