FedEx Cup Golf Courses

[PCCraig]

With the FedEx Cup starting up this week, are any of you excited to see any one of the courses? Do you have any first had experience on them?

Having spent a decent amount of time at both Bellerive and TPC Boston I enjoy watching those on TV. I'm perhaps more excited for BCC because of the recent re-do and that I think it will be a future major stop.

What does everyone think?

[Jim Colton]

What's the FedEx Cup?

[Jeff_Mingay]

Good point, Pat. The next few stops on the PGA Tour are interesting.

I'm looking forward to seeing Ridgewood on TV this week. Bellerive has an interesting RTJ lineage. And, since Gil Hanse has been redoing TPC Boston, it's become a "must see" event on TV for me as well.

Does anyone know if Gil's done more to the course prior to this year's event? I recall hearing this was the plan.

Where are the rest of the FedEx Cup events being played?

Is the Tour Championship at East Lake again?

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Where are the rest of the FedEx Cup events being played?
Is the Tour Championship at East Lake again?

8/21-8/24   The Barclays @ Ridgewood CC
8/28-9/1     Deutsche Bank @ TPC Boston
9/4-9/7       BWM @ Bellerive CC
9/25-9/28   Tour Championship @ East Lake GC

[PCCraig]

Considering I legit hated the first design of the TPC Boston, the Hanse re-design was just awesome. While the old course felt like a Florida design, Gil Hanse made it feel like it is actually in NE. (Considering the course's land is really flat compared to others north in Boston.)

The work that R. Jones has done in St. Louis has been really good too. I had the chance to play the course a month or so before they closed it down for redesign. The new and improved course kept much of the fun already present in the course, but adding some neat shots and needed length in spots. The back nine is really a special nine holes esp. the long 230+ par-3 16th and the 600 yard dogleg right par-5 17th.

[Buck Wolter]

Pat-
Can you describe the changes to 17 at Bellerive? That was always one of my least favorite holes along with the double dogleg Par 5 on the front.

Anxious to go to the 'Western Open' and see it as I haven't played it in several years and last saw it at the Senior Open.

Buck

[JWinick]

It will be interesting how Bellerive performs as it returns to the golf stage.   The course was not well received when it was awarded a US Open just a few years after opening.  But, I understand the club hosted a successful PGA championship in its second major event.       

[Dan Herrmann]

Boy - TPC Boston sure looked good today.  If you've never seen Hanse's work, this looks to be a great example of his bunker style and general flow....  Of course, it's built on top of a Palmer course, but it sure looks like Gil's work.

One difference I see is that TPC Boston has intermediate rough.  The other Hanse courses I've played go from fairway directly to rough.

[Jeff_Stettner]

Buck,
The lake by the green is gone and the hole is now surrounded by an impressive bunker complex. It's a much better hole, as is 8 -- they moved the tee across the creek to eliminate the first dogleg. The work by Rees is quite good.

[Anthony Fowler]

Boy - TPC Boston sure looked good today.  If you've never seen Hanse's work, this looks to be a great example of his bunker style and general flow....  Of course, it's built on top of a Palmer course, but it sure looks like Gil's work.

One difference I see is that TPC Boston has intermediate rough.  The other Hanse courses I've played go from fairway directly to rough.

Hi Dan,

I was also out there today and I agree. Gil's work is aesthetically incredible.  Unfortunately, having played the course twice, I think it is much better to look at than it is to play.  Most of the holes are still essentially Palmer holes with beautiful bunkers.  The holes that look like they received the most time from Mr. Hanse such as 4, 9, and 18 are definitely the best.  Having only seen Rustic Canyon as an example of his original work, I think it would have been best if he tore it up and started from scratch.  This is almost what he did on 4; what a fun hole!

By the way, it's amazing how good those guys are with smooth, fairly easy greens and no wind.  I couldn't believe some of the scores.