Major bunker re-work at Whistling Straits

[Phil McDade]

A single re-worked bunker at Wisconsin's most famous course gets an entire story in the state's largest paper:

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/golf/44420022.html

Relevant details:

"The small but treacherous pot bunker that guarded the front-middle of the green during the 2004 PGA has become a trench that extends deep into the putting surface and essentially cleaves the green in half.

"The result is that the green is shaped like a horseshoe, which means golfers may find themselves having to chip or pitch their ball from one side to the other - over the bunker - to get to the hole.

"And that's not all.

"The bunker itself is maddeningly difficult - 8 or 10 feet deep, not much wider than that and hemmed in by three vertical, turf-stacked walls. Depending on where a golfer's ball winds up, he may not be able to swing the club and will have to either play out backwards, hit the shot left-handed (or right-handed, for Phil Mickelson) or take an unplayable lie penalty."

The PGA's Kerry Haigh was at the course recently, checking out the bunker.

A picture of what it used to look like can be found here (it's hole No. 6):

http://www.destinationkohler.com/golf/ws/straits_detail.html

[RJ_Daley]

It seems that it might be a takeoff on the Ds.A. at Pine Valley or Lion's Mouth at 16 CCofC.   Somehow the "Gremlin's Ear" seems tame (although that referrs to the mid FW bunker I believe).

[Phil McDade]

Dick:

I think the original bunker there was modeled after the D.A., from what I recall from studying the hole during the '04 PGA. The new bunker seems like a longer, cleaver-like version of the Road Hole bunker.

[Matt Varney]

I looked at the original image of the deep pot bunker fronting #6 green and it looks awesome.  Now if they have improved on this big time and made a huge nasty trench bunker that basically splits the green into two parts that is even better and cool as hell.  I love it and if it came from anyone other than Pete Dye and Herb Kohler it would be called stupid but, it will get evey players attention.

Does anyone have picture of the new trench bunker?  If they grow the grass really narly and nasty on the slopes with just sand in the bottom it should be called "Coffin Bunker" because your dead if your ball comes to rest in the bottom or on the slopes just trying to get out and save par.

[Phil McDade]

Matt:

The story didn't come with any photos, oddly, given the dramatic nature of the change outlined in the article. Don't know if I'll get over to WS this year.

[Matt Kardash]

I could see this potentially working on #6. Now all they need to do is restore the left half of the fairway which has been lost since the 2004 PGA.

[Eric_Terhorst]

I'm not sure this is good news as described, it will be interesting to see pictures of the new green.

#6 is one of my faves on the course--a very interesting little par 4 with big rewards for getting your tee shot in the right place, and an interesting green without a "trench."

[PCCraig]

I think the hole only works now, for both Pros and everyday players, if they keep it on the shorter side to ensure that no more than a wedge is needed into the hole. It sounds like running a ball across the green has been lost as an option.

[Matthew Runde]

I like the idea, and the bunker doesn't look as extreme as I'd imagined.  Maybe it will help put an end to the current fad of emasculated bunkers.  Remember what Macdonald said about bunkers!  Long live Fownes' rake!  Here's an article that has a photo:  Bunker thrill?

[Matt Kardash]

I like the idea, and the bunker doesn't look as extreme as I'd imagined.  Maybe it will help put an end to the current fad of emasculated bunkers.  Remember what Macdonald said about bunkers!  Long live Fownes' rake!  Here's an article that has a photo:  Bunker thrill?

I could be wrong but I think that is a picture of the old bunker? Doesnt really sound like the long narrow trench that creates a horseshoe green that is described in the article.

[Matthew Runde]

I like the idea, and the bunker doesn't look as extreme as I'd imagined.  Maybe it will help put an end to the current fad of emasculated bunkers.  Remember what Macdonald said about bunkers!  Long live Fownes' rake!  Here's an article that has a photo:  Bunker thrill?

I could be wrong but I think that is a picture of the old bunker? Doesnt really sound like the long narrow trench that creates a horseshoe green that is described in the article.

Hmmm...maybe you're right.  The caption certainly makes it sound like the new bunker, but I suppose it could be the old one:  "PGA director of championships Kerry Haigh talks about the new bunker on the sixth hole on the Straits Course at Whistling Straits."