Attempting to do a comprehensive photo thread of a course with 30,000 other people milling about -- and rope lines to boot! -- can be problematic. But I thought it worthwhile to add to the threads on Medinah #3 with an on-the-ground look at the course; the nature of doing this during a Ryder Cup practice day means it will be somewhat limiting. But I hope it's still worthwhile as the Ryder Cup gets underway. (Yardages are from the Ryder Cup tournament tees.)
No. 1 -- 433 yds.A solid introduction of what's to come at #3. A fairway bunker left catches the wayward drive, but the 1st hole is typical of the course -- trees left and right, rolling terrain, a green pinched by bunkers.
Medinah has its flat spots, but not here; most players will be hitting from atop this ridge.
The green looks like it backs up right to the lake, but there is room behind for recovery shots. A pin on the right side (the portion to the right of the tree) is devilish.
No. 2 -- 192 yds.The first of three par 3s over Lake Kadijah, this is a stern test so early in the round. Unlike the other two, better-known par 3s crossing the lake on the back nine, the tee here sits nearly level with the green, and anything short of course is death.
No. 3 -- 412 yds.The second-shortest par 4 on the course will encourage some bold play. A series of bunkers on the right side of the fairway pinch the landing area.
Another look at the bunkers; the fairway turns ever-so-slightly left here.
No. 4 -- 463 yds.A straightaway par 4 that goes in the opposite direction of the 3rd hole, back toward the lake. The approach is sharply uphill; if the wind is out of the north, this is one of the tougher approaches on the course.
No. 5 -- 536 yds.The first par 5 will likely see many players going for the green in two. These bunkers pinch the landing area right where a successful drive needs to land.
The 5th green.
No. 6 -- 509 yds.A tough hole, and the longest par 4 on the course. The back tee is offset from the other tees, forcing the player to move the ball. Fairway bunkers left need to be avoided.
No. 7 -- 617 yds.The longest par 5 on the course that heads back north, opposite the 5th and 6th and possibly into the wind. The hole turns gradually toward the right, again forcing the player to work the ball off the tee and/or with the second shot. The green, with a back-to-front tilt, sits perched up on a small knob.
The greenside bunkers are deep.
No. 8 -- 201 yds.The lone par 3 that doesn't front the big lake, it’s nonetheless a hole with some merit, particularly a green with a lot of interest. Plays somewhat downhill.
No. 9 -- 432 yds.Medinah's front nine doesn't return to the clubhouse; in fact, the 9th green sits in the farthest corner of the course away from the 1st tee. Although located in a flattish part of the property, the par 4 has some interest, as the fairway turns sharply left but cants toward the right. The conservative play here, perhaps in foursomes, is to take less-than-driver off the tee for placement; the bold play in fourballs would be to draw a drive around the corner, or even take on the trees to cut the dogleg.
No. 10 -- 578 yds.This par 5 is populated with bunkers -- two pinch the landing area of drives, including the unique U-shaped bunker right, while two more catch the errant second-shot lay-up. The green is surrounded by four bunkers.
No. 11 -- 440 yds.A sharply doglegging par 4, with a bunker guarding the outside corner of the dogleg. Another hole that bends left and tilts right.
No. 12 -- 476The best hole at Medinah? Brad Klein thinks so, and it's a pretty cool hole over some of the best terrain on the course. A Nascar-like bank directs balls to the right side of the fairway; the two photos here don't do justice to how sharp the cant is to this fairway. The bank on the right side of the green has been shaved down all the way to a pond that sits well below the hole to the right.
No. 13 -- 245 yds.The off-the-charts par 3 over the lake, with a back tee that seems like it's on the moon. The first photo is from the 150-yard tee; the second is from the corner of the NBC tent, with the tee located right in front of the picket fence (nice digs for the peacock crew).
No. 14 -- 609 yds.A very good par 5, straightway with a tee shot over the lake to some rambunctious terrain.
Those going for the green have to land it on the fly, as the is perched up from the fairway and surrounded by bunkers.
No. 15 -- 391 yds.The golf commentariat seems all hot and excited about this hole, suggesting it could play a crucial role in matches because of its risk/reward nature. In truth, it's a somewhat bland hole, fairly wide open over flattish terrain, with a pond running alongside the right side of part of the fairway and fronting the right side of the green. A bit out of character with the rest of the course.
No. 16 -- 482 yds.Sergio's hole, and it's a good one, even if his famous tree from the 1999 PGA is gone. Similar to #11, the fairway turns sharply left, with the land tilting to the right.
The approach is sharply uphill, and littered with bunkers.
No. 17 -- 193 yds.Maybe the signature hole of the course; let's hope enough matches reach this hole. The tee is way up there.
Don't be short with the shot; it's unforgiving.
The tee to be used is
behind the folks standing on the hill.
The green isn't very deep, and guarded by bunkers left and right. A big factor will be any breezes sweeping across the lake; you really can't get much of a sense of them on the tee.
No. 18 -- 449 yds.Not the most compelling final hole, but a good test nonethelss. The runway tee is down by the lake; the hole climbs and turns slightly to the left. These bunkers guard the right side of the fairway.
The 18th green turns to the left, sits up from the fairway, and is guarded by deep bunkers -- not the place to be if you need an up-and-down to win a match.
All told, I came away pretty impressed by Medinah #3 -- it's a long, tough course, no doubt, but also with plenty of demands on the player to execute shots and move the ball this way or that, and hit accurate and well-struck approach shots. It should be a solid test for the Ryder Cup players.