[Richard Choi]

Thanks for those pics Brent. I saw the original layout drawings in the clubhouse, but these seem to have even more detail. This would be an unbelievable course if the fairways and bunkers still looked liked that.

[Richard Choi]

Hole #9, Par 3, 213 yards

A bit unusual par 3 finish to end the first nine.



This is a demanding par 3 that plays every bit of its 200+ yards, and thensome, due to a slight rise to the green.



The green complex is gorgeous with its swales and dips with a natural flow from left to right. The bunkers surrounding the green frames the hole beautifully.



The green has neat little folds in the middle that bisects the upper and lower half of the green. Anything above the hole is going to be a treacherous putt. With the long iron that you are hitting off the tee, keeping the ball below the hole is very difficult. This is a hole where you aim for the center of the green off the tee and pray that you can two putt before heading in for a snack.



The pictures just don't show how much internal movements are present on this green and how fun it is to play this hole.

[Chris_Hufnagel]

Richard is right, the photos don't do the contours in the green any justice.  This is pretty demanding hole - I would be very happy and content with a three here on most days.  I do not recommend the downslope of the back left bunker to that pin...

[Scott McWethy]

These are wonderful photographs, so thank you for posting.  With regard to #9.  What a great hole.  I was thrilled to hit the green, until I four putted.  You're right, the photos don't show how contoured this green is.  The pin was in a real tough spot the day I played there and my host said he's seen plenty of four putts with that location.  Still didn't make me feel any better though. 

[John Percival]

Another challenging element of #9 is the prevailing wind into the player. At times, the clubhouse seems to create a 'dead zone' of air that makes balls just drop out of the sky.

What makes the green so great is the give/take of the various pins' location vs 'puttability'. For instance, the pins along the edges are very difficult to access (even on pitches), yet once there, the putts are relatively mild. The very accessible center locations have great back to front pitch, thus making putts EXTREMELY delicate and creating significant break. It is not unusual to see putts roll right off the green.

One thing in the player's favor is the daunting length practically ensures that approaches are short of the pin, because, as Chris pointed out, you do not want to be putting (or chipping  ) behind the hole.

[jonathan_becker]

One thing in the player's favor is the daunting length practically ensures that approaches are short of the pin, because, as Chris pointed out, you do not want to be putting (or chipping  Shocked) behind the hole

Putting from behind the hole?  Sure you can when you stick it here




Seriously though, great tour thus far, Rich.  The upcoming 10th and 11th holes are two of the best consecutive par 4s I've ever played with some awesome land movement.

[Richard Choi]

Hole #10, Par 4, 446 yards

The back nine starts off strong with a couple of world class par 4's that takes advantage of very interesting  folds in the middle of the fairways.



Off the tee, you can see the slope that comes in from the left that dominates the strategy of this hole. You want to challenge the bunker on the left, but if you hit it or miss to the left, there is tree that you must negotiate on your approach.



You can see some of the dramatic fairway movements here.



Most good drives will end up here where you will have a long iron to the green. there is a bit of side slope that will encourage fades.



If you are a long hitter, however, there is a speed slot you can hit and will kick your drive forward and leave you with a very short approach.



The raised green adds to the challenge of holding this green with a long iron. Most indifferent approaches will end up in the hollows short of the green and going up and down is a long proposition.



The green is large with four basic section with a small false front.

[Brent Carlson]

Hole #9, Par 3, 213 yards

A bit unusual par 3 finish to end the first nine.



#9 used to have multiple cross bunkers.  This is a very good par 3 for majors IMO...


P1010812 by bcumich, on Flickr

[Brent Carlson]

Hole #10, Par 4, 446 yards

The back nine starts off strong with a couple of world class par 4's that takes advantage of very interesting  folds in the middle of the fairways.



The original Ross


P1020073 by bcumich, on Flickr


Off the tee, you can see the slope that comes in from the left that dominates the strategy of this hole. You want to challenge the bunker on the left, but if you hit it or miss to the left, there is tree that you must negotiate on your approach.



You can see some of the dramatic fairway movements here.



Most good drives will end up here where you will have a long iron to the green. there is a bit of side slope that will encourage fades.



If you are a long hitter, however, there is a speed slot you can hit and will kick your drive forward and leave you with a very short approach.

How far of a carry is it to reach the speed slot?  Would a good player attempt this consistently?  Or is the play down the right smarter?  Really like the look of this hole...

[Richard Choi]

Sorry about not posting anything today, been a busy day...

Brent, the carry to the speed slot is about 300 yards. I was told that during the PGA, the long hitters were carrying it with easy and had wedges to the green.

[Richard Choi]

Hole #11, 395 yards, Par 4

It is probably not a stretch to declare that #11 is most everyone's favorite hole at Oakland Hills. Why? Because it is close to a thrilling roller coaster ride as you will ever have on a golf course, that's why.

From above, the hole looks fairly benign with a z-shaped fairway that do legs to the left.



From the ground, it is another story. You can tell from the tee box there are movement left, right, up, and down. I see that the bunker on the foreground left is a new addition. Not sure if this hole really needs it.



The choice from the teebox is how much you want to risk hitting the bunkers on the right as those are probably at least 1/2 penalty with the steep hill behind them as you can see here.



Laying short of those bunkers to the left is no stroll through the park as a giant mound on the left will leave you with various side/uphill lies and occluded views to the green.



Carrying the mound is an option for many, but the slope and the speed slot will kick the ball forward and left and your chances of staying on the fairway will be slim.



If you are successful in carrying the mound, you have a relatively short and easy pitch to the uphill green. A short approach will be rejected and kicked down the hill and leave you with a long pitch back up. If you miss long... you better not miss long.



When you do reach the green, you are presented with one of the most diabolical little green you will ever see anywhere.



The green is largely divided in to two halves; the front bowl and the back plateau. The green is severely pitched back to front so chipping from the back, you will do well to leave the shot on the green. Even putting from the back plateau to the front bowl requires loads of imagination as you have no shot of staying on the green putting right at the flag.

The flag was in the front during my round and when I missed long, I had to putt sideways trying to keep the ball on the green. To say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE this green is probably underselling it.

[jonathan_becker]

11 is an outstanding hole to say the least....here's another shot of the green from the back left

[Richard Choi]

Hole #12, 551 yards, Par 5

After experiencing the highs of #9, #10, and #11, the course rhythm settles down with a bit of a palette cleanser before it crescendos again.

This is the longest par 5 on the course (by far) with a well guarded green that is expecting mostly wedge shots incoming.



This is one of the holes that probably can lose a few more trees, especially around the landing area. I understand the desire to discourage the long hitters from trying to cut the dogleg, but it still seems excessive. Even worse, I just don't get why there are any trees on the left side.



There are also an "Oakmont-Lite" group of bunkers on the left that you must negotiate if you drive away from the trees on the right.



If you do hit a clean drive in the fairway, you are probably still laying up somewhere short of the green. You need to be mindful of the bunker on the left guards the layup area.



I will say from the layup area, the green and the surrounds have certain majesty to it.



As you can expect from a relatively large green that is expecting many wedge shots, the internal contours here are massive and quite interesting. There is a main movement from left to right with double plateaus on the opposite site of the green.



You can see the rather large hump in the middle of the green better from this angle.

[Joe Hancock]

Richard,

I hate to back up, but can you share whether the restored bunker on the left side of the 11th fairway affects the play of the tee shot strategy much?

Thanks,

Joe

[Richard Choi]

No problem, Joe.

For me the intimidation factor is probably bigger than the placement. It is a relatively short hole and carrying that bunker is not that difficult. I still think the decision is how close to the right bunkers do you date to hit.

[Joe Perches]

Hole #12, 551 yards, Par 5



There are also an "Oakmont-Lite" group of bunkers on the left that you must negotiate if you drive away from the trees on the right.

Are those bunkers a hidden message in Hebrew, Arabic, or Russian?

[John Percival]

R,
Your tour continues to impress. Well done.
As mentioned earlier, the overheads are a great compliment/contrast to your ground pics. For example, at #10, all but two of the trees along the fwy left have been removed, thus opening sight lines, yet keeping some play conditions in order. (Especially hate evergreens in play areas  ).
In the pic of 12, the large tree at the far left of the overhead (at the green's back/left) has been removed, opening up sun and air to the green. Additionally, note how the entrance to the green was roughed and now is a narrow, but inviting thread of fwy. It makes for a much better visual, as it draws the eye up from the fairway to the putting surface. A large tree at the right corner makes the second difficult if the tee ball is down the right, even in the fwy! And the line of fwy bunkers down the left would be improved if the middle bunkers were wider, creating some visual movement (the fwy has been widened short of the bunkers, reducing the straight-line appearance)
At 11, the new left fwy bunker is more of a visual aid and balance. With the strong bunker presence on the right and a much widened fwy on that side, the bunker helps draw the eye back to the center and gives a target line for those playing over the magnificent ridge. Would like to see a new and shorter fwd tee, as the hole is brutal on the shorter player (the canting fwy kicks second shots into the rough and, as you mentioned, any approach short will feed back down the fwy some 20-30 yards).

[Richard Choi]

Hole #13, 157 yards, Par 3

This is a short par 3 with a relatively large, but devilish green. As you can see from the photo below, the hole is surrounded by bunkers and aerial attack is required, though for most, this is a short iron shot that should not trouble you too much.



The green is framed by trees in the background that really do not come into play except for the fact that the shadows made it more difficult to see the green and surrounding slopes from the tee.



As is typical at OH, the bunkers surrounding the green is deep and varied. Though getting on from the front bunkers is not nearly as difficult as ones from above.



The green has a severe back to front slope. There is also a large ridge that bisects the green. A pin in the front bowl is relatively friendly, while anything above it is a sure nailbiter.



You can see the elevation change better from here. I think it is pretty obvious that you must leave your putts below the hole to have any chance at birdie or even par.

[Bob_Garvelink]

The 13th at OHCC is one of my favorites.  If the pin is low then it's a great chance to get an ace!  The bunkering is also outstanding.  There is something special about OHCC and it definitely ranks up there as one of the best courses I have played.

[Richard Choi]

Hole #14, 480 yards, Par 5

This is one of those holes where most of the action happens around the green (but WHAT A GREEN!!!) Between the tee and the green is a pretty straightforward hole without(!) any fairway bunkers, quite a rarety on this course.



One of the unfortunate side effect of having a hole without a bunker is that the primary fairway defense is provided by numerous trees. The tee shot favors a fade to a flat landing area that sits in a slight angle awa from the green. There is an enormous tree on the right saide that you must negotiate.



And from the looks of it, there are many recent plantings.



Most long hitters will easily reach the green in two, but the layup area is quite open and inviting.



But don't be mistaken that this is some pushover hole that you can birdie easily as the green is wicked. The opening is wide and the green slopes front to back, so run up approach is a good option.



If there are more than a handful (if that!) greens in US with more internal movement, I would be shocked. There are humps and hollows everywhere. Trying to make a putt of any length is a bedeviled prospect. If the fairways and greens were playing firm, the fairway placement would be at premium to ensure the best approach angle to a particular pin position.

[John Percival]

R,
Some details on 13 and 14

Didn't believe it when it showed up on an NBC golf telecast (but confirmed on-line), in 2008, on the PGA Tour, the most 3-putted hole was the 13th at OH. Remember the 2008 PGA was at OH. The green was 3-putted 67 times. 67 TIMES! Some perspective...if you figure 150 players each for rounds 1 and 2, and 75 players each on the weekend, that makes 450 players. Divide by 67 and you have one out of every 7 players 3 putting. And one round was in the lower bowl.

At 14, the wicked green dictates that lay-ups be on the opposite side of the pin, as any pitch over the winged bunkers will release. The fairway at 14 is one of the few at OH where a level lie on the approach is almost certain, but the lie from the lay-up area will likely be off a downslope, further complicating the recovery.
Would like to see the fairway in the landing zone wider at the left, especially with the massive tree at the fairway's right
In the 1951 U.S. Open, it is said that NO birdies were made on the 14th. None? Not even a chip-in or bunker hole out? Yikes. That's why I encourage people to play it 'mentally' as a short 5 par. Then, I make lots of pars  

[Andrew Lewis]

Rich -

Great tour of a great course!

Regarding #14:  although the hole may feel like a par 5 -- especially if you don't find the fairway -- I believe it is a par 4 on the card  

[Richard Choi]

My mistake! Of course it is a long par 4. Though I played it more like a par 6...

[John Percival]

Rich -

Great tour of a great course!

Regarding #14:  although the hole may feel like a par 5 -- especially if you don't find the fairway -- I believe it is a par 4 on the card  

A,
Yes, it is a 4 on the card. But the 'mental' par 5 eases the anxiety. I tell people to use that trick on monster 3's like 9 at OH. In reality, both holes are like half pars.
The source of the 'mental' par 5....
...way, way back when, in a High School League tournament, we were waiting on the 5th hole in the afternoon round. Two rounds on the same course. As we waited, I casually said to another player, "this may be the easiest 5 par I've ever played (460 yds in 1977). I hit driver, 4 iron to 20 feet. Rolled it up close and tapped in for a birdie." He turned to me and said, "this is a par 4." I looked at the scorecard and the "4" under par seemed to explode in my face! Well, you know what happened. A forced tee ball that ducked left. A forced recovery that sailed right. A forced wedge that flew 20 feet long. A desperate par putt that rolled 5 feet past. And a bogey putt that never had a chance. 6!!!! Same course. Same guy. Same conditions. Hell, same pin.  A four that became a 6 just because of 'expectations'.

Also try to use the extra 'par' in daily dealings with my wife  .

[Richard Choi]

Hole #15, 380 yards, Par 4

The back nine rhythm starts to crescendo as the golfer is greeted with one strong hole after another to the finish. As you can see from below, this is a dogleg left with a fairway bunker in the middle of the fairway that occupies most of your attention.



For a relatively short par 4, the tee shot is very, very intimidating. The twin headed bunkers loom ominously to swallow your teeshot, while the bailout area to the left is blocked by a grove of trees. The only real option is to bail out to the left or over the bunkers, but you will be left with a very long approach in or run out of fairway and end up in the rough.



You can better see the lack of tee shot options here.



The fairway bunkers are quite nasty, especially if your tee shot runs up to the lip.



If you bailed out to the likely spot to the right/long, this is what you would face to the uphill green...



...guarded by these bunkers.



The green, as is with most of the green in the back nine, is a delight. It is almost an upside down saucer with a diagonal ridge that runs through it. This is a tough green to hold.

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