The Ocean Course walk

[mike_beene]

I appreciate The Ocean Course is walking only except summer. Looks like some challenging surfaces but fairly flat. But how long does it take to get from 9 to 10? Looks like 500 yards. What is an acceptable green to tee walk? Surely they wouldn’t shuttle at a major. It’s a slippery slope from there to lift, clean and place. Next thing you know they will allow grounding in the bunkers.

[Jeff Schley]

Mike I thought I heard that on day 1 Mickelson got a ride in a cart between nines on the broadcast. Didn't hear it mentioned again, but if he got one I'm sure everyone got one.

[David Jones]

They have put a local rule in -


'Automotive transformation will be provided for players and caddies during the round from #9 green to #10 tee and from #18 green to #1 tee. The modifies item #5d on the PGA of America Hard card. Players must walk at all other times during their round'.

[Mike_Trenham]

Question: do they provide transportation from clubhouse/practice areas to #1 tee as well?  It may be considered before the round and exempt, just curious.

[Kalen Braley]

So I fired up Google Earth and sounds like its the prudent thing to do.

Back of 9 green to back tee on 10 - 945 yards
Back of 18 green to back tee on 1 - 990 yards

Both transitions are just over 1/2 mile or nearly a kilometer for our overseas brethren.


P.S.  Perhaps its a Pete Dye "trademark".  I just measured TPC sawgrass and its 440 yards from 9 to 10, and 460 from 18 to 1.  I believe Harbour Town has some lengthy transitions too.

[Lou_Duran]

Question: do they provide transportation from clubhouse/practice areas to #1 tee as well?  It may be considered before the round and exempt, just curious.

Yes, from practice area to #1, from #9 green to #10 tee

[Tommy Williamsen]

P.S.  Perhaps its a Pete Dye "trademark".  I just measured TPC sawgrass and its 440 yards from 9 to 10, and 460 from 18 to 1.  I believe Harbour Town has some lengthy transitions too.

The longest walk at Harbour Town is from 18 to the clubhouse. I played in a pro-am there and walked everything but took a shuttle back to the clubhouse.

[Matt_Cohn]

Back of 9 green to back tee on 10 - 945 yards
Back of 18 green to back tee on 1 - 990 yards

Is there a a particular reason they put the nines so far apart?

[Pete_Pittock]

Matt,
I would guess the lack of available land for the practice area.

[Phil Burr]

It’s been 25 years since I played there, long before today’s clubhouse was built.  If I recall correctly, the range appeared to have been designed to be reversible based on the day’s wind and the clubhouse at that time was sited about midway along the range as opposed to overlooking the 18th green.  So the distance from 9 green to 10 tee was the same as it is now, but it was generally interrupted with a refreshment and/or bathroom stop on the way.  Neither the first tee nor 18th green were close to the clubhouse, but they were a moderate trek that occurred before and after play.

Has there ever been a first tee further removed from the clubhouse than the Monument & Alpine courses at Boyne Mountain?  20+ years ago you had to drive from the bottom all the way to the top of the hill (mountain by Michigan standards) to start your rounds.  I’ve never played there but I know Sand Hills is also a long way.  And having never been to Bandon I’m unfamiliar with clubhouse arrangements for Old Mac & Sheep Ranch.

[Rob Marshall]

That has to be the most valuable driving range in the country. When I played there at least 10 years ago we got shuttled from 9 green to 10 tee.

[Michael Whitaker]

Has there ever been a first tee further removed from the clubhouse than the Monument & Alpine courses at Boyne Mountain?  20+ years ago you had to drive from the bottom all the way to the top of the hill (mountain by Michigan standards) to start your rounds.  I’ve never played there but I know Sand Hills is also a long way.  And having never been to Bandon I’m unfamiliar with clubhouse arrangements for Old Mac & Sheep Ranch.

The courses at Dismal River would take that honor. The starting holes for both courses are at least mile from the clubhouse.


Another starting hole that was a long haul from the clubhouse was the 1st at Doak’s permanently closed Black Forest in Mich.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Has there ever been a first tee further removed from the clubhouse than the Monument & Alpine courses at Boyne Mountain?  20+ years ago you had to drive from the bottom all the way to the top of the hill (mountain by Michigan standards) to start your rounds. 

Phil, I think they are the two longest drives, even farther than Dismal. It certainly is the most uphill in the country.

[Pete_Pittock]

Has there ever been a first tee further removed from the clubhouse than the Monument & Alpine courses at Boyne Mountain?  20+ years ago you had to drive from the bottom all the way to the top of the hill (mountain by Michigan standards) to start your rounds.  I’ve never played there but I know Sand Hills is also a long way.  And having never been to Bandon I’m unfamiliar with clubhouse arrangements for Old Mac & Sheep Ranch.

The courses at Dismal River would take that honor. The starting holes for both courses are at least mile from the clubhouse.


Another starting hole that was a long haul from the clubhouse was the 1st at Doak’s permanently closed Black Forest in Mich.

As was the return to the clubhouse from 18.

[Bill Seitz]

Has there ever been a first tee further removed from the clubhouse than the Monument & Alpine courses at Boyne Mountain?  20+ years ago you had to drive from the bottom all the way to the top of the hill (mountain by Michigan standards) to start your rounds.  I’ve never played there but I know Sand Hills is also a long way.  And having never been to Bandon I’m unfamiliar with clubhouse arrangements for Old Mac & Sheep Ranch.

The courses at Dismal River would take that honor. The starting holes for both courses are at least mile from the clubhouse.


Another starting hole that was a long haul from the clubhouse was the 1st at Doak’s permanently closed Black Forest in Mich.

I'd guess that the first hole at Greywalls is right around a mile from the clubhouse, but it's tough to map the distance through the woods because I can't see the cart path.  Probably half a mile as the crow flies, but a pretty good haul from the pro-shop.

[Sean_A]

Back of 9 green to back tee on 10 - 945 yards
Back of 18 green to back tee on 1 - 990 yards

Is there a a particular reason they put the nines so far apart?

It is very odd for the house to lean on the range rather than the 1st tee. It's not cool.

Ciao

[Kyle Henderson]

I was told that the area between nines was (incorrectly as it later turned out) staked as off limits during construction, forcing Dye to separate the nines more then he would have preferred.

[Kalen Braley]

Has there ever been a first tee further removed from the clubhouse than the Monument & Alpine courses at Boyne Mountain?  20+ years ago you had to drive from the bottom all the way to the top of the hill (mountain by Michigan standards) to start your rounds.  I’ve never played there but I know Sand Hills is also a long way.  And having never been to Bandon I’m unfamiliar with clubhouse arrangements for Old Mac & Sheep Ranch.

The courses at Dismal River would take that honor. The starting holes for both courses are at least mile from the clubhouse.

Another starting hole that was a long haul from the clubhouse was the 1st at Doak’s permanently closed Black Forest in Mich.

I'd guess that the first hole at Greywalls is right around a mile from the clubhouse, but it's tough to map the distance through the woods because I can't see the cart path.  Probably half a mile as the crow flies, but a pretty good haul from the pro-shop.

Bill,

That's a good guess.  Once I figured out where the 1st hole was, I came up with a measurement of 1470 yards, or .83 miles.

Looks like they could have made the 3rd hole, #1, but perhaps they wanted to avoid the par 3 start configuration. But i'm guessing its a cart mandatory course anyways, so doesn't really matter.

[Bill Seitz]

Bill,

That's a good guess.  Once I figured out where the 1st hole was, I came up with a measurement of 1470 yards, or .83 miles.

Looks like they could have made the 3rd hole, #1, but perhaps they wanted to avoid the par 3 start configuration. But i'm guessing its a cart mandatory course anyways, so doesn't really matter.

I think it's walkable once you get over there.  There are some cutoffs that make it a little easier, but it's certainly not an easy looking walk, and I would gather the vast majority of their rounds are riding.  I believe there were plans to build a clubhouse by the 18th green.  Definitely a neat experience going to first tee for the first time.  You leave a pretty standard looking parkland style course, enter the woods, and feel like you've come out the other side in Narnia.