7th at Baltusrol GC, the real killer !

[Sébastien Dhaussy]

We've heard and read a lot these days on the 17th at Baltusrol but when you watch the first course statistics, it seems 7th (par 4 - 505 yards) is the "monster" .

23 bogeys, 5 doubles bogeys and 4 double bogeys+ on this hole (63 players have played it for now - 4,6349 for the average score) and the victims are not only golf club professionals :
double bogey for Tiger, triple bogey for Mike WEIR (he was at 3 under before this hole),...

One of the few holes in the par for Thomas LEVET
(first round in +9)  

 

[JLahrman]

If it were a par 3 it would be REALLY tough.  505 yards is obviously easily reachable, but this hole has to become a par 5 as soon as a drive lands in the rough.  I don't know the hole but 505 on a soft course is a long way.  What is the green like on this hole?  Is this a long par 4 for members with a new back tee, or is it a converted par 5?

[Scott_Burroughs]

Interesting thing is that par 4 #7 is playing to a higher stroke average (4.67) than par 5 #18 (4.61).

Joel,

#7 (and #1) are both converted par 5's for members.

[J_McKenzie]

I just heard that DLIII hit an 8-iron approach into the green and that he was the farthest out after the tee shots.  Vijay hit a 9-iron and John Daly hit pitching wedge.  Firm and fast is fine for the greens, I'm not convinced it is the best set-up for the fairways.

John

[JLahrman]

I see, so is the green at #7 less receptive than a long par 4's green would be?  Granted, these guys are still coming in with shorter irons but if the green is dry and suited to handle short third shots...

[Scott_Burroughs]

Joel,

Check out the other Baltusrol thread, where I posted an aerial of the course.  You can see that #7 has maybe 20 yards between the back of the center fairway bunker and the green, although in that pic, 10 of those yards are rough.  Don't know if that rough is mowed to fairway height for the PGA.

#7 is in the upper right of the 'bottom bulge' of holes.

[grandwazo]

I watched my club pro miss the fairway left, hack it out on the fairway, put it in the front right trap and then three putt for triple.  Tiger doubled it, according to "Stevie" someone had to have stepped on the ball to embed it.  Regardless, a 500 yard par 4 is tough no matter how you look at it.

[Cliff Hamm]

Always thought that 7 was about the worst hole on the course.  It doesn't really fit and is the most Jones hole on the course along with 4.  The green for example is shallow and long, while most of Baltusrol's greens are round.  Being shallow makes it hard to hit given the distance and can leave very long putts.