As mentioned previously, all the bunkers on the North Course have been rebuilt, new drainage, and new improved synthetic sand. In many cases the sand bunker faces have been dropped and are now grass covered. During play this past season, if the rough around the bunkers was long enough, and it often was, balls would catch up on the sides in the grass, leaving quite difficult stances and lies. Depending on course prep, this would be a big change. Also, it seems to me that a few of the bunkers are shallower than before the rebuild.
The tees on every hole have been rebuilt, squared up and leveled. They present beautifully.
All the fairways have been redefined and new bluegrass rough installed around the edges. There has been a bit of this treatment around the edges of most of the greens too. It looks terrific.
Specific changes on holes since 2003 US Open:
1. The Open length was 580 yards. A new tee was added which can play to 630 yards. The first fairway bunker on the right was reconfigured with an island of grass in the middle. A feature present for the original Willie Park design. Awkward stances and lies because of this island.
2. Same as Open length at 471 yards. Bunkers down the right side have been extended another 20 yards or so making the carry 300. Also, on the right side a fair number of ash trees have come down over the last few years which opened up shots that get loose and end up right of the bunkers.
3. Same length as Open 461 yards. No change to this hole. None is needed frankly. There used to be a couple trees short right of the green which are gone, an improvement in my opinion, and the fairway was cut slightly closer to the creek.
4. No change – 400 yards. Some discussions of bunkers on the right and some fairway contouring work ended as discussions. Some small areas on the right edge of the green were reclaimed.
5. Same yardage as US Open, 417 yards. Someone mentioned a new tee 50 yards back, not factual. There is a new center bunker, also part of the original Park design, 20 yards short of the green. It replaces a bunker which was hard on the front of the green, and leaves a finely contoured area short of the green. I like it a lot.
6. No change – 187 yards.
7. The tee has been moved to what was the back of the 15th tee, stretching the hole another 20 yards or so to 450. The US Open yardage was 430. There is a new bunker up the left side 30 yards past the old bunker, which remains in the same location. The hole really sets up beautifully from the new back tee, just a gorgeous hole.
8. There has been a new tee added here, which will give the hole the ability to be played from 294 yards from the very back. The US Open yardage was 247. Hard to believe the tee will ever get that far back for the tournament, but it should. Similar to the work on the 5th hole, the size of the right greenside bunker has been reduced, one of the trio of bunkers short and left has been removed, and a centerline bunker has been added 20 yards or short of the green, also part of the original Park design. I think it looks and plays great. Right and long of the green, the grass has been converted to a chipping area, closely mown setup. I’m not a huge fan of this treatment, which was also done on the left side of 11. Seems a little incongruous to me.
9. The ninth tee was relocated closer to the back of the 8th green, which adds 30 yards to the US Open yardage of 445, now playing 475. Someone earlier mentioned a new bunker on this hole, not factual, all the bunkering is as before. The new tee is back and right of the old tee, and presents a much improved sightline to the iconic clock tower. The old tee was at a bit of an awkward angle relative to the fairway bunkers, and the new tee box improves the aesthetic of the hole off the tee, in my opinion. The rest of the hole is the same. So by my count the front nine yardage can now be played up to 3,785 yards, US Open was 3,684.
10. No change here - 444 yards
11. This hole was shortened 20 yards to make room for the new 9th tee, and will play 375 yards. I suspect this will become the in vogue driveable par 4 for the tournament. As mentioned before, there is a new chipping type area, closely mown off the left side of the green. Not really my thing. The cart path was moved to the right of the green where everyone always tried to drive anyway
12. No change - 390 yards. The fairway close to the creek was extended just few yards closer to the creek. A few years back, the thickly wooded area to the left of the green, and the left of 13, was cleared which improves airflow and visibility in this area of the course.
13. No change – 168 yards. The previously mentioned clearing has made shots missed left of the green from automatic lost into something of an adventure. If you’re up for it you can climb down the very steep slope and look for your ball for the near impossible recovery shot to the green 30 feet above your head. Could be some fun here.
14. Played 444 yards for the US Open. The existing back tee has been extended a little, probably no more than 10 yards. Other than that no change to the hole, which since it is already one of the greatest golf holes on the planet, is a good thing.
15. Tee moved back another 10 yards to 585. A bunker was added up the right side past the dogleg at about 170 yards from the green. In my opinion, it should have been 60 yards closer to the green. I will be shocked if a single player hits into this bunker for the entire tournament. Also some clearing of an overgrown area on the right side at the dogleg has greatly improved the sight lines down the hole and opened up a view of the green from far back in the fairway.
16. No change – 215 yards - This is one of the holes where it seems the bunkers are a bit shallower than before.
17. When the entry bridge and road were rebuilt a few years ago, the tee for this hole was moved much further back and to the left, straightening what was once a slight dogleg right. The US Open yardage was 433 yards, the hole now plays 455. There have been a number of ash trees down the left side which have been removed. This is the third hole with a newly installed original Willie Park design center bunker, this one a little further from the green, 50 yards or so. The new tee angle brought Butterfield Creek fully into view and consciousness, setting the hole up beautifully with the landing area defined between the creek and the fairway bunker, and the two bunkers cut into the ridge adding to a simply magnificent presentation.
18. Plays same length as US Open – 496 yards. As previously mentioned, quite a bit of work done on this hole moving the fronting bit of the pond way right out of the main corridor of the hole. Some considerable discussion on this move, but I like it. This hole is plenty tough already. Also, another fairway bunker was added up the left side right at the corner of the slight dogleg left. So the back nine plays 3580, just a few yards longer than the US Open length. Total yardage 7,370. That should be plenty for par 70.