RTJ Golf Club (Solheim Cup)

[Matt_Cohn]

I don't expect that RTJ is exactly the kind of course that most people here would prefer, but it certainly looks like a pretty and pleasant place to play golf. One thing that seems weird to me is that the lake is only ever on the left (on like 9 of the holes), and the two man-made ponds are both short-left of greens as well. I wonder if there was some reason RTJ didn't employ a figure-eight type routing to get some variation.

[Ben Hollerbach]

I would imagine the topography had a hand in why the routing looks as it does. Especially considering the placement of the 8-9-10 trio and 15-16-17 trio where the proximity from the first green to the 3rd tee is closer than it is to the 2nd tee.

[Matt_Cohn]

I would imagine the topography had a hand in why the routing looks as it does. Especially considering the placement of the 8-9-10 trio and 15-16-17 trio where the proximity from the first green to the 3rd tee is closer than it is to the 2nd tee.

That took me a second but gotcha. Saying 8 green is closer to 10 tee than 9 tee, and 15 green is closer to 17 tee than 16 tee.

[Will Thrasher]

Matt I would agree with pretty - pleasant would be dictated by my ball-striking that day  . Had a similar reaction after recently playing Firestone South - while the similarities between these two RTJ courses aren't obvious, both demand control of your golf ball tee to green. Both courses have clever routing, appear to be fairly walkable. Glad courses like these exist, even if it's not my typical preference.

[Chris Hughes]

Was RTG GC the highest bidder to host?

[Rob Marshall]

Friend of mine is an Oak Hill member and a great player. He puts it his top 5.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I have played RTJ half a dozen times. I think Roger Rulewich did most of the work. The course builds nicely and you know there is going to be a stretch of wonderful holes coming.

[Matt_Cohn]

I have played RTJ half a dozen times. I think Roger Rulewich did most of the work. The course builds nicely and you know there is going to be a stretch of wonderful holes coming.

Did it feel weird or noticeable that the water was always on the left?

[Tommy Williamsen]

It did. I hit it right to left so I was always aware of it. You know the water is there but it is pretty far afield. It isn’t kind to my snap hook though. Nine is pretty scary.

[Tom_Doak]

Friend of mine is an Oak Hill member and a great player. He puts it his top 5.

He should get out more.  Must be a 3-handicap.

[Tom_Doak]

I have played RTJ half a dozen times. I think Roger Rulewich did most of the work. The course builds nicely and you know there is going to be a stretch of wonderful holes coming.

Did it feel weird or noticeable that the water was always on the left?

Crossovers are hard to pull off on terrain, and it’s likely Mr Jones thought that all the side-slopes in the fairways would be more palatable to the members if a typical fade worked into the slope and away from the water.

[Wayne_Kozun]

A bit OT, but it is great to hear Judy Rankin back in the booth for this event.

[Jerry Kluger]

My impression when I played it was that aesthetics were a primary consideration in the design of the course.  By that I mean that it felt like most of the holes played from an elevated tee and then back up to the green in addition to the holes that were sort of forced down to the lake. 


I watched a bit today and it seems that on 18 they were hitting drives 280 to 310 yards according to what the stated length was and the distance of shots into the 18th hole - I think this stuff tries to impress folks but I think it decreases credibility. Or maybe they do really hit it that far?

[Wayne_Kozun]

Only one player on the LPGA averages over 280 - Polly Mack.  In terms of teeing off downhill - that isn't unique to this course.  Doesn't Kapalua have several holes like that, including 18?  Another C&C course, Cabot St Lucia, also has a lot of holes with elevated tees.

[Rob Marshall]

Friend of mine is an Oak Hill member and a great player. He puts it his top 5.

He should get out more.  Must be a 3-handicap.

Well let’s see, he’s won the city championship and the Oak Hill Club Championship 15+ times and in 5 decades. Played a lot of top courses around the country. Maybe his taste is not the same as yours.

[Mike Hendren]

I don’t understand why bunkers (like the right green side bunker at 18) have to be so big. 

[Ira Fishman]

We just came back from the Singles Matches. We did not walk the whole course, but the holes we saw used the land well. The bunkers are very large, but given the size of the property, they do not seem out of place. All in all, a very attractive course.

[Niall C]

Firstly let me congratulate the US team who played brilliantly and fully deserved their victory, even if the Europeans put up a valiant effort at the end. Spirited competition played in the right spirit. Great to watch.


I suspect the course had something to do with that in that it appeared to be a test without being an absolute bruiser of a course. I'm sure the greens aren't completely flat but still an awful lot of putts from significant length were fairly straight-ish. That probably lead to more longer putts being sunk and therefore increased the excitement.


Niall

[Tom_Doak]

Well let’s see, he’s won the city championship and the Oak Hill Club Championship 15+ times and in 5 decades. Played a lot of top courses around the country. Maybe his taste is not the same as yours.

Clearly not.  But if RTJ is in his top five courses, his taste is not the same as anyone else's, either.

[Rob Marshall]

Well let’s see, he’s won the city championship and the Oak Hill Club Championship 15+ times and in 5 decades. Played a lot of top courses around the country. Maybe his taste is not the same as yours.

Clearly not.  But if RTJ is in his top five courses, his taste is not the same as anyone else's, either.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion Tom.