Oak Tree ( Dye) top holes

[mark chalfant]

It seems like the long  3rd and the 210 yd 4th are of great interest. What other holes stand out at this modern classic,
especially on the back nine
thanks

[mike_beene]

Mark,my two favorites are 14,which is about the only cut hole and is a great contrast to the ball above your feet front nine.The green sits nicely on a little hill but is visible if drive correctly placed.I also like the true 18th,which PGA switches with 9 for crowd reasons.The green reminds me of 18 at St Andrews with a slightly different valley of sin.

[Brad Klein]

3rd green site is astonishing how it sits up there; entire short par-5 16th is also great on tee/second/third for all the angles and options.

[Matt_Cohn]

There are a lot of good holes there. In addition to the ones mentioned already,

#12: A long dogleg par-4 with a tiny push up green.
#13: Short, tight par-3 with water left and a killer front pin position.
#15: Noteworthy as a strategic bunkerless par-4.

Mike:
I can honestly say that I've never paused in the middle of a round at Oak Tree and thought, "This reminds me of St. Andrews." Except for the wind, maybe.

[mike_beene]

Matt,only that there are not many Valley of Sin features out there and this one comes close.I am interested enough in the Old Course I probably see similarities that aren't really there.I do think Oak Tree is as good a real estate course as there is.Has a major been played on any other course with houses on both sides of five fairways?

[RT]

Mark,

For those its the "Men's Course" Mark makes reference to, not the Country Club.  I am not sure if it is called the Men's course anymore as there was a bit of visible tussle with one the OKC state newswomen, Linda Cavanaugh, making ribbing mentions to her sports announcer colleague on channel 4 about the all male exclusive membership.

I spent quite a bit of time there at Oak Tree (Mens course) and on the back nine there were several fine holes, 13th short par-3 with the walled creek hard left of the green, as mentioned the 14th with a demon green design, the 15th with its wonderful green and bunkerless hole, the 16th as mentioned, with a wild green tiered green with a massive false tongue to start it. 18 always seemed an extremely tough hole for me to get a par; uphill drive, south summer wind in your face, deep deep pseudo valley of sin fronting the green on a diagonal left to right, as well as to the back right of the green, and a small green target perched up slightly with some wicked little borrows on the greens' surface.

Have not seen it since the greens remodeling program these last four years if I am correct, before the Senior Mens tourney last year 2006.  Last time I set foot on it was 1985.

[Matt_Ward]

Mark:

I am partial to the starting hole. Very demanding tee shot which sets the tone for the day. You need to hit it quite well because it's just a tad behind the likes of such brutal openers as the 1st at WF / West and Oakmont.

What's really unfair for the legacy of the course is that when the '88 PGA was played there the wind was simply not present and the PGA of America going into the event made sure the course didn't play close to its maximum severity.

Be very interested in seeing a return to the course if that could happen.

P.S. The short par-3 13th is also a gem -- if I'm not mistaken that's the hole that Seve really likes when he played there.

[RT]

Matt is quite right about 1.  Tougher than nails, and quite the hole for Oklahoma at that epoque, especially that green site and its surrounds.

[Matt_Cohn]

I should have listed #1 as well, I forgot about that. It's a very narrow start to the round, and often a pitch out (or a very risky carry from trees) if you don't hit a good drive due to water about 20 yards in front of the green.

[RT]

The 6th could be a scorecard killer, heavily three tiered green running on slight diagonal left to right, raised from fairway level, not deep in distance from front to back of green, many depressions side and back of green with uneven stances off the green, heavy patch of lovegrass and staghorn sumacs right rough in driving area and directly behind green, creek low left rough.