JK,
I cannot confirm Mr. Hanse's involvement. I can only express confidence that if he is, then WF's courses are in good hands. I will ask however as the info is available. The most exciting thing that has been going on in recent seasons at "the Foot" has been the restoration/recovery of full 1925 dimensions of the East greens. The look and feel of the recovered area has been a wonder and once this project gets "noticed" within the exploitation circles, I think the East is going to get a bit more of the attention it deserves.
Also JK, JMEvensky asked a few posts ago about Quaker and I know you have extensive experience of the WF neighbor as we have exchanged a fair share about it on other threads - you may want to take that ball and run with it. I am one of those who like Quaker, but not love it, yet its virtues should never be ignored, as they are many.
Patrick,
as with any golfer/any course, playing from the proper tee is fundamental to maximizing one's sense of architectural values. If I'm not mistaken, the 1974 Open tips made for a course of 6900+ yards and the 1959 Open tips were 6750. I could be mistaken about the latter. In any event, I'm glad to hear your report of the excellence a solid group of players can derive from a course that is now thought of -in championship terms- as a 7200 yard beast. Your comment about greenside play is exactly what I mean, when I say that WF needs fewer tricks than most venues to ratchet up national championship conditions.
Matt W.
I think the property - topography, features, etc - is one of the great advantages Tillie had in making these two courses. He still did a lot of blasting to arrive at the finished product, but one reason WF is so special is the blending of flats and smaller dales and still getting a nice mixture of camouflage and dramatic vistas in the final product that is perhaps one of the best American walking experiences there is, of the championship caliber courses.
George P.
Some of these variations (between Open and Member set up) have been mentioned already but here is a brief list of the most noteworthy:
#2 is a COMPLETELY different hole played from 453 as opposed to 390. Beyond sheer distance, the drive has to be missed on the left to have any chance from the longer tee, which does re-instate the value of a left fairway bunker that is otherwise a hazard for topping old ladies.
#3 enough of a test from 185-200, but gets crazy when the 2006 Open prep made a tee that is 255 to center. I have verified with my laser gun that if they use the very back of that tee box with the back most pin, it would play 273. Even the elite players are hitting and hoping from that distance. I believe Friday of the 2006 Open was the only day the USGA put it back there. My inside info from the week is that the players were screaming in the locker room and for the weekend it didn't play more than 235.
#4 - the narrowing of the fairway is the biggest item here. The Open tee is almost 460 and the gentle dogleg of the fairway from the members tee of about 430 +/- which is solvable, becomes a diagonal heroic carry from the back markers.
#5 - they have no where to go with this tee box, so this hole plays most like it does for members as for championship competitors.
#6 - a short par 4 that is not given enough props in that category on our board or elsewhere. the fairway was narrowed to a uniform 22 yards, it's just over 30 yards regularly. One of those places where the USGA can have their fun, it doesn't hurt the value of the hole.
#7 - the shortest par 3 on the course and while the USGA didn't do anything special to the hole, when the tee is placed at 160 to pin, local knowledge tells you you have add almost 15 yards for uphill nature and the prevailing headwind. When the US Open yardage gets nearer 175, it's no longer a Babe in the woods, it's a crushed 4-iron (for me).
#8 - perhaps WF's least-most recognized great hole. The Open fairway cut, trees right and lushest rough on the course left just turn it into a par 5 for most of us. Because its one of the few holes where trees still hector the tee shot, it oddly is somewhat easier to play from a further tee. From the member's tee, it requires a 10-15 yard fade aimed down left center, from the back tee, there is more initial room to work the ball in the other direction.
#9 - a lovely softee as a Par 5, a brute as a Par 4.
#10 - just history and a demanding crack iron shot, but here's a prediction we may never get to see if WF doesn't host a tournament for some years. I'm betting dollars to donuts that the next Open will see a new tee, playing about 215-220 in an empty grass area behind the current tee which has markers of 183 and 190 to middle.
#12 - they added 90 yards to the traditional tee, making it play up to 630, enough said. Fun VK fact. Two of my three birds on this hole (about 30-40 playings) came from the back tee. Driver, 4w, 4i in both cases.
#14 - probably (along with 2) the most changed hole on the course when played from the Open distance of 453. the members tee is around 385-90 most days, sometimes a little over 400. goes from a gentle and fun hole to a brute if you play the back markers.
#16 - like #9, a fun opportunity hole as a 475 yard par 5 - an unpleasant scramble as a 485 yard par 4.
#18 - from the back tee of 460 (447 in 1974 and 84 editions), you have to work your ball to the right side of the fairway, as you can hit a good one down left/left center and still be blocked out by the corner trees. Fun VK fact: I went out early on Monday of Open week (6/12/06) and Ernie Els went off the back at 6:20am. There were four people, including myself and Els and his caddie. When he got to 18 (around 8 am), he wanted to experiment with seeing where his 4w would go off this tee...to see if he could get away with it and still have a reasonable play into the green. He hits a slightly pulled shot that drew just into the left rough (screwed in both distance and angle) and before it landed, with a disgusted Afrikaner brogue sigh, he held out his hand and said, "Gimme da' damn Driver!"
cheers
vk