I am curious about which tees people played on GS.
I played the orange tees...6700 yds on the card. From orange tees, number 3 is a strong par 5 at 622 yds. Number 4 is a short par 3 (160 yds), but this is one of the greens with significant contour (flag was just beyond central swale, requiring precise distance control to get close). Number 5 is a 497 yd par 4: Tee shot plays downhill, but unless you hit a long, accurate tee shot flirting with the left-hand fairway bunker, you are left with a 190 blind shot from a downhill lie. Number 6 is a 231 yd par 3, which is never easy in my book, even if you can sling it in from the right. I hit the right to left shot, but was just off on the line and found the bunker. Hit another and it ran through the green over the back. Number 7 is a reachable par 5 (473 yds), but to be in position to go for the green a long accurate drive is required with bunkers threatening left and right. Number 11 required a tee shot near the bunkers on the right to avoid playing over the greenside bunker with flag close behind. After a 260 yd drive, number 13 required a 200 yd + carry to clear the bunker short of the green. Laying up leaves an obscured shot to the green. On 14, I took the safe path to the right-hand fairway, leaving a short iron to green, but flag was protected by the front bunker. Number 16 is a par 3 requiring a long iron. Number 18 is a reachable par 5, but to get into position for that you must flirt with bunkers left and right.
To be sure, GS has three short par 4s that should be easy pars if you know where to hit it. But each presents interesting choices off the tee if you want to use driver.
GS's course rating from the orange tees is 72.1 but with a slope of only 121. That seems about right to me.
The previous day I played Chambers Bay from the navy tees: course rating 75.6 and slope of 139. GS is no Chambers Bay for difficulty, but it is not a pushover from the orange tees...especially with some wind. Yet the bogey golfer can easily work his or her way around.