Narrated drone coverage of Olympia Fields North

[Terry Lavin]

One of the best in Chicagoland gets ready to host the BMW Championship. I’ll hazard to say that 30 under won’t win and 18 under won’t fetch 18th place.


https://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2020/8/24/video-olympia-fields-north-drone-tour#commenting=

[Mark_Fine]

Terry,
Played there several times including last year.  It is gettable but you are right, it won't take 30 to win    I am not sure how hard they will have the set up but I do love the golf course. It is a fabulous design and is blessed with an amazing piece of topography.   The third and fourteenth holes are two of the best on the planet.   Many of the greens have false fronts which does limit hole locations and is probably a nightmare for weaker golfers.  It is a shotmakers course and demands precision off the tee and into the greens.  The course was set up hard the day we played it with 5" rough and firm greens.  If that is the case this year, low double digits will win.   I am not enamored, however, with the South. 

[Joel Pear]

Terry, are they playing the actual routing, or the US Open routing?

[Terry Lavin]

Original routing will be played.

[Peter Flory]

"From all the way back, feel free to buy a Metra ticket."  good line

[Sven Nilsen]

Enjoyed watching this video, which brought back a ton of memories.


I would say that the drone footage does a disservice to the course.  Much of the mystique of the north is due to the sight lines.  On the 3rd, from ground level, you don't see the landing area, which makes the shot that much more daunting.  The same kind of perspective issue applies at the 14th on the approach, as well as a few other holes.  While very cool to have the overhead shots, it doesn't give you the true nature of the North.


Unlike Mark, I am a big fan of the South course.  It is a wonderful complement to the championship nature of the North, which has only been made that much harder for the higher handicap with the last round of changes.  For those that have to play a bit more of a ground game, the South is the better course with the ability to play run up shots on many holes and some great contours on the greens to give you a bit of John Kirk's "what happens after the ball hits the ground" aspect of the game.


Sven

[Mark Pearce]

One of the first US courses I played (many thanks again to my host on the day) and a really good introduction to why US parkland courses are so much better than UK parklands.  Fabulous scale and great land movement.  I'm really looking forward to watching this.

[Paul OConnor]

"...18 under won’t fetch 18th place." 

A quote from someone who hasn't played this course over the last 6 weeks.  The rough out there is brutal. 
18 under will win by 5.

[Buck Wolter]

Fried Egg talks with Andy Staples about OF in a new series

https://youtu.be/4OBVFgfZQqs

[Carl Nichols]

"...18 under won’t fetch 18th place." 

A quote from someone who hasn't played this course over the last 6 weeks.  The rough out there is brutal. 
18 under will win by 5.

I think you misunderstood the post. 

[Peter Flory]

The greens are rearing up.  Very interesting to watch so far.  It's formidable without being extreme or tricked out. 

[Peter Pallotta]

Yes, and now we know that par is 'still relevant', at least at Olympia Fields -- 4th place and 2 behind the lead: 'right there'.
If it continues through the weekend, BMW should honour this old school scoring with a winner's bonus ie my favourite old school car: the 1975 BMW 2002, in mint green!

[Tim Martin]

Yes, and now we know that par is 'still relevant', at least at Olympia Fields -- 6th place and 2 behind the lead 'right there'.
If it continues through the weekend, BMW should honour this old school scoring with a winner's bonus ie my  favourite old school car: the 1975 BMW 2002, in mint green!

More fun to watch than the TPC style lather, rinse, repeat birdie assault. Course looks terrific.

[Terry Lavin]

"...18 under won’t fetch 18th place." 

A quote from someone who hasn't played this course over the last 6 weeks.  The rough out there is brutal. 
18 under will win by 5.

You misunderstood my post. I’m saying that Olympia will play a lot harder than last week. Great conditions. Great course.

[Terry Lavin]

To be clear: Olympia North is the best test of professional golf in Chicago and the current conditions are making that very clear. Firm, fast, deep rough and an amazing layout will prove to be a great test this weekend.

[Matt Kardash]

Those first 3 holes seem to a brutally hard start

[Mark Smolens]

I'm not certain that the first hole should be included in a description of "a brutally hard start," even from the tee they built going back into the parking lot. . . with the distances these guys hit the ball, there aren't many par 5s that can be called "brutally hard." Now the second, which was playing 480+, that's brutally hard, and three is one of the hardest holes in the Chicago District.


Love the fact that they've got OFN playing hard and fast. Hoping the 40% chance of rain tomorrow falls in the 60% side. . . I, for one, enjoy watching the big kids have their games tested, and it was certainly a test today. I would second Sven's vote in favor of the South Course as well. It's hard to find a better day than 36 holes at Olympia Fields.

[Jeff Schley]

To be clear: Olympia North is the best test of professional golf in Chicago and the current conditions are making that very clear. Firm, fast, deep rough and an amazing layout will prove to be a great test this weekend.

As biased as I am, this tournament I think will prove the above correct. It has been a while since the 03 US Open and because the first couple days saw Watson shoot 65 and Vijay 63, many thought it wasn't a worthy venue for majors. Although just a handful finished under par at the end.

We are really seeing the teeth of the course come out in these conditions (no rain please). Will be tough to get another PGA as that will be in May and the course wouldn't play this penal then due to soft conditions, but perhaps a US Open or Ryder/Presidents Cup.  Seeing as OFCC has aligned itself with the USGA more so than the PGA, a US Open perhaps? Will also be interesting if Medinah gets another PGA with May starts.

Some of the lines off the tee by these guys are truly amazing, but I think the course is showing up wonderfully to meet the challenge. Makes the city proud and certainly members.

[Mark_Fine]

Guys,
The South is also blessed like the North with a beautiful piece of rolling topography, however, aesthetically the bunkering and the silly mounding are over the top.  It also has all those huge teeing grounds that are all elevated.  I would change those as well.  Sorry, but I think it needs a facelift and if done right it will improve significantly in my book. 

The North is playing as expected.  I just love the design.  Not only a great test of golf but also a great golf course.  As for the Pros, the rough is up which makes a huge difference and if it stays firm the scoring will remain tough. 

[Carl Nichols]

Guys,
The South is also blessed like the North with a beautiful piece of rolling topography, however, aesthetically the bunkering and the silly mounding are over the top.  It also has all those huge teeing grounds that are all elevated.  I would change those as well.  Sorry, but I think it needs a facelift and if done right it will improve significantly in my book. 

The North is playing as expected.  I just love the design.  Not only a great test of golf but also a great golf course.  As for the Pros, the rough is up which makes a huge difference and if it stays firm the scoring will remain tough. 

I believe they are considering significant work on South, with Andy Staples doing the work.

[Jeff_Brauer]

For those who don't know, it's Butterfield Creek, not "Butter filled creek."

[Terry Lavin]

For those who don't know, it's Butterfield Creek, not "Butter filled creek."

This is the same creek that meanders through the back nine at nearby Flossmoor Golf Club.

[Kalen Braley]

I kind of wondered what the point of that first fairway is on #3.  Not only are the pros bombing way over it but DJ ran thru the 2nd fairway yesterday. 

You could almost see Paul Azinger shaking his head as he spoke about bunkers on corners of doglegs that weren't even in play anymore...

[Sven Nilsen]

I kind of wondered what the point of that first fairway is on #3.  Not only are the pros bombing way over it but DJ ran thru the 2nd fairway yesterday. 

You could almost see Paul Azinger shaking his head as he spoke about bunkers on corners of doglegs that weren't even in play anymore...

Kalen:


This might come as a surprise to you, but not everyone bombs it off the tee.  There are a number of members for whom the 3rd is a three shot hole, would you suggest those players be forced to play out of the rough.  The hillside between the two fairway sections sees a good amount of action as well.


Sven

[Ken Fry]

I agree OF provides one of the best 36 hole days you can find, especially in the Midwest.  The North provides the championship caliber challenge, the South more forgiveness and fun.

The front nine of the North course falls short for me, especially compared to my very high opinion of the back 9.  Hole #3 is an all world par 4.  Hole #5 has been lengthened away from a drive and pitch hole but at the expense of a ridiculous walk back to the tee from #4 green.  Hole #6 is a nice par 3 but then requires a walk back up the hill to the tee for #7 right next to #6 tees.  Finally you walk back again to reach the tee for #8 at 280 yards.  The flow over those holes is jarring in my opinion.  Challenging yes, enjoyable, no.

The back nine is blessed with better topography but also a much better variety of holes with varying lengths, movement and challenges.  Holes 11-17 are tough to beat!!

Ken