The
second Main of the 12 months is nearly upon us.
This 12 months sees the 106th version of the USPGA Championship as Brooks Koepka appears to defend his title. The match is being held at Valhalla Golf Membership in Kentucky from Could 16-19.
On this weblog, we have a look at 10 of one of the best USPGA venues and the way a lot it may price to get a recreation there. Disclaimer: a few of them are fairly costly!
The most effective USPGA venues you possibly can play
What’s it like? There are two programs at Oakland Hills, the North and South, and it’s the latter which has hosted the USPGA Championship thrice. The Detroit 36-holer has additionally hosted six US Opens and the 2004 Ryder Cup, the place Europe trounced the People by 9 factors.
The Donald Ross design is ranked among the many Top 100 courses on this planet and has undergone numerous modifications over time. After his US Open win right here in 1951, Ben Hogan commented that he had ‘introduced this monster to its knees’, and since then, the course has been known as The Monster.
Today, nonetheless, there are fewer timber, however sadly, the historic clubhouse was burned to the ground in 2022.
How a lot is a inexperienced price? A spherical right here will price round $175.
What’s it like? This two-time US Open venue, ranked within the US prime 30, hosted the 2019 USPGA Championship and also will host the Ryder Cup in 2025.
There are 5 programs on the general public property and the Black is
generally considered the hardest. On the Ryder Cup, we’ll see loads of the
iconic signal that reads: ‘WARNING: The Black Course Is An Extraordinarily Troublesome Course Which We Advocate
Solely For Extremely Expert Golfers’.
The Ryder Cup right here guarantees to be one of many
most boisterous ever, with the New York galleries set to get behind their crew
because the US look to regain the trophy.
Brooks Koepka secured back-to-back USPGA victories together with his win right here in 2019 as he held off a fast-finishing Dustin Johnson.
How a lot is a inexperienced price? For NY state residents, 18 midweek holes will price a good $70. This balloons to $140 for out-of-towners (which, to be truthful, remains to be affordable).
What’s it like? Once more, this can be a 36-hole property within the New York suburbs, nevertheless it’s the East Course which hosts the massive tournaments—and it was right here that Europe prevailed in opposition to all the percentages within the 1995 Ryder Cup, when a sure Bernard Gallacher was captain.
Oak
Hill staged the primary Main victory by a LIV golfer in 2023, as Brooks Koepka
edged out Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland. The course report is a 63, set
by Jason Dufner en path to his victory within the 2013 USPGA Championship.
The
course is constructed round a creek, which comes into play on half the holes, and it
has not too long ago seen some modifications to take it nearer to its unique Donald Ross
design.
How a lot is a inexperienced price? It is a non-public membership so that you’ll must know a member to play right here—apparently, Rory McIlroy is one. It’s reported that the becoming a member of price is between $78-100k, and annual subs vary from $10-27k.
What’s it like? Oklahoma’s Southern Hills has held 5 USPGA Championships, together with considered one of Tiger Woods’ 15 Main triumphs.
Gil
Hanse has restored a lot of the unique design right here, and it’s a reasonably flat
take a look at regardless of the elevated 1st and 10th tees, with loads
of doglegs.
Within the ultimate spherical of the 1977 US Open right here, Hubert Inexperienced performed on regardless of earlier receiving a loss of life risk the place he was knowledgeable gunmen would shoot him on the 15th gap! He made par and went on to win the match.
If
you’re fortunate (and wealthy) sufficient to be a member right here, you can even get pleasure from 12
tennis courts, swimming swimming pools, and a well being and wellness centre in addition to the
golf services. Ben Crenshaw additionally added a nine-hole course right here in 1992.
How a lot is a inexperienced price? You’d must play with a member, however should you have been eager to affix, you possibly can anticipate an extended ready listing and annual charges upwards of $30k.
Years hosted (winners): 2012 (Rory McIlroy), 2021 (Phil Mickelson)
What’s it like? We’ll be again right here in 2031, and if the primary two USPGAs listed here are something to go by, then we’ll be in for one more cracker.
The
Ocean Course in South Carolina is situated alongside an unbelievable 10-mile stretch and
is considered one of 5 programs, having been added in 1991. This Pete and Alice Dye
design is one other to sit down within the higher echelons of America’s main programs and
was additionally the setting for the 2000 movie The Legend of Bagger Vance with Will
Smith and Matt Damon.
It first turned identified to most when it hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup, the place Bernhard Langer missed a putt to tie the general match.
Rory
McIlroy received the USPGA by eight strokes right here in 2012, and in 2021, Phil
Mickelson turned the oldest Main champion at 50.
How a lot is a inexperienced price? There are many stay-and-play offers, however as of 2021, the inexperienced price right here was across the $450 mark.
Years
hosted (winners): 2005 (Phil Mickelson), 2016 (Jimmy Walker)
What’s it like? It is a non-public 36-hole membership in New Jersey and was the primary membership to have hosted two US Opens on two totally different programs.
Each
its USPGA Championships have come on the Decrease Course, and we’ll be again right here
once more in 2029. Legendary designer AW Tillinghast laid out each programs within the
Roaring Twenties, and the Decrease Course options rolling and contoured fairways
and tough greens. There are additionally loads of bunkers, lots of them significantly
merciless, however Gil Hanse has overseen a rejigging of issues in recent times.
An attention-grabbing backstory is {that a} Mr Baltus Roll as soon as farmed this land within the 19th century, however the Dutchman was murdered by two thieves looking for his money.
How a lot is a inexperienced price? That is one other non-public membership the place you’ll must know a member to play—nevertheless it’s reported that the becoming a member of price is round $150k, with annual subs near $20k.
What’s it like? The Straits Course is the better-known of the 2 layouts right here, the opposite being the Irish. Herbert Kohler employed Pete and Alice Dye to be the architects and, at one level, there have been stated to be over a thousand bunkers on the course of varied sizes and shapes. So, it was ironic that Dustin Johnson can be penalised two pictures for grounding his membership on the 72nd gap of the 2010 USPGA Championship, not figuring out that the sandy floor was, in truth, deemed to be a bunker.
5
years later, Jordan Spieth very practically made it three Main successes however was
held off by Jason Day, who would declare his first. The Wisconsin course staged the
Ryder Cup in 2021 as Steve Striker’s aspect smashed the Europeans by 10 factors.
How a lot is a inexperienced price? The height fee right here is one thing within the area of $555, making it one of many pricier inexperienced charges within the States.
Years
hosted (winners):2020
(Collin Morikawa)
What’s it like? The San Francisco monitor has solely held one USPGA Championship, when the Majors returned after greater than a 12 months out because of the pandemic.
Morikawa
received in entrance of no followers right here, as per the restrictions on the time. The low
level, although, got here in 1998 when it acted as a car parking zone for the US Open at
the Olympic Membership, nevertheless it’s now been restored to one thing a lot better.
The
course will have fun its centenary in 2025, and up to date renovations have elevated
it to new ranges. It’s at the moment the one city-owned public course managed by
the PGA Tour.
How a lot is a inexperienced price? Reserving 18 holes on-line shall be within the area of $190.
Years
hosted (winners):2017
(Justin Thomas)
What’s it like? Quail Hole opened in 1961, and the North Carolina course will host its second USPGA Championship in 2025. It’s been a daily cease on the PGA Tour and is maybe finest identified for Rory McIlroy’s seven-stroke win right here in 2015.
It additionally staged the Presidents Cup in 2022, the place the People recorded one other simple victory. Arnold Palmer made some modifications to the course again within the ‘80s earlier than Tom Fazio turned the membership’s architect, however regardless of the PGA Tour tournaments and Main duties, it nonetheless struggles to make an impression on the important thing course rankings.
How a lot is a inexperienced price? Because it’s a personal member membership, you’ll should be invited right here—and then you definately’ll doubtless pay round $400.
What’s it like? Jack Nicklaus designed this course within the ‘80s, and there may be a lot area that 40 totally different routings have been thought of.
Valhalla
is immediately recognisable given its staged a US Ryder Cup success, considered one of
Tiger’s Main wins (the one the place he beat Bob Could in a play-off), after which Rory
McIlroy’s triumph at nighttime 14 years later.
Bizarrely,
that continues to be McIlroy’s most up-to-date Main win. The USPGA Championship is again
right here in Kentucky in 2024, and all eyes (once more) shall be on McIlroy as he appears
to finish that run.
How a lot is a inexperienced price? The precise price is unknown, though, like many USPGA venues, you’ll must play with a member right here.
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