PGA champinship at Hazletine

[stllefty]

Anyone know the inside scoop to the course?
greens,fairways ect.
Love to hear about anything you know,one of my Buddys is playing in the Tournament.
I need some course knowledge!! Already got everything I could off the web site.

[Augster]

Sorry for the late response to your PM, I've been on vacation.

I went to the PGA in 2002. Getting to the course is a nightmare. I don't know where you are staying, or if your pal has better accomodations, but for the rest of us you have to drive to Canterbury Park to park and get picked up by the shuttles. Then you ride the shuttles for 20-25 minutes until you get to the dropoff at the course. Then you have to walk quite a bit to the entrance where they frisk you etc.

Just getting in is quite the process so leave yourself plenty of time. And you really can't arrive early enough. Sunday of the PGA my friend and I were at the shuttles by 6:30AM and there was still a line.

The plusses are that if you are coming from the North, they have gotten rid of all the stoplights that were there in 2002. So getting to Canterbury should speed up quite a bit. Also, the shuttles are almost running constantly so there is little just waiting around.

To the course, I didn't mind the grandstands behind 9 and 18. You can see both greens. They do fill up.

The best spot that I liked was the top of the grandstand behind 7 I believe. It's a par 5 and most all the pros were going for it in 2. The grandstand is situated that the shot is coming right at you and you can see it the entire way. Being on the top of the grandstand, you can stand up and behind you you can watch the entire Par 3 8th hole. They tee off right behind the grandstand and the green is easily visible. I think there is one other hole you can keep an eye on while you are there. But I'm just trying to remember at this point.

Number 16 is a great hole to sit down just past the dogleg and watch. A very scary hole for most everyone in the field. Lots of risk/reward. Lots of pond balls or creek balls too. From the dogleg you can see the tee shot and the action on the green.

There are lots of hills so be prepared. Start doing some interval training this week.

Trying to follow Tiger at a major at this venue is a joke. Every day, in 2002, the throng following him was at least 8 deep. And with that many people moving, you can't get to where Tiger's next shot will be before he hits it. By the time you can get that 300 down the fairway, and get situated, he's already on the move.

What I would do differently is to try to get to the landing zone of the hole, not the teebox. With so many treed doglegs out there, you won't be able to see him swing from the landing zone. But if you are there and against the rope, you should be able to see his next swing, and the action on the green without moving. Then move to the next landing zone.

Watching shots from the teebox just so you can shout "Get in the hole" or "You da man" and get heard on TV is really only for idiots anyway. The way the tee boxes are raised, really only about the 20 people against the ropes can see anyone tee off.

And they got there at 7AM.

I would get a top-down map of the course and plan strategy on how to get from landing zone to landing zone once I got there.

If I was to do it again, I would get to 16 early on Thurs and Fri and spend more time there.

I hope this helps. If you have any more questions, just ask!

[stllefty]

Thanks for the insite should be one hell of a week. So if Iam hearing you right seems
Hitting the fairways off the tee can be a little hard to do?
I dont think Ill have to deal to much with the getting around the course. Iam carrying his bag. But it also sounds like we better give ourselfs a little more time than normal to get to the course.

[Augster]

You are caddying? For real?

If you are inside the ropes, you shouldn't have any trouble getting around at all. I thought you were going to watch.

Insofaras playing the course, nobody plays the course. My friend got in with a member last year and played it one time. He said he thought it'd be a lot more difficult and a lot "nicer". He played it in late September or October from what I recall.

His main critique was that it was LONG. He got fatigued by having to hit long irons into greens all day long.

The plus side to Hazeltine is that you really can't lose a ball. Lots and lots of trees, but no underbrush so you'll always find it. The only way to lose a ball is to plunk it in the water.

There are lots of hills, so he'll get lots of uphill and downhill lies. From what I recall, there aren't a lot of "flat" areas out there.

Where are you staying (town) and what are your tee times?

I'm sure they will have a players parking lot right on site which will make getting there much, much easier. The traffic around the course, from what I recall, is negligble at best. Everyone is pointed to park at Canterbury so that is where the traffic will be. It is all residential around the course.

[stllefty]

No tee times yet, staying nearby at Bluff Creek golf course, are you thinking about going? Iam with Bob Gaus out of St. louis this is his 5 Major. 3 PGAs
2 US Open's.

[Augster]

No, I'm not planning on attending. You can just follow the action so much better on TV.

Now if I were inside the ropes, I'd definitely be there.

I had thought about maybe bugging Sling for media credentials, but I just won't have the time.

I may try to take the kids out to a practice round Tuesday or Wednesday. Practice rounds are cool because the guys are still hitting shots, but the crowds are much thinner. It's a much more relaxed atmosphere.

I hope you two do well. Making the cut would be just awesome to get two more rounds inside the ropes at a major.

If you twist an ankle or are too hungover, I'll gladly loop for you. Just give me a call.

So you have that going for you, which is nice.

[stllefty]

Thanks for all, if I have a hangover,or twist my anckle youll be the first to know.
If i get time after the Tournament ,let me know , Ill bring my clubs maybe if all the stars
are in place we might be able to get together.
thanks again.

[LyleG]

I will be at this, cant wait.

[Augster]

Lyle, when are you coming and where are you staying?

Are you planning on playing while you are here, or just watching?

Anything you'd like to know about the area, just ask and I'll give it my best guess.

[What'saScore]

My hole-in-one daughter and I just got back from the first day of practice. Had to work until noon, so we didn't get to Hazeltine until about 2:00pm. Most of the big cannons teed off early this morning, but we still saw some excellent golfers making great shots. This is the first PGA event I have ever attended, and I was surprised at how relaxed and informal the practice round was. The players were very accommodating, giving plenty of time and autographs to the fans. It was nice having a small crowd and being able to sit in the shade and then walk right up to the ropes when the players came by.
I happened to like the idea of parking at Canterbury and bussing in. It sure beat driving all over the place and fighting 10,000 people for 5000 parking spots.
I'm not much of a photog, but here are a few of pics.

[SilverUberXeno]

Who's the babe?!

[What'saScore]

Originally Posted by SilverUberXeno

Who's the babe?!

That is my hole-in-one hitting 15 year old daughter.

Mind your manners

[Highdraw34]

Anyone paying for the I-Phone app? The features look nice but I can't believe they are making people pay for it. Not to mention there are going to be ads on it. WTF?