The Olympic Club, which offers plenty more than just golf and whose total membership currently exceeds 5,000, has seen a number of course changes since opening for play in 1919 with a design by Sam Whiting. Prior to hosting its first Open in 1955, Robert Trent Jones Sr was hired to work on the course over a two-year period and in preparation for the 2012 Open, some substantial alterations have been carried out by course architect Bill Love, in close association with the USGA. Mike Davis, perhaps not surprisingly, thinks Love has done a marvelous job. "I've yet to hear anybody that's even remotely neutral on his work," said Davis.
The USGA will set up the course to play to 7,154 yards for the Open to a par of 70, which is approximately 357 yards longer than the 1998 championship when Lee Janzen overcame a faltering Payne Stewart by a single shot.
Davis notes that playing an Open at under 7,200 yards is short by modern day standards but points out that the course won’t ‘play’ short.
"We're at sea level here, and with the cold, moist air that you've got, the ball just doesn't go as far. So I think that is a very deceiving yardage and a yardage that I don't think, in fact, I know we'll not be playing that full yardage on any given day.’ said Davis
The golf course itself will also play differently to most other US Open venues and is regarded by the USGA supremo as one of the best shot making venues on the rota.
Pages
Click here to see the published article.
