PGA 2006 Preview -- Medinah Country Club
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by user Joebook
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The PGA Championship is coming back to Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois, about 30 miles west of Chicago. Practice rounds and events begin Monday, August 14 and continue until the champion is crowned on Sunday, August 20. As someone who lives 15 minutes from Medinah and has played there several times, I'll attempt to keep bias out of the preview.
When Tiger Woods won the PGA Championship in 1999 at Medinah, the golf world took notice of the great climate and excellent course conditions. Medinah had last hosted the 1990 U.S. Open, and the club was happy to be selected for the first time to host the PGA in '99.
Seven years later, the club has fixed many of the problems that occurred in '99, including parking issues and public transportation. Many different sites around the Chicagoland area, including Arlington Park and Alexian Field (home of the Independent League Schaumburg Flyers) will be used as remote parking sites. Medinah will provide shuttles from all parking lots.
Best Hole
The 13th hole, a par-3 over water, will play 244 yards to the pin with a middle placement, making it one of the longest par-3 holes in major championship history. The grandstands on the hill above the 13th green will provide much action on all days. It should be fun to watch professionals have fits with this distance.
Best View
You can't go wrong anywhere on the course, and the 18th green is the sentimental favorite, but the best view on the entire course comes from the 18th tee. A few steps behind you is the 17th green, where players aim at another water-guarded par-3, surrounded by bunkers. In front of you is the quinessential view of golf - a long, beautiful par-4 with a large American flag hovering over the green.
Longest Hole
The par-5 7th hole features a dogleg right and will play at around 600 yards, tee to green. Many bunkers line the fairway, and even the longest professionals will have problems hitting an accurate second shot close to the green... nevermind the trees hanging over the right side of the fairway near the green.
Hardest Hole
While the expectation is that the 7th or 13th holes will be the hardest, it looks as if the most difficult hole will the the par-4 16th. Playing approximately 475 yards, the dogleg left becomes reason for a strategic drive. The hole will turn into a monster with a drive pushed to the right, or lost in the forest to the left. A deep valley in front of the elevated green makes the approach shot deceiving.
Easiest Hole
The 15th hole appears to be the only par-4 that will play less than 400 yards, and doesn't have many challenges. There are several bunkers guarding the green, but with a good, centered drive, most players will have between 75-125 yards for an approach, and will be able to fire at the pin.
Review
Medinah Country Club will again be an excellent host. The course will feature many food vendors and an increased number of restroom facilities. The parking situation is still imperfect, but with very little parking on site and close to 5,000 volunteer workers enlisted for the weekend, the clb has done everything it can to ensure comfort in getting to the course.
One way to beat traffic and crowds is to get a Metra train schedule and park in a surrounding suburb by finding a public lot. Most of the neighbor villages have public parking, and the Medinah train station is less than one mile from the gates at the course.
Medinah will shine once again, and prove why the PGA and golf officials pegged it as the site for the 2012 Ryder Cup. Early weather forecasts are calling for a gorgeous week, and crowd are expected to be heavy. If anyone is in the area for the tournament, one of the best times to see the course is Wednesday, while the players are playing a practice round and testing the greens.
See you next weekend ---
Date
Fri 08/11/06, 9:08 am EST
