Sahalee Country Club
Encyclopedia
The Sahalee Country Club is a private 27-hole golf course
and country club
in Sammamish
, Washington, a suburb east of Seattle
. In the Chinookan
language, Sahalee means "high heavenly ground." The course is located on a heavily-forested plateau
immediately east of Lake Sammamish
.
Sahalee is best known as the site of the 1998 PGA Championship
, the first major championship won by Vijay Singh
of Fiji
. It was also the host of the 2002 WGC-NEC Invitational, won by Craig Parry
of Australia
. The course's original architect
was Ted Robinson. In preparation for the PGA Championship
, Rees Jones
redesigned the course in 1996, 1997, and 1998. The course has been listed on Golf Digest's
Top 100 Courses list for over twenty years, and is the host of the Sahalee Players Championship
, a top amateur
tournament in the region.
After the success of the 1998 PGA Championship
, Sahalee was selected in 1999 to host the championship again in 2010. However, that decision was reversed by the PGA of America in January 2005, when the 2010 event was abruptly moved to Whistling Straits
in Sheboygan
, Wisconsin
, which had recently hosted the very profitable 2004 PGA Championship
and set new attendance records. The PGA of America stated that it was concerned about the possibility of reduced financial support in the Pacific Northwest; the 2010 PGA Championship is scheduled to be held less than six months after the conclusion of the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver
, BC
. As of 2011, the PGA of America has yet to commit to return to Sahalee for a future PGA Championship
, with future venues selected through 2018.
In February 2007, the USGA
selected Sahalee to host the 2010 U.S. Senior Open
, held from July 29 to August 1. Bernhard Langer
of Germany
shot eight under par and won by three strokes over local favorite Fred Couples
, Couples, originally from Seattle, was in his first full season on the Champions Tour
.
is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The dress code states that denim
is not allowed and that a collared
shirt
is required; slacks or non-denim shorts are allowed. Metal spiked shoes are not allowed; neither are groups of five. The course is open year-round, and its greens are aerated in May and September. The greens and fairways are both Poa annua
grass
. Cell phones are not allowed within 100 yards of the clubhouse.
. The first head professional was Paul Runyan
, a PGA Tour
player who won 29 times on the tour, including the 1934 PGA Championship
. He played for the United States
on the Ryder Cup
team four times, and won the Senior PGA Championship
in 1961 and 1962.
In preparation for the 1998 PGA Championship, Rees Jones
was brought in to renovate the courses. The North and South nines (where the championship was held) were renovated in 1996. The East course was renovated after the 1998 PGA Championship. The original clubhouse
was replaced in 2001 with a new 43000 square feet (3,994.8 m²) structure.
, with tall evergreen
trees, primarily Douglas fir
and red cedar
, lining the narrow fairways. The course has many bunkers and several water hazards.
On average, each hole has five or six hazards. The East Course has two pond
s that come into play on two of the holes. This is the same for the North Course and South Course. The North Course's fairways are slightly hilly, whereas the South Course and East Course have relatively flat fairways with the occasional hump to create an uneven lie.
The combination of the North and South courses creates a par
72 layout. From the black (back) tee
s, the course measures 6955 yards (6,359.7 m) with a slope rating
of 74/138. From the blue tees the course measures 6754 yards (6,175.9 m) and has a slope rating of 73.7/135. From the white tees the course measures 6331 yards (5,789.1 m) with a slope rating of 71.6/130. From the red tees the course measures 5715 yards (5,225.8 m) with a slope rating of 73.6/129. For the 1998 PGA Championship, the course played as a par 70 of 6906 yards (6,314.8 m).
The combination of the South and East courses creates a par 72 layout. From the black tees the course measures 6952 yards (6,356.9 m) with a slope rating of 74/138. From the blue tees the course measures 6769 yards (6,189.6 m) with a slope rating of 73.7/135. From the white tees the course measures 6322 yards (5,780.8 m) with a slope rating of 71.6/130. From the red tees the course measures 5725 yards (5,234.9 m) with a slope rating of 73.6/129.
The combination of the North and East courses creates a par 72 layout. From the black tees the course measures 6931 yards (6,337.7 m) with a slope rating of 74/138. From the blue tees the course measures 6,769 with a slope rating of 73.7/135. From the white tees the course measures 6335 yards (5,792.7 m) with a slope rating of 71.6/129. From the red tees the course measures 5750 yards (5,257.8 m) with a slope rating of 73.6/129.
As a par 70, Greg Kraft
holds the course record of 65, which is five under par. As a par 71, Robert Allenby
holds the course record of 63, eight under par.
said of Sahalee: I think the best way to prepare for this course would have been to go to a big city, like New York
, and maybe play down Fifth Avenue ... With the trees being so large, and so close to the fairway, you immediately see the only shot you can possibly hit. And that's straight down the middle.
Justin Leonard
, 1997 British Open
champion said: Everybody heard there were a lot of trees ... I don't think anybody imagined this many.
Davis Love III
said: You have to hit two very good iron shots in a row to get on the green ... For me, it's probably one or two drivers the whole golf course. You don't ever really get to a hole where you can just bomb a driver down there and have an easy shot. "Sahalee is going to be a test of golf that we haven't seen before..."
Ernie Els
said: "And it's a pretty good test, too," he said. "Trees come into play everywhere, and if you miss the fairway you're probably going to make bogey. You better hit as straight as you can."
Colin Montgomerie
said: "It's a lovely course ... it's a beautiful place to play and a beautiful test of golf...The trees get in the way too often...That's the only problem. From above, I'm sure it looks like you can only walk single-file down the fairways."
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
and country club
Country club
A country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
in Sammamish
Sammamish, Washington
-Surrounding cities and communities:-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 34,104 people, 11,131 households, and 9,650 families residing in the city. In 2007, the population is expected to pass 40,000....
, Washington, a suburb east of Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. In the Chinookan
Chinookan
Chinook refers to several native amercain groups of in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, speaking the Chinookan languages. In the early 19th century, the Chinookan-speaking peoples lived along the lower and middle Columbia River in present-day Oregon and Washington...
language, Sahalee means "high heavenly ground." The course is located on a heavily-forested plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
immediately east of Lake Sammamish
Lake Sammamish
Lake Sammamish is a freshwater lake east of Seattle in King County, Washington, United States. The lake is long and wide, with a maximum depth of and a surface area of . It lies east of Lake Washington and west of the Sammamish Plateau, and stretches from Issaquah in the south to Redmond in...
.
Sahalee is best known as the site of the 1998 PGA Championship
1998 PGA Championship
The 1998 PGA Championship was the 80th PGA Championship held from August 13-16 at the Sahalee Country Club in Redmond, Washington. Vijay Singh won his first major championship by two strokes over Steve Stricker.-First round:-Second round:-Third round:...
, the first major championship won by Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. It was also the host of the 2002 WGC-NEC Invitational, won by Craig Parry
Craig Parry
Craig David Parry is an Australian professional golfer. He has been one of Australia's premier golfers since turning professional in 1985, and has 23 career victories, two of those wins being events on the PGA Tour; the 2002 WGC-NEC Invitational and the 2004 Ford Championship at Doral.Parry was...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The course's original architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
was Ted Robinson. In preparation for the PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
, Rees Jones
Rees Jones
Rees Jones is an American golf course architect.He was born in Montclair, New Jersey the son of legendary golf course designer Robert Trent Jones and the younger brother of golf course designer Robert Trent Jones, Jr...
redesigned the course in 1996, 1997, and 1998. The course has been listed on Golf Digest's
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
Top 100 Courses list for over twenty years, and is the host of the Sahalee Players Championship
Sahalee Players Championship
The Sahalee Players Championship is an annual amateur golf tournament. It has been played since 1992 at the Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington.-Winners:*2011 Chris Williams*2010 Peter Uihlein*2009 Nick Taylor*2008 Trent Whitekiller...
, a top amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
tournament in the region.
After the success of the 1998 PGA Championship
1998 PGA Championship
The 1998 PGA Championship was the 80th PGA Championship held from August 13-16 at the Sahalee Country Club in Redmond, Washington. Vijay Singh won his first major championship by two strokes over Steve Stricker.-First round:-Second round:-Third round:...
, Sahalee was selected in 1999 to host the championship again in 2010. However, that decision was reversed by the PGA of America in January 2005, when the 2010 event was abruptly moved to Whistling Straits
Whistling Straits
Whistling Straits is one of two golfing destinations associated with The American Club, a luxury resort located in nearby Kohler, Wisconsin, and owned by a subsidiary of the Kohler Company. The other course is Blackwolf Run. The Whistling Straits complex is located in the unincorporated Sheboygan...
in Sheboygan
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
-Airport:Sheboygan is served by the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport, which is located several miles from the city.-Roads:Interstate 43 is the primary north-south transportation route into Sheboygan, and forms the west boundary of the city. U.S...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, which had recently hosted the very profitable 2004 PGA Championship
2004 PGA Championship
The 2004 PGA Championship was the 86th PGA Championship, played from August 12 to August 15 at the Straits Course of the Whistling Straits complex in Haven, Wisconsin . It was the first PGA Championship held at Whistling Straits. Vijay Singh earned his third major win in a three hole playoff...
and set new attendance records. The PGA of America stated that it was concerned about the possibility of reduced financial support in the Pacific Northwest; the 2010 PGA Championship is scheduled to be held less than six months after the conclusion of the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, BC
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. As of 2011, the PGA of America has yet to commit to return to Sahalee for a future PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
, with future venues selected through 2018.
In February 2007, the USGA
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
selected Sahalee to host the 2010 U.S. Senior Open
United States Senior Open
The U.S. Senior Open is one of the major championships in men's senior golf. It was first played in 1980 and is administered by the United States Golf Association and is recognized as a major championship by both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour...
, held from July 29 to August 1. Bernhard Langer
Bernhard Langer
Bernhard Langer is a German professional golfer. He is a two-time Masters champion, and was one of the world's leading golfers throughout the 1980s and 90s, being the first official number one ranked player in 1986...
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
shot eight under par and won by three strokes over local favorite Fred Couples
Fred Couples
Frederick Steven Couples is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship...
, Couples, originally from Seattle, was in his first full season on the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
.
General information
Since Sahalee is a private course, guests can only play with a member; green fees for guests are $85. The pro shopPro shop
A pro shop is a sporting-goods shop within a public or private-membership amateur sporting activities facility of some kind, most commonly a golf course, where it will typically be located in the country club building...
is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The dress code states that denim
Denim
Denim is a rugged cotton twill textile, in which the weft passes under two or more warp threads. This produces the familiar diagonal ribbing identifiable on the reverse of the fabric, which distinguishes denim from cotton duck. Denim has been in American usage since the late 18th century...
is not allowed and that a collared
Collar (clothing)
In clothing, a collar is the part of a shirt, dress, coat or blouse that fastens around or frames the neck. Among clothing construction professionals, a collar is differentiated from other necklines such as revers and lapels, by being made from a separate piece of fabric, rather than a folded or...
shirt
Shirt
A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body. Originally an undergarment worn exclusively by men, it has become, in American English, a catch-all term for almost any garment other than outerwear such as sweaters, coats, jackets, or undergarments such as bras, vests or base layers...
is required; slacks or non-denim shorts are allowed. Metal spiked shoes are not allowed; neither are groups of five. The course is open year-round, and its greens are aerated in May and September. The greens and fairways are both Poa annua
Poa annua
Poa annua, or annual meadow grass , is a widespread low-growing turfgrass in temperate climates. Though P. annua is commonly considered a solely annual plant due to its name, perennial bio-types do exist. 'Poa' is Greek for fodder. It is one of the sweetest grasses for green fodder, but less ...
grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
. Cell phones are not allowed within 100 yards of the clubhouse.
History
The course opened in 1969, following two years of construction at the then-remote site. The three nines were designed by golf course architect Ted RobinsonTed Robinson (golf course architect)
Theodore G. Robinson was an American golf course architect. He was born in Long Beach, California, and studied at University of California, Berkeley. He received his Masters in Planning from the University of Southern California in 1948. His established his golf course architecture practice in...
. The first head professional was Paul Runyan
Paul Runyan
Paul Scott Runyan was an American professional golfer. He was among the world's best players in the mid-1930s, won two PGA Championships, and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Runyan was also a golf instructor....
, a PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
player who won 29 times on the tour, including the 1934 PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
. He played for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on the Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
team four times, and won the Senior PGA Championship
Senior PGA Championship
The Senior PGA Championship is one of the five major championships in men's senior golf. It is administered by the Professional Golfers' Association of America and is recognized as a major championship by both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour. It was formerly an unofficial money...
in 1961 and 1962.
In preparation for the 1998 PGA Championship, Rees Jones
Rees Jones
Rees Jones is an American golf course architect.He was born in Montclair, New Jersey the son of legendary golf course designer Robert Trent Jones and the younger brother of golf course designer Robert Trent Jones, Jr...
was brought in to renovate the courses. The North and South nines (where the championship was held) were renovated in 1996. The East course was renovated after the 1998 PGA Championship. The original clubhouse
Country club
A country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
was replaced in 2001 with a new 43000 square feet (3,994.8 m²) structure.
Course information
Sahalee is made up of three sets of nine holes; South, North, and East nines. PGA tournaments have been held on the combination of the South and North nines. The course is like many in the Pacific NorthwestPacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
, with tall evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
trees, primarily Douglas fir
Douglas-fir
Douglas-fir is one of the English common names for evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga in the family Pinaceae. Other common names include Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia...
and red cedar
Thuja plicata
Thuja plicata, commonly called Western or pacific red cedar, giant or western arborvitae, giant cedar, or shinglewood, is a species of Thuja, an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae native to western North America...
, lining the narrow fairways. The course has many bunkers and several water hazards.
On average, each hole has five or six hazards. The East Course has two pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
s that come into play on two of the holes. This is the same for the North Course and South Course. The North Course's fairways are slightly hilly, whereas the South Course and East Course have relatively flat fairways with the occasional hump to create an uneven lie.
The combination of the North and South courses creates a par
Par (score)
The word "par" is a term in the game of golf used to denote the pre-determined number of strokes that a scratch golfer should require to complete a hole, a round , or a tournament...
72 layout. From the black (back) tee
Tee
A tee is a stand used to support a stationary ball so that the player can strike it, particularly in golf, tee ball, American football, and rugby.- Etymology :...
s, the course measures 6955 yards (6,359.7 m) with a slope rating
Slope rating
The slope rating of a golf course is a measure of its difficulty for bogey golfers. The term comes from the fact that when playing on more difficult courses, players' scores will rise more quickly than their handicaps would predict. The "slope rating" of a course thus predicts that rise...
of 74/138. From the blue tees the course measures 6754 yards (6,175.9 m) and has a slope rating of 73.7/135. From the white tees the course measures 6331 yards (5,789.1 m) with a slope rating of 71.6/130. From the red tees the course measures 5715 yards (5,225.8 m) with a slope rating of 73.6/129. For the 1998 PGA Championship, the course played as a par 70 of 6906 yards (6,314.8 m).
The combination of the South and East courses creates a par 72 layout. From the black tees the course measures 6952 yards (6,356.9 m) with a slope rating of 74/138. From the blue tees the course measures 6769 yards (6,189.6 m) with a slope rating of 73.7/135. From the white tees the course measures 6322 yards (5,780.8 m) with a slope rating of 71.6/130. From the red tees the course measures 5725 yards (5,234.9 m) with a slope rating of 73.6/129.
The combination of the North and East courses creates a par 72 layout. From the black tees the course measures 6931 yards (6,337.7 m) with a slope rating of 74/138. From the blue tees the course measures 6,769 with a slope rating of 73.7/135. From the white tees the course measures 6335 yards (5,792.7 m) with a slope rating of 71.6/129. From the red tees the course measures 5750 yards (5,257.8 m) with a slope rating of 73.6/129.
As a par 70, Greg Kraft
Greg Kraft
Greg Kraft is an American professional golfer who has played on the Nationwide Tour and the PGA Tour.Kraft was born in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from the University of Tampa in 1986 and turned professional later that year. He played on the Nationwide Tour in 1990, 1991, and 2005; and on the...
holds the course record of 65, which is five under par. As a par 71, Robert Allenby
Robert Allenby
Robert Allenby is an Australian professional golfer.Allenby was born in Melbourne, Australia. His father was from Leeds, England and emigrated to Australia as a young man.-Professional career:...
holds the course record of 63, eight under par.
1998 PGA Championship
Lee JanzenLee Janzen
Lee McLeod Janzen is an American golfer who is best known for twice winning the U.S. Open, in 1993 and 1998.-Early years and amateur career:...
said of Sahalee: I think the best way to prepare for this course would have been to go to a big city, like New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and maybe play down Fifth Avenue ... With the trees being so large, and so close to the fairway, you immediately see the only shot you can possibly hit. And that's straight down the middle.
Justin Leonard
Justin Leonard
Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American...
, 1997 British Open
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
champion said: Everybody heard there were a lot of trees ... I don't think anybody imagined this many.
Davis Love III
Davis Love III
Davis Milton Love III is an American professional golfer.Love was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He attended the University of North Carolina before turning professional in 1985. He earned his PGA Tour card in the fall of 1985, on his first attempt. He quickly established himself on the PGA...
said: You have to hit two very good iron shots in a row to get on the green ... For me, it's probably one or two drivers the whole golf course. You don't ever really get to a hole where you can just bomb a driver down there and have an easy shot. "Sahalee is going to be a test of golf that we haven't seen before..."
Ernie Els
Ernie Els
Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing...
said: "And it's a pretty good test, too," he said. "Trees come into play everywhere, and if you miss the fairway you're probably going to make bogey. You better hit as straight as you can."
Colin Montgomerie
Colin Montgomerie
Colin Stuart Montgomerie, OBE is a Scottish professional golfer, often referred to by one of his nicknames 'Monty'. He has had one of the finest careers in European Tour history, having won a record eight Order of Merit titles, including a streak of seven consecutively from 1993 to 1999, and 31...
said: "It's a lovely course ... it's a beautiful place to play and a beautiful test of golf...The trees get in the way too often...That's the only problem. From above, I'm sure it looks like you can only walk single-file down the fairways."
Head Golf Professionals
- Paul RunyanPaul RunyanPaul Scott Runyan was an American professional golfer. He was among the world's best players in the mid-1930s, won two PGA Championships, and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Runyan was also a golf instructor....
(1969–72) - Ron Rhoades (1972–73)
- Tag Merritt (1973–78)
- Bill Reid (1979–83)
- Mark Rhodes (1983–84)
- Rick Acton (1984–96)
- Jim Pike (1997–present)
Golf Course Superintendents
- Louis Schmidt (1968–77)
- Phil Wycoff (1977–79)
- Bill Campbell (1979–88)
- Tom Wolff (1988–99)
- Rich Taylor (1999–present)