made. In spite of – or perhaps because of – the changes, Schultz believes the course remains true to the original design intent of Robert Trent Jones.
“I think the best way to describe the course is that it’s a true heavyweight,” says Schultz, who has been at Hazeltine National Golf Club for 34 years. “It’s big, it’s brawny, and everything is right in front of you. There’s no need to trick up the course to make it a good test. It’s very traditional – there aren’t a lot of courses that still host major championships as par- 72 courses with four par 5s on the card.”
In the latest round of renovations, Rees Jones added more than 300 yards to the golf course and repositioned fair way bunkers on several holes. The angles on some tee shots were altered to make the doglegs more of a challenge and accommodate modern ball flight and distance off the tee.
One hole that boasts slight changes from 2002 is the par- 4 fifth hole, which will play approximately 40 yards longer this year. The fairway bunkers have been brought back into play, and players that were hitting irons off the tee will now need to hit accurate drivers or 3-woods for an optimal approach into a green with difficult hole locations.
On the back side, the dramatic par- 4 16th remains a focal point for final-round fireworks. “The 16th is a favorite hole for spectators, and it always plays tough for the professionals,” Schultz says. “You need to drive the ball between Hazeltine Lake and a creek – if you miss the fairway, double bogey is a real possibility.”
Some architects design a golf course, oversee the construction and walk away. That’s clearly not the case at Hazeltine National Golf Club, thanks to four decades of work by the Joneses.
For a look at each of Hazeltine National Golf Club’s 18 holes, in the words of Schultz, please turn the page...
The following 15 courses have hosted two or more PGA Championships:
Facility Location
Atlanta Athletic Club Duluth, Ga.
Cherry Hills Country Club Denver, Colo.
Firestone Country Club Akron, Ohio
Hazeltine National Golf Club Chaska, Minn.
Inverness Club Toledo, Ohio
Keller Golf Course St. Paul, Minn.
Medinah Country Club Medinah, Ill.
Oak Hill Country Club Rochester, N. Y.
Oakland Hills Country Club Bloomfield Township, Mich. Oakmont Country Club Oakmont, Pa.
Olympia Fields Country Club Olympia Fields, Ill. PGA National Golf Club Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Shoal Creek Birmingham, Ala. Southern Hills Country Club Tulsa, Okla.
Valhalla Golf Club Louisville, Ky.
Multiple PGA Championships
Years
1981, 2001 1941, ’ 85 1960, ’ 66, ’ 75 2002, ’09 1986, ’ 93 1932, ’ 54 1999, 2006 1980, 2003 1972, ’ 79, 2008
1922, ’ 51, ’ 78 1925, ’ 61 1971, ’ 87 1984, ’ 90
1970, ’ 82, ’ 94, 2007 1996, 2000