I was fortunate enough to get a chance to play golf at Oakland Hills country club last Monday through a contact at work (see scorecard pictured in post). It has only been 1 month since the PGA Championship was held there, and I was anxious to see how I would handle the lightening fast and difficult greens, as well as the long, gnarly rough.
Surprisingly, the greens were not anywhere near as fast as I expected them to be. It's difficult to comprehend some of the extreme contours on the greens, and I left several putts very short (like miles). I didn't hit many fairways, so I definitely got to visit the rough a lot. The areas where the gallery had been during the PGA was considered ground under repair, as it was being re-seeded. But the rough close to the fairway tended to be long and thick. When against the grain, it was very difficult to get much club on the ball, however, downgrain I was able to get a good amount of club on the ball, and still hold the greens (though they were softer than I imagine they were during the PGA).
All in all, a potentially once in a lifetime experience to play there. Here is a hole-by-hole recap of my round, at least as best as I can remember all of the details.
#12: Long par 5. Driver into trees on the right. Punch-cut 5 iron into fairway, 9 iron to green from 135, 2 putt for PAR.
#13: Short par 3. Pin at the back, 9 iron to front of green. First putt a mile short. 3 putts for BOGEY.
#14: Very long par 4. Driver into right rough, 4 iron into front bunker, bunker shot barely cleared lip and left in the rough, excellent chip rolled 20 feet past pin. 2 putts for DOUBLE BOGEY.
#15: Short dogleg left par 4. Driver nearly topped, 3 wood into woods on right. Wedge onto front of green. 3 putts for DOUBLE BOGEY.
#16: Signature par 4 you see on TV. Blasted driver in fairway near waters edge. Missed green short left with 110 yard wedge. Putted from off the green to barely on. 2 more putts for a shitty BOGEY.
#17: Uphill par 3. Beautiful 6 iron to 15 feet. Lipped out birdie try. PAR.
#18: Played as a very short par 5 for members. Drive over dogleg into right rough. Chunked 6 iron way short. Chunked wedge to short of green. Pitched up and 2 putts for a terrible BOGEY.
#1: Medium length par 4. Crushed driver in center of fairway. Pitching wedge from 110 to 3 feet. Made putt for BIRDIE.
#2: Uphill par 5. Crushed driver to right side of fairway. Choked down on 3 wood from 220 into trees on right just off green. Pitched up and ball went over green into chipping area that I didn’t originally see. Putt up hill almost rolled back to me. 2 more putts for another terrible BOGEY on a par 5.
#3: Medium par 3, misjudged wind as I left an iron 10 yards short. Chili-dipped a chip, and then 2 putt for BOGEY.
#4: Downhill par 4. Drive into right side of fairway. 9 iron to 25 feet. 2 putts for PAR.
#5: Drive a foot away from creek. Awkward stance and punched a 6 iron up the mouth of the green and into the rough (pin tucked on a ridge on opposite side). Putted from off the green, didn’t make it up ridge and left with 30 feet. 2 putts from there for BOGEY.
#6: Crushed driver into right rough. Chunked lob wedge from 65 yards. Flop shot to 2 feet and made putt for PAR.
#7: Short par 4 into wind. Don’t remember much other than the rain starting. DOUBLE BOGEY.
#8: LONG par 4. Made a nice up and down for PAR.
#9: Long par 3. 4 iron was pin high but right of the bunker (pin tucked on RH side so I was short sided). Flop shot left in the deep bunker. Beautiful bunker shot from there to 4 feet. Made putt for BOGEY.
#10: Medium par 4. Driver into RH rough. 7 iron onto green 30 feet past. 2 putts for PAR.
#11: Short par 4 with tough sloped green. Driver into RH fairway bunker (close to lip). Had 150 in, and I hit nearly the shot of my life, a 7 iron that cleared the lip and cut around the trees blocking me out. Wind caught it though and ended up 10 yards short of green. Chunked a pitch short of the green. Pitched again 15 feet past pin and made downhill putt for BOGEY.
