A Hole-By-Hole Look At Southern Hills
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2022-05-17
TULSA, Oklahoma (AP) — A hole-by-hole look at Southern Hills Country Club, site of the 104th PGA Championship to be played May 19-22:
NO. 1, 468 YARDS, PAR 4
The tee shot is from an elevated tee with a view of the Tulsa skyline and a slight dogleg to the left. Two bunkers are now left of the fairway. The green slopes from front right to back left and has a large bunker front and right of the green.
NO. 2, 500 YARDS, PAR 4
One of the more demanding tee shots on the course, players have to carry bunkers and a winding stream that turns to the left side. The fairway slopes in that direction. The approach is a mid-iron to a well-bunkered green.
NO. 3, 472 YARDS, PAR 4
The hole bends sharply to the left and is tree-lined. The green is severely sloped and has bunkers on both sides.
NO. 4, 377 YARDS, PAR 4
The picturesque hole goes back up the hill toward the clubhouse. The elevated green is heavily bunkered, and the wedge to the green is complicated by a rolling fairway with uneven lies. The green slopes severely to the front, so it’s key to leave the ball below the hole.
NO. 5, 656 YARDS, PAR 5
This hole used to be 600 yards back when 600 yards meant something. It’s still the longest hole on the course. Bunkers on both sides of the landing area and trees make it a difficult tee shot. The stream on No. 2 cuts in on the right side of the well-bunkered, undulating green.
NO. 6, 214 YARDS, PAR 3
The hole plays slightly downhill and the meandering stream starts short right of the green and runs to the left. Bunkers guard the front of the green. Behind the green is a fence that marks the edge of the property.
NO. 7, 489 YARDS, PAR 4
A new tee creates an uphill drive to a crest of a hill and reveals a narrow, false-front green situated between bunkers left and the stream to the right. What used to be a drive and a wedge now is a demanding hole that requires two solid shots into an difficult green complex.
NO. 8, 251 YARDS, PAR 3
This plays into the prevailing breeze, making it play even longer than it already is. Long and left could create problems because it slopes hard toward a creek.
NO. 9, 391 YARDS, PAR 4
Two fairway bunkers guard the inside corner of this short dogleg to the right. The prevailing wind and an elevated green make this hole play a little longer than its yardage. The green slopes significantly to the front.
NO. 10, 441 YARDS, PAR 4
A creek winds down the left side of the hole and then crosses the fairway, and there’s a thick stand of trees to the right. The approach is uphill to one of the most challenging greens on the course and is surrounded by bunkers.
NO. 11, 173 YARDS, PAR 3
The shortest hole on the course requires great accuracy because the small green is surrounded by four bunkers and a creek to the left. The tee is elevated, and the wind in this corner of the course tends to swirl.
NO. 12, 456 YARDS, PAR 4
A signature hole at Southern Hills, which Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer called one of America’s great par 4s. The slight dogleg to the left features a tee shot to a blind landing area on a fairway sloping to the left. The green moves left to right and is protected by bunkers short, left and long. A creek is short and to the right.
NO. 13, 632 YARDS, PAR 5
This is regarded as the last good birdie chance. The hole bends slightly to the left. Getting home in two requires a blind shot to a small green protected by bunkers and a pond in front. Laying up short of the water would be the safe play.
NO. 14, 230 YARDS, PAR 3
The green on this long par 3 is surrounded by six bunkers. The prevailing wind is right-to-left toward the out-of-bounds which runs along the entire left side of the hole.
NO. 15, 417 YARDS, PAR 4
A short dogleg to the left has a bunker guarding the inside corner that narrows the landing area. Bunkers and collection areas circle a green that severely slopes from the back right to the front left. Players must be below the hole for a good look at birdie.
NO. 16, 527 YARDS, PAR 4
This plays as a par 5 for the members. The drive must carry a gentle slope to provide a view of a small green featuring bunkers short, right, and long.
NO. 17, 371 YARDS, PAR 4
This short par 4 is framed by a creek to the right that meanders in front of the green and a thick stand of trees to the left. It’s hard to find a level lie in the fairway, making it tough even with a wedge into the green. The PGA is likely to move the tee forward at least one round to give players the option of trying to drive the green.
NO. 18, 491 YARDS, PAR 4
The closing hole is so difficult that Tiger Woods is the only major champion at Southern Hills to par the 72nd hole. The dogleg to the right requires a tee shot that finds a plateau on the left side of the fairway. The elevated green is well-bunkered and slopes hard to the front.