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It's going to be a nightmare as a spectator. If you've been there, it's obvious. No parking anywhere near onsite and a two lane road in/out.
I loved the course and am looking forward to seeing the pros play it. I played lights out there, although our forecaddie should get 90% of the credit. He got a 73 out of me that could have been low 90's without him. It's not an easy course. It was very receptive when we were there but they baked it out during the 2010 U.S. Am and it was lightning greens/fairways. That's where it gets tough. Regardless, it's going to be fun to watch the pros ***** and complain because we all know they will.
It was hard as a freaking rock the day I played it. I f'd up the first hole and bogeyed, but was a seven iron out on 2, landed a ball 10 feet from the hole and it bounced forty yards over the back of the green. Double. I figured out at that point that it was going to be a true ground game which was challenging at times, especially uphill. You cant hit an 8 instead of a 7 and land it short because with some of the greens being elevated the ball would stick or even come back down towards you. Instead of an 8 you had to hit a 5 or 6, land it short but with enough forward momentum to get it to the green.
Once I figured that out I really enjoyed the challenge. THe greens were lighting fast and bumpy and I didnt make many putts, but hitting a 5 iron from 135 with no wind is challenging. I actually figured it out and ended up shooting 77. I remember I had two two putt birdies, one tap in birdie, and one other. I think I was +4 after four, played 5-15 E, bogeyed 16 and 17 and birdied 18. I played it from around 7100 yards. Some of the tips are just ridiculous.
Its definitely a players course. But it is so far away from mainstream American course architecture it has no business hosting the National Championship. It would be like the R&A playing the Open in the desert.
Edit-DOnt get me wrong, its a fantastic course and was a great experience. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would play it again in a heartbeat.