The Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw-designed Cabot Cliffs, located on the dramatic coast of Cape Breton, could serve as a formidable challenge for a PGA Championship.
new tees as well as the massive infrastruc- ture that comes with an Open. And how about Bayonet? It’s a tougher course than Pebble Beach, just down the road. The USGA has tried hard to find public venues, and golf doesn’t get more accessible than on this former Army course which can be had for as little as $75.
In thinking about the Open Champi- onship rota, an easy upgrade is to drop Royal St. George’s in favor of its neighbor Royal Cinque Ports, a cult classic which is
old rock wall guarding the putting surface? One long-standing issue for the PGA Championship is the lack of a clear identity. The Masters is built on tradition, the U.S. Open is defined as golf’s most grueling test, the Open Championship is a paean to linksland, the PGA is…what exactly? At its best it combines elements of the other three majors, but to my way of thinking the PGA has two options to differentiate itself: relent- lessly explore new venues and/or leave the U.S. Last year, the PGA leadership floated,
Despite Martha Burk’s assertion to the contrary, the Masters can’t be contested anywhere beside Augusta National, but every other important event is a movable feast.
prettier and much more fun. But the most exciting possibility would be to add my favorite course in the world, Cruden Bay. It would be an utterly wild Open, with a handful of drivable par-4s, some of the most thrilling blind shots in golf – including a par-3 that wraps around a dune – and maybe the best views of any course this side of Pebble Beach. North Berwick (West) would be similarly fun; who wouldn’t like to witness an Ian Poulter meltdown after one of his approach shots is rejected by an
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before backing off, the idea of far-flung international venues. TV windows, lack of corporate support and the cost of getting its membership to China or Australia made the idea problematic. How about some exotic courses closer
to the U.S.? Teeth of the Dog, Cabot Cliffs and Diamante would make spectacular sites. Otherwise, the PGA must seek out exciting new domestic courses. Shadow Creek is a brawny layout draped in intrigue. With the summer winds Pacific Dunes or
Bandon Dunes would present a very stern test, and either course has a huge built-in fan base from all the golfers who have played there. For this discussion, I have purposely ex- cluded courses that already host PGA Tour events, but I can’t help but daydream about a PGA Championship at Spyglass Hill. It is an entirely different course in the summer, playing firm and fast and featuring wickedly quick greens. The same can be said for Poppy Hills, having already proven itself by hosting PGA and Champions Tour events and the upcoming 2018 U.S. Girls’ Junior. The genius of taking the Walker Cup to Cypress and Seminole is that it has pro- vided a new template for the Ryder Cup. Instead of big, meaty courses like recent Ryder venues Medinah and Hazeltine, we can now focus on older, more intimate courses that would get shredded in stroke play but will ask thoughtful questions in match play. My wish list would include Pasatiempo GC, San Francisco GC, Friars Head, National Golf Links, Crystal Downs, and Chicago GC. Maybe you have a differ- ent roll call of courses. That’s what is so fun about Cypress and Seminole opening their doors – it has allowed all of us to dream a little bit.
EVAN SCHILLER PHOTOGRAPHY
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