I've played the Country Club 10-15 times. I've played all of the holes at different times. I played the old US Open/Ryder Cup layout and I think that the current routing is the best routing they've ever had. I love that they're including #12 (#13) in this year's open. It's too bad that they have to skip the original #9. It's a great hole that's currently being used as the driving range.
I attended the US Amateur in 1982 and saw my friend Jim Hallet lose to David Tolley in the semi finals when Tolley made a 45 foot breaking putt on the 18th green. I was also at the 1988 US Open and the Ryder Cup in 1999.
I love watching the open at a course that I'm so familiar with. I do have to say that they have added several teeing grounds where I didn't think they would have the room. That course never played at that length. But the players are hitting from the same spots that I used to hit from but are using much shorter clubs.
It's sad to see #13 (the composite hole) being played so easily by these players. I really wish that the USGA and PGA Tour would come with a separate ball to be used in competition. That hole gave players fits in the past and now it's just another driver-sand wedge hole.
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The Beatlemaniacs of The Villages meet every Friday 10:00am at the O'Dell Recreation Center.
"I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend." - Thomas Jefferson to William Hamilton, April 22, 1800.
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