Course
Opened –
Course Designer – JMOlazabal
Special Features - Many out of bounds close to playing areas
General Playability – See below
Undulating/Flat – Undulating
Treelined/exposed – Fairly exposed
Many/few water hazards - water hazards in play on holes 5,6, 7,8,11,14 & 16
Changes to the Course – See below in Other Features
Greens
Type of grass - Penncross & Poa Annua
Height of cut – 3.3mm
Speed/stimp reading - approx 9.6 on the stimp (Monday)
Any specific comments – Trying to keep similar speed between new greens (1,2,3,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17&18) and old greens (4,5,6,7,8,9) through different mowing regimes: Old – double. New – single.
Fairways
Type of grass – Bermuda, Penncross & little bit of Rye Grass
Height of cut – 10mm
General width and contouring – Quite contoured and fairly wide
Any specific comments – Fairways are quite generous, however there are many out of bounds close to playing areas therefore hitting straight off the tee is very important.
Tees
Type of grass – Predominantly Bermuda with little Penncross
Height of cut - 8 mm
Collars
Type of grass - Predominantly Bermuda with little Penncross
Height of cut – 8 mm
Rough
Type of grass – Bermuda, Penncross & little bit of Rye Grass
Semi-rough - Height of cut – 25mm - 1 BAND (3M) around fairways & greens
Intermediate – Height of cut – 60mm – only around fairways
Rough - Height of cut – 93mm – will be topped on Tuesday then left for the rest of the week
Any specific comments –
Weather
In advance – 100mm of rain week prior to the event
Forecast for tournament – Scattered showers & possible T – Storms on Wednesday then improving
Other Features
The course is going through a 3 year re-design programme carried out by JMOlazabal
For the 2004 event the following was changed: 1st , 16th , 17th green & 18th.
For this year the following has been changed:
Hole 10
- landing area has been flattened. Mounding left & right
- new green
-mounding & new bunkers short left of green
Hole 11
- mounding left & right of landing area
- the green has been extended
- mounding around the green
Hole 1
- new green
Hole 13
- new green
Hole 15
- new green
Hole 17
- new landing area / out of bounds (fence moved 15 yds to the right.)
- new bunkers left & right & mounding both sides
Hole 2
- completely new hole
Hole 3
- new tee
- new fairway bunker & mounding - both sides of fairway
- new green
