The grandeur and scope of golf found at PGA WEST is truly a marvel to behold. The range of golf courses and the involvement of a number of top tier designers is an amazing intersection of talent and philosophies.
Over the years much of the hype associated with PGA WEST has found its shining star connected to the much-feared Stadium Course.
When architect Pete Dye was brought on board the desire was a simple and direct charge – making the greater Coachella Valley area a meaningful global golf hotspot.
The famed Stadium has had a number of noteworthy moments over the years – most notably the hole-in-one by Lee Trevino in 1988 on the par-3 17th "Alcatraz" hole during the Skins Game. The layout has also hosted The American Express event on the PGA TOUR with the final round staged there.
However, the Dye fingerprints extend to three other courses at the facility. The Mountain Course is separated away from the main complex of courses and is an inspiring and magical layout that incorporates the adjacent mountain range and desert locale into a scintillating mixture of holes.
While much of the hype is often focused on the devilish dropshot par-3 found at the 16th -- the brilliance of Dye comes earlier in the round at the par-4 6th.
One of the most difficult things to do in modern architecture is creating a mid-length par-4 that can sufficiently challenge all types of players. Holes found in the range of 380-420 yards can provide a true test of an architect's skills. What tests low handicaps versus higher ones can prove elusive and vice-versa.
The 6th puts equal pressure on the tee shot. Securing sufficient distance is important but proper placement is the more pressing matter.
Dye smartly added two bottlenecks in the hole – each coming into play for different levels of players. Given the nature of modern technology Dye announces loud and clear hitting a driver has to be done with the utmost in shotmaking execution.
The hole turns ever so gently to the right and many players may erroneously conclude that hitting down the left side provides the best angle. The more daring play – and the one yielding the most options - is down the right side. However, Dye provides a lurking penalty area to that side. There is also a fairway bunker on that same side which bottlenecks into a tight pass-way with the mountain range pushing in from the left.
The ideal tee shot is one favoring a center to right fairway location and stays short of the aforementioned bottleneck area.
You think your work is done?
Guess again.
The approach is to an elevated target that runs diagonally from lower left to back right. When the pin is placed in far-right corner of the green the viewpoint from the fairway appears to show almost no landing area.
Matters are further complicated by a single frontal bunker. Lofting a proper approach with the requisite needed spin is called upon. When the pin is placed to the far left the approach becomes infinitely easier allowing the mid-to-high handicapper a place to aim when hitting an approach.
Dye maximized the need for precision because of fall-offs from the green and for those who are too strong the possibility in finding the mountain range in the rear is a daunting reality check to keep firmly in mind.
The mid-length par-4 is a demanding chore for any architect because you must provide a sufficient degree of elasticity for the broader range of players while not putting forth too much emphasis on shotmaking that only one specific group of players can handle.
Related: Grade "A" Architecture - Ironwood County Club, Palm Desert, California
The green is not overly big – 4,892 square feet – and there are a number of internal riddles one must solve when putting.
The general wind pattern from February - October comes from the west and during the high-season months of November - January comes from the north.
Those coming to PGA WEST need to schedule a time and see firsthand the engaging architecture Pete Dye so skillfully provided.
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For more info go to:
PGA West | Golf Resort & Club Community - La Quinta, CA
Images courtesy of PGA WEST
