The Concession Golf Club will be an interesting study in how much the professional game differs from the regular amateur game this week when the course hosts the PGA Tour’s WGC-Workday Championship.
Designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin, the course near Bradenton, Florida, was named for Nicklaus’ concession of the short, final putt that Jacklin faced in their singles match in the 1969 Ryder Cup.
Jacklin once told Golfweek staffers that he had told Nicklaus he wanted one of the most difficult courses in the world. Former Golfweek columnist Jeff Rude told Jacklin they should have named it “The Concussion” after struggling on the course that day, and Jacklin didn’t flinch. Several of the most difficult features – particularly on and around the greens – have been softened somewhat since 2006, but it’s still a beast of a course.
The Concession ranks No. 9 on Golfweek’s Best Private Courses list for Florida, a well-deserved high ranking in a state full of private clubs. The course rating is 76.6 and the slope is 155 for the 7,474-yard layout, examples of The Concession’s difficulty for regular players. But how will Tour pros fare?
The forced carries won’t be a problem for the pros, and their high, soft-landing, spinny approach shots are perfect for the severely contoured greens that are frequently surrounded by steep runoffs. Many of the greens are built in distinct sections with steep ridges between them, requiring great accuracy to get anywhere close to a flag – and three-putts are common, especially for amateurs. Of course, the pros are accustomed to slick, fast greens, and much of the scoring will come down to wind conditions and rough heights.
One interesting note: Because the site is relatively flat and most of the greens are elevated a touch with uplifted bunker faces, it can be difficult to see the entire flag stick on several approach shots. This can present difficulties in getting comfortable judging precise distances across the greens’ ridges, a characteristic that can be problematic even for modern pros who rely on yardage books.
Jack Nicklaus congratulates Tony Jacklin for a tied match at the 1969 Ryder Cup. (AP files)
One clue as to how the pros might fare can be found in the results of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Championship. Current PGA Tour basher Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 U.S. Open Champion, won the individual title that year, shooting 8-under 280 over four rounds. That total showed there were scoring opportunities for elite players, but the best college players of the day didn’t exactly tear the place apart.
Thanks to fairway maps provided by Puttview – the maker of detailed yardage books for more 30,000 courses around the world – we can see exactly the challenges that players face this week. Check out each hole below.
from Golfweek https://ift.tt/3pOtKzV