Jack Nicklaus was perfectly prepared on Tuesday to detail all the changes to the course at Muirfield Village Golf Club.
“That only takes about 45 minutes,” he said with a laugh.
The Memorial Tournament founder didn’t take that long, but the course golfers will play the next four days will be a much different one than they’re used to. A project that Nicklaus said cost more than $10 million resulted in changes to all but the 12th and 14th holes.
His main goal was to improve the course for Muirfield members. He expects the course to play slightly easier for the pros.
“I would say probably a shot or two — probably a shot — easier,” Nicklaus said. “I didn’t want to make the golf course tougher. I wanted to make it better.”
Justin Thomas, who is playing in his eighth Memorial, believes it is.
“I was saying to one of my pro-am partners that I feel it’s one of the best redesigns I’ve seen,” Thomas said Wednesday. “I think a lot of times a redesign actually makes the golf course worse. I think Jack did a great job of making it more playable for the amateurs and the members, but also making it more challenging for us.”
Veteran player Justin Thomas, here hitting out of the rough alongside No. 18 on Wednesday, believes the Muirfield Village redesign enhances the course.
Thomas remembers last year when crews started dismantling certain holes on the course in July as the final groups finished.
“It’s mind-blowing to me how good of shape the golf course is in less than probably 11 months from when they started all this,” he said. “The course is tremendous as always, and I think Jack did great job. A lot of us have tried to spend the last couple days trying to get used to a couple of the changes.”
That will be particularly a challenge for veterans whose familiarity with the course is now a mixed blessing. Then again, that experience doesn’t necessarily equal success.
“Yeah, if I knew (the keys), I would be holding the trophy at some point,” said Bubba Watson, who has two top-10 finishes in 14 Memorials.
Watson said he is taking inspiration from Phil Mickelson’s unexpected victory at the PGA Championship two weeks ago.
“He talked about his mental focus. He was trying to save energy by just walking slower, breathing different because he knew the mental grind it was going to take,” he said.
“This golf course, what Jack has created, is an amazing place. You can hold any kind of major you wanted to here, and he’s got the rough up (this week). It’s a challenge in your head to know that sometimes missing the green might be the right play, but who wants to try to miss a green? It’s just mentally grueling and you got to somehow stay focused and stay committed on each shot at every second.”
Jordan Spieth, who’s playing in his ninth Memorial, said most of the biggest changes are on and around the greens, especially on the par-5s.
“On a difficult golf course like this, taking advantage of four par-5s is what us pros are really trying to,” Spieth said. “They say they’re the hardest handicap (for amateurs), but for us, those are our best opportunities to get a birdie. So that’s probably where the biggest learning curve is.
“The harder holes are still harder, and the easier holes are still easier, with only one tee shot changing dramatically, other than you might hit more drivers than 3-woods.”That tee shot was on the par-5 15th hole, which over the 45 years of the tournament has played the easiest. The tee was moved back 37 yards, and the fairway was lowered 15 feet to aid medium-length drivers. The mound to the right of the green was removed to make the creek more of a factor.
“They’re still going to see a lot of birdies and eagles there, but you’re also going to see a few 6s and 7s, which they’re not used to seeing,” Nicklaus said.
Until the tournament is played, the impact of the changes can’t be truly known. But players are excited to find out.
“I loved the golf course before,” Thomas said. “I still love it now. I think it’s a great track, a great test, and it’s a place where you can go out and shoot 64 or 65 or 66. But it’s also a place where you can shoot 74 or 75 just as easily if you’re not playing well. I think this golf course still has that aspect to it. It’s just routed a little differently.”
@brdispatch
from Golfweek https://ift.tt/3z24ewC