DOES COG HILL COURSE 4 DUBSREAD REALLY NEED FIXING ?
COG HILL THE HOME OF "DUBSDREAD", AND "DREAD IT" SOME PGA TOUR PROS DO
" A GREAT GOLF COURSE IS ONE THAT'S CHALLENGING FOR THE
GOOD PLAYER, BUT PLAYABLE FOR THE AVERAGE PLAYER, I FEEL
THIS COURSE IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE,"..Phil Mickelson
"THE PLAYERS AS A WHOLE DON'T LIKE THE REDO, THEY (JEMSEKS)
SHOULD GET THEIR MONEY BACK."..Steve Stricker
"THERE ARE OTHER COURSES THAT SUIT ME BETTER, I HOPE THIS
IS THE LAST TIME I HAVE TO PLAY IT."..Luke Donald
BY:Rory Spears, Golfers on Golf (Gog) Blog Senior Writer.
There was controversy again about Dubsdread, course #4 at Cog Hill, during
the BMW Championship. PGA Tour players complaining, and architect
Rees Jones who did the course renovations in 2007-08 and Frank Jemsek
and family were caught in the middle. So is the PGA Tour and Western Golf
Association (WGA).
After Justin Rose holded out his final putt to win the BMW Championship on
Sunday, everyone thought it was adios for good to Cog Hill and Dubsdread.
Not so fast. It seems like everyone involved is looking for options on where to
hold the 2013 BMW Championship. It appears now that one of those options
could be, YES..you guessed it. Cog Hill and on course #4 Dubsdread.
But for that to happen. The WGA and the tour would need to sit down with
with Frank Jemsek and his family and see what could be done to make
some changes to golf course. By now the tour and WGA are loaded with
comments and ideas from the tour players, and a bunch of statistics too
on how the course plays. The Jemseks have been talking with all their
customers too, getting all the feedback they can.
For the record not all the players hate the course, or at least they said that
on the record. Justin Rose likes the course, but he won $1,440,000. It would
be hard to hate a course after winning that kind of cash playing it for four days.
Others like Pekin Illinois native DA Points said he is fine coming back to Cog
Hill every year, but wouldn't mind seeing some tweaks to the bunkers. It's
believed that many other players feel about the same way. Remember PGA
Tour players come from everywhere, they all like different styles. You are
never going to please everyone with any one course. The ridges or spines
Jones put in the greens are not popular either.
When the comments by Phil Mickelson to my question of what would he do,
if he could play architect ran on local TV stations and newspapers. I was
asked by friends who I have enjoyed playing course 4 with, what would I do
if given the chance.
Since I do rate courses around the country for a national publication, have
spent my share of time talking with architects like Rees Jones, Pete Dye,
Keith Foster, and many more. Then studying the works of those who did
the classics of years ago. The following story is what this very amateur
architect would do, or not do if given the chance to play architect on some
tweaks of Dubsdread.
Yes, I say tweaks because I do not agree with Phil Mickelson that the entire
course needs to be torn up and re-done with another architect. I would bring
Jones back, and give him a chance to tune up his project. I also do not agree
with Steve Stricker that the Jemseks need or deserve a refund. But Jones
should come back and rework his project, and treat Dubs like it's still under
the warranty. So the Jemseks don't get another bill, at least from Jones anyway.
After spending three days walking Dubs during the BMW, and studying the
holes up close while there was no players on them. I came away with the
following plan. Trying to remember that course #4 is a real "championship"
course and it's not supposed to be easy. You don't land either PGA Tour
events or US Opens that way. Plus many of the Jemseks customers play
#4 to test their game, they want a challenge. Finally Jones was hired to
help land a US Open, which meant toughening up the course so he did.
While also preserving the intent that original designer Joe Lee created.
HOLE #1 458 YARDS PAR 4. The view off the first tee looks really neat,
but once mid fairway where the hole doglegs left there are some bunkers
that are killers. There are two of them that if you hit a good drive off the
first hole nail you, if you go to far. (Okay like I did). Ripping a drive dead
center about 280 off the first tee, and ending up with no shot because I
am in a deep bunker was not the start I wanted or deserved. As the term
aound Cog Hill goes, I got "Rees'd". There are already some trees and
rough there, which leave a testing second shot to the green over a very
well done bunker complex on the right side of the green. Plus in spite
of what tour players say, Jones did a great job with a runway up to the
green between the traps. It's wide enough and it's fair. I say remove at
least one of the two bunkers past the dogleg, on the rightside of the fairway.
HOLE #2 224 YARDS PAR 3. The front bunker here that protects the
green has been a trademark for years, Jones did well leaving it. He put
his path towards the right side, but that area is blocked by overhanging
trees that even take the rightside bunkers out of play. But that is not
Jones fault, a simple tree trimming project would bring all of the green
more into play. A deep rough runs down the fairway almost to the
front bunker, for those who come up short it's a ball search and pace
of play killer. Keep the deep stuff closer tee box and cut the grass,
you know for the average players that those pros keep talking about.
Prior to renovations the green didn't hold shots very well, Jones did
a great job eliminating that problem. But the leftside of the green is
narrow and the bunker behind is big and deep. Make it a pot sized
style bunker and put a chipping zone next to it.
HOLE #3 443 YARDS PAR 4. The first bunker long and right that sits
behind the ditch is one that doesn't come into play almost at all, it
could go. The fairway curls to the right the last 80 yards into the green,
and like hole two the path comes in from the right. I would like to see
it moved a little more to the left. This elevated green is well guarded
by deep bunkers. The smallest quadrant on the green is back left,
which is the hardest place to hit. Make it bigger.
HOLE #4 462 YARDS PAR 4. I like how Jones staggered the tee
boxes allowing some angles into play. A little ditch left and right
is well hidden off the tee box, so first timers are in for a surprise.
I wish the right bunker sat in front of the ditch and not behind it,
saving the golfer the penalty stroke. But rewarding the player with
a bunker shot to an uphill narrow green. I'll take my chanes there
from the sand, instead of being wet. Jones brings the runway up
to the green in from the left this time. The green is tricky especially
in the back left corner. Mickelson complained about chipping
zones, on this hole he is right. Long and left would be a great place
for one. Jones also did a great job with a challenging grass bunker
long and right, that saves the golfer from running way to down the hill
into the trees with a shot that goes over.
HOLE #5 PAR 4/ OR 5 507 YARDS. This hole still plays better as
a par 5. Played as par 4, the second shot is a long one. Being that
most shots into this hole are going to be long ones, I would like
to see a more centered opening between the bunkers into the
green. One architect who played the course told me that's what
they would have done, I agree. One of two fairway bunkers on the
leftside of the tee shot landing zone could be reduced in size or
taken out. Jones did a good job adding some elevation to the tee
box, that should carry the tee shots on a long hole.
HOLE #6 240 YARDS PAR 3.
There seems to be an area right of the current tee boxes, that
could yet be another tee box. A tree might have to come down
or two, but it would make a great angle to play this hole. The
fairway comes out from the green far enough and Jones opening
is perfectly located and wide enough. The green is big enough
and shaped perfect to hold the shot required, I say leave it, well
done move on.
HOLE #7 PAR 4 431 YARDS. Another hole with a bunker on
a dogleg that can go. With players now aiming left to avoid the
added pond, the reward is a side-sloped fairway, sloped towards
the pond. To a narrow elevated green of fingers between four
bunkers. The hole played to easy before, as golfers short cut the
dogleg, now it plays too long with a green of it's current size and
shape. A pond removal is one option, replaced by the bunkers
that could be moved down from the dogleg. Option two leave the
pond and bunkers where they are, but enlarge the green. Right
now the best thing about this hole, is that a halfway house is next
to the green. When done go visit, they do serve alcohol.
HOLE #8 PAR 4 379 YARDS. The removal of one of the big willow
trees was needed and well done. Sorry Phil but there is more room
here for shot making than in the past. Jones bunker nest that guards
the right side has a great look to it. The hole has a nice elevation change
and Jones did well to preserve it. Being that the approach shot is so
uphill, I would take out one of the rear bunkers and give the green a little
bit of a classic punch bowl look, with a small backstop. Which would
make it really fun if set up to play as the "short par 4" in a professional
event. The re-sloped green is a big improvement.
HOLE #9 PAR 5 613 YARDS. Frank Jemsek wanted a par 5 over 600
and he got it. But no matter which tee you play this hole from, the chute
off the tee is a little tight for a 600 yard plus hole. A very minor tree
removal program here could help, and increase visibility for spectators too.
The cross bunker at 100 yards from the green is a neat touch, and the
center opening to a green now more elevated is well done.
HOLE #10 PAR 4 383 YARDS. This hole could just use a few trees
on the leftside of the fairway pulled out. With a few alleys between
them for second shots into the green. Jones inspite of leaving a well
done pathway between the front bunkers to the green, did leave the
frontside well protected. The backside could have the deep bunker
removed and a chipping zone headed down to almost to the cart path
would make a great look.
HOLE #11 PAR 5 607 YARDS..Jones did a nice job here when he
staggered the seven tee boxes. But I would move the landing zone
left bunker which is to long and deep to the right side where there
would now be two traps instead of one. The leftside is already
protected, with deep rough and a tree line that makes getting home
in two shots from left of the fairway, almost impossible unless your
Phil Mickelson. Here Jones again did a nice job with his green
approach runway. Two deep rightside bunkers out 100-125 yards
is to much, shrink them or take one out.
HOLE # 12 PAR 3. I like how Jones made the four tee boxes go
from smaller (back) to wider (middle) and then smaller (front). The
deep rough does go to far down the fairway and to close to the
green, pull out the mowers. Jones made the green big enough
here for the length it plays, good job move on.
HOLE #13 PAR 4 480 YARDS. I miss the mounds left of the fairway
that were a bailout. At times the ball got back to the fairway sometimes
it didn't, it was a roll of the dice and made the hole fun. The two deep
bunkers left took that away the fun of hitting a sidehill downhill shot to
the green over the tall trees that guarded the leftside. Now with one of
the big trees gone, that leftside shot is more open and brings the left
greenside bunkers into play. The rightside of the hole is very well done.
The bunkers right help keep countless shots from bouncing across the
cartpath and down to the fence. The new back right finger of the green
Jones installed is fun, especially if you have bucks riding on this hole
when the pin is there.
HOLE #14 PAR 3 215 YARDS. Jones did a great job of reshaping the
green so everything didn't fall off into the front left corner. Six big bunkers
surround the green, I say make it five and add a chipping zone.
HOLE #15 PAR 5 523 YARDS. I like this hole. It has a nice bailout right,
but if you use it forget getting home in two shots. Nice leftside opening
into the green, make birdie and move on. Sorry Phil, Jones did a nice job
not trying to over do what was here.
HOLE #16 PAR 4 456 YARDS. I would open up the leftside for more
cut the corner gambles, but take the two rightside bunkers in the dogleg
and move them to leftside for those who do fail to cut the corner. The
current rightside bunkers are in area with trees and rough which penalize
the long and straight hitters enough. Jones did a great job on the green,
that previously had every ball run straight left no matter where it landed.
Bring the approach in now to the rightside, and the ball can hold it's
position. No more having every putt come from off the left fringe.
HOLE # 17 PAR 4 423 YARDS. Jones did a neat thing here with staggered
tee boxes on a dogleg right hole. There are three deep bunkers left of the
fairway on the dogleg, take out the middle one to help give the golfers a
target. Dubs has it's share of uphill second shots, I say make this shot in
slightly downhill with a redan flavor to the green. The left center green
opening here by Jones is good,but I would slide the rightside bunker more
around to the back, and make the green's front opening just a bit wider.
THE 18TH HOLE PAR 4 494 YARDS.
The fairway bunkers could use a little less lip, its the last hole
and players should be able to go for green and over the pond if
needed from a bunker. Having to chunk it out may have cost
Rory Sabbatini a trip to Atlanta this week. A rear chipping zone
behind the green would be good, and the right greenside bunker
is a bit severe. Hey the green slopes into the pond, but a par
here is well earned. But birdies for the that average guy the pros
worry about just don't happen here ever, maybe once and while
they should.
COG HILL HAS 98 BUNKERS..they could get by with about 90 and
a few more not as deep or long. A couple of pot bunkers would be a
nice touch, but Cog Hill is not the British Open so nothing to crazy.
Well there they are, just some fun thoughts. Or thoughts to make
the course more fun while not taking the "Dread" away from Dubs.
The next step is to see if the BMW is to return in 2013, will Jemsek
summon Jones back for "tweaks". Will Jones come back if asked.
Let's hope the Doc is open to making house calls, the patient needs
a booster shot and there some spines that need an adjustment.
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