GOLF COURSE REVIEW - BALTUSROL GC (LOWER COURSE)

Course Architect: A.W. Tillinghast (1922), Robert Trent Jones (1954, 1967,
                  1980), Rees Jones (1992-2010s)
Year Opened: 1895
Location: Springfield, New Jersey
Slope: 143. Rating: 74.4
Par: 70 (Par 72, 7,015 yards from the Tillinghast Tees)
Yardage: 7,409
Hole-by-Hole: 1 - Par 4 478 Yds    10 - Par 4 464 Yds
                      2 - Par 4 379 Yds    11 - Par 4 444 Yds
                      3 - Par 4 503 Yds    12 - Par 3 219 Yds
                      4 - Par 3 194 Yds    13 - Par 4 432 Yds
                      5 - Par 4 423 Yds    14 - Par 4 430 Yds
                      6 - Par 4 482 Yds    15 - Par 4 430 Yds
                      7 - Par 4 505 Yds    16 - Par 3 230 Yds
                      8 - Par 4 380 Yds    17 - Par 5 650 Yds
                      9 - Par 3 212 Yds    18 - Par 5 554 Yds
                      Par 34  3,556 Yds     Par 36  3,853 Yds

Key Events Held: PGA Championship (2005, 2016),
                 U.S. Open (1903, 1915, 1936, 1954, 1967, 1980, 1993),
                 U.S. Women's Open (1961, 1985),
                 U.S. Amateur (1904, 1926, 1946, 2000),
                 U.S. Women's Amateur (1901, 1911),
                 PGA War Relief Tournament (1917).

Awards Won: 40th by Golf Digest - America's 100 Greatest Courses (2005),
            2nd by Golf Digest - Best-in-State rankings (New Jersey, 2005),
            38th by GolfWeek - America's Best Top 100 Classic Courses (2004),
            27th by Golf Magazine - Top 100 courses in the U.S. (2003),
            45th by Golf Magazine - Top 100 Courses in the World (2003),
            National Historic Landmark (2014).

Website: baltusrol.org

HISTORY:  This  course is  so steeped in  history, that when  you look in your
Webster's Dictionary under the word "History", there is a picture of Baltusrol
Golf  Club. Dating back to the late 1890s when the club was founded, Baltusrol
has  been  one of  the premier  golf destinations in  the world. Baltusrol has
hosted  15 USGA  championships, the most of any club in the country, including
seven U.S. Opens.

Before  we delve  into past championships, one must first look into the club's
beginnings.  BGC was  the brainchild  of New  York Social  Register publisher,
Louis  Keller,  who owned 500  acres of prime  real estate in Springfield (NJ)
Township  back in the 1890s. Some fifty years earlier, the property was farmed
by a Scottish immigrant by the name of Baltus Roll (hence the name Baltusrol),
who  was  robbed and murdered  in 1831  by two men,  while his wife watched in
horror. One suspect was a man named Peter B. Davis, who after a week of trial,
was released on a not guilty verdict. Interestingly enough, Davis was arrested
on  forgery  charges right after the  trial and after pleading guilty on three
counts,  was sentenced to  24 years of hard labor, where he eventually died in
prison.  The other suspect, Lycidius Baldwin, hearing that Davis was arrested,
went  to  a nearby  tavern, took  a room  and killed  himself with an apparent
overdose of narcotic.

Keller,  who  had a nine-hole golf  course constructed with the help of George
Hunter  and  a farm house  converted into a clubhouse,  opened the new club in
October  of 1895. The club, with its Scottish design, flourished, opening with
30  members and growing  to nearly 400 in no time, so an additional nine holes
were  added. Surprisingly,  Keller  didn't even  play golf,  but  he had  many
acquaintances  who  loved the game.  The land  itself overlooked the Battle of
Springfield  in the Revolutionary War and was located at the foot of Baltusrol
Mountain,  only 17  miles from  New York.  Just six  years after  opening, the
United  States Golf Association brought the U.S. Women's Amateur to Baltusrol,
as Genevieve Hecker captured the title, defeating Lucy Herron on the "Original
Course."

Just  two  years  later, the  USGA  opted  again  to  hold a  championship  at
Baltusrol,  this  time  it  was  the U.S.  Open.  1903  saw  former  Baltusrol
professional  Willie Anderson  capture the second of his four U.S. Open titles
and  the  first of his  three consecutive  championships, as he defeated David
Brown in a playoff. Anderson, who led Brown, the 1886 British Open champion by
six  shots  heading into the final  round, shot 82  while Brown carded a 76 to
force  the  playoff. The  next day,  rain played  havoc throughout the delayed
round with Anderson carding 82 to Brown's 84 to become the first two-time U.S.
Open champion. Sadly, just seven years later Anderson died of arteriosclerosis
at  the  age of  30. It  was also in  1903 that  Baltusrol hired Scottish born
golfer  George Low  as its head professional and greens keeper. Low, who would
stay on until 1925, is credited as the inventor of a rake and furrowed bunker.
To  penalize a ball in a trap, Low devised a rake that produced furrows in the
sand  about  an inch and a  half deep and three  inches wide. This was done to
prevent players from using their putters to escape.

The following year, the Original Course played host to the U.S. Amateur, where
medalist  H. Chandler  Egan captured  the  first of  his back-to-back  Amateur
titles  with  an 8 & 6  thrashing of Fred  Herreshoff. It should be noted that
Egan defeated future Baltusrol architect A.W. Tillinghast in the opening round
and  Theodore A.  Havemeyer, the  first president  of the  USGA, in  the third
round.

The U.S. Women's Amateur returned to Baltusrol for the 1911 event, as Margaret
Curtis  defeated  Lillian B. Hyde, 5  & 3. Just  two years earlier, a fire had
destroyed  the  original  clubhouse,  thus  paving the  way  for  the  current
structure, a magnificent English Tudor.

Just  a year  later, Baltusrol welcomed for  the first time a President of the
United  States,  as William Howard  Taft, in April of  1912, played a round of
golf at the club.

For  the second time,  the U.S. Open was staged at Baltusrol in 1915, as four-
time  U.S. Amateur  champion Jerry Travers captured the title. Five shots back
after  round one, Travers carded rounds of 72-73 to move into first and held a
one-shot  lead  over James Barnes  and Louis  Tellier. Both Barnes and Tellier
could  do no better than 79 and tied for fourth. Tom McNamara, however shot 75
and was in at 298, meaning Travers would need a back nine of 37 for the title.
After making two sensational pars on 10 and 11, Travers three-putted for bogey
on  12 and  needed to play even par  just to tie. Following pars on 13 and 14,
Travers  birdied the par-five 15th and then parred in for the title, to become
the  second  amateur to  win the  U.S. Open.  Amazingly, Travers announced his
retirement from competition, declaring that it was impossible to earn a living
and  play  championship golf at  the same time and  he never played in another
national championship.

Despite  World War  I, Baltusrol continued to grow and Keller decided that the
club  needed  two new  courses to  replace the  Original Course,  or as it was
called  the "Old  Course."  Legendary course  architect  A.W. Tillinghast  was
brought  in  to create a  pair of masterpieces -  The Lower and Upper Courses.
Tillinghast  had  great credentials, having crafted Philadelphia Cricket Club,
Winged  Foot  Golf Club  and  San  Francisco Golf  Club,  but  nothing of  the
magnitude  of Baltusrol.  Six  years later,  Tillinghast  completed his  work,
however,  Keller died just a few months before the official opening of the new
courses.  Keller, although just  the secretary of the club, ran the club as he
saw  fit during his 27-year regime. He was the owner of the property and ruled
with  an  iron hand. Rumor  has it  that on more  than one occasion after some
members  had  finished their rounds, Keller  had their lockers emptied out and
dismissed them from the club.

It  took only four years for the USGA to return to Baltusrol, as the 1926 U.S.
Amateur  returned. Played  on the  Lower Course,  George Von  Elm knocked  off
medalist  Bobby Jones,  2 &  1,  slowing the  incredible run  by Jones.  After
winning the Amateur in 1924 and '25 and finishing second in '26, Jones claimed
the  title the  next two years and  would add his record fifth championship in
1930.  On the last  day, over 15,000 fans turned out to watch the championship
match.

In  1934,  Baltusrol  hired  legendary  player  Johnny  Farrell  as  its  head
professional. Farrell, who had won eight straight events in 1927, captured the
U.S. Open championship in a 36-hole playoff with Bobby Jones at Olympia Fields
in  1928. Elected to  the Golf Hall of Fame in 1961, Farrell held his position
at Baltusrol until 1972.

Despite  the Great Depression, Baltusrol held tough and was once again playing
host  to  the U.S. Open,  this time on the  Upper Course in 1936. "Lighthorse"
Harry  Cooper, who was denied the title in 1927 by Tommy Armour, seemed a lock
for  the  championship after shooting  73 in the final  round for a 284 total,
which  was two  better than  the  Open record  held  by Chick  Evans and  Gene
Sarazen.  Celebrating his supposed win, word came back to the clubhouse that a
little  known player,  Tony  Manero had  an outside  chance  to catch  Cooper.
Starting  the day four  back, Manero reached five under for the day through 16
holes  and held  the lead with two holes  to play. With the title on the line,
Manero  parred  17 and  18 for  67 to defeat  Cooper by  two shots. Manero was
paired  in  the final round with  boyhood pal, Gene Sarazen, who had requested
the  pairing feeling  it might help the high-strung Manero. People claimed the
support  was against  the rules, but the USGA upheld his championship. Born in
the New York City suburbs, Manero, of Italian descent, gave up tournament golf
after World War II and opened a successful steakhouse in Connecticut and along
with his family, ran a small chain of Manero's restaurants.

With  World War II  in full swing, Baltusrol did its fair share to support the
War effort and the troops. Victory gardens were established on the fairways of
the  Upper Course  and livestock  grazed the  Lower Course  fairways with  the
proceeds  donated to the Red Cross. Eight acres where used for crops and 1 1/2
acres  were  used to grow vegetables.  When the U.S. Amateur was reinstated in
1946,  Baltusrol's Lower  Course was once again named the venue. Stanley (Ted)
Bishop  came  out on top,  as he  defeated Smiley Quick  on the 37th hole. The
galleries  at  the event  were the  largest for  a national championship since
1930.

The 1954 U.S. Open at Baltusrol brought with it the most significant change in
golf,  television,  as it became  the first  event to be broadcast nationally.
Prior  to  the championship, Robert Trent  Jones was hired to revise the Lower
Course  for the event, and revise he did, as it became the longest Open course
in history, stretching to 7,060 yards. Jones was way ahead of the times, as he
added fairway bunkers and eliminated traps that no longer came into play. This
single  event put  golf and Baltusrol on  the map, more than it ever had been.
With  millions  of viewers  watching, little  known pro  Ed Furgol defeated an
exceptional  field for the title. Shooting rounds of 71-70-71, Furgol led Dick
Mayer  by one  shot and  Gene Littler,  Lloyd Mangrum  and Cary  Middlecoff by
three.  Ben Hogan and Sam Snead were a distant five behind. On the final hole,
Littler  had a chance to tie, but missed a seven-foot putt. Furgol, who was on
the  tee, hooked his  drive into the trees and had no shot out to the fairway.
Instead,  he  played his second shot  towards the adjacent 18th fairway of the
Upper Course, reached the green on his third and two-putted for the title.

As  it was back  in the day, major events continued to be played at Baltusrol.
Next  up  was the 1961  U.S. Women's Open, where  Mickey Wright, second on the
all-time  wins list with  82, won going away by six shots. It wasn't all roses
for  Wright,  who trailed by  four heading into the  third round, thanks to an
eight-over-par  round of  80 on day two. Wright, however steadied the ship, as
she  recorded  the only  sub-70 round  of the tournament,  a three-under 69 in
round  three  and was  never caught. Wright's  final round of  72, was the low
score  of the day, as she finished ahead of Betsy Rawls. Wright commented that
this  win  was the  "most  satisfying  victory, as  it  transpired  on such  a
marvelous test of the game."

The  next two events  at Baltusrol's famed Lower Course were the 1967 and 1980
U.S.  Opens,  a pair  of the  most remarkable events  in golf history. Despite
having  won all four majors in his short career and six overall, Jack Nicklaus
came  into the '67 Open as the second-most popular player, as legendary golfer
Arnold Palmer gained most of the headlines. Palmer opened with rounds of 69-68
for a one-shot lead over Nicklaus. Round three saw the "Golden Bear' draw even
with  the "King", shooting a two-over 72 to Arnie's 73, but it was a promising
amateur,  Marty  Fleckman who  went  into  the  final  round with  a  one-shot
advantage  over the dynamic duo and 1966 Open winner Billy Casper. Despite the
logjam  at the  top, the  tournament boiled  down to  Palmer and  Nicklaus, as
Fleckman  faded  early and  often en  route to an  80 while  Casper shot 72 to
finish  fourth. Palmer took the early lead thanks to a Nicklaus bogey at No. 2
and it could have been more, but Palmer, who struggled with the flat stick all
day,  missed from  12 feet. Nicklaus rebounded however, as he birdied the next
three  holes  to take the  lead. Nicklaus bogeyed the  sixth and stood 25 feet
away  for birdie on seven while Palmer was just eight feet away and in form to
gain  a  share of the lead.  With one stroke  of his putter, Nicklaus sank the
birdie  putt  and Palmer  missed and  the rest is  history. Nicklaus would add
another  birdie on eight,  his fifth birdie in six holes to lengthen his lead.
With  a birdie  at the last, Nicklaus  finished with a sizzling 65 compared to
Palmer's  69 and a total of 275, a new U.S. Open record, breaking the previous
mark  set by Ben Hogan. Palmer, despite finishing under the magic 280 mark for
the  second straight year,  finished in second once again in what was the last
great  duel  between these  two icons.  For the  week, the  course played to a
scoring  average  of 74.34 with  only 26 rounds under  par. It should be noted
that  Nicklaus earlier  in  the week  was having  putting  problems and  after
borrowing  a  putter from  a friend of  Deane Beman, shot  62 in the Wednesday
practice round.

Saying  he was over  the hill at the age of 40, Nicklaus came to the 1980 U.S.
Open  at  Baltusrol winless in  over a year. He  silenced the critics with his
course-record  63 in  the opening round and shared the lead with Tom Weiskopf.
Five shots behind, Isao Aoki drew even with Nicklaus after three rounds thanks
to three consecutive 68s. Playing together on the final day, Nicklaus took the
lead  for good  on the second hole,  as Aoki made bogey. At the turn, Nicklaus
held  a  two-stroke lead.  Nicklaus continued  to play  solid golf, making par
after  par, but  Aoki kept pace. At  the long 17th, Nicklaus stood in the same
predicament  he  had against Palmer.  Aoki was tight,  just five feet away for
birdie  while Nicklaus  was 22  feet  from the  cup.  As fate  would have  it,
Nicklaus  once again  sank his putt and although Aoki made his, the two-stroke
advantage  was too much  for Aoki. Both players birdied the last for a record-
setting  performance. Nicklaus'  total of 272 was  two clear of Aoki and set a
new  scoring mark,  three better than his 1967 performance. It should be noted
that  Keith  Fergus, who tied for  third, was the  only player in the field to
post  all  four rounds at  par or better. The  galleries, whom 13 years before
were  chanting  for Palmer, were  screaming in unison,  "Jack is back, Jack is
back."

The United States Golf Association celebrated its 40th anniversary of the U.S.
Women's  Open in  1985 by staging it on Baltusrol's Upper Course. Little known
pro  Kathy Baker (Guadagnino) turned away the hottest player on the LPGA Tour,
Nancy  Lopez  to win for the  first time in her  career. Lopez, who had won 30
times in just eight years on tour, opened with a pair of two-under-par 70s for
a  one-stroke lead  heading into the weekend. A third-round 68 would put Baker
in  front  of Lopez  and Judy  Clark (Dickinson)  by one  with the final round
remaining,  as Clark  shot a Women's Open  record of 65 on Saturday. Lopez got
off  to a horrendous start, bogeying three of her first four holes to fall out
of  contention, tying  for fourth. Baker increased her lead to two after back-
to-back  birdies on seven and eight. Through 15 holes, Baker continued to lead
by  two at seven-under-par. On the 16th hole, Baker birdied from four feet and
Clark  made bogey to ensure the win. Baker was the lone player in the field to
post  all four rounds at par or better. Lopez, who finished her career with 48
titles,  would never capture the one event which eluded her entire career, the
U.S.  Open. Baker on  the other hand, would win just one more time three years
later.

The  U.S. Open returned  to the Lower Course in 1993, for the seventh time, as
Lee  Janzen outdueled Payne Stewart for the first of his two Open titles, both
at  the dismay of  Stewart. Janzen opened with back-to-back 67s to hold a two-
shot  advantage over  Stewart and Tom Watson,  as his total of 134 equaled the
mark  set 13  years earlier  by  Jack Nicklaus.  Following a  two-under 68  by
Stewart,  Janzen's  lead slipped to one  heading into the final round. The duo
were paired together on Championship Sunday and both played steady with 35s on
the  opening  nine. The first  big break  for Janzen came  on the 10th, as his
second  shot  carried through branches of  some trees and landed on the green,
where  he was able to save par. A Janzen bogey on 12 had them even, however he
regained  the lead with  a birdie on 14. After pars on 15, Janzen seemed ready
to fold, as his second on the 16th missed the green, however a miraculous chip
in  from 30  feet put him ahead by  two. Both players made birdie on 18 giving
Janzen  a  two-shot win and  a record-tying total  of 272, once again equaling
Nicklaus' mark set in 1980. With his four rounds in the 60s, Janzen became the
first  player in history  to win the Open with four sub-70 rounds. A couple of
notes  from 1993  - Vijay  Singh made  his first  appearance in  a U.S.  Open,
missing  the  cut, the only time  in his career that  he has missed out on the
weekend  at  the U.S.  Open. The par-five  16th hole played  to 630 yards, the
longest  at the  time in major championship history. Although he finished tied
for  33rd, John Daly  made headlines, as he reached the green in two, striking
his  one-iron from  290 yards  on  to the  green and  two-putting for  birdie.
Stewart certainly played the steadier of the two, making only three bogeys and
shooting  par or better in all four rounds, however Janzen was able to make 17
birdies for the week, while Stewart made just 11.

The  next celebration for Baltusrol, was the 100th edition of the U.S. Amateur
Championship, played on both courses. When all was said and done, Jeff Quinney
outlasted  James Driscoll  on the  39th  hole for  the title.  Along the  way,
Quinney defeated current professionals, Matt Weibring (Nationwide Tour), Lucas
Glover,  Ben  Curtis and  Hunter Mahan  (all on  the PGA  Tour) and David Eger
(Champions  Tour)  prior to knocking  off Driscoll (PGA Tour). Trailing 2-down
with  just two  holes remaining, Driscoll evened the match when he birdied the
17th  and  then sank  a 10-footer  on 18.  After two  extra holes, a lightning
warning  went  off and play  was suspended. The  following day, Quinney sank a
curling, downhill 30-footer for birdie on the third extra hole for the title.

History  was  once again made at  the 2005 PGA Championship, as Phil Mickelson
captured  the Wanamaker  Trophy, defeating Thomas Bjorn and Steve Elkington by
one  shot. Mickelson opened  with a three-under 67 to share the lead with five
other players, the largest contingent to tie for the lead at a major since the
1989  British Open.  On a  day when  the temperature  reached the  mid-90s, 27
players  broke  par, however Tiger Woods  was not one  of them, as he carded a
five-over  75, which included just one birdie. Mickelson assumed control after
round  two,  thanks to  a sizzling 65,  which gave him  a three-shot lead over
Jerry  Kelly,  who matched Mickelson's score.  Woods, with four birdies on the
back  nine, including one on the last, was able to make the cut on the number,
four  over par. Trailing  by nine shots, Thomas Bjorn was the talk of the town
on  round  three, as he  vaulted up the  leaderboard thanks to a course-record
tying  63, which  included a five-under 31  on the inward nine. Davis Love III
was able to tie Mickelson for the lead after three rounds, following his third
straight  68 while Lefty carded a two-over 72 to complete three rounds at six-
under-par. Once again, the heat was oppressive, as temperatures soared to 102,
but  25 players  managed to break par,  including Woods, who fashioned a 66 to
reach  even par. Sunday was to be another scorcher, as the thermometer reached
triple  digits  and lightning forced  the completion of  the final round to be
played  on  Monday, however not before  Mickelson and Love would be challenged
for  the lead.  After a birdie on  the fourth to reach seven- under, Mickelson
played holes six through 10 at four-over par and fell back to two shots behind
the  new leader Steve Elkington. The 1995 PGA Champion, who parred the opening
eight  holes, sandwiched  two birdies (9 and  11) around a bogey on 10 to take
the  lead  at five-under-par.  Mickelson rebounded  with a  birdie on 13 while
Elkington, who three-putted 13 for bogey, made another bogey on 15 to fall one
behind.  After  four bogeys  in  his  first  seven  holes, Love  never  really
threatened until a birdie at 10, however, a bogey at 11 would end his chances.
With  five holes  remaining,  the  weather forced  a  suspension  of play,  as
Mickelson  led by  one  over Elkington  and Bjorn  while  Woods completed  his
tournament  at two-under-par after his third straight round in the 60s, a two-
under 68. Returning on Monday morning, Mickelson would par his next two holes,
however, a bogey on 16 would put him back into a tie with Elkington and Bjorn,
the  latter had  birdied the  17th to  reach 3-under.  On the  650-yard  17th,
Mickelson missed from 15-feet for birdie while Elkington and Bjorn both missed
birdie  chances  at the  last. With  the tournament  in the balance, Mickelson
split  the  fairway on 18,  just shy of  the plaque commemorating the one-iron
shot  by  Jack Nicklaus on  the final  day of the  1967 U.S. Open. Tapping the
monument  with  his  fairway club  for "some good karma", Mickelson  would say
afterward,  his second  shot landed just to the right of the green in thick
rough. Needing birdie to win, Mickelson chipped to within  three-feet for the
win. Baltusrol once again proved to be quite a test for  the  best players in
the  world, as the  Lower Course played to a scoring average of 72.454.

REVIEW: The course opens with a stern par-four, stretching 478 yards. The real
danger  is the tee ball, which must dissect out-of-bounds left and bunkers and
a  stream right. Left-fairway is key to set up the best approach to the rather
small  and tightly trapped  green. Not an easy hole to birdie, so take par and
move  on.  In 1967, Deane Beman  scored a total  of just 12 strokes during the
four rounds, making eagle, birdie, birdie and par.

The second is a birdie hole with an asterisk. Just 378 yards, this dogleg left
appears  on  paper as rather  simple, however  trees and out-of-bounds left, a
tight landing area and crossing bunkers just 240 yards away, make this hole as
difficult  as any.  Fairway-metal or  iron  off the  tee, as  the hole  play's
slightly  uphill. Just  a short-iron  remains to  a well-bunkered  green, that
slopes  hard from right to left. Play below the hole, thus removing the chance
for a three-putt.

What  started  out as  a 390-yard hole  when Tillinghast created  it, is now a
blistering  503-yard, dogleg-left,  downhill par-four. A big, sweeping draw is
needed  just to have any shot at reaching this beauty in two. Trees guard both
sides  of the sloping  fairway and any shot missing the short grass will leave
an almost impossible second shot. A stream rolls through the fairway, 40 yards
shy  of the  putting surface. The green  itself is quite difficult, with a big
ridge  in the  center, creating angling putts. Two deep traps flank the right,
while one bunker stands left. Could be the most difficult hole on the  course.
During the 2005 PGA Championship, the third  played to a  scoring  average  of
4.406, the second most difficult hole during the event with  just  28  birdies
made.

After  redesigning the  fourth hole for the 1954 U.S. Open, Robert Trent Jones
was  criticized for  making it  too  difficult. So  Jones, with  his group  of
critics  in tow, took out a four-iron and calmly knocked it in for an ace. "As
you  can see, the hole is eminently fair," said Jones. The hole can stretch to
as  much  as 199 yards and  is all carry  across water. The putting surface is
quite large with two tiers and sand left and behind. Although a back-left flag
takes the water out of play, it is one of the hardest to get to. Despite being
the  shortest par-three on the  course, the  fourth is the  toughest.  Charles
Howell III had  little  trouble with the  pesky  fourth  during  the  2005 PGA
Championship, as he played the hole in three-under-par, which included an  ace
during the third round.

The  fifth is  a stellar, straightaway par-four, just 423 yards in length. The
fairway  is tight  with traps guarding both  sides of the landing area. A mid-
iron  is required to reach the elevated putting surface. The green slopes hard
from  back  to front.  Any shots landing  on the front  quarter of the putting
surface,  will funnel back off the green. Deep bunkers protect the left, front
and right of the green.

Another  humongous par-four,  the sixth stands 482 yards from the tips. From a
chute, the tee shot is partially blind and calls for a long and accurate shot.
With  a pinpoint blast,  the sloping fairway can be negated to leave a mid- to
long-iron  to the green.  If not, then fairway traps and deep rough await. The
putting  surface,  which is  an extension  of the fairway,  is quite deep with
bunkers on either side. Not a hole to take lightly, but four is not out of the
question since the green is fairly simple.

Playing  as  a par-five for the  members, the seventh  is over 500 yards and a
par-four  in  competition. Start off  with trees and out-of-bounds left, trees
and  sand  right and deep rough  throughout. The hole also doglegs slightly to
the right and if the pin is back-right, you might have a tough time seeing the
flag.  Ideally, a  big drive  down the  left side  with leave  a long-iron  or
fairway-metal  to the  green. No gimmicks on the putting surface, but 50 yards
short  of  the green, in the  center of the  fairway, is a mounded bunker. The
hole is now 40 yards longer than the original design. During PGA  Championship
week, the seventh played to a scoring  average  of 4.479, easily  the  hardest
hole on the course.

Finally,  a  birdie opportunity. The  eighth is  only the second par-four hole
under  400 yards  on the course (second  is the other). A slight dogleg to the
right,  just a three-metal or iron is needed to split the tight fairway. Deep,
long  bunkers guard both sides of the landing area, so accuracy is key. Just a
wedge  should remain  to  a  slick, undulating  green,  protected by  numerous
bunkers. The putting surface slopes right to left and is quite slick.

The  final hole on  the outward nine is described by Jack Nicklaus, as "one of
the  most  British looking  holes  on  the  course."  The par-three  is  quite
demanding  with  a long, narrow green  surrounded by plenty of bunkers. Behind
the  green, a  crescent-shaped trap will snare  any long attempt at a back pin
position. For some reason, par-three's are ranked as the four easiest holes on
the course. Not the ninth.

The back nine starts out with a difficult par-four to say the least. Deceiving
off  the tee, the fairway narrows at 280 yards with sand left and trees right.
A  long-iron is left to a wide green, protected on both sides by deep traps. A
rough  start  to the homeward  holes. During the final  round of the 1993 U.S.
Open,  Lee Janzen facing  a difficult second shot over the trees on the right,
mis-hit  his five-iron and miraculously it went through without nicking a leaf
and he was able to make par.

The sharpest dogleg on the course, the 11th is one of the most demanding holes
on  the Lower  Course, since you must  shape your tee shot to conform with the
fairway.  Your  first play  must be  down the  left side  of the fairway, thus
opening  up your second to the green. Any shot right of the fairway will leave
a  blind approach  to the putting surface, not to mention flirting with traps.
The  green  is quite large and  undulating, so club selection, albeit a short-
iron will be key.

One  of the  three 200-yard plus one-shotters  on the course, the 12th is made
difficult  by  the huge bunker  fronting the putting  surface and the green is
large  and sunken down. During the 1993 Open, there were only two birdies made
during  the four  rounds  by the  top-five  players (one  each  by Janzen  and
Stewart).  Reaching the  putting surface should be no problem, but two-putting
for  par could be  quite a task. No problem for Sandy Lyle and Mike Hulbert in
1993, as they both aced the hole.

The  13th is one  of the finest holes on the course and not because of length.
The par-four only measures 432 yards, but it requires pinpoint accuracy. First
of  all, the  hole doglegs to the  right. Next, a diagonal creek runs down the
right  side  of the fairway  and lastly, bunkers protect  the left side of the
landing  area. So,  start  off with  a  three-metal, cutting  off  as much  as
possible. This will set up a mid-iron to a fairly undulating green, guarded by
deep  traps,  left and  right. Below  the hole  will set  up a possible birdie
attempt.  Remember  what happened to Bobby  Jones at the 1926 U.S. Amateur? He
tried  to  bite off too much  of the dogleg and  ended up in the stream, as he
lost  the championship  match to George Von Elm. Scuttlebutt has it that Jones
thought  so highly of the 13th, that he patterned the 13th at Augusta National
after it.

Bending slightly to the left, the 14th is the second of three consecutive 430-
plus  par-fours.  The key  once again  is the  tee shot,  which must carry the
corner  of the left fairway bunker. By accomplishing the task, this will leave
a clear opening to the green. A word of caution, do not miss left off the tee,
as  a stand  of trees flanks the  entire side. The putting surface is wide and
slick  with sand  all around.  During the  most recent  renovation, the  right
greenside bunkers were deepened and the hole was lengthened some 25 yards.

You'll be hard-pressed to find a quartet of holes more daunting than the final
four  at Baltusrol. The 15th is a straightaway par-four, with bunkers left and
right off the tee, along with stands of trees on both sides. A creek protrudes
in  the left  rough down past the  landing area, so most of the longer hitters
will  use three-metal  off the tee. Your approach shot will be slightly uphill
to  the elevated  green, which  is protected  by numerous  traps. The  putting
surface  slopes from back to front, making it one of the most difficult on the
course.  Despite winning  in 1993, Janzen made  two bogeys and two pars in his
four rounds on No. 15.

The  tee on 16 is elevated, showing you what trouble lies ahead on the longest
par-three  on  the course. Stretching a  mighty 230 yards, the hole requires a
fairway-metal  or rescue-club  with the  utmost of  accuracy. See,  the entire
putting  surface is  surrounded by sand and the green has many subtle nuances,
making  this one  bear of a hole. In  1993, Janzen chipped in for a two on the
final day en route to his U.S. Open title.

John  Daly  or anyone else for  that matter will  be hard pressed to reach the
17th  hole  in two, as  he did in  1993. Now measuring  650 yards, 20 some odd
yards  longer than  in '93, this dogleg  left monster requires a long tee shot
favoring  the right side  of the fairway and then an equally long second, over
the crossing bunkers, just to set up a wedge to the green. The putting surface
is  elevated and  fronted by six traps,  one bunker left and tall trees right.
Australian  Craig Parry  found the  hole  quite simple,  making three  birdies
during his stay at Baltusrol.

History  certainly  surrounds the  closing hole  of the  Lower Course. From Ed
Furgol's  back-and-forth play in 1954, to Nicklaus' exquisite one-iron in 1967
or Janzen's tournament record-tying putt in '93, the 18th has had its share of
excitement.  "It could  make  for a  lot  of  excitement, if  you  come to  18
needing  an  eagle. It is  the only  hole on the  course where you've got that
chance,"  commented  Payne Stewart. The elevated  tee sets the hole up nicely,
showing  you exactly  what's in front of  you. A long drive down the center or
just  right  will leave an  uphill second to  this rather small and undulating
green.  Danger lurks  all around, as tall  stands of pines guard both sides of
the  fairway  and a creek  runs through  the center of  the hole prior to your
climb  to the finish. The green is quick and protected by numerous traps which
sit  below the surface. After an opening-round bogey, Stewart birdied the hole
the  remaining three rounds. Although tying for 52nd in 1993, Keith Clearwater
dominated the 18th with three birdies and an eagle, as did Tony Johnstone, who
tied for 77th.

FINAL  WORD: You'll be hard pressed to find another course in the country with
more  history than Baltusrol, from its seven U.S. Opens and four U.S. Amateurs
to  its U.S.  Women's Opens and the 2005 PGA  Championship. The  ambience  and
mystique  of the club is remarkable. It certainly has proven itself in regards
to  scoring  difficulty, despite Nicklaus'  63. Conditioning, well, in a word,
"mint".  What you have to do at Baltusrol is hit it long and straight and putt
like  there's  no tomorrow.  The rough is  thick and the  greens are slick. If
you're  going  to err, long on  most holes is  better, as there are rarely any
traps  behind  the greens. Having said  that, the thickness of the primary cut
rivals  most top-notch  venues, like Oakmont and Merion. As far as remembering
the  holes and  variety, well it doesn't  quite stack up to the top-25 courses
around the country. Over the years, many changes have been made to the course,
but  none  of the improvements  have taken  away from the original Tillinghast
design.  Despite the  plainness of  some  of the  holes, the  Lower Course  at
Baltusrol is one impressive track.