If the PGA of America had not already confirmed my credentials to cover the PGA Championship, groundskeepers at the Atlanta Athletic Club might never let me set foot on their Highlands Course again.
Nearly 200 members of the media, sponsors, tournament officials, PGA representatives and defending champion Martin Kaymer played Monday at the site of the 2011 championship.
Kaymer shot 2 or 3 under par, according to PGA president Allen Wronowski, while playing from the 7,600-yard championship tees and with most of the greens at championship speed.
I shot two balls into the water. Playing from the white tees on all but the par-4 starting and finishing holes, I shot four or five – including a few from the fairway – into the rough or woods. The day became bogey-is-great for the short-knockers and high-handicappers playing.
Six pins were in the same spot as they were for the final round of the 2001 PGA Championship, which gave Monday’s participants a taste of final-round difficulty.
It’s a bitter taste, by the way.
The greens were exceptionally firm and faster than anything this side of championship-speed greens at The Honors Course. Missing a level 10-foot putt resulted in a five-foot cleanup – not fun for any golfer.
The Highlands Course should provide the best golfers in the world an adequate test of ball-striking and shot-making as well as putting.
It’s the most difficult course I’ve played.
And Kaymer said it will be even more difficult in August. That’s when he’ll be playing and I’ll be reporting – just doing our jobs.