Black Creek Club superintendent Scott Wicker and his staff received rave reviews Tuesday.
The chatter around the practice area from caddies, players and PGA Tour officials was surprising.
Somehow, someway, in a historically hot year that forced Chattanooga Golf and Country Club and prestigious Oakmont Country Club, among other golf courses, to close for a while, Black Creek remained open.
Wicker’s diligence and attention to the greens throughout the summer has resulted in prime conditions for a Nationwide Tour event.
“They came through the summer better than a lot of courses in this area and everybody in the country dealt with hot temperatures,” said Dave Donnelly of the PGA Tour. “Whatever Scott did here, he managed to beat out a lot of folks and keep grass on the greens.
Tournament officials can structure the course almost as they want throughout the weekend. They can put flagsticks anywhere on any green. They can shift tee boxes on par-3s without a worry and make Nos. 10 and 15 drivable if they choose.
“He weathered the summer well enough that we can push the greens this time of year,” Donnelly said. “We can do almost anything we want now that he’s through the summer.”
Black Creek is notorious – and popular among the Nationwide Tour players – for incredibly low scores. Chris Baryla won last year at 19 under par, and Kyle Reifers forced a playoff with Brandt Snedeker after both shot 26 under in 2006.
“When I got here this year, I wasn’t sure whether it would play easier or harder,” Donnelly said, “because it’s hard and fast, which makes it longer, but the greens are fast, too. Hard and fast greens are usually an equalizer.”
Axley at home
Rarely does an hour of programming pass on the Golf Channel without an advertisement for the Stack & Tilt golf swing featuring Eric Axley and other pros saying the tagline, “I’m stacked.”
This week, Axley is stacked and back home.
Axley grew up in Athens, Tenn., and played most of his junior and amateur golf at Springbrook Country Club in nearby Niota.
“I haven’t got to play close to home in a long time, so I’m looking forward to it,” said Axley, who qualified for the U.S. Open this year. “The altitude and grass that I grew up on – we go so many places – when you’re at home, you know how far the ball is flying and you’re used to the grass.
“Being at home and knowing a lot of people is always comforting.”
Practice on greens
McCallie School and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga graduate Bryce Ledford has little need for a yardage book at Black Creek Club, because he’s played it at least a hundred times.
But a practice round or two is still useful because the course is in championship condition.
“I’m going to get used to the speed of the greens because they’re faster than normal,” Ledford said. “I’ll hit some chips and work on some bunker play. And I’ll roll putts to different sides of the greens where the pins will be.”