Golf’s Fourth Major…The PGA Championship At Hazeltine National Golf Club
First, some thoughts about majors and the PGA Championship: By definition, a “major” is one of golf’s elite tournaments… one in which all of the world’s top players participate each year. According to this definition, every PGA Championship since 1957 (before ’57 the PGA Championship was match play) should be considered the #1 “major” simply because the fields have consistently included more of the world’s top players than any other golf tournament. Historically, the PGA Championship was created as a high-profile competition for professional golfers at a time when the sport that was largely run by wealthy amateurs. This original concept is still reflected in the entry parameters: The PGA Championship is the only “major” which does not invite leading amateurs to compete.
Hazeltine National Golf Club 7
Back in 1930, when Bobby Jones won the “Grand Slam,” the majors included the Opens and Amateurs of both the U.S. and Britain, although by virtue of their professional status several of the game’s top players weren’t eligible for some of these events. Other tournaments that were considered majors in those days included both the Western Open, first played in 1899, and the North and South Open, started in 1902 and played annually at the Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. It has been suggested that the North and South was the Masters before there was a Masters Tournament – it was played at the same course every year and players were treated like royalty. It ended in 1951 following a tiff between the tour and Pinehurst’s management, and the Western Open fell by the wayside when CBS began covering the Masters at Augusta in the mid-1950′s.
Except for the Masters, all current majors are championships of something: the USGA, the Royal and Ancient in Great Britain, the PGA of America. By that standard, I suppose the Players Championship, staged by the PGA Tour at Sawgrass, ought to be the fifth major…and many considerate it so, but the debate goes on.
Showtime at Hazeltine National
This year, the PGA Championship will be played at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. The course is everything you might expect – a demanding parkland layout running adjacent to Lake Hazeltine, offering a full complement of Robert Trent Jones and Rees Jones challenges. Water, woods and prairie have been configured to emphasize shot values, and nowhere is this more evident than #16. It’s a diabolical hole; swing with confidence or you’re fish food. Watch for it during the TV coverage.
Hazeltine National Golf Club 16
Garrison Keillor Country
If you’ve never traveled to Minnesota, you’re in for a pleasant surprise… Chaska is a scenic 40-minute drive from Minneapolis International. It’s not exactly Lake Woebegone, but you’ll enjoy the countryside – the trees are just tall enough and all the girls are pretty. Beautiful rural lake country. In the land of 10,000 lakes that may sound too obvious, but never mind… this is an outdoorsman’s (and woman’s) paradise, especially if you like to fish. Chaska is a bedroom community of Minneapolis, within a three-hour drive of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and popular destinations like Mille Lacs. I was there in mid July and many of the roadside produce stands had fresh corn and tomatoes for sale…I’m a sucker for sweet corn, especially when it comes out of the field 20 minutes before you buy it.
Feed Your Head, Too
If you attend the Championship, plan to visit the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. With its outstanding collection of contemporary art, it’s one of my favorite stops. Try it on a Thursday night; there’s free admission courtesy of Target, Inc.
And don’t forget to stop by the Merchandise tent – I’ll be on hand to personalize any purchase.