PGA Championship

The township that I live in, has the honor of being the host community for the 90th PGA Championship, to be held at Oakland Hills Country Club next week (August 4–10, 2008). This prestigious tournament is one of the world’s largest sporting events, and our community will again be in the spotlight.

More than 200,000 spectators(this is lots of people when the population of the township is only around 43,000)are expected to visit and watch 156 of the world’s greatest golfers compete to win the coveted Wanamaker Trophy. Below is brief overview of the course;

When the South Course of Oakland Hills was formally opened on July 13, 1918, it already enjoyed a certain degree of prestige. After all, the course was designed by the foremost golf course architect of his day - Donald Ross and the Club had engaged, as its first professional - Walter Hagen who had already won the United States Open. Oakland Hills' South Course is now world-renowned and is consistently picked among the top ten tests of golf in the United States and, indeed, the world. Its reputation is well earned. No stranger to Major Championship golf, Oakland Hills as already hosted 10 Major Championships.

Although many tournaments have been held throughout the years at Oakland Hills, the one which gave the course its greatest reputation as "The Monster" was the 1951 Open. Ben Hogan won with a total of 287 by shooting a final round 67 after which he was quoted as saying "I am glad I brought this course, this monster, to its knees." He also said that it was "the greatest test of golf I have ever played and the toughest course."

Fortunately, I had an opportunity to play on the South Course a few years ago, but, regrettably, I may have set the worst record for the course. LOOK at all those bunkers!!!!!!! Any way, enjoy the course view...from 1st hole-to-18th hole...with Rod Stewart's "First Cut Is The Deepest.