PGA Hole by Hole: Travelers Championship

by PuddinCheeks Last Updated 2016-08-15 22:27:35

First off, congratulations to Mr. Jimmy Walker for completing the ‘First Timers’ sweep of the Majors for the 2015-2016 season. It was an interesting weekend to say the least with the weather playing a very large roll in the craziness of the 36 Hole Sunday for most of the guys at the top of the leaderboard.

If your lineups survived the savagery of some very chalky plays taking a nosedive, you probably had a nice weekend in the long run.

NOTE: All course images found in this article are from Google Earth.

TPC River Highlands

Cromwell, CT • Par: 70 • Course Yardage: 6841

This week the players will travel 140 miles northeast to the TPC River Highlands near the banks of the Connecticut River. You hear river and instantly think that some of it would be in play, but that is not the case on this course. It has a long history that dates back to the late 1920s and was purchased by the PGA Tour and redesigned by Pete Dye in the 1980s. Afterwards, some touch-up work was completed in 1989.

This course is relatively flat with only around 80 feet of elevation change between its highest and lowest points. We have a tournament this week that has been played on the same course basically since 1984, so it’s a historian’s dream as far as stats are concerned.

Scoring History: Five Previous Years

Here is a look at the aggregate stats dating back through 2011 for every hole showing average strokes and fantasy scoring. The scoring categories show how many of a certain type (birdies,bogeys, etc.) for the entire tournament. So you can divide those by four to get the per round average for each hole. The +/-Average and DK Average are figured on a per round basis.

You can see that this course averages almost a half stroke under par, but now also that an average golfer should score around 15.26 DK points per round. As a comparison here are some recent averages.

PGA Championship: 13.01
RBC Canadian Open: 14.88
Open Championship: 11.57

Extrapolated: A Fantasy Team with 6 Average Golfers making the cut should have scored.

PGA Championship: 13.01×6×4 = 312.15
RBC Canadian Open: 14.88×6×4= 357.08
Open Championship: 11.57×6×4= 277.75

So theoretically we can expect at TPC Highlands a team to need. 15.26×6×4 = 366.24 as a baseline for an average team. This is not a hard-line way to determine what the cash-lines will be because many other factors are involved, such as, high owned players missing the cut, birdie streaks and placement bonuses. It is just a way to help in having expectations for what your players should be scoring on a daily basis just to stay at the average of the field.

One really interesting thing that I noticed when setting up the above table, was that not necessarily the easiest hole on the course gives up the most fantasy points.

Compare Holes 6 and 13 for example; hole 6 is the easiest hole on the course for strokes but the third best at fantasy scoring. Hole 13 on the other hand is the second easiest hole but best in fantasy scoring. It is a minimal difference that sets them apart, but it helps to understand where the players will be able to make up the big numbers we like in fantasy. That is also why the table includes the average amount of each scoring type each hole has seen for the last five years.

Hole by Hole Analysis

Format Notes:

Tee Shots (Drive/Approach) = 290/150, (Landing width)
Green (Width/Depth) = 25/25
Elevation: Distance in (feet) of elevation change uphill(+), downhill(-)
Direction: The Direction that the hole plays towards.
All other Measurements in Yards.

Hole #1: Par 4, 434 yards

This is a real winner for an opening hole on a golf course. It has the second widest fairway landing zone and plays downhill off the tee, giving every player the option to just let one fly. It also doesn’t have much trouble in the way of trees near the fairway.

Tee Shot 1: 290/140, 40
Tee Shot 2: 330/100, 32
Green: 20/36
Elevation: -30
Direction: South

Hole #2: Par 4, 341 yards

You would think that a 341 yard hole would average more than one eagle per tournament, but that isn’t the case. It plays uphill preventing anyone except the really long hitters from having a chance at putting one on the dance floor. Nonetheless, it is the third easiest hole on the course and gives all players an equal opportunity at a birdie.

Tee Shot 1: 260/100, 35
Tee Shot 2: 335/0, 15
Green: 35/13
Elevation: +40
Direction: South

Hole #3: Par 4, 431 yards

With the third scoring hole in a row off the start of the round this one has a slight dogleg to the left and a tree that most players will just hit over the top of. The fairway narrows slightly at around the 290 mark and many players will be happy just short of that. While the longer hitters make take on the more narrow fairway and go over the bunkers to their left with a carry of around 305 and slightly downhill it is easily doable for the risk/reward of a shorter wedge into the green.

Tee Shot 1: 285/140, 29
Tee Shot 2: 330/95, 30
Green: 26/30
Elevation: -5
Direction: South

Hole #4: Par 4, 481 yards

After three outgoing holes away from the clubhouse the players will make a 180 turn and head straight back on the toughest hole on the course. This is where the longer hitters can take a chance to cut the corner on the dogleg right with an extremely well placed shot as the fairway narrows and angles away from them to the right. It appears that no matter how the players approach this hole it is hard to score as it only average 9 birdies per round played on it. Walking away with a par is not a bad option.

Tee Shot 1: 290/180, 37
Tee Shot 2: 330/135, 26
Green: 19/37
Elevation: -3
Direction: North

Hole #5: Par 3, 223 yards

Once the players survive the fourth hole they get to face a long iron shot into pretty wide green. Its just a LONG shot. Surrendering only 9 birdies per round just like the fourth if you make one here you are gaining on the field. Bad shots will likely find one of the few bunkers surrounding the front of the green or

Tee Shot 1: 223
Green: 37/28
Elevation: +/-0
Direction: North

Hole #6: Par 5, 574 yards

Now we reach the first Par 5 of two on the course where players will need two accurate shots to setup up a clean approach into this green for a birdie. Even though this is a par 5 it is on the longer side and average only 1 eagle per round. This hole gives up the third most birdies and anything over par will mean falling behind the field.

Tee Shot 1: 290/200/60, 33
Tee Shot 2: 330/240, 34
Green: 21/30
Elevation: -7
Direction: South

Hole #7: Par 4, 443 yards

With bunkers down the right side of the fairway, a solid tee shot will put most players in a good spot for scoring inside of 150 yards.

Tee Shot 1: 290/145
Tee Shot 2: 330/105
Green: 23/30
Elevation: +/-0
Direction: North

Hole #8: Par 3, 202 yards

The PGA tour sure loves 200 yard par threes. This is another one that only gives up about eleven birdies around and taking a two putt par is perfectly acceptable. It does have a small pond in front of it, but is not really in play for tour pros since the green is set back from it a fair distance. I’m sure we may see someone shank at least one in the water so he can be “that guy!”

Tee Shot 1: 202
Green: 25/36
Elevation: +/-0
Direction: North

Hole #9: Par 4, 406 yards

Hole nine can be setup for some interesting tee shots and is one of the places where long hitters can really go for a special drive. It depends on which tee box they are sitting on and it may move from one round to the next. I have the measurements shown from the left tee, if they are playing from the right it becomes much more difficult for someone to get creative on the tee shot. Most players will lay back to the 260 to 270 since this is not a long hole.

Tee Shot 1: 270/130, 42
Tee Shot 2: 330/40, 18
Green: 27/27
Elevation: +/-0
Direction: North Tee Shot, East Approach

Hole #10: Par 4, 462 yards

Heading out from the clubhouse players will have a test in accuracy, as a miss left or right can lead to a blocked approach shot to the green from trees that overhang the fairway. This is a hole where a long accurate drive can give an edge to players since it is the second longest par 4 but needs to land on the fairway in a bottleneck. There is also OB fairly close on the right that can bring big numbers into play.

Tee Shot 1:290/160, 37
Tee Shot 2: 330/125, 16
Green: 17/32
Elevation: -18
Direction: East

Hole #11: Par 3, 158 yards

Finally a par 3 that isn’t over 200 yards, they do exist after all!. Except this one plays downhill and depending on wind direction can cause players trouble in getting it close to the pin.

Tee Shot 1: 158
Green: 22/32
Elevation: -40
Direction: East

Hole #12: Par 4, 411 yards

One of the easier driving holes for players with a wide landing area and most of the fairway bunkers can be driven over with a 290 carry. Long hitters may opt to stretch to the end of the fairway around the 350 mark with a tee shot playing downhill 30 feet. Regardless of how long the drive is most players are looking at a wedge into the green that is protected front left/right with bunkers.

Tee Shot 1: 290/120, 38
Tee Shot 2: 330/75, 44
Green: 16/33
Elevation: -20
Direction: South

Hole #13: Par 5, 523 yards

This hole will play a major part for DFS purposes as it is reachable in 2 shots by all but the shortest hitters. Averaging 4 Eagles per round it will be a huge step for your teams if they can take advantage of this hole. It plays slightly downhill but a miss right will end up in a small lake and a miss to far left in the fairway makes it harder for a player to get to the green in 2. The front left is guarded by a pond so most players will try to stay out to the right side of the green on long shots.

Tee Shot 1: 290/230, 42
Tee Shot 2: 330/185, 34
Green: 21/34
Elevation: -20
Direction: South

Hole #14: Par 4, 421 yards

A long hitter will be able to almost reach the end of the fairway on this hole. It is a slight dogleg left, so players will want to stay on the right side of the fairway if possible to avoid a large tree to the left of the green.

Tee Shot 1: 290/125, 37
Tee Shot 2: 330/80, 31
Green: 16/32
Elevation: -10
Direction: South

Hole #15: Par 4, 296 yards

This reachable par 4 seems like a great opportunity for an eagle, but only average just under three per round. I was kind of surprised at that stat. Most players don’t want to bring the opportunity of hitting the ball into the lake with too much draw. This is second best hole on the course for fantasy scoring and almost every player will be just short of the green or just on the front of it playing a safe shot.

Tee Shot 1: 292, 32
Green: 21/34
Elevation: +/-0
Direction: North

Hole #16: Par 3, 171 yards

Now we are reaching the Pete Dye part of the course. The scenic water holes that make for a very exciting finish. Scoring on this hole will be dependent on the pin placements for each round. It can be put near the front of the green bringing water into play or tucked near some bunkers on the right.

Tee Shot 1: 171
Green: 30/21
Elevation: +5
Direction: South

Hole #17: Par 4, 420 yards

An iconic hole at TPC Highlands it gives up a decent amount of birdies to players who manage 2 well placed shots. On the flip side it carries the most double bogies on the course at almost 6 per round played. We will see a lot of highlights throughout the week just on this hole alone. If your players are finishing on the back nine on Friday it may be good to have your fingers crossed when they play this hole and are close to the cut line.

Tee Shot 1: 290/120, 30
Tee Shot 2: 330/95, 24
Green: 26/32
Elevation: -15
Direction: North

Hole #18: Par 4, 444 yards

The home hole gives players an opportunity to make back any lost strokes suffered in the previous holes. A solid tee shot gives all players an approach of 150 or less. Long hitters may go all the way to the cart path in the middle of the fairway for less than 100 to the green, but will be challenging with the tee shot having to go 15 feet slightly uphill.

Tee Shot 1: 290/150, 32
Tee Shot 2: 330/105, 28
Green: 17/33
Elevation: +20
Direction: North

Summary

All in all this will be an exciting week for golf, the course will allow scoring and only punish the terrible shots. The initial reports for Thursday and Friday are southerly winds starting around 1:00pm reaching just up to around 10mph. Keep an eye on that as the course plays almost entirely North/South and players can take advantage of a tail wind on certain holes. It also means they may be hitting into the wind on the reachable par 5, 13th. It is a full bentgrass course from tee to green.

Also, there will be lots of talk about bombers again this week, most of it will be justifiable but any player with a strong iron game will be able to compete. Short hitters don’t suffer a terrible disadvantage so you can feel comfortable using them. This course also allows more miss-hit shots than we saw last week. Players will be able to recover on most holes if they miss the fairway just slightly and possibly still make birdie.

It should be a fun high scoring affair, so let’s hope we pick the right guys. Good luck and may the strokes be in your favor.