Course Breakdown: PGA Championship
So what makes this course so challenging? The PGA Championship will bring a lot of challenges regarding pin placement and other course conditions that will be a test throughout. But on every course there are holes that seem to decide tournaments – and, by looking at the data, we can see that not all birdies and bogeys are created equal.
This course features six holes that clearly stand out in regards to standard deviation – all six holes will most likely result in more than 40% of the field making a score other than par. The front 9 features an absolutely crucial stretch early on during holes #4, #5, and #6. On the back 9, hole #11 presents another key opportunity, and like we see with many championship-caliber courses, there will be a lot of drama down the stretch with multi-stroke leaderboard changes possible on #16, and the hardest hole on the course in terms of scoring average, #18.
Key Stat Legend: Whistling Straits
| Statistic | Description |
| Driving Accuracy | Measures average number of fairways hit off tee shots |
| Driving Distance | Measures average total yardage of drives |
| Approaches from * yards | Measures average to-hole accuracy from fairways or tee shots on par-3s, from varying distances |
| Total Putting | A comprehensive number using six different putting stats (Putting from 5-10’, Three Putt Avoidance, etc.) |
Let’s begin our hole-by-hole breakdown, looking at the key stats for each, starting at the first tee.
Hole #1: Driving Accuracy, Approaches from >200
Hole #2: Driving Distance, Approaches from >200
Hole #3: Total Putting
Hole #4 starts the fun after a fairly normal first three holes. Hole 4 is a 489-yard par-4 that plays a half stroke over its par. This hole features the most bogeys, and the second most double bogeys (to #18) on the course. Par here is actually a ‘win’, as 44% of the field recorded a bogey-or-worse here in 2010, and only one out of every 25 tries resulted in a birdie (which is more akin to an eagle percentage for an easy hole). The hole is long, but long drivers seem to be forced to choose between a blind second shot and flirting with a series of bunkers, or even worse, Lake Michigan on the left. Similar challenges face the approach shot, with Lake Michigan once again in play if the ball skips past the green. The best way to survive this hole will be through either elite Driving Accuracy or a top-notch Approach from >200 yards.
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