Watson: This Course Is Like Playing In A Mine Field

By Ken Klavon, USGA

Hutchinson, Kan. – Jim Thorpe exited the ninth hole Tuesday and Wednesday at Prairie Dunes Country Club looking spent.

Sweat dripped off his forehead both days as he signed autographs for well-wishers. Sure, the Kansas heat had taken its toll, but so did the Prairie Dunes landscape.

"The USGA always finds the toughest golf course in the world. I think Mr. Maxwell," said Thorpe, pausing for effect, "should have stuck to making coffee."

The reference was made in jest toward famed architect Perry Maxwell, who designed the original nine holes of the course in 1935. His son, J. Press Maxwell, completed the remaining nine by 1957. The beauty of the links-style course doesn't lie in any one facet. Maxwell brilliantly wove the rolling terrain the land offered into signature prairie grass-lined fairways - heavy on the diagonals pertaining to sight lines off the tees - and greens with large concave swales that repel inaccurate shots. Throw in a 15-20 mile per hour prevailing wind, and Maxwell's intention of how the course should play makes it a masterpiece.

Truth is, every hole has the potential to play differently.

"The simple fact remains that you have undulations and contours everywhere on the course," said Ben Crenshaw, shortly after playing nine holes Wednesday. "You have to strategize every time you go out."

In other words, there aren't any weaknesses except for the fact that for years it never received exposure because of its remote location. Former USGA President Judy Bell, who grew up in nearby Wichita, and the 2002 Women's Open helped raise awareness.

"When I first laid eyes on it, I thought it was the best course I had ever seen," said Bell prior to boarding a flight to Wichita on Monday night.

In the fall of 2003 Coore and Crenshaw Inc., operated by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, were hired to make aesthetic changes – as long as they didn't disrupt Maxwell's original design. Crenshaw, who grew up playing on one of Maxwell's other designs – Austin Country Club – is a history buff and handled the task delicately.

Coore and Crenshaw added five new bunkers for playability purposes. New bunkers were implemented on the fourth (one), the seventh (two), the 13^th (one) and one on 15. Two new tees were also constructed, on nine and 13.

Crenshaw is such a fan of Maxwell's that he spoke in measured words.

"I consider this course a work of art," said Crenshaw. "It is a place of study. Whatever little involvement we have had in the past, we obviously take it very seriously to stay within Maxwell's vision. We would not do anything at all if that wasn't the case."

Said Prairie Dunes general manager Randy Hunt: "All the bunkers that we added, we were looking at it as cosmetic features to stay within the original topography and feeling."

USGA championship agronomist Tim Moraghan witnessed the changes on several visits while working with course superintendent Stan George.

"If you were here before and saw them, they put them in here and walked away," he said. "And if you weren't here before, you wouldn't have known they were here."

The venue consistently finds itself on the experts' lists of being one of the top courses in the country. It's as good as advertised, according to Champions Tour rookie Fred Funk.

"I kind of judge golf courses by: if you only have one to play the rest of your life, would you be tired of playing it every single day?" he said. "And I don't think you'd ever get tired of playing this golf course."

Something new from the 2002 championship are the closely mown areas around nine of the 18 greens. The grass has been cut to three-eighths of an inch. All of the holes couldn't be adjusted that way because of severe slopes on some of the greens. The reason behind it has to do with strategy. Balls that had stopped before in the longer grass won't do so now. George, superintendent the past 15 years, said that "if it doesn't fit the topography, then we wouldn't do it."

"I will tell you it's in better shape than it was in 2002. That's not a criticism of Stan; it has to do more with the club getting more involved with making it an even better course," said Moraghan.

So think of it as a perplexing riddle. It's a rigid examination that will test every part of the players' game this week. And that's why the USGA is back. It fits the Association's philosophy of having narrow fairways, substantial rough and greens so contoured that they could leave, well, the world's best players talking to themselves.

Angled shots to greens put a premium on accuracy. That's why it's so important to shape them.

Kansas native Tom Watson addresses the media Wednesday, calling Prairie Dunes "a very, very difficult golf course." (John Mummert/USGA)

There are some holes that can employ a bump-and-run attack, others that necessitate precise placement. Otherwise, the ghost of Maxwell might smile as balls run off some of the severely countered greens.

"If you get 30 to 40 feet back on these greens, you're going to be in trouble," said Walter Hall, a participant in seven U.S. Senior Opens.

The players can't let their guard down or things could blow up real quick.

"The hardest thing to do is concentrate on concentrating," said Moraghnan.

Funk was a bit surprised playing Tuesday because when he was flying in the landscape looked flat as a pancake. He learned quickly that wasn't the case, finding he might need up to six different clubs to reach just one of the greens under varying wind conditions.

Tom Watson believes the unforgiving rough could ruin rounds, going so far as suggesting that one hole could make or break the championship for players.

"Because of the heavy stuff left and right, if you just miss it off line 15 yards here or 10 yards there, you're going to be unplayable or lost. This course is like playing in a mine field," said Watson.

Defending champion Allen Doyle thinks the keys to scoring will be two-fold: staying out the rough and whether the wind blows. If it blows, the course won't be receptive to low scores. And if it doesn't? Why would the course suddenly yield red numbers?

"Because if you drive it in the fairway, you're going to have some short irons in your hands and I think that if you're in the fairway, you can score here," said Doyle.

This week the fairways will be tight, between 26-30 yards. The greens will run 10 ½ on the USGA Stimpmeter, although Moraghan said that the wind will ultimately determine speed.

All in all, the players know what to expect on the 6,646-yard, par-70 layout.

"My strategy is to drive the fairways, hit the greens and take my chances from there," said Hall.

From the sounds of it, George and the club can already be pleased. They've worked long hours to ensure that the course is ready. And with good reason.

"We put a little more pressure on ourselves," said George. "We don't want to be sub-par to 2002."

Ken Klavon is the USGA Web Editor. E-mail him questions or comments at kklavon@usga.org.