Valhalla Golf Club - Hole by Hole

ONE 450 Yards, Par 4
The first hole is a gentle introduction that begins to ease into the golf course. Most players will use 3-wood or driver off of the tee. Players will play out to the right center of the dogleg to set up a mid to short iron approach to a slightly elevated green. Hitting the tee shot in the fairway will be at a premium to avoid the closely mown collection area to the left of the green and the bluegrass collection to the right. The first green also features a five-foot swale on it’s front left to devour shots landing short. This is a great opening hole, which played surprisingly difficult in the 78th PGA Championship.

TWO 505 Yards, Par 4
Hole 2 played as a Par 5 and as one of the easiest holes on the course during the 1996 & 2000 PGA Championships. It was played as a Par 4 during the 2004 Senior PGA Championship, and ranked as one of the hardest holes on the course as a result. Players will need to thread their tee shot into a small landing zone between the fairway bunker to the right and the waterway guarding the left. The second will be a mid to long iron shot to this difficult green sloping to the left. As a par 5 or a Par 4, the mission remains the same - four is a good score.

THREE 210 Yards, Par 3
This par 3 is one of the most demanding holes on the course. Hole placement and wind direction will determine the degree of difficulty of this hole. Players will hit a mid to long iron to this narrow elevated green. Any shot missing to the right could come to rest perilously close to Floyd’s Fork if not in the winding hazard. Most shots will more than likely be played to the center of the green to allow for a routine par.

FOUR 375 Yards, Par 4
A short dogleg left, this hole will tempt players to make the carry over the left-hand fairway bunker to leave a short wedge approach. Shots carrying the bunker will have to be exact or the shot could easily bound through the fairway into deep rough. A barrage of trouble guards this sloping, elevated green. Two bunkers guard the left front of the green with a third bunker looming on the right. Any shot going beyond the green will certainly provide the toughest of challenges to save par. The green is the most undulating on the course with a ridge separating the left and right portions. Most players will play safely to the left portion of the fairway, leaving a short iron approach.

FIVE 465 Yards, Par 4
This par 4 is where the course toughens. Players may very well reach this hole one or two under par, but their work has just begun. The tee shot looks inviting however, with the addition of three new fairway bunkers to the left and bluegrass rough to the right players will have to be exact with a driver off of this tee. The right center of the fairway will be the preferred position to allow for a mid iron shot to a slightly elevated green guarded by a massive bunker to the right and a closely mown collection area to the left. One of the most difficult holes on the course, the fifth will not see many birdies.

SIX 495 Yards, Par 4
A sharp dogleg to the right with the second shot crossing over Floyd’s Fork, this par 4 requires precision on both the tee shot and the approach to the green. For most, the tee shot will be with a 3 wood or long iron to the left center of the fairway, which slopes slightly to the right. The fairway is protected by rough on both sides. The right side slopes toward Floyd’s Fork. Placing the tee shot in the fairway is critical to play the demanding second shot with a mid to short iron. This green is well guarded with a closely mown collection area, which extends along the right side and behind the green. Left of the green is extremely treacherous with a deep bunker and rough, which slopes steeply towards Floyd’s Fork. There will be plenty of pars on this par 4, however for those who are not cautious a big number is not out of the question.

SEVEN 600 Yards, Par 5
The most difficult of the par 5’s this hole features a dual fairway. For players deciding to gamble, the left fairway will be a shorter route and make the hole very reachable in two shots. The gamble for the players is that the left fairway is completely surrounded by rough and a gnarly hazard. Errant shots to the left fairway will have to be pitched back to the fairway, leaving a tough scramble for par. The safest route will be to play to the right fairway, laying up with a long to mid iron, leaving a short iron approach to the elevated green. The green is protected by two green side bunkers and some of the deepest rough on the course. The natural amphitheater around this green will make for a great spectating.

EIGHT 190 Yards, Par 3
Caution is the rule on this par 3. The overly aggressive shot can find disaster. Two deep bunkers and high rough can devour misguided shots to the right. A steep slope to the left of the green forces errant shots into the water of Floyd’s Fork. Even shots hitting the green are not yet out of trouble with the ever-present swale in the left side of the green pulling overly aggressive shots down and turning them into tough pars. The smart player will play to the right side of the green and attempt to take advantage of the hole with a good putt.

NINE 420 Yards, Par 4
This uphill par 4 has seen the addition of three new fairway bunkers, one to the left and two to the right side of the fairway. These bunkers have narrowed the landing area substantially. Most players will hit their tee shot on a line to carry the right hand bunker. This line will shorten the hole allowing for a short iron approach shot. If the line is too aggressive the ball will find the fairway bunkers and players will be left with a difficult second shot over a big green side bunker guarding the entire right side of the green. Just getting the ball on this lightning fast green is not enough. The green slopes from back to front, therefore keeping the ball below the hole is imperative.

TEN 590 Yards, Par 5
Positioning is critical on this double dogleg. This tee shot is one of the more demanding on the golf course, the addition of a fairway bunker to the right of the landing zone has made hitting the fairway a must to keep any hope of making birdie. A tee shot placed in the left half of this fairway leaves a formidable challenge for the player to bend the ball to the left around the trees to the elevated second dogleg of fairway. Most players will play for the right half of the fairway off to the tee providing them with a go at the green or a lay up to a full wedge shot. The green has two levels and it is a must to place the ball on the same tier as the hole.

ELEVEN 210 Yards, Par 3
A par 3 measuring 208 yards, this hole appears rather innocent at first glance. However, this two-tiered green is well guarded by two large bunkers, which nearly surround the green. The elevated green has two tiers; a keen eye will be needed to judge the precise distance. A lower tier hole location will demand a shot placed on the lower putting surface. Errant shots missing the green hole high or long will make saving par extremely difficult. An upper tier hole location will require the player to have pinpoint accuracy to avoid the short lower tier miss or going long, leaving a treacherous chip to a green sloping away from the player. A shot missing this green will allow for plenty of excitement.

TWELVE 470 Yards, Par 4
The most difficult hole in the 78th and 82nd PGA Championships, this rock solid par 4 requires precision on each shot. Players will need a strong tee shot to get into position for the mid to long iron second shot. The green is well protected by one of the deepest bunkers on the course and plenty of deep bluegrass rough. The contours of this narrow green slope toward the center of the green. Combine this with subtle undulations and you have the makings of a very difficult par save from almost any angle. Most players will be very pleased to leave this hole with a par

THIRTEEN 350 Yards, Par 4
Valhalla’s signature hole features a green perched atop huge boulders and almost completely surrounded by water. The 13th is the shortest of the par 4’s, however this hole proved to be a real nemesis for several players in the 78th and 82nd PGA Championships. Players will hit a long iron to the right center of this fairway, which lies some 70 feet below the tee, to set up a short iron or wedge second shot. The fairway is bordered by five menacing bunkers to the left, one large bunker to the right, and plenty of thick bluegrass rough. Players missing the fairway will find it difficult to get the ball close to the hole and in some cases difficult to hold the island green at all. This will be a great spectator spot to watch many birdies as well as a few more interesting plays into this green.

FOURTEEN 215 Yards, Par 3
The longest of the par 3 holes on the course plays from an elevated tee to a two-tiered green that slopes from left to right. An errant shot to the left leaves the player with an extremely difficult shot down the slope of the green making a par save very uncertain. A deep bunker guards the right.

FIFTEEN 440 Yards, Par 4
One of the most scenic holes at Valhalla, this par 4 has one of the more demanding approach shots on the course. The narrow, undulating green slopes severely from left to right. The green is guarded closely by Brush Run creek skirting the entire right side of the green and deep collection areas to the left. Players will need an accurate approach from the fairway to have a good attempt at birdie.

SIXTEEN 510 Yards, Par 4
The 16th is a difficult par 4 where the tee shot is critical. This narrow fairway is protected by Brush Run creek on the right and a heavily wooded areas to the left. This elevated green is treacherous with errant shots being repelled down into low areas where a high soft pitch is the player’s only resort. This hole played extremely difficult in both the 78th and 82nd PGA Championships.

SEVENTEEN 475 Yards, Par 4
The 17th is an uphill par 4 that will test the players from the tee. A good tee shot will leave a mid to short iron into the green. The green is slightly elevated with two bunkers guarding the left side of the green and closely mown collection areas encircling the rest of the green. Hole location is key with the back left hole location being the most difficult and yielding few chances at birdie.

EIGHTEEN 545 Yards, Par 5
The 18th has seen it’s fair share of drama in the 78th and 82nd PGA Championships. This reachable par five could easily see a two or three shot swing on the leader board. The tee shot has become even more difficult with the size of the left fairway bunker being nearly doubled thus narrowing the fairway considerably. Players will have to thread their tee shot into a tightened landing area to have a chance to go at the green in two. Reaching this horseshoe shaped green in two will require an uphill second over a large green side bunker. Those missing the green long will find some of the most difficult short shots on the course. For those needing to make up a shot or two the 18th will give them their chance, however for those protecting a lead the 18th does have teeth.