TPC Boston Tweaks

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New 15th tee view, with added chocolate drops down the right side replacing catch basins (click image to enlarge)The de-Floridaization of TPC Boston continued last fall, winter and spring, with Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner and Brad Faxon continuing to inject more of a New England feel after their successful renovation that debuted two years ago.

Most of this year's tweaks involved removal of modern mounding and catch basins. Courtesy of Jim:

  • #3 - removed artificial mounding and useless basins rear of green and replace sharp bank.
  • #6 - removed artificial and containment mounding on right side of green and replace with swale.
  • #14 - build small mounding/light rumple in right rough and fairway between 280 and 320 yds.
  • #14 - removed left greenside supporting moundings and created sharp bank with 4' deep swale.
  • #14 - widened fairway at landing area to bring sharp fairway contours into play. Creating possible interesting sidehill - uphill long iron shots.
  • #15 - built new tee to the left of existing and lowered 15ft. to help obscure fairway landing area.
  • #15 - created land form along right side of fairway between 260 and 310 yds, removing drainage basins.
  • #17 - added several small mounds along rightside of green.

In case you want to see how the course once looked, PGATour.com still features this image of the old 4th hole (viewer discretion is advised). And two years ago there were before/after shots featured on the TPC Boston archive page if you just scroll down a bit.

Tiger didn't seem to notice the above changes, except for the new 15th tee. However, I love the final jab at Liberty National and it's great to read that Tom Brodeur has the course firm and the greens rolling nicely:

Q. Talk about the course.

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, the course is -- I haven't played it in a couple years. There was one change I saw out there at 15 tee, but that's about it. A couple mounds they've added here and there throughout the golf course, but it's virtually the same. The greens are perfect, the fairways are in great shape. Surprising how dry it is considering how much rain they've gotten here. The golf course is really draining well.

Q. How do you feel about these greens?

TIGER WOODS: They're rolling perfect. They're rolling great. I was telling Stevie, every time we come here we think the greens are undulating. Not after last week.