Is Whistling Straits Great?**

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On Peter Kessler's show today, the host asked if I thought Whistling Straits is a great course. I responded that while I love watching it and admire many elements of the design, I wouldn't want to play it nor do I think most golfers can get around, which DQ's it from the greatness category for me. (By comparison, Pebble Beach and the Old Course can be played by just about anyone.)

John Huggan went a bit farther this Sunday in his column:

On the plus side, it is a visually spectacular venue, one that will afford the television cameras many opportunities to showcase the surrounding landscape; on the down side it represents much that is depressing and foolish about modern golf architecture and the game itself.

Not only is Whistling Straits, like so many of America's high-profile courses, stupidly expensive to play, it must cost a fortune to maintain and, whisper it, lost balls are not uncommon, even for accomplished players. Last time, by way of example, former Edinburgh nightclub bouncer Vijay Singh won a three-hole play-off with Justin Leonard and Chris DiMarco. How exciting was it? Suffice to say that the lanky Fijian shot 76 and made but one birdie during his 21-hole final day.

It will be fun to hear what the players have to say about the rough, the setup and any changes to the place since 2005. The early photos I've seen don't exactly show the leanest native grasses I've ever seen, which is a bit disappointing but hardly surprising.

As for the new 18th hole, Ron Whitten describes changes there and more noticeable in his view, to the 6th hole where Pete Dye is trying to discourage Kerry Haigh from a driveable scenario.

And Joe Passov does a nice job detailing the new strategic option on the 18th, and based on the excellent graphic with the piece, no one in their right mind will be trying the risky route. So look for John Daly to try.