Jack Discovers Why Muirfield Village's 16th Did Not Work

Nine years ago Jack Nicklaus installed an all-new 16th hole at Muirfield Village, and Tiger’s amazing hole-out notwithstanding, the par-3 over water has not been well received by players. Besides not really fitting well with the course (rear catch basin, artificial pond, etc.), looking better from angles other than the tee location, the shot has been difficult for even the world’s best to hold the green.

In renovating the course last year, Nicklaus discovered why. From Dave Shedloski’s GolfDigest.com item:

“The green actually pitched away in the back. I did not know that,” Nicklaus said with genuine wonder but blamed himself. “I figured it was built just as I drew it. So, I took seven inches out of the middle of the green and added seven inches to the back of the green. It changes the whole profile of the green, so it sits more towards the tee.”

I’m not sure why it took reconstruction to discover something determinable with surveying equipment, but maybe the hole will play better going forward.