Baltusrol Golf Club

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Baltusrol Golf Club
Baltusrol's clubhouse during the 87th PGA Championship.
Baltusrol's clubhouse during the 87th PGA Championship.
Club Information
Location: Springfield, New Jersey
Established: 1895
Type: Private
Total holes: 36
Website: Baltusrol
Lower Course
Designed by: A. W. Tillinghast
Par: 72 (70 for majors)
Length: 7,015 (7,392 for majors)
Course Rating: 74.5
Upper Course
Designed by A. W. Tillinghast
Par: 72
Length: 6,750
Course Rating: 72.9

The Baltusrol Golf Club is a 36-hole country club located in Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey. Baltusrol was the site of the 87th PGA Championship. The course architect is A. W. Tillinghast, though the original course (which no longer exists) was designed by Louis Keller.

Normally, the course is a par 72, but for major championships, it plays to par 70.

Contents

[edit] History

The land that Baltusrol is on was purchased in the 1890s by Louis Keller, who was the publisher of the New York Social Register. He owned 500 acres (2 km²) of land in Springfield Township. On October 19, 1895, Keller announced that the Baltusrol Golf Club would open. The land is named for Baltus Roll, who was murdered at his home on February 22, 1831, at age 61.[1] In 1909, the original clubhouse burned down. Its replacement became the first clubhouse to host a President of the United States, William Howard Taft. In 1922, Tillinghast oversaw the construction of the Upper and Lower Courses.

In 1952, Robert Trent Jones redesigned the course. The course was again redesigned by Rees Jones in 1992 in preparation for the 1993 U.S. Open and possibly the 2005 PGA Championship. Some famous golfers to win tournaments at Baltusrol include Ed Furgol, Mickey Wright, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Janzen, and Phil Mickelson. In 1995, Golf Magazine recognized Baltusrol as one of "The First 100 Clubs in America".

[edit] Tournaments hosted

In its history, Baltusrol has hosted 15 USGA-sponsored tournament and one PGA tournament. It has hosted the U.S. Open seven times, in 1903, 1915, 1936, 1954, 1967, 1980, and 1993. It has hosted the U.S. Amateur Championship four times, in 1904, 1926, 1946, and 2000. It has hosted the U.S. Women's Open twice, in 1961 and 1985. It has hosted the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship twice, in 1901 and 1911. The 2005 PGA Championship was Baltusrol's first time hosting a PGA championship.

On the second day of the 2005 PGA Championship, a branch off of a red oak tree on the par three fourth hole fell down, injuring a spectator and two employees of CBS Sports. This happened while the grouping of Michael Campbell, Kevin Sutherland, and Tiger Woods was on the hole. Thunderstorms suspended the fourth round twice. Play was resumed on Monday August 15, and Phil Mickelson was the victor.

[edit] General information

The pro shop is open from 6:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. The course is not open to the public. Guests are permitted to play with a member. The dress code states that denim is not allowed and that a collared shirt is required. Metal spiked shoes and fivesomes are not allowed. Only long pants (khakis) can be worn, except for July 1-September 1 when Bermuda length shorts are permitted. Moreover, cellphone use is not permitted on the course or on club grounds except in one's car. The course is open from April 15 to October 15. The green fees for guests of members are $125. The fairways and greens are bent grass. The greens are aerated in April, late August and October, and there is no overseeding.

[edit] Audubon certification

Audubon International has designated the Baltusrol Golf Club a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. First bestowed to Baltusrol in 1999, Audubon International recognizes that Baltusrol manages its lands with concern to the environment. Audubon International uses criteria of environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, chemical usage reduction and safety, water conservation, and water quality management. Only 526 golf courses in the world have been designated as Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries.

[edit] Course information

Both courses are similar in that they have undulating greens, rolling terrain, and only one pond coming into play on each course.

[edit] Lower Course

The course that has hosted the 16 professional tournaments, the Lower Course normally measures 7,015 yards (6,415 m) from the blue tees and is a par 72 with a course rating of 74.5 and a slope rating of 150. For the 2005 PGA Championship, the course measured 7,392 yards (6,759 m) and was par 70. From the white tees, the course measures 6,652 yards (6,083 m) with a course rating of 72.7 and a slope rating of 139. From the gold tees, the course measures 6,325 yards (5,784 m) with a course rating of 71.3 and a slope rating of 137. From the ladies' tees, the course measures 5,981 yards (5,469 m) with a course rating of 76.1 and a slope rating of 135. In its listing of the "Top 100 Courses in the U.S.", GOLF Magazine selected the Lower Course as 22nd in 1995, 1997, and 1999.

Three signature holes include the fourth, a par three of 194 yards (177 m) where the player must hit his or her ball over the pond to a two-tiered green, the seventeenth, a par five of 650 yards (590 m) where John Daly is the only player to ever reach the green in two (Tiger Woods actually hit it over the green in two shots at the '05 PGA Championship), and the eighteenth, a par five of 533 yards (487 m) famous for spectacular performances by Furgol, Nicklaus, and Mickelson.

[edit] Upper Course

From the blue tees, the Upper Course is a par 72 and measures 6,866 yards (6,278 m) with a course rating of 72.9 and a slope rating of 131. From the white tees, the course measures 6,449 yards (5,897 m), with a course rating of 71.0 and a slope rating of 128. From the red tees, the course measures 5,895 yards (5,390 m), with a course rating of 74.8 and a slope rating of 133. Of the two courses, the Upper Course has the narrower fairways and greens, as it is built on the side of a hill. GOLF Magazine's "Top 100 Courses in the U.S." selected the Upper Course 89th in 1997 and 74th in 1999.

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Murder - The Name. Baltusrol official site.

[edit] External links

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U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Coordinates: 40.698° N 74.333° W