News & Video
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Published
2024 Recap
2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Champion
Richard Bland
Congressional Country Club
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Hole 1
4
Par
395
Yardage
Which side of the widest fairway on the course to play for will be determined by the day’s hole location. Usually driving up the left side is the more aggressive route, which provides plenty of room. The green should be approached with a shot that moves left to right.
Hole 2
3
Par
219
Yardage
The longest par 3 on the course ends at the highest point on the front 9 and can be hit with either a shot in the air or one along the ground—if it has enough energy to scoot onto the putting surface and avoid a cluster of six bunkers on the left side of the front-to-back and right to left-sloping green.
Hole 3
4
Par
440
Yardage
The fairway is pinched by bunkers in the landing area, with the preferred side a function of the day’s hole location. The green is elevated, typically funnels shots toward the middle, and features a lot of movement.
Hole 4
4
Par
465
Yardage
This slight dogleg-right calls for an accurate drive with there being six fairway bunkers on the right side and two more distant bunkers on the left. The uphill second shot calls for another accurate approach with two bunkers on either side of the angled green that has a lot of movement
Hole 5
4
Par
385
Yardage
A trio of bunkers sits on either side of the fairway. Players coming into the front-to-back-sloping green with anything more than a wedge should land the ball short and left, avoiding the big bunker and letting the ball run on.
Hole 6
5
Par
538
Yardage
The best approach into the hole is from the right side of the fairway, but a creek bumps into the landing zone there. Laying up, there is plenty of room left, but the second shot will be partially obstructed by a hillside that eats into the left side. Staying right along the creek provides a better view of the green, which is guarded by a pond on the right and a cluster of bunkers short-left.
Hole 7
3
Par
174
Yardage
Hole location is the key. A very shallow green means having to be very precise from the tee. There are two large bunkers short of the green and one to the right. Going long leads into a swale of short grass and a very delicate recovery.
Overall, this could be the most difficult par-3 on the course.
Overall, this could be the most difficult par-3 on the course.
Hole 8
4
Par
370
Yardage
The hole bends right, so the best approach will follow from driving as long and left as possible, missing a scattering of fairway bunkers. If the tee is moved forward it allows players to hit the ball long enough and it should catch a natural spine and turn left to right toward the long, narrow green.
Hole 9
5
Par
615
Yardage
The fairway is long and straight, and should not be missed. Clusters of bunkers imperil both landing areas, for the drive and the lay-up. Favoring the left side on the lay up slightly reduces the danger of hitting a short pitch over a valley into an angled green.
Hole 10
3
Par
150
Yardage
The shortest par-3 on the course presents a very long and narrow green, filled with little breaks and movement, wrapped long, short, and right by a pond, and sits 40 feet below the tee.
Hole 11
5
Par
540
Yardage
The play off the tee is down the right side of the fairway, as close to the creek as possible to set up an aggressive approach to the green. The second shot is highlighted by having dual, side-by-side fairways separated by a creek that runs the entire length of the hole. Those laying up will need to know the hole location and place their shots accordingly as the right to left angled and severely sloping green offers numerous challenging hole locations.
Hole 12
4
Par
405
Yardage
The ridge running down the middle of the fairway will probably affect the tee shot, kicking the ball either toward the narrower left side (and an array of bunkers) or wider, yet farther away, right side. It’s also possible to drive short of the hog’s back, but that leaves a longer approach to a progressively narrowing green.
Hole 13
3
Par
179
Yardage
The two-tiered green is perched on a natural ridge and heavily defended by both bunkering and topography. Putting from above the hole is especially difficult.
Hole 14
4
Par
415
Yardage
The left side of the fairway will leave more options for the approach, but a creek and the course boundary are over there and the fairway tilts in that direction. Balls on the right side of the fairway are blocked out from seeing the green due to a large mound. The very long and large three tiered green has a small bunker short-right and a pair of bunkers lining the entire left side.
Hole 15
4
Par
440
Yardage
There’s likely to be plenty of drama here as the hole starts from a high tee, plays downhill to a wide fairway bookended with plenty of bunkers, then rises to a raised green. The blind green is deep in the crest of the natural ridge and nearly surrounded by bunkers, but open on the front left for shots that cover the cross bunker and release forward.
Hole 16
5
Par
555
Yardage
The tee shot is into a rolling landing zone that looks wider than it plays. Then there are options galore for the second, playing safe or being aggressive while challenging the corridor of bunkers that starts about 100 yards from the green. Getting as close as one dares to the sand on the left sets up the best attack at the raised putting surface which has lots of interesting and challenging hole locations.
Hole 17
4
Par
430
Yardage
The aggressive drive is down the left side, over the one fairway bunker and onto a forward slope. The green rests in a natural saddle, with the right side significantly higher than the left, creating a slight punchbowl feel.
Hole 18
4
Par
437
Yardage
The best line is just left of the bunkers on the right side, where a little slope will kick the ball forward. But go too far left and the ball will run into the rough. The green is on a peninsula that angles right to left into the pond, creating a choice of exciting hole locations.
Future Sites
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2025Congressional Country ClubBethesda, Maryland -
2029PGA FriscoFrisco, Texas -
2033Congressional Country ClubBethesda, Maryland
