PGA Course Will Play According to the Wind

Kemper Lakes, a 10-year-old public course where the 71st PGA championship will be played this week, is a huge, demanding layout with water coming into play on 11 of the holes.

Emil Esposito, the home pro, figures anywhere from even par to 12-under could win the 72-hole tournament over the 7,197-yard, par 36-36--72 layout.

“It all depends on the wind,” said Esposito. “If the wind blows during the tournament, I’d be willing to put up par or 1-under and let them shoot at that. If it isn’t blowing, 10 or 12-under can win. That’s how good those guys are.

“The course record will go down,” said Esposito, “because somewhere along the line somebody will shoot a 66 or 65.”

Only a handful of pros have seen the course. The PGA Grand Slam, a charity exhibition with four leading pros playing with four amateurs, has been held at Kemper Lakes three times.

Greg Norman has participated in all three and set the course record with a 70 but that was broken in 1988 by Larry Nelson with a 69.

Norman was the central figure in a controversy over the 18th hole, a 433-yard par-4 dogleg left with the tee shot carrying over water.

Norman tried a shortcut over the corner of the lake in 1988, hitting a drive of some 300 yards downwind onto the green. Last April three 30-foot honey locust trees were planted, theoretically blocking the shortcut.

That didn’t stop Norman last Memorial Day. He tried it again, drove over the trees and landed in a greenside bunker.

“I might try it in the tournament, it depends on the situation,” said Norman. “If you don’t carry the water, you’re looking at double bogey.”

The rough will be four inches during the tournament and Exposito said “You have to use a 7, 8 or 9-iron to get out. Only a strong guy like Norman can get out of it with a 6-iron. You have options on this course and you’d better respect it or it will jump at you with a double bogey real quick.”