Oakmont Isn’t Such an Uphill Battle Anymore

Oakmont Country Club, once known as something of a monster, lost some teeth last year when LPGA officials asked for two of its toughest holes be shortened by 40 yards each for the Los Angeles Women’s Championship.

New tees were installed at the 12th and 13th holes before the tournament last year, and scores plummeted.

When the LPGA visited Oakmont from 1985-87, the course was generally regarded as among the toughest on the tour.

Jan Stephenson won the 1985 tournament with a score of two-over-par, the highest winning score on tour that year. Chris Johnson won with four-under-par in 1986 and Jade Geddes won with two-under-par in 1987, both relatively high winning scores.

Terry-Jo Myers won with a score of 10-under-par last year, when 27 players shot under par. The course record of 67 was equaled or bettered five times. Stephenson’s score from 1985 would have tied her for 37th last year.

“Based on what happened 12 years ago, we felt the holes needed to be shortened,” said Jim Haley, the LPGA Tour official responsible for making sure the course is up to tour standards. “They were just really long, hard holes.”

The holes seem innocent enough, looking at them on the scorecard.

Oakmont Country Club members play No. 12 as a 412-yard par four, No. 13 as a 419-yard par four.

But the view is different when standing at either tee.

Both holes play much longer than their yardage because they are uphill. They play so long that women members at Oakmont play both holes as par fives.

Neither new tee is used by Oakmont members, serving only to accommodate the LPGA Tour.

“We play some par fours on tour that are more than 400 yards,” Haley said. “But none of them are uphill.”

Player reaction to the redesign is mixed. Helen Alfredsson, who has a residence in La Canada Flintridge and plays Oakmont often, has criticized the change.

“When we play the different tees on 12 and 13, I think it’s too short for the tournament,” Alfredsson said. “Usually I hit three or four irons to the greens on those holes. One day last year, I was hitting wedge. That’s a huge difference.

“We should be playing the way the course was meant for championship golf. It was like playing junior tees.”

But Emilee Klein, whose parents are members at Oakmont and is one of the shorter hitters on the tour, says at least one of the changes was necessary.

“On 12 it was a good move,” Klein said. “That hole is way too long for a par four from the back tees. On 13 it was kind of a strange move.”

The 12th hole, the toughest on the LPGA schedule in 1985, has a split-level fairway. It takes a 230-yard carry to reach the upper level from the regular tees, something only the longest hitters on tour can accomplish.

“If you don’t get it to the second level, you are looking at a 220-230-yard second shot to the green,” said Wade Berzas, an assistant professional at Oakmont. “And that’s a difficult shot for anybody.”

Adding to the difficulty is the two-tiered green, making second-shot accuracy paramount. Since most players would be hitting long irons and woods from more than 200 yards out, that accuracy would be a lot more difficult to come by.

“With the changes, the second shot is a lot easier,” Haley said. “We wanted them to have irons in their hands.”

The new 12th tee, located near the start of the fairway, seems to have made a difference. Last year, players shot an average score of 4.16 on the hole, ranking it the eighth most difficult on the course.

The sixth, which at 405 yards becomes the longest par four on the course, was the most difficult.

The 13th hole isn’t quite as difficult because after the fairway rises, the left side slopes into a valley. A 220-yard tee shot will reach the slope and roll into the valley, giving it an extra 40 yards. With the tees moved up, it only takes 180 yards to get there, leaving a 120-yard approach.

Some observers say that the new tees weren’t the only thing responsible for the lower scores.

Hot, dry conditions last year hardened the fairways, creating extra roll on tee shots.

“I think you’ll find the course playing much different this year,” Klein said. “I was surprised at the way it played last year because it was just so short. Normally it’s a very wet course, but last year it was just dry as a bone. Plus I think the members liked it better when people said even par won the tournament.”

Another hole that has been modified is the par-four fifth. The tee has been moved about 20 yards to the left. Players are actually teeing off from the 14th tee.

The hole, which is normally 336 yards with a sharp dogleg right, has been straightened by the move. But the hole plays the same length. The same tee location was used from 1985-1987.

“From where the club plays, it’s a pretty severe dogleg,” Haley said. “The thinking there is that it’s a better angle for the tee shot.”