PGA Championship Course Longest-Ever for a Major

Once again this year, we have a new leader in the clubhouse for the title of "longest course to host a major championship."

Medinah Country Club, in the Chicago suburbs, will play 7,561 yards and to a par of 72 this week at the PGA Championship. For us mere mortals, the Medinah No. 3 course carries a very high USGA course rating of 78.1, and an intimidating slope of 151.

Just two years ago, Whistling Straits held the record at 7,514 yards (also for a PGA Championship). The Associated Press wonders if an 8,000-yard course is on the horizon for the majors, and points out some numbers:

It started seven years ago at Medinah when the 7,401-yard course was the longest for a major at sea level. Columbine Country Club was 7,436 yards in the mile-high air outside Denver for the 1967 PGA Championship.

Then came Bethpage Black. The U.S. Open doesn't usually have the longest course because it prefers a par 70, although Bethpage measured 7,214 yards and by one yard was the longest for a U.S. Open.

Whistling Straits became the longest for a major at 7,514 yards for the 2004 PGA, with three par 4s at least 500 yards. Winged Foot broke the U.S. Open record by stretching to 7,264 yards.

And while the Masters is not breaking any distance records, it might be the toughest at 7,445 yards because most of the holes require the second shot to carry all the way to the green.

Some of the competitors are saying, however, that Medinah doesn't play as long as Winged Foot did for U.S. Open, both because Medinah No. 3 is a par-72 (as opposed to par 70 at Winged Foot) and because Winged Foot required more curving of the ball off the tee.

More on Medinah
• Medinah Country Club profile
• Hole-by-hole tour on pgachampionship.com

See also:
• More on the PGA Championship