7 Minute Miles

Interlachen Prepares for Women’s Open


Last fall Golfing in Minnesota paid a visit to Interlachen Country Club to talk with golf course superintendent Matt Rostal and his assistants about the course preparations for next week’s U.S. Women’s Open.

Aside from bunker renovations, Matt said not much needed to be changed to meet the USGA’s requirements. The club spent $3 million on the bunker updates three years ago and built a new tee on the seventeenth hole (the current eighth hole) that stretches the par-four to 441 yards.

Interlachen will be the longest Women’s Open course in history, playing to 6,789 yards. With five par fives, it will also play to a par 73. The 1930 Open at Interlachen played 6,672 yards (par 72), so the women are playing a longer course than Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen played.

The only other changes will be the typical USGA specs: narrower fairways (by 3-7 yards), longer rough (3-6 inches) and fast greens (at least 11.5 on the Stimpmeter). Interlachen’s greens have always been quick and this week’s weather has been perfect to firm things up.

Originally published by DK on June 19, 2008 at 11:51 am in Golf


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