Tiger-proofing.
The phrase has become as commonplace in golf vernacular as birdie or par. Cathedrals of golf such as Augusta National, St. Andrew's and Pebble Beach have all recently undergone major renovations to make the courses not as susceptible to some Woods guy shooting in the 50's. If the people at Webster's Dictionary were to come up with an official definition for Tiger-proofing, it might include "more length, more sand and more water." To put it plainly, the courses are made more difficult in order to keep up with increasingly better golfers and golfing technology.
Considering Tiger Woods wouldn't have wasted his time coming to University Park to play the old, easier Blue Course, the best word to describe what is going on at the Penn State Blue Course would be Lion-proofing.
Last November, the course began a drastic overhaul which, when complete, will change the way the course is played.
For years, the Blue Course had been lacking the bite of major championship courses. The par-72 course had a United States Golf Association (USGA) rating of 70.2, which means that the scratch golfer, or one who shoots par or better, would card a two-under-par 70 during an average round. It also measured out with a slope of 130. Slope is a ratio rating the difficulty of a golf course on a scale of 55-155, where 113 is considered average. The course was simply too easy for major collegiate golf.
Then, women's coach Denise St. Pierre and men's coach Greg Nye proposed hosting the Big Ten championships. With the improvements, the course will now be a challenge for even the best golfers in the Big Ten. The women's team will host the championships during the spring of 2008, with the men's squad hosting it the following year.
When the best golfers in the Midwest make their way to State College in 2008, they will be faced with a much more demanding and scenic layout. The addition of 600 yards, revamped greens, two ponds, numerous bunkers and a quarry means the course now plays to a USGA rating of 75.4 with a slope of 146, making it the second most difficult course in the Big Ten.
The ponds and quarry have replaced former waste areas and are much more aesthetically pleasing, while at the same time, collecting the additional rain runoff from the new Blue Course Drive.
The Blue Course can now be called a true championship course and there is hope that it can land some major national tours.
"Right now the Professional Golf Association junior tour makes a yearly stop at the Blue Course and there is talk of the American Junior Golf Association coming to the Blue Course," Penn State golf courses head PGA professional Joe Hughes said.
There are also thoughts of hosting the NCAA championships, but Hughes wants to wait until the Big Tens before making the big leap.
"We are really excited about the renovations and can't wait to host some of the best competition in the country," Hughes said. "This has been a remarkable improvement; now this is a real championship course."
