USPGA Valhalla hole by hole guide: hole 1

A closer look at the first hole at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky - host of the 2014 USPGA Championship

Valhalla hole 1
The par-4 1st hole at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Nick Bonfield
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A closer look at the first hole at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky - host of the 2014 USPGA Championship

A closer look at the first hole at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky - host of the 2014 USPGA Championship...

Valhalla hole by hole guide: Hole 1 - Par 4 - 446 yards

Valhalla starts with a relatively long par-4 that's been slightly modified since the last  USPGA Championship in 2000. Most players will hit driver off the tee - a product of its length and generous fairway - but the approach presents the main challenge. Two new bunkers - one front right and one back left - serve to both reduce, visually, the size of the putting surface, and to snaffle errant approaches.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18

 

Nick Bonfield
Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x

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