Medinah Country Club #3
Medinah’s #3 needs no introduction. It’s long. It’s tight. And it’s HUNGRY!
Length: 7,508 yards
Rating: 78.1
Slope: 151
If you can’t hit your driver, go play somewhere else, or you’re in for a loooong day! This is not the type of course where you can get away with 200-220 yard tee shots.
This is a place of legend — Even the squirrels aren’t safe! Tommy Armour used to hunt them with his .22 while giving lessons here in the 30’s.
Obviously, the conditions are perfect. With over ten thousand trees lining the course, it’s easy to feel claustrophobic at times. But it also provides a feeling of complete oneness with the game.
On the day we played, the greens were pretty soggy from the morning rain. However, they were still fast enough to make your knees tremble while standing over a downhill four footer with a foot of break. The slopes on these small greens are violent and getting through the day with just a few three-putts is quite an achievement for any amateur.
By the end of the round I was exhausted. Not from walking 7,000+ yards but from having to think so much about each shot. You can see why the pros place such high importance on shot shaping and controlling the trajectory. I think I had to hit about a dozen or so punch shots from under or behind trees. Forget about running your ball up to the greens here. It’s just not going to happen so either lay up or be absolutely sure you have enough club. I was taking one more club than normal for most of my approach shots.
Medinah is host to the 2012 Ryder Cup matches. It’s previously been host to past U.S. Opens and PGA Championships- And it’s easy to see why!
Recommendation- If you have the chance to play here, do so!