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The Course - Hole-by-hole

Hole 1 — "Cut the Corner"

Par 4, 448 yards

A deceptive hole with a slight dog leg to the left. From the tee, the hole appears mostly tame; however the approach to the green will be dramatically different with two greenside bunkers, one front right and one back left. The front right bunker is a visually intimidating sight for approach shots to the front-left and back-right hole locations. The left bunker is positioned to devour errant shots to the back portion of the green.

Hole 2 – "The Ridge"

Par 4, 505 yards

Slight dog leg to the left. This hole challenges the players from the tee with a waterway that meanders through the front nine, bordering the left side of the fairway and a bunker squeezing the fairway to the right. The slopes in the green have been softened to be more receptive to longer approach shots, but the green has also been reduced in total size. The two existing bunkers to the left have been reworked and deepened. A new bunker has been added in the area right of the green.

Hole 3 — "Floyd’s Fork"

Par 3, 206 yards

A challenging par 3 with Floyd’s Fork waterway winding between the tee and the green then sweeping around to the right of the green. The green is guarded by a large bunker to the left and a bunker to the right. The real danger on this hole is misreading the wind and having the shot pushed to the right and careening off the slope right of the green into Floyd’s Fork.

Hole 4 —"Short 'n Sweet"

Par 4, 375 yards

The fourth has a new tee. The tee shot at No. 4 was difficult before with a deep bunker protecting left of the fairway with another fairway bunker lying in wait on the right. The aggressive play is to take the tee shot over the left bunker; however, the new tee has taken the carry yardage of left bunker from 240 yards to 260 yards and given a slightly different angle off of the tee. Although a relatively short par 4 by today's standards, this hole will still be a test for all players. Distance control is the key for approaches to this green. Shots going long of the green will surly reach a watery grave in Floyd’s Fork.

Hole 5 — "Fade Away"

Par 4, 463 yards

The fifth has a new fairway bunker on the player's right-hand side, which now complements the three bunkers that line the left of the landing area off the tee. A tee shot of 290 yards will be needed to carry the new right-hand bunker. Once the ball is in the fairway, the fifth is not yet over as the green has a bunker positioned to grab errant shots to the right or short and a closely mown collection area left of the green. This green allows for a back-right hole location, which is one of the most difficult on the course.

Hole 6 — "The Bear"

Par 4, 500 yards

The sixth is one of the more dramatic enhancements of the 2006 renovation project. Players will not notice much difference from the tee but the second shot will be a real eye opener. The green has been moved back 80 yards, leaving players with an approach shot of 180 to 200 yards after a well-positioned tee shot. The green will give plenty of trouble with a deep bunker guarding the left side of the green and a closely mown collection area to grab shots to the right. This will be a difficult par for players of all skill levels.

Hole 7 — "Players’ Pick"

Par 5, 601 yards

The seventh, with its split fairway, offers a definite risk/reward approach. The shorter route to the left fairway shortens the hole by more than 50 yards. However, the landing area is only 24 yards wide and the entire left fairway is surrounded by bluegrass rough and a water hazard. The approach from this island fairway will be a carry of 210 to 230 yards, all over water. The fairway to the right is the longer but safer route, although this route too challenging narrow fairway of 20 yards. The fairway bunkers on the right side of the fairway have been enlarged and are close fairway. The water hazard extends to the very edge of the green to hamper any approach shot missing to the left.

Hole 8 — "Thor's Hammer"

Par 3, 180 yards The tee has been redesigned to allow for the Championship tee on holes 5 and 8 to be shared, adding 25 yards to the eighth. The green complex is extremely challenging, protected by a deep bunker guarding the front of the green with a slippery collection area behind it. Another bunker and Floyd’s Fork to the left and a green featuring multiple shelves allow for the most challenging of hole placements.

Hole 9 — "The Rise"

Par 4, 416 yards

An uphill par 4 with the tee shot challenged by three fairway bunkers bordering the right side of the fairway and two more to the left. The uphill approach to this green makes judging the yardage very difficult, and the presence of one of the largest and deepest bunkers on the course looming just right of the green does not ease the pain of missed shots.

Hole 10 — "Turns"

Par 5, 594 yards

This is a double-dog leg with a fairway bunker on the right side of the driving zone and deep rough to the left. The green is protected by a large, deep bunker guarding the front of this undulating, two-tiered green. Distance control on the approach is a must as shots missing long will make par extremely difficult and shots coming up short will find the front bunker.

Hole 11 — "On the Edge"

Par 3, 208 yards

The new green has been moved back some 30 yards and to the left of the previous green position, and it now features a slight false front with two bunkers bordering the front and left of the green and two more trapping shots that go long. Accuracy will be a must because shots that carry too far to the left will bound down the hillside, making par a very difficult task.

Hole 12 — "Odin's Revenge"

Par 4, 464 yards

The twelfth has proven extremely difficult to play in every major event. This par 4 has a difficult driving area that leaves player with a 160-180 yard approach to an elevated green. The green is punishing to errant shots with one of the deepest bunkers on the course to the right and bluegrass rough to the left.

Hole 13 — "The Island"

Par 4, 352 yards

This is the shortest of the par 4s, measuring 350 yards from the Championship tee. This hole has seen its fair share of excitement in each of the majors at Valhalla. The driving zone of the hole is surrounded by five small bunkers to the left and one large bunker to the right. The green, one of the most spectacular on the course, is built up nearly 20 feet on large boulders and is almost completely surrounded by water. Accuracy with controlled spin is a must for this hole.

Hole 14 — "Two Tears"

Par 3, 215 yards

The longest of the par 3s at 215 yards, the fourteenth features a two-tiered green with a large bunker guarding the front. The renovation project has added two greenside bunkers; one just behind the lower tier and one just behind the upper tier of the green. This par 3 demands proper club selection, because shots missing long will face the toughest of recovery shots.

Hole 15 — "On the Rocks"

Par 4, 434 yards

One of the most scenic holes at Valhalla with Brush Run Creek skirting the entire right side of the hole. The landing area off of the tee is framed by a small bunker to the left and a larger bunker to the right. However, the challenge of this hole is the approach. The green, like the fairway, is skirted by Brush Run Creek, leaving very little room for error to the right.

Hole 16 — "Down the Stretch"

Par 4, 511 yards

With a slight dogleg to the right with Brush Run Creek guarding the right side and a tree covered slope with deep rough on the left, this is the longest of the par 's at 510 yards. It has proven to be one of the most difficult on the course and, amazingly enough, has yet to be tested at its full length in a major championship. The approach to this green has been changed in dramatic fashion with a completely new green complex and the lowering of hole No. 17's tee area, which creates an amphitheatre for unbelievable spectator viewing. This par 4 features two greenside bunkers.

Hole 17 — "No Mercy"

Par 4, 477 yards

The seventeenth is an uphill par 4 that was one of the major projects during the course renovation. The tee area on this hole has been lowered 6 to 8 feet, creating a spectacular viewing area for the 16th green. The left fairway bunker has been complemented by the addition of a right fairway bunker, making the landing area an even more difficult target. The new teeing area has added 50 yards in length, making this a very difficult par 4.

Eighteen — "Gahm Over"

Par 5, 547 yards

The 18th has proven to be a great finishing hole time and again. This par 5 has a large fairway bunker to the left of the landing zone and a spectacular water feature on the right. This hole has a new greenside bunker just off the left of the green and a bunker guards the entire front portion of the green. The green itself has remained nearly the same with only some re-contouring of the slopes that run from the upper portion of the green down to the left and right lower levels.