The BWD Tournament Hole of the Week: August 27 – 30, 2015. The 17th at Plainfield Country Club, Home of The Barclays.

Tournament: The Barclays – Plainfield Country Club, Edison, NJ
Hole: 17th – Par 4, 427 Yards
Architect(s): Donald Ross – 1916
Gil Hanse (restoration) – 2008

Architectural Summary:

The 17th hole is a strong dogleg right playing up and over a ridge on the tee shot and uphill from the landing area to the green. Many players will elect to hit 3-wood off the tee to ensure finding the fairway, which is guarded by out of bounds, bunkers, and trees on the right and dense rough on the left. The reward for a well-executed tee shot down the right will be a wedge or short iron into the green. Playing more conservatively to the left will leave a somewhat longer shot, though perhaps a better angle for right side pins. Regardless from where in the fairway, the approach shot can be tricky as competitors will not have a full view of the putting surface as the green is elevated well above the intricate bunkering short of and fronting the green. Three bunkers protrude into the fairway short left, while a more extensive, deep bunker is located adjacent to the green on the front right. The green measures 33 yards long and contains two high points in the back collar which enhance the back to front slope of the green. The putting surface can be difficult to read due to the subtle slopes throughout and players will want to leave uphill putts for all hole locations.

Statistical Analysis:

The Barclays was last contested at Plainfield Country Club in 2011 where the 17th hole played slightly above par with a scoring average of 4.07.

Fun Facts:

  • In 2011, The Barclays was reduced to a 54-hole championship due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Irene on the New Jersey coast.
  • Prior to The Barclays, Plainfield CC hosted the 1978 U.S. Amateur, which was won by John Cook, as well as the 1987 U.S. Women’s Open, which was won by Dame Laura Davies.
  • The 2011 Barclays champion, Dustin Johnson, will look to claim his second title at the Edison, NJ course this week. Entering the first tournament of the FedExCup Playoff, Johnson is currently ranked 7th in the 125 participant playoff field.