Pics of new 8th hole at Olympic

scotchblade · February 2, 2011

If you haven't been to the Olympic Club in a couple of years, get ready for some changes. The old eighth hole has been lengthened quite a bit, from about 150 to 200 yards. Many trees have also been lost or removed, opening spectacular views, allowing the wind to penetrate and allowing sunlight to get to the grass. The once almost claustrophobic feeling of hitting through dense forests of trees and their overhanging branches was lost in the process.

The par five first hole will play as a par four in the 2012 US Open. The 17th will remain a par five. In previous years, it was a four. So no par fives until the 16th hole.

In the damp, cool fog typical of June, it will be a beast.

Top Picture - the new 8th hole. The old one was just to the left of the trees.

Middle Picture - the old 8th hole, from the approximate location of the tee. The new 8th is the the right of the trees.

Bottom Picture - Hogan playing the 8th in the 1966 US Open. Notice how much more wooded the course was then.

BNich0622 · February 2, 2011

That looks pretty sweet, wherever that is. Way better than the 3 feet of snow on the ground we have here!

cb_golfer · February 2, 2011

Nice, thanks for the pics. It's going to be great. Warmer than the US Open at PB.

scotchblade · February 2, 2011

[quote name='BNich0622' timestamp='1296700615' post='2947435']
That looks pretty sweet, wherever that is. Way better than the 3 feet of snow on the ground we have here!
[/quote]
San Francisco! Technically Daly City. The weather has been spectacular...close to 70 this weekend is forecast. We feel for you, East Coast! Then again, summer at the Olympic Club is non existent. Often in the 50s with fog and wind.

BNich0622 · February 2, 2011

Wow, that's perfect golfing weather. I am jealous. It has been a very bad/rough winter after a very dry and HOT summer. Can't wait to be able to get out and play again. At this rate we won't be able to play until April.

pretzelbag · February 21, 2011

Great pics -- and as always, the best weather here is always in January. Played Pebble and Poppy in late Dec., when it was 65 and sunny, truly magical...

Note: If anybody needs a 4th to fill out their foursome at Olympic, I can be there in 45 minutes. I'll be a volunteer for the 2012 Open and I will be a better volunteer if I have seen the course first-hand, no? And what better way to experience a course than play it every month?