The Weiskopf Morrish course opened in 1996 during the time Quail Hollow was hosting the Greater Cleveland Open (1990-2001). Many folks assumed it would take over as the host course, but that never happened, and the Devlin course was used all twelve years.
I never understood the reasoning for not using both courses. The Weiskopf Morrish is such a change of pace. It has ten dogleg holes and only three straightaway ones. The player needs to pick a line and execute the shot shape. It definitely requires more thinking than the Devlin.
(The 431/404 yard fourth plays diagonally from an elevated tee down to the fairway. A creek and trees on the right try to discourage the player from cutting off the corner. The approach is uphill to a large green mostly hidden by bunker front left. It’s a tough par and one of the best holes on the course.)
The Weiskopf Morrish gives the player several different looks as it winds through woods, wetlands, and rugged terrain. The greens are placed in spots where the obvious hazard is not always the miss that’s going to do the most damage. One has to pay attention to where the water is located or where the ravine comes into play.
(The 168/156 yard par three fifth is set back in a hollow surrounded by trees. The front bunker is key. It artfully hides most of the putting surface, and guards the front pinning locations. A tier in the rear however provides the most exacting challenge.)
(Every Weiskopf course has a drivable par four, and the 312/261 yard sixth is the players chance for glory here. This version actually gives the player a better than average shot at driving the green. Plenty of fairway and visibility should make one comfortable on the tee.)
Quail Hollow used to be a resort, but it is now a country club. The new clubhouse is located behind what was originally the first hole. This meant renumbering the holes, and now old #1 is #18. It also means the front nine possesses four par threes and plays to a par 34. The back nine is a par 37. With the course being one continuous loop with no returning nines, you don’t really notice it until you look at the scorecard.
(The par five eighth is 493/488 yards. It’s reachable in two shots but the player must take care not to go long into the ravine. The front bunkers, and especially the swale, are good places to up n down.)
My favorite stretch of holes is 4-5-6. The rugged terrain has good elevation change to it, and takes advantage of the natural features. I also like how the challenge changes from tough par to birdie opportunity during these three holes. The next stretch that stands out is 13-14-16. The wetlands come into play, and the difficulty tightens up.
(The 609/585 yard par five thirteenth is the kind of hole where a bogey sometimes feels like an accomplishment. Wetlands right off the tee and short of the green demands three strong accurate shots. The fairway wraps around the wetlands short of the green, but even this play can turn into disaster if one is careless. Take a five and run.)
(The 424/381 yard par four fourteenth has the wetlands guarding the right off the tee. Hit a good drive and the large green can be attacked. Theres no bunkers protecting it so players should be aggressive.)
(The short 164/149 yard par three sixteenth is a great hole. Whether the pin is tucked behind the bunker or slipped between the wetlands, it’s a dangerous shot. With a short iron in ones hand, it’s an exciting hole.)
This is the second Weiskopf course I’ve played this summer. He relies on turning the hole around obstacles as his main challenge. I noticed both this course and Forest Dunes have double digit dogleg holes. His routings find the different environs available on each property, and give the courses a fresh feel as one moves from hole to hole.
(The 425/399 yard seventeenth doglegs left to this green plateaued against the ravine and a deep swale short. There’s some very good pinning locations, specifically rear right, that adds teeth. It’s a nicely manufactured hole in difficult terrain.)
The Weiskopf Morrish course is well designed and I personally like it more than the Devlin course. I think it has more personality. It also compares favorably with Little Mountain which is a highly rated public course in Concord. I give the Weiskopf Morrish course a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours to play).
(Originally the opening hole, the 401/346 yard eighteenth is a short par four. The green is very different from the first seventeen. It’s a double plateau with a front to back bias. With the front being higher, it’s hard to judge the distance. Even with a short iron in hand, birdies will not be common.)
(Unfortunately I did not take a picture of the scorecard, but I found this on one of the websites.)
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