Tour News

PGA participant rips Baltusrol course setup, calling it “one dimensional”

Published

10 years ago

Jul 28, 2016

Australia’s Marcus Fraser, the No. 90 golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking, didn’t like what he was seeing at A.W. Tillinghast’s New Jersey track ahead of the PGA Championship, and he told Golf Australia as much.

While player reviews of the 7,428-yard, par-70 track have been favorable — and certainly Baltusrol’s Lower Course’s course’s position at No. 35 in Golf Digest’s 100 Best ranking attests to its quality — Fraser doesn’t feel the venue is major-worthy.

“This is a course that suits anyone who hits it a long way off the tee and doesn’t suit anyone who doesn’t do that,” he said. In service of full disclosure: Fraser averages just 273.3 yards off the tee.

He continued, indicating there’s little in the course or the setup that distinguishes it from a standard tour venue.

“Baltusrol is far from my favourite course amongst all the majors I’ve played. It’s just another one-dimensional track. The ball is going to be played in the air all week. It’s pretty much ‘walk onto the tee, tee the ball as high as you can and swing away.’”

And Monday’s two inches of rain didn’t warm his affection for the Rees Jones-reworked track.

“It’s a shame as the course was actually starting to dry out. It was playing better then. But now it is just so soft there is only one way to play. If you asked an Australian or a Pom who hasn’t been to the States to describe a typical American golf course, this is pretty much what they would come up with.”

Before roasting Fraser, it seems his main contention in saying that Baltusrol “doesn’t feel like a major championship course,” is that it doesn’t test all facets of a golfer’s game, but rather, “preferences length well before anything else.”

“It just feels like it is presented to fit only one type of player. And that player is not me. So many of the par-4s are around 500-yards long. I’m hitting so many long-irons in, maybe a couple of rescues. Only on the 8th – where I hit 3-wood off the tee then wedge in – gives me a break from that. Plus, all the par-3s are over 200 yards. All I can really do is practice my long irons. I warm up with a couple of wedges then go straight to my 4-iron.”

Again, some of Fraser’s ire could be more properly directed at Mother Nature “It’s a good course, but it would be so much better if it was firmer,” he said. “There are actually a few holes where you could run the ball in if the turf wasn’t so soft. It isn’t overly tight off the tee. But there is so much rough.”

But before we characterize Fraser’s remarks as the bitterness of a shorter hitter, it’s worth pointing out that he said this too: “It’s especially one-dimensional around the greens. There is only one chip-shot to learn. There’s just no variety.”

Whether the Australian Olympian’s sentiments are shared by any in the field (at least publicly) will be a point of interest as the week progresses.

Related Topics:

Up Next

5 Things We Learned: Day 1 of the 2016 PGA Championship

Don't Miss

Entering Wednesday, Jason Day still hadn’t played a practice round at Baltusrol

Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

54 Comments

ooffa

Jul 31, 2016 at 6:59 pm

Tied for 73 out of 86, Blunder from down under. C-Ya

Reply Report comment
- Donald Quiote
  
  Aug 1, 2016 at 4:59 pm
  
  Yea he was awful this weekend. He really got shown up by DJ and Rory. They played great and geez they hit the ball so far!!!!
  
  Reply Report comment
Bob Pegram

Jul 30, 2016 at 9:23 pm

To point out something he said that is apparently being missed, he said that there is a lack of variety of par 4 lengths. In other words, they are all similar lengths. That sounds pretty boring to me too. A championship course should test all clubs in the bag. Same with par 3s he said are all very long.
SAome great courses have varying length holes including par 3s: Augusta, Pebble Beach, etc.

Reply Report comment
- Donald Quiote
  
  Aug 1, 2016 at 5:02 pm
  
  People just get all torn up over a tournament should be guys hitting drivers and long irons on every hole. There is more to the game than that. I really thought the course was ok but I enjoy seeing guys scoring and hitting shots with clubs lower than 7 iron. I have played courses where its 7200 yards and id say with roll I average about 280is off the tee… it can be a long day hitting just drivers and long irons.
  
  Reply Report comment
NatBallStriker

Jul 30, 2016 at 5:47 am

While you guys sit and criticise his lack of length from the tee, just remember- you’ll be back to work Monday for a fraction of what he earns through endorsements and playing, while he’ll be heading home or to another golf tournament that you can only dream of playing in. But hey- he’s the loser here right? Hahahahaha pull your necks in ladies!

Reply Report comment
Matto

Jul 30, 2016 at 5:45 am

And there was plenty of American commentary regarding Royal Melbourne being scruffy looking & having burnt out greens when the President’s Cup was on.
It’s all a matter of perception I guess.

Reply Report comment
Jim

Jul 29, 2016 at 12:58 pm

Time for “the official TOUR BALL”
Since ‘Tiger proofing’ began, courses have added ridiculous amounts of length. Every other sport has an official ‘game ball’ (except if it’s the Patriots) – or tournament ball – they could rotate manufacturers every year – have a lottery type selection of all the comforming balls & blind draw it – whatever…
It won’t affect anyone’s endorsement deals (can sttill pitch their ‘favorite’ ball for personal use).
As a former ‘long hitter’ (290 avg ’94-’01) I love long! I still think John Daly was the greatest thing to happen to golf since beer carts, but just making everything longer does get boring.

Reply Report comment
Uncle Buck

Jul 29, 2016 at 12:16 pm

Sheesh, if the hack would drop 40lbs., he might pick up 40 off the tee!!

Reply Report comment
SId

Jul 29, 2016 at 11:19 am

Totally agree. Every hole looks the same, loooong and BORING!!!

Reply Report comment
birdy

Jul 29, 2016 at 10:56 am

hitting the ball a long way off the tee is a skill and should be rewarded. lot of really good basketball players who are 6′ and under who don’t pan out in nba. lot of good pitchers who can’t top 90mph, lot of good accurate qb’s who just don’t have the arm strength to chuck it deep.

stop complaining about not being able to hit the ball far. if you can’t get it out there far enough, maybe pro golf isn’t for you.

Reply Report comment
- Donald Quiote
  
  Aug 1, 2016 at 4:57 pm
  
  My guess is birdy ws that kid that topped out at 5’5 in school but was the tallest kid at one point and could dominate sports but then everybody else grew up and got better. Someone along the way told him sports are not for you munchkin and this guy is succeeding at a sport while not being the top dog in distance. It’s ok birdy… go play your weekend round and shoot 93 and quit hating on a guy for just stating his opinion. Oh speaking of guys hitting the long ball … I cant remember did DJ beat him?
  
  Reply Report comment
dennis clark

Jul 29, 2016 at 8:42 am

Honestly Ive always enjoyed the upper course more…

Reply Report comment
ooffa

Jul 28, 2016 at 6:14 pm

It’s a better course on the weekends. oops, you may not get to find out.

Reply Report comment
- The Stallion
  
  Jul 29, 2016 at 1:52 am
  
  Your wife’s better on the weekends. Oops, you don’t get to find that out.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - ffs
    
    Jul 29, 2016 at 3:00 am
    
    Oh no she ain’t! She’s better on hump day
    
    Reply Report comment
    - stepehenf
      
      Jul 29, 2016 at 11:59 am
      
      I was gonna say weekends.
      
      Reply Report comment
- Redx
  
  Jul 29, 2016 at 7:52 am
  
  T54 day 1. Tied with major winners Bubba, Phil, , Zack, Padraigh & Willet and with at least 11 major winners trailing. Decent chance of making the weekend. More than can be said for you I suspect Oofa.
  
  Reply Report comment
Bill

Jul 28, 2016 at 4:57 pm

Have to agree with him. After all the course is in the armpit of America. Nothing and I mean nothing is good in New Jersey. They shouldn’t host a disc golf tourney yet alone a pga major!

Reply Report comment
- Duffer
  
  Jul 28, 2016 at 6:46 pm
  
  Nothing good is in NJ…. You know, except the #1 course in the world.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - ffs
    
    Jul 29, 2016 at 3:02 am
    
    And ya know, that silly game where all the men wear pads and helmets and jump around big fat guys and think they’ve done something to score with an ugly, deflated, elongated oblong leather ball, is also played in NJ yet they call it a NY team, which is so typically American as the meaning of names and regions are brushed aside for the sake of money-labeling
    
    Reply Report comment
  - birdy
    
    Jul 29, 2016 at 10:57 am
    
    #1 course in the world!!!!! that 99% of golfers in this world will never step foot on.
    
    Reply Report comment
cgasucks

Jul 28, 2016 at 4:28 pm

A big guy like him only averages 273 yards!?!? This guy desperately needs a driver fitting.

Reply Report comment
- nick
  
  Jul 28, 2016 at 5:17 pm
  
  he hurt his neck a few years ago . picking his daughter up after winning the Australian PGA . thought he would never play golf again. seems to be why his swing is what it is nowadays .
  
  Reply Report comment
  - birdy
    
    Jul 29, 2016 at 10:58 am
    
    was his daughter 30 at the time he tried to pick her up? jeez
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Travis
      
      Jul 30, 2016 at 2:58 am
      
      Wow. That’s all I can say. Just wow. I’m sorry for the pain you will feel at some point to learn the lesson of what a horribly incompetent, uneducated, and (just so you can understand, I’ll say a word you may know) STUPID comment that was. I wish nothing but the best for you. Good luck.
      
      Reply Report comment
    - Redx
      
      Jul 30, 2016 at 6:50 am
      
      Travis was too kind to you birdy – you’re obviously a jerk
      
      Reply Report comment
    - ooffa
      
      Jul 30, 2016 at 6:57 am
      
      I LOL’d at that one birdy. Good job.
      
      Reply Report comment
Mike

Jul 28, 2016 at 4:13 pm

Don’t we want players to give their honest opinion?

Reply Report comment
- Rwj
  
  Jul 28, 2016 at 7:15 pm
  
  Agree
  
  Reply Report comment
- Donald Quiote
  
  Aug 1, 2016 at 4:52 pm
  
  Yes…and then we want to rip them for giving it!!!! You can’t hit the ball 300 yards… boo you cry baby. Go back to wherever you are from!!! ‘Merica
  
  Reply Report comment
Jack

Jul 28, 2016 at 4:11 pm

It would be better left unsaid, but he’s probably correct.

Reply Report comment
- birdy
  
  Jul 29, 2016 at 11:00 am
  
  i would be one heck of a pitcher in baseball but i just can’t throw faster than 85mph. we should shorten the distance from mound to plate for pitchers who can’t throw fast enough and maybe bring the outfield wall in for batters who don’t have the power at the plate.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Donald Quiote
  
  Aug 1, 2016 at 4:48 pm
  
  Like some pitchers in the past who didn’t have the 95 mph fastball they developed another pitch that made them effective…example the knuckleballer. Generally you can succeed in a sport in more than just one way. This guy just simply said if you are not a long ball guy this course is pretty hard to compete in… He may not hit the ball a long way off the tee but his long iron and wedge game may be great. He competes at a high level without your “fastball”. Nothing wrong with that.
  
  Reply Report comment
Clemson Sucks

Jul 28, 2016 at 3:13 pm

WAAHHHHHHH

Reply Report comment
Mark Walgren

Jul 28, 2016 at 3:12 pm

LOL… look at his PGA Tour career stats… I made more playing in our mens night than he did in 2015 and 2016… what a joke this guy is.

Reply Report comment
- helloooo
  
  Jul 28, 2016 at 6:06 pm
  
  ……… European Tour….?
  PGA Tour isn’t the only tour to make money you know…
  
  Reply Report comment
- Uncleyianni
  
  Jul 28, 2016 at 8:38 pm
  
  Yeah his European tour winnings amass to over 6.5million euros. That’s not much to sneeze at.
  
  Reply Report comment
- The Stallion
  
  Jul 29, 2016 at 1:49 am
  
  You seem like a real dooshcanoe. Enjoy your “mens night”. This guy’s actually playing in major championships.
  
  Reply Report comment
- nathan gatehouse
  
  Jul 29, 2016 at 5:46 am
  
  Mark you are a tosser.
  
  Reply Report comment
- James Bond
  
  Jul 29, 2016 at 9:02 am
  
  Nice! How much did your snotty bros pay you?
  
  Reply Report comment
- Wang
  
  Jul 29, 2016 at 11:05 am
  
  What is worse – knowing you are an idiot or proving it to everyone else??
  
  Reply Report comment
- Donald Quiote
  
  Aug 1, 2016 at 4:45 pm
  
  Your mens night seems quite interesting. This guy is such a joke because he is not American and does not play on OUR tour. Rubbish!!!! #gohome
  
  Reply Report comment
Dustin

Jul 28, 2016 at 2:50 pm

Quit complaining and hit the weight room pal. 273 off the tee? I’m surprised he even made it this far into his career with that little distance.

Reply Report comment
ooffa

Jul 28, 2016 at 1:37 pm

Tiger Woods has a better chance of winning this years PGA then this blunder from down under.

Reply Report comment
- ffs
  
  Jul 29, 2016 at 3:04 am
  
  THAN. Learn English ya slapper
  
  Reply Report comment
- Wang
  
  Jul 29, 2016 at 11:04 am
  
  I’d say 6.4M euro’s in career earnings is slightly higher than a blunder, but would not expect you to know that
  
  Reply Report comment
  - ooffa
    
    Jul 30, 2016 at 6:59 am
    
    LOL Euro’s. That’s like monopoly money to us Mericans.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Redx
  
  Jul 30, 2016 at 6:57 am
  
  T34 after R2 up 21 spots with a -2 day. Sorry ooffa didn’t see Tiger on the leaderboard.
  Keep up the progression Marcus!
  
  Reply Report comment
  - ooffa
    
    Jul 30, 2016 at 7:00 am
    
    Way to keep up and miss the point of the post. Good job Redx. Sheesh.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Redx
      
      Jul 30, 2016 at 7:40 pm
      
      Just calling you out for the obvious intellect you are Oofa. Maybe you should explain what the point of your post(s) was/were. Bigoted ridicule of a player who was honest enough to provide a genuine opinion maybe? Dismissing the player as a “blunder” despite their legitimate claims to compete in the event?
      
      You know better of course Oofa. We should bow to your superior view and throw cheap abuse at anyone who shares an informed view that doesn’t match with our own. Better still if they hail from a place other than ours. That sounds like great fun Oofa. We should all follow your lead. (You’re right Oofa – Sheesh – what was I thinking suggesting could could possibly rethink …. my misjudgement obviously)
      
      Reply Report comment
      - ooffa
        
        Jul 31, 2016 at 6:35 am
        
        Finally you get it.
        
        Reply Report comment
Weekend Duffer

Jul 28, 2016 at 1:24 pm

He looks like he’s wearing a tiny bikini in the picture

Reply Report comment
Marty Moose

Jul 28, 2016 at 12:23 pm

More crying from another Pro. If you don’t like it, don’t play!

Reply Report comment
ooffa

Jul 28, 2016 at 12:14 pm

C-Ya, Bye, Back to Australia with you. Nice seeing you now bu bye.

Reply Report comment

Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 PGA Championship

Published

2 days ago

May 11, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site for the second major of 2026: The PGA Championship from Aronimink in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

The tournament’s location, just outside Philadelphia, and its status as a major championship mean GolfWRXers are in for a treat: WITBs from a strong field, custom gear celebrating the PGA Championship, and the rich culture of the City of Brotherly Love — we have noted a relative absence of cheesesteak-themed items thus far this week, but most of the rest of the usual suspects are well represented.

Check out links to all our photos below.