Mar. 17, 2009
Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, hosts the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational this week opposite the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open. Here's all you need to know about the course.
| Fast facts |
| Original Architect |
Bert Way (1920) |
| Course Redesign |
Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (1960) |
| Number of TOUR events as host venue |
32 (including 2008) |
| Course Ranking |
Ranked fourth (out of 55 courses) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2007 |
| Yardage History |
7,149 yards (1976-1996) |
| |
Firestone North Course 1994 (6,918 yards) |
| |
7,189 yards (1997-1998) |
| |
7, 139 yards (1999-2001) |
| |
7, 230 yards (2003) |
| |
7,360 yards (2004-2006) |
| |
7,400 yards (2007-present) |
| Course Tour |
Click here |
|
| Course record |
 |
Player
Tiger Woods |
Year
2000 |
Round
2nd |
Finish
Won |
|
| Holes in one |
| There have been six aces recorded during the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone CC. |
| Jim Furyk |
15 |
2006 |
| Hal Sutton |
12 |
2000 |
| Retief Goosen |
7 |
2000 |
| Stewart Cink |
15 |
2000 |
| Nick Price |
5 |
1997 |
| Bob Tway |
5 |
1986 |
|
| 2007 Rankings |
| Most Difficult Hole |
 |
The par-4, 494-yard 9th Players must avoid fairway bunkers off the tee on this straight-away par 4. The elevated green is relatively small and slopes from back-to-front. Par is a good score.
2007: 0 eagles, 20 birdies, 162 pars, 130 bogeys, 15 double bogeys, 2 others. |
| Easiest hole in 2007 |
 |
The par-5 526-yard 2nd This narrow dogleg left is reachable in two shots. Overhanging trees make a high, right-to-left ball flight on the tee shot a must. A series of bunkers protect this undulating green that features a false front.
2007: 9 eagles, 131 birdies, 152 pars, 33 bogeys, 2 double bogeys and 2 others.
Source: ClubCorp |
|
|
| Brown Deer Park GC |
2007 rankings | Last 15 years |
| 1 |
4 |
399 |
4.076 |
15 |
4.050 |
13 |
| 2 |
5 |
526 |
4.678 |
18 |
4.586 |
18 |
| 3 |
4 |
442 |
4.119 |
11 |
4.059 |
11 |
| 4 |
4 |
471 |
4.432 |
2 |
4.355 |
1 |
| 5 |
3 |
200 |
3.012 |
17 |
2.983 |
17 |
| 6 |
4 |
469 |
4.164 |
7 |
4.142 |
7 |
| 7 |
3 |
219 |
3.079 |
14 |
3.063 |
9 |
| 8 |
4 |
482 |
4.231 |
6 |
4.031 |
14 |
| 9 |
4 |
494 |
4.447 |
1 |
4.270 |
2 |
| 10 |
4 |
410 |
4.137 |
10 |
4.062 |
10 |
| 11 |
4 |
418 |
4.036 |
16 |
4.001 |
15 |
| 12 |
3 |
180 |
3.085 |
13 |
2.995 |
16 |
| 13 |
4 |
471 |
4.264 |
5 |
4.203 |
4 |
| 14 |
4 |
467 |
4.316 |
3 |
4.203 |
5 |
| 15 |
3 |
221 |
3.100 |
12 |
3.088 |
8 |
| 16 |
5 |
667 |
5.158 |
8 |
5.159 |
6 |
| 17 |
4 |
400 |
4.143 |
9 |
4.051 |
12 |
| 18 |
4 |
464 |
4.310 |
4 |
4.221 |
3 |
|
| Course origins |
| Established in 1929 by Harvey Firestone and later acquired by ClubCorp in 1981, Firestone Country Club remains a one-of-a-kind golf facility. It is the only course in the world to have held three televised golf events in one calendar year, The American Golf Classic, The CBS Golf Classic and The World Series of Golf. With its three championship level courses, Firestone Country Club is as unique today as it has ever been. |
| The latest addition to Firestone was the West Course. Opened in 1989 and redesigned by Tom Fazio in 2002, this course -- together with the North and South courses -- makes the Firestone Country Club family complete. |
| Noted for its length, the par-70, 7,360-yard South Course includes a series of intimidating, long par-4 holes and one of the longest par 5s anywhere. The 16th hole plays to 667 yards. A pond in front of the green captures its share of errant shots. Usually, the casualties aren't the result of futile attempts to reach the green in two. They are third shots from players who hit errant tee shots and find the woods. A well placed long tee shot does not guarantee the opportunity to get home in two. |
| It has ranked as the second- and first-toughest challenge for professionals at Firestone over the years. When Robert Trent Jones redesigned Firestone into "The Monster" in 1959, this hole made par an excellent score. |
| Easier said than done, that's the best way to sum up Firestone Country Club's South Course. |
| Source: Golf Superintendents Association of America |
|
| Tournament course history |
| Firestone CC |
Akron, Ohio |
1976-2001 and 2003-present |
| Sahalee CC |
Sammamish, Washington |
2004 |
|
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