Valhalla here I come!

[deronsizemore]

Found out that I'll be playing Valhalla (site of the '96, '00, '14 PGA Championships and 2008 Ryder Cup) in a couple weeks.

Will definitely be the best course I've ever stepped foot on (as a player).

Anyone here played Valhalla before?

[Dr_Fu_Manchu]

I played it about 4 months before the Ryder Cup. It was amazing. I almost felt guilty taking divots from the fairway, they were so nice.

It was the first course I ever walked with a caddy. While that was nice, I wish I hadn't because a storm came in and we had to quit on 14. Since I don't live in Kentucky and got on through a friend, there was no getting a rain check.

Have fun, it's a great course.

[Dub]

Just saw it on the television tourney coverage.

It looks like a very, very, very sweet affair.....sort of like the place you'd want to sneak your divots away in gallon sized glad bags and plant them in your yard!!!!

The greens looked spectacular. That is quite a nice thing to look foward to.

I wish you the best with your round. Please take plenty of pics.

[deronsizemore]

I played it about 4 months before the Ryder Cup. It was amazing. I almost felt guilty taking divots from the fairway, they were so nice.

I was there four days for the Ryder Cup and was just in aww of the place. Can't wait to play it.

How much did you have to pay for the caddie? I haven't decided if I'm going that route or not.

Just saw it on the television tourney coverage.

Thanks!

Probably won't take my camera. I'd like to try to concentrate and play the best that I can. I'll need too from 7500 yards. Plus, I had a media pass at the Ryder Cup and have roughly 600 pics of the course already.

[Dr_Fu_Manchu]

How much did you have to pay for the caddie? I haven't decided if I'm going that route or not.

Deron, I can't remember exactly how much is cost for the caddy, but the round with caddy was around 250.00 with out tip, I think. If you haven't ever walked a course with a caddy, I would suggest you do it, if not there, somewhere.

The caddies there are not lifetime caddies. My caddy was a Ford assembly plant employee, but he still new the course well. My playing partner had a younger kid who was new and he didn't know the greens well or how to use a laser range finder. If possible, ask for a more experience caddy. The course will be beautiful with the leaves changing this time of year. Good luck, it's a tough course. When I played they had the Kentucky Blue Grass thick as hell, a lot more difficult to play out of than the Bermuda rough that I am used to, and the greens were much faster too. It will be an awesome time. Enjoy

[Dartguy]

I caddied there for a couple of summers. It was incredibly well-kept. I played it only twice, but they were worth the wait. And don't pass up the chance to use a caddie. I was there before the first PGA and it cost $35 for the caddie +tip.

There are a lot of very nice courses in the Lexington area. I have played The Bull, U-Club (Big Blue), Griffin Gate, and a couple more. Valhalla is in a different league. Not to mention the history, now. Old Silo in Mt Sterling in the best course I have played in Ky, besides Valhalla. It has a great layout and is in nice shape. But Valhalla is way ahead in maintenance.

Have fun and good luck!

[deronsizemore]

Deron, I can't remember exactly how much is cost for the caddy, but the round with caddy was around 250.00 with out tip, I think. If you haven't ever walked a course with a caddy, I would suggest you do it, if not there, somewhere.

Thanks for the info! I'll have to ask them about a caddie when I call to pre-register our foursome. Yeah I understand that the greens are like putting on glass. Since I tend to leave a lot short, maybe that's all I need; faster greens?

I caddied there for a couple of summers. It was incredibly well-kept. I played it only twice, but they were worth the wait. And don't pass up the chance to use a caddie. I was there before the first PGA and it cost $35 for the caddie +tip.

Yeah, Lexington has some great golf courses. I'm not a huge fan of Griffin Gate though (nice course but their prices and attitudes put me off). I agree about Old Silo. Of the courses I've played, it's by far my favorite (anywhere, not just Kentucky).

[Dartguy]

BTW, if you need a fourth, please let me know! I would love to play there again, with a caddie!!!

[bsettle]

The price of the round depends on the conditions that you got your tee time. Did you get on by yourself? Did your local Pro get you on? Did you get on with a current Valhalla member?

The price to play is different for every one of those categories. The guy who paid 250 must have got on by himself, that is high for Valhalla. If you got on with a member, the round is only like 85. The price from you local Pro is somewhere in between those two, probably closer to 200. I have only got on with a member so that is the only one I am SURE about. The caddie is not very expensive, like 30 bucks, if you are not with a member or someone that knows the course I would get one.

Tip: just try to not putt the ball off the green!

[deronsizemore]

The price of the round depends on the conditions that you got your tee time. Did you get on by yourself? Did your local Pro get you on? Did you get on with a current Valhalla member?

We actually won the round for four last year in a scramble in a lottery. We are playing as guests of a member though. I may give them a call just to check to see about the caddie fee before we go. If you do get a caddie, are you required to walk or do they ride in a cart with you or do they even allow walkers there? Yeah I've heard the greens are fast. Really, for me, the faster the better. I typically leave everything short when I'm not putting well so maybe the faster greens will allow me to actually lag one close rather than having 3 footers for par all day. :)

[Dartguy]

If it is the same now as years ago, you can walk or take a cart. Some members actually used 4 carts and 4 caddies. If I ever had the chance to have a caddie, I would walk for sure. And I never walk.

[deronsizemore]

If it is the same now as years ago, you can walk or take a cart. Some members actually used 4 carts and 4 caddies. If I ever had the chance to have a caddie, I would walk for sure. And I never walk.

Yeah that's kind of what I was thinking. We usually ride, although I'm not someone that's opposed to walking. Walking with a caddie is something I've never had the opportunity to experience in 25 years playing golf and probably won't ever again, so might as well take advantage.

[deronsizemore]

Finally got to tee it up today. Had one forecaddie for the whole group; really nice guy and he helped us quite a bit with telling us where we need to hit different shots and how far to carry bunkers, etc.

Shot an 80 which I'm not really happy with, but not terribly disappointed either. I played the championship tees which according to the scorecard are 7540 yards with a rating of 77.6 and a slope of 152, in other words, not easy. :)

Without a doubt the longest most difficult course I've played or probably ever will play. I was -2 through 6 holes and ended up +1 on the front. Was +3 through 15 holes and then 16 and 17 is what did me in. 16 is a 510 yard par four and 17 is a 475 yard par 4 and I was +5 on those two holes. Take away those two and it would have been a pretty solid round in my book but they were tough holes.

Greens were extremely fast and they were just healing from being aerated. Little bumpy but still faster and smoother than anything I've played all year.

[LAKingsfan]

Found out that I'll be playing Valhalla (site of the '96, '00, '14 PGA Championships and 2008 Ryder Cup) in a couple weeks. Will definitely be the best course I've ever stepped foot on (as a player). Anyone here played Valhalla before?

I caddied at Valhalla for 8 years in the mid 90s we played every Monday and I played numerous times as a guest of members. The course has always been great to play for all handicaps. I sure miss being young and working at such a great track. I've played it enough to have birdied every hole and eagled 10 & 18 twice each. I have not been there since they redesigned the greens after the Ryder cup but I'm sure they are easier to putt

[deronsizemore]

Resurrecting an old thread I s

I caddied at Valhalla for 8 years in the mid 90s we played every Monday and I played numerous times as a guest of members. The course has always been great to play for all handicaps. I sure miss being young and working at such a great track. I've played it enough to have birdied every hole and eagled 10 & 18 twice each. I have not been there since they redesigned the greens after the Ryder cup but I'm sure they are easier to putt

Resurrecting an old thread I see. :)

I'd say caddying there would be awesome. Just being on the course every day would be cool. Can't imagine playing it as much as you have. Would have to make you a bette golfer. Any other course would seem easy in comparison.