The Greg Norman designed TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth Georgia has hosted a PGA Tournament every year since 1997.
This year the Georgia area has experienced some very unusual weather patterns which have had serious ramifications on the playing conditions.
A level five drought has caused severe water restrictions. The organisers have been allowed to use only 100,000 gallons of water from ponds and lakes on the property.
This has been used to water the greens but the fairways have not been watered since September and the course will play firm and fast.
There are other changes to the playing conditions resulting from the water restrictions.
Usually the Bermuda rough is over seeded with Rye resulting in deep thick rough that is particularly penal.
The organisers started to overseed the front nine with Rye but the limited availability of water meant they were unable to successfully grow the overseed and it had to be sprayed and killed.
Therefore the rough on the front nine will be considerably less than the rough on the back nine.
Without Rye grass this will be the first time the course is solely Bermuda.
Bermuda needs warm weather to grow but cold conditions have prevailed and the rough will not be set to the usual PGA specifications of two and half inches.
The rough will be shorter than normal but Bermuda brings its own difficulty for the players often creating flier lies.
This tournament has seen winners with different playing styles and despite playing 7,343 yards this is not a course that can be overpowered.
Zach Johnson said: "The course is target oriented. Your tee shot goes to a section, then you hit to it another section. There's some holes where I might be hitting driver and other guys three wood, so that kind of brings me back into it."
Last week's course at Sawgrass was of similar design and we saw two players with completely different playing styles in Paul Goydos and Sergio Garcia contest a play-off and this week could be the same. The unique feature of Sugarloaf is the many elevation changes and the course is one the hilliest on the PGA Tour.
It is no surprise that there have been very few winners over the age of forty as fitness is definitely an issue this week and we should see another young winner.
The Bentgrass greens are in excellent shape running at eleven on the stimpmeter and could be as run as high as twelve by the weekend. The greens have many contours and run-off areas and accurate approach shots will be needed to hit the right parts of the greens.
Johnson added: "You've got to hit the middle of the fairway, you've got to hit to a portion of the fairway so it doesn't role into the rough and the same thing on the greens. I think it puts more of a premium on a solid shot trajectory and spin control."
There is an unsettled forecast for the week. Ironically thunderstorms and rain are likely over the first few days which could alter the playing conditions as the tournament goes on.
Below are the hole averages from 2007:
HoleYardsParSc AvRank
143444.0917214433.02212338944.06810455854.81014544144.2891656954.63118745844.1046824833.174494.7244.24323,7133636.4321062854.790151118932.967131243444.07791331043.671161445344.19931540644.08881617933.17441745544.031111857654.634173,6303635.631727,34372.063
The front nine plays a shot harder than the back nine.
Holes five through nine contain four of the six most difficult holes on the course.
A creek is in play on the fifth and ninth holes which will catch out a number of players. The seventh is a tough driving hole and the eight a brutal par three measuring 248 yards.
Any players negotiating this stretch under par will quickly move up the leaderboard.
The finishing holes are not as testing as the ones we have seen in the last few weeks and the leader should keep looking over his shoulder because it is possible for players to make up shots.
Ben Crane made two birdies in the last three holes on his route to victory in 2003.
Hertha back on track
Schalke stay on track
Bayern send Duisburg down
BYRON NELSON INSIDE TRACK
VERIZON HERITAGE INSIDE TRACK
PLAYERS GLORY FOR GARCIA
