Is Lancester Country Club Too Brutal? LPGA Pros Give Their Verdict

The Golf Channel shared a video of Mel Reid, the 36-year-old English golfer. She was seen discussing the difficulties that arose at the Lancaster Country Club. Reid explained that if one hits the left corner of the green with a little speed, they would end up throwing the ball in the water. That’s how difficult the course is. She also talked about how gnarly the roughs can be at the Lancaster Golf Club.

The number one golfer on the LPGA, Nelly Korda, has also called the Lancaster Country Club a beast. At the sight of the 79th edition of the US Women’s Open, the Lancaster Country Club is not enabling golfers to score under par. This Friday, only four golfers could manage to shoot over par, and that too by just one stroke. But what is it that makes the greens so difficult to deal with, and how do the players describe their experience with them? Let us explore the opinions of three popular figures in LPGA tournaments.

1. Nelly Korda thought the greens were too ”slopey”

Korda failed to make the cut at this US Women’s Open. Yet in the post-round presser, she revealed her opinions about the brutality of Lancaster Country Club. She first made it clear that she prefers to be on the greens in the morning, as the course gets rather baked later in the day. She explained that she would rather play when the green is ‘dewy and wet’ like in the morning.

Korda then confessed that the course appeared to be extremely short. She also stated that the bunkers are made in a way that makes the golfer feel confident, but they miss it in the end. Nelly Korda then put forward her opinion about the green being slopey.

She reflected, “Visually the golf course is tough as well; if you’re in the rough and you miss the fairways, the greens are very small and very slopey, and the rough is thick around the greens too. I think they’ve cut the grass around the greens so that, with the false fronts, it comes all the way down to the back where it’s a little thicker. So it’s just going to test every part of your game.”

2. Brook Henderson does not like the 18th hole

Brook Henderson was tied for the fifth last time in 2015 as a 17-year-old pro when she was at Lancaster Country Club. Now that she has returned, she brought to attention how the 18th hole on the greens is something to keep in mind. She stated that it is rather long and has much importance as a finishing hole. She stated, “I feel like that hole is maybe just the most interesting because it’s the 72nd hole, it’s the 18th hole, it’s where you’ve got to finish strong, and it’s a tough hole.”

Henderson also explained that her understanding of the course needs ‘re-learning’ every round. She perceived that every hole on the course is different from the others, and that requires precise differences in the style of play as well. Henderson thus remarked, “I think every hole out here, they’re all a little different from each other. Their style of how you have to play them is slightly different. I think that’s really cool about this place is you’ve got to know where the slopes are. You’ve got to be able to hit all kinds of different shots.” 

3. Rose Zhang believes one needs to have their best performance at Lancaster

The winner of the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open and the 2024 Cognizant Founders Cup, Rose Zhang, finds the fairways at the Lancaster Country Club tight. She remarked that the course’s roughs also get thick. She also noticed the presence of many undulations. Zhang stated, “A lot of hills, a lot of undulation. Then you’ve got the actual greens, which are quite firm, rolling very true but also very quick. Those downhill putts can get away from you very quickly.”

She firmly announced that one requires their best performance on this green, along with a controlled and top-notch physical game. Among the holes, she found the 12th to be rather difficult. She remarked, “I guess some holes in particular, 12 is actually very difficult, especially if the wind picks up in the afternoon. Just making sure you’re landing it on the green. You don’t really know how much it’s going to release.” 

Like Henderson, she also found the 18th to be another important hole to mention. “I’ve had some interesting things happen on 18, so for me I think even though it’s a very straightforward straight shot from tee to green, it’s still a very difficult hole with the distance. And you’re going to have some woods in, hybrids in; for longer hitters, irons. But I think those two holes in particular have definitely reached my mind,” said Zhang.

Who do you think will win at the Lancaster? The course has tested the abilities of seasoned pros, and the competition for $12 million is indeed tough!