The Sentry was the 2025 PGA Tour season opener. Held at the Kapalua Plantation Course, Hideki Matsuyama grabbed the first victory of the season with a score of 35 under par. Wow! However, the low-scoring affair did not endear the course or the tournament to the fans, who were highly critical of the less punishing nature of the layout. “Course plays about 7200 yards and the fairways and greens are the size of some countries in Europe. Should not be a PGA tour course.” This was what one fan wrote about the course after witnessing the action at the Tournament of Champions. Another fan also expressed disappointment in the layout, stating, “It is pretty much unwatchable on TV. They don’t even miss greens because they always have wedge in their hand. It’s like pitch and putt. Not fun. They need to do something to make it more difficult instead of easier for these guys.”

The PGA Championship is eerily trending in that direction. Golf Pass senior writer Tim Gavrich indicated the lack of punishment in the course after two wayward shots of Brooks Koepka, found to have posed no hindrance to his exploits. Koepka’s tee shot at the 14 was far to the left, but found itself just inside the playing area and away from the water. Two holes later, a similar stroke from the middle of the fairway also ended up avoiding the water. Koepka birdied the 14th and made par on the 16th hole.

This is where the disillusionment happens. How can two horrendously bad shots escape punishment and allow the golfer to stay in the game, even make a birdie despite all of that? Gavrich’s tweet drew attention from all corners of the golfing world, with several golf writers and fans visibly aghast at the layout of the course, which has not offered much to trouble the golfers.

Golf world not thrilled with Quail Hollow

“Pretty succinct explanation why various folks are not enamored with Quail Hollow hosting this championship.” Skratch’s Alan Shipnuck was pretty spot on with his supporting tweet to Gavrich’s initial one. Quail Hollow is a pretty direct course with no two ways about it. If you can hit the ball far, you have a very good shot at winning the title. Unlike the likes of TPC Sawgrass or the Augusta National Golf Course, which require strategy rather than brute force, the PGA Championship is more about brawn over brain.

GOLF’s Claire Rogers also seems to think so. She tweeted a meme which shows Timothee Chalamet as the “shots that should have ended up in the water”, obliviously looking up while Kylie Jenner as “Quail Hollow Rough”, looking at him lovingly. The inside joke is that the rough has prevented the bad shots from ending up in the water. She also added the note, “Happy Thursday folks”, referring to the first day of the 2025 PGA Championship sarcastically.

Remember when Justin Thomas accidentally dissed the course while complimenting Rory McIlroy? “I feel like a place like this, where it doesn’t necessarily require a lot of thought or strategy off the tee, it’s generally pulling out driver and just I need to hit this as far and straight as possible, and he’s really, really good at that.” Thomas had stated. His statement really encapsulates the problem that the golfing world is facing right now with the PGA Championship

Kyle Porter, another writer, was also critical of the course while blaming the broadcast for sugarcoating the course’s lack of accountability. “I get why it doesn’t happen, but I think it would be cool and interesting if a broadcaster just straight up said, “This hole stinks” or “I don’t like this course” and described why. If everything is awesome then nothing is awesome.” Porter’s tweet read.

Many of the fans also felt that the course was too simple. The players have no challenge while taking shots, and there is very little cause for concern or dramatic action unfolding at Quail Hollow. “The Quail Hollow setup is soooo bad, I know they’ve had rain but there’s hardly any punishment for poor shots. Doesn’t feel like a major at all!” One fan tweeted. Another fan expected much more to take place at the PGA Championship but was not impressed. “I want to see carnage and calamity, this is disappointing.”

What do you think of the action so far at Quail Hollow? Are the writers and the fans justified in their take?