The PGA Championship is set to tee off at Quail Hollow on May 11. This marks the first time the major has returned to the iconic course since 2017, and the organizers have implemented numerous changes in preparation. Every day, 300 workers hustle to meet tight deadlines as they transform the golf course into a bustling mini-city for the PGA Championship. Additionally, Masters champion Rory McIlroy and defending champion Xander Schauffele will arrive at the course with an elite roster of competitors. With all the excitement surrounding the event, it’s the perfect moment to explore the fascinating history of Quail Hollow!

Here’s how the story of Quail Hollow goes: Quail Hollow sits on what was once the largest dairy farm in North Carolina, named for the abundance of quail that inhabited the property. Architect George Cobb designed the course and constructed it on a 270-acre tract of land. On June 3, 1961, the Charlotte News columnist Ron Green received a sneak peek of Quail Hollow and wrote that it had all the qualities to be a great golf course. His article helped promote the club as a high-end facility in the area, which needed another top-notch golf venue.

When Quail Hollow officially opened in 1961, it featured a pool and a small golf shop. Members worked to finish the course in time for its opening. The course quickly gained recognition by hosting the Kemper Open on the PGA Tour from 1969 to 1979, followed by the Senior Tour’s Paine Webber Invitational from 1983 to 1989.

After Arnold Palmer’s work on the course in 1986, Tom Fazio made important changes to the course in 1997. In 2003, he made another set of changes ahead of the PGA Tour’s Wachovia Championship (now the Truist Championship). But it wasn’t until the 2017 season that Quail Hollow’s relationship with the men’s major started.

Ahead of the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, Tom Fazio cut down some 100 trees to completely rebuild all 18 greens to bring in more light on the course. After successfully hosting the 2017 PGA Championship, it also hosted the prestigious 2022 Presidents Cup. Now that we are heading into the second men’s major, the historic course will once again host the PGA Championship for the second time in its history! However, it’s not going to be easy for the elite roster.

Quail Hollow stretches out over 7,558 yards and is definitely a course that favors long drivers. It’s often compared to Bay Hill when it comes to difficulty, thanks to its tree-lined parkland design and a par of 71. The course is lined with fairways that are not only beautiful but also challenging, with strategically placed water hazards that keep golfers on their toes. This is especially true on the infamous “Green Mile,” where the stakes really get high.

The “Green Mile” at Quail Hollow is both iconic & treacherous

If you have heard the words “Green Mile,” you must have wondered what that means. Essentially, whenever someone mentions that term, they mean the last three holes on the course: the par-4 16th and 18th holes and the par-3 17th hole. In fact, the holes are so tough that they were ranked the most difficult holes of the week during the 2017 PGA Championship. Here’s what’s happening at these holes.

Firstly, the 16th hole is 506 yards and bends to the right. There’s a strategically placed bunker at the turn that encourages players to try to hit their ball closer to the hole right from the tee. The next shot is tricky as well, since it leads down to a green with a small bunker on the right and water on the left and behind it.

Secondly, the 17th hole is difficult because it requires golfers to hit their tee shots mostly over water, with the only safe area on the right. Undoubtedly, these holes are tough, but not as tough as the 18th hole.

The 18th hole serves as the final test for elite golfers, stretching 494 yards and set as a par-4. The real threat comes from the creek running along the left side, however. Golfers need to make a solid tee shot to get a good angle for their approach to the green, which is again surrounded by water and bunkers. Essentially, golfers need to aim for the right side while avoiding a bunker that sits 290 yards away, as the layout of the green actually favors those who stick to the right side of the fairway.

Without a doubt, the course will prove tough for the elite field at the PGA Championship, even for Rory McIlroy, who has won on the course four times for the Truist Championship. However, do you think Xander Schauffele will be able to defend his title?