Mauna Kea gets Rees Jones makeover

US Pacific Division Best in State Rankings 2020 It’s two years since we revised the rankings for our US Best in State listings so now’s the time to refresh the numbers and publish the new charts. We’ll do this over the next few months in nine geographical groupings, starting in this edition with Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, before eventually ending on the opposite side of the country in New England. The five Pacific Division states now feature 205 courses in total as we’ve just added another ten to Washington. All told, twenty-four courses make a first appearance in our updated charts and, with sixteen of the more established top tracks occupying a place in our national Top 100, that gives you a good idea of the quality to be found across the entire region. Alaska We have a new No. 1 for the Last Frontier State and it’s the golf course at Settlers Bay, located an hour’s drive north of Anchorage in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. Set within the enormous Fairway Estates residential community, the layout originally started out as a 9-hole course in the late 1970s before an additional nine was opened for play towards the end of the 1990s. Since then, greens have been converted to bent grass, bunkers are all now refurbished and new tees added to make the playing experience more enjoyable for golfers of all skill levels. Settlers Bay Rank/ Click the link to see full details of our latest Alaska Best in State rankings California Five of the Top 10 layouts in California remain in the same position and one of the non-movers is the state No.1, Cypress Point Club, which also happens to be the #1 course in both our US and World Top 100 rankings. Recent comments from reviewers for this Alister MacKenzie masterpiece include: “CPC has that perfect combination of great strategic design, wonderful variety of terrain, and gorgeous ocean backdrops… the perfect golf course, every hole is memorable, each improving slightly from the previous… shot value, shot choice and the journey from sand to forest to sea is amazing.” Cypress Point A one-place upward move might at a glance seem like nothing much to get excited about, but when it’s made within the Top 10 tier of a very strong golfing state like California then such a modest advance has to be regarded as significant. Three courses make exactly that sort of short stride towards the top rung on the ladder. The first of these climbers is George C. Thomas Junior’s Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades (up 1 to #4), followed by Alister MacKenzie’s Valley Club of Montecito in Santa Barbara (up 1 to #8) then the Dunes course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club in Pebble Beach (up 1 to #10), which is currently reaping the rewards of a recent renovation by Tom Fazio and his former associates at Jackson Khan Design. Valley Club of Montecito The highest of ten new entries in our Californian listings arrives at No. 21 and it’s the South course at Los Angeles Country Club, where a sympathetic restoration of the layout was conducted a couple of years ago. For far too long this track had lurked in the shadow of its celebrated sibling, the North course, but that’s no longer the case, with the artistic talents of Gil Hanse bringing it out into the light. Los Angeles Country Club South course A couple of courses make prodigious leaps forward in the bottom half of the table. Leading the way with a jump from #97 to #54 is the old 1920s John Duncan Dunn layout at Santa Ana Country Club, located 20 miles southeast of Long Beach, which Jay Blasi totally redesigned in 2016 to improve safety, add variety and make better use of the natural landforms on the property. Santa Ana Country Club Not far behind at #61 (up 23 places) comes the 18-hole layout at Del Paso Country Club in Sacramento, where Kyle Phillips conducted an extensive redesign of the property back in 2006. In a recent post, the course was described by our regular contributor M. James Ward as “a mega shining star.” In his considered opinion “there’s no question The Golden State is blessed with many superior courses but Del Paso may be the most underrated.” Click the link to see full details of our latest California Best in State rankings Hawaii The David McLay Kidd-designed layout at Nanea Golf Club on the west coast of the Big Island remains the #1 course in Hawaii. Described in the past by our US Correspondent Fergal O’Leary as “the most under-rated course in the US,” Nanea received another review last year from somebody who said “it’s the best course you’ll ever play, next to Augusta”. Now that’s a very bold statement to make, but a handful of 6-ball reviews posted by golfers who have played here certainly adds credence to the claim. Nanea Golf Club Sixteen of the Top 30 move upwards in the new chart and the biggest four-place move is reserved for a couple of courses: the Ted Robinson layout at King Kamehameha Golf Club in the foothills of the West Maui Mountains (at #15) and Robin Nelson’s design at Puakea Golf Club on the southeast coast of Kauai island (at #23). King Kamehameha Golf Club The only new entry into our chart is The Dunes at Maui Lani at #30. Robin Nelson designed this public facility at the end of the 1990s and because it’s set out on a long, narrow tract the fairways are orientated in either a northwest or southeast direction, with the prevailing wind cutting across the holes when it gets breezy, adding an extra degree of challenge when playing here. The Dunes at Maui Lani The Robert Trent Jones Junior-designed Prince course at the Princeville resort on the North Shore of Kauai island is still closed while ownership issues continue to drag on (it's also in need of some repair work to storm-damaged sections of the layout). Once these matters are resolved, and the course is restored to its former glory, there’s no doubt it should slot back in near the top of the state rankings. Click the link to see full details of our latest Hawaii Best in State rankings Oregon There are no surprises at the top of the table in Oregon, with all four of the currently world-ranked courses at the Bandon Dunes resort retaining their ranking position in the chart. That means Tom Doak’s Pacific Dunes course holds onto the coveted No. 1 slot, though it will be interesting to see where Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw’s brand new Sheep Ranch layout slots into the resort’s pecking order when the next biennial review is conducted. Bandon Dunes - Sheep Ranch For now, at least, Pacific Dunes rules the roost on the Oregon coast, with M. James Ward an unabashed proponent of its majesty, as articulated in his review of last month: “When Tom Doak came forward in 2001 with his tour de force effort at the mega-course facility he actually exceeded all the fanfare that the original Bandon Dunes created… the phrase ‘must play’ is mouthed to the point of being a mindless cliché. However, in this particular case, it’s worthy on all counts.” Two of the three new entries in the latest Oregon state listings are located at the same venue. The Craddock and Hankins courses at the Silvies Valley Ranch boutique eco-resort (new at #8 and #10) are part of a reversible 36-hole set-up that uses 27 greens for the two 18-hole layouts, with nine shared greens and nine stand-alone greens for each track. Designed by Dan Hixson and constructed over the best part of a decade, the two courses are configured so that only eight holes, four on each course, do not share common ground. Silvies Valley Ranch - Craddock course Only six courses make any numerical progress in the new chart and the biggest move is made by the 18-hole layout at the semi-private Eagle Point Golf Club (up three to #23), where Robert Trent Jones Jr. fashioned the fairways in the mid-1990s. The front nine occupies a flat, open landscape while the back nine is laid out on more undulating terrain, with sand-capping of fairways during construction ensuring optimum playing conditions no matter how hard it rains. Click the link to see full details of our latest Oregon Best in State rankings Washington The top five courses in the Evergreen State rankings stay as they were in 2018. Having ousted Chambers Bay from the top spot last time, Gamble Sands emerges with its No. 1 status intact. With another 14-hole layout (called Quicksand) from David McLay Kidd due to appear here very soon, it looks like the Gebbers family (who own this Brewster golf facility) aren’t content to rest on their laurels. Gamble Sands Our International Correspondent David Davis had this to say about the course in his review last year: “The fairways are very wide but the visuals are excellent, the bunker shaping fits perfectly into the Eastern Washington dune country… It plays very firm and fast and that may be new for many PNW players, especially if they haven’t been to Bandon Dunes or Chambers Bay… It opens up options to use the ground game and percentage-wise this doesn’t happen often enough in the US.” Two courses make impressive five-place gains in the new standings. The first of these is the 18-hole layout at the Desert Canyon Golf Resort in Orondo (now at #11), comprising the Lakes and Desert nines, which enjoys a fantastic setting on high ground above the Columbia River, with the Cascade Mountains to the west. The other big mover is the course at Kalispel Golf & Country Club in Spokane and this layout, originally established in 1910 as Spokane Country Club, is now owned and operated by the Kalispel Tribe of Indians. Sand Point Country Club The highest of the ten new entries is the old 1927 layout at Sand Point Country Club, located above the shores of Lake Washington, close to downtown Seattle. Nick Schaan from DMK Design has just completed a renovation here, re-building some of the holes, re-bunkering all the sand traps, and removing many of the trees that were blocking the fabulous long views across the lake. Click the link to see full details of our latest Washington Best in State rankings Next up – the Mountain Division states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses

118th US Open - Shinnecock Hills Golf Club Behind the architectural curtain Interviews with M. James Ward After a fourteen-year absence, the championship of American golf -- the US Open -- returns to iconic Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, NY. In 2004, the event was hampered by poor decision making in not ensuring sufficient water was applied to the putting greens -- most notably the par-3 7th. The United States Golf Association (USGA) has expressed confidence such a situation will not happen this time around. Shinnecock Hills is rightly lauded as one of the top five courses in the world. The eastern area of Long Island is also a hotbed for golf and served as the foundation for golf in America in its earliest days. Among the more noted layouts near to Shinnecock Hills include such stalwarts as The National Golf Links of America, Maidstone and Southampton. With more recently opened and noted layouts such as Friar's Head, Sebonack, The Bridge, Atlantic and East Hampton joining the golf scene. Getting expertise from several different architects sheds additional insights into what happens behind the scenes. The unknown factors remain to be answered. What lessons did the USGA learn from Erin Hills in 2017? How will Shinnecock Hills play? What will the weather and wind conditions be like? How firm and fast will the William Flynn design play? Will Shinnecock provide high golf drama featuring the game's elite players? A founding member of the USGA, Shinnecock Hills will host its 5th US Open -- making the club the only one to have hosted the championship in three different centuries. The stage is set -- the curtain is about to rise. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being "perfect" -- what number grade would you give the USGA in prepping the courses that have recently hosted the US Open? Dana Fry: 7 or 8. Obviously at Chambers Bay they had issues concerning the greens and the tough time spectators had walking the course. At Erin Hills, which I designed with Mike Hurdzan & Ron Whitten, the players had favorable comments for the most part but some writers and fans were concerned with the low scoring. What all this proves to me is just how difficult it is to set up a course for a US Open. If the wind had been blowing everyday 20+ mph everyday at Erin Hills I can assure you the results and comments would be far different. Nathan Crace : A 9 -- nobody's perfect. Hosting a tournament on that scale is a tremendous undertaking and you really have to hand it to the superintendents and their staff members at those courses. They have to walk a fine line working with the USGA to balance playability with challenging the best players in the world. When it comes to the US Open, I like to see the world's best be tested by par. Marc Westenborg: I cannot provide a specific number because having only watched the US Open on TV, it is not possible to form an accurate opinion on the prepping of the golf courses. Tripp Davis: Prepping and setting up a golf course for a US Open is a very tough thing to do. They've done an excellent job of providing test that doesn't favor anyone type of player, so I would give them a 9. Jeffrey Blume: I think that the USGA has done a remarkable job of customizing each year's open to the design and conditions of the host site. As an example, the wider fairways at last year's open at Erin Hills were appropriate due to the length and difficulty of the course. Tightening the widths at a place like Merion was also spot on. I am curious to see how the wider fairways at Shinnecock Hills will change the strategy for the players. Overall I would give the course set up at recent US Opens a solid 8. The only negatives have occurred when the courses have gotten overly firm and fast. If you could name one specific course, irrespective of logistics that has not already hosted the US Open, which one would you choose and why? Jeffrey Blume: I would love to see an Open hosted with 100% warm season grasses. With the talent of players that come out of the states of Texas and Florida, I think it is time for the US Open to be hosted by a facility in one of these states. Perhaps Seminole or Colonial would be appropriate. I know the heat in the south is a negative, but we Texans and Floridians play in hot weather all the time. Nathan Crace : Since the USGA is headed to Long Island for this year's US Open, how about National Golf Links at some point in the future? It's literally adjacent to Shinnecock, hosted the inaugural Walker Cup in 1922, and is perennially one of the top-rated courses in America. Dana Fry: Chicago Golf Club. There are many reasons why. It is a founding member of the USGA in 1894, it's an architectural masterpiece and a throwback to the old school of golf architecture, for historical reasons and mainly because I believe it could. The course sits on close to 200 acres so they have the room to add length to the course and the greens are perhaps the most challenging greens in the U.S. If Merion which sits on 126 acres can host the US Open then I am confident Chicago GC can. Tripp Davis: Pine Valley. I have played competitive golf there and there is no other course in the world that does as good a job of testing every part of your game, and it does not favor any one type of player. Marc Westenborg: Pine Valley. Its history and reputation as a tough highly strategic golf course along with what I would describe as “proper hazards”; unmaintained areas of sand. Allowing members of the public to experiences the golf course as spectators or TV viewers would be great for the game of golf. There has been internal debate within the USGA regarding the appropriateness of wider fairways for the championship. At Erin Hills, much wider fairways were used. At Shinnecock, the fairways will be wider than what was done at the three previous modern championships. Average width will be 42 yards. Can wider fairways really test the world's best players and is accuracy really being undermined by such a practice? Marc Westenborg: It very much depends on what hazards border the fairway. If strongly penal just off the edge then wide fairways are more justified. It could be argued that the wider the fairway, the greater number of possible angles of approaches to the green which only adds to the strategy and challenge of the golf hole. Narrow fairways very much result in similar angles of approach but a stiff challenge if dense trees or long rough borders them and this may encourage the use of more accurate irons and henceforth the requirement for longer approach shots. Jeffrey Blume: It depends on the individual course and its design. If wider fairways allow for optimum angles for approach shots, or bring certain hazards into play, then wider fairways can have a tremendous impact on strategy. Width for no reason would have a negative impact on the quality of the tactical examination, but done correctly and thoughtfully wider fairways on individual holes can create greater variety in shot making and test accuracy without the use of unnecessary rough. Tripp Davis: Wider fairways, with the right set up in firm/fast greens and tough hole locations, make it not just important to hit the fairway, but the proper part of the fairway to get the best angle and distance for the following shot. How that width is used is subjectively important in that you can add more width on the side of the fairway that does not leave a very good angle to the green, or you can cut that width off at certain distances from tees so length is not a dominant factor on too many holes, better testing every part of the game and not favoring anyone type of player in identifying the best player in the entire field. Nathan Crace: I think there's an important distinction between "playing width" and "fairway width." Widening playing corridors for the average golfer is a good thing because it increases enjoyment of the game, provides different angles from which to play a hole, and increases interest. But for a major being contested by the best golfers in the world, I like to see a blend of accuracy and shot making -- not one extreme or the other. Dana Fry: Everyone knows now that after Erin Hills the USGA had just over 7 acres of fairways removed at Shinnecock because of this very concern. The fairways this year will still be far wider than they were in 2004 the last time they had a US Open at Shinnecock when they were around 26 yards wide. It will be very interesting this year and I for one can't wait to see the outcome. I think ultimately the weather conditions will be the deciding factor. If the course plays soft and their is little wind I think the scores will be low but if the wind blows everyday and it plays fast and firm watch out for high scoring. What role should an architect play if called upon to assist with a US Open site? Nathan Crace: It depends on the course. I like the trend toward adding more public venues in recent years. But as with any project, the primary goal is to assess and meet the needs of the course and the client. We have a duty to them first and foremost. The US Open may only come to that course once every 10 or 20 years -- or perhaps only once at all. We have to think about who the golfers are that will be playing the course on those days in between and what best suits them. Dana Fry: In the case of Erin Hills the USGA was involved before it was awarded a USGA event. All issues were discussed ahead of time with focus being on tee locations, green contours, bunker locations, fairway widths, chipping areas, hospitality and access issues, turf grass varieties to be used, etc. The USGA did not tell the architect what to do they just made suggestions. It is imperative the USGA have an architect involved on issues concerning design integrity and they are great to work with. Marc Westenborg: I worked together with the R&A preparing Royal Liverpool for the 2014 Open. We concentrated on the finer details, new back tees, length of carries and fairness of bunkers; ensuring that balls would not end up in unplayable lies close at the foot of their revetted faces. We also re-profiled some of the green surrounds and areas between fairways, ensuring a variety of differing stances and angles and type of shot. However, it must be said that all these adjustments, were also for the membership; not specific to the Open. Hoylake hosting the Open was in many ways the catalyst to carry out improvements to the golf course. Jeffrey Blume: If the original architect of a course is involved in course set up, then I think his/her perspective on the course design is of prime importance. No one else would have a better understanding of the intricacies and intent of the design. If the host venue is a classic course where the original architect has passed on, then the study of the course by a modern architect can provide the same insight.. Tripp Davis: First would be to work with the USGA and the Club to possibly add tees, move tees, add or move bunkers, or modify greens to provide hole locations that better test the players. A good golf course architect is not only an expert in design, but in how to get desired results via a variety of construction and maintenance methods. Second, an architect that understands the game can be a part of the team that sets the course up day to day for the tournament, mostly to provide insight as to how far set up can push design.. When watching a golf telecast -- especially the US Open -- what do you pay particular attention to? Jeffrey Blume: I love to look at the bunkering of a course. How it describes the strategy of shot making, how the players adapt to bunker placement depending on the playing conditions of a given day, and how the bunkers can be used to challenge players strengths and weaknesses. The bunkering of every course is its most visible fingerprint, and how an architect uses the bunkers says a lot about their individual style, strategic philosophy, and aesthetic preferences. Marc Westenborg: One can never get a true understanding of a golf course by watching TV; undulations and changes in gradient are particularly hard to decipher. However, much of my current work is bunker renovations so I do enjoy seeing their different styles and ways they are landscaped; the bunkering at Erin Hills was of particular interest. Also of interest are the ball trackers and choice of golf club the golfers are using and the huge difference between amateurs and the professionals. Dana Fry: For me I pay most attention to weather conditions. If you have dry, windy and firm conditions the odds are you will have higher scoring. If you have soft conditions with little wind and good putting surfaces you will have much better scoring. The other issue that comes into play is the width of the fairways and height of the maintained rough. If you have the "old style" US Open fairway widths of 25 to 30 yards wide, cut at 4+ inches and fast, firm, windy conditions watch out because the scoring will be high. . Nathan Crace: I tend to get caught up on the details of green complexes, bunker placement, where the water hazards are, positioning of tees, and how they all fit together (or don't) in one big life size jigsaw puzzle of nature. I gravitate toward angles and strategy, but TV doesn't do justice to many courses because you're viewing a 3D landscape on a 2D screen. That said, the aerial footage and new tracer technology both add a dimension for viewers that helps see the big picture. Tripp Davis: The course set up and how players are choosing to play the course, strategically. I also like to watch the type of shots they are playing when being aggressive. The USGA and R&A have publicly indicated they are watching closely the impact of greater gains made from enhanced technology tied to golf balls. Is there an issue of concern and how realistic do you see a future action be jointly taken that actually rolls back the distances modern professional golf is achieving? Nathan Crace: I think that genie has long been out of that bottle. As much as I hate to see some of the classic courses being impacted by the length the Tour players can hit the ball, the fans like the longer ball and you still have to get the ball in the hole to score. The USGA and R&A might try to dial back advances in the ball going forward, but I think we are where we are right now. I'm not a fan of bifurcating the rules, but that might become a reality down the road.. Jeffrey Blume: I think the issue of how perceived length is affecting the modern game is one that certainly needs to be studied. I commend the USGA and R&A for their approach to looking into this issue without any pre-conceived notions. The issue is much more complex than simply looking into how far professionals can hit the golf ball. Of far more importance to me is how length affects the amateur game and the footprint on which the game is played. Changes in technology and golf ball distance is nothing new to the game, and golf has adapted to these changes in the past. I am sure that those of us in the golf industry will adapt again, whatever the USGA and R&A study reveals. Tripp Davis: Players are longer than a few years ago. How realistic a roll back may be is a better question for the USGA and the R&A. I do think design can be somewhat effective in “rolling the ball back” by making it less of advantage to hit it really long. In that we do have to value the precise players as much as we do the longer players. Dana Fry: I agree with what Jack Nicklaus has been saying -- we need a tournament ball. I spent a lot of time with the players the week before the US Open last year and quite a few told me they can easily fly the ball 300 yards in the air and if needed can fly it up to 320 yards in the air. I watched as several of them carried the bunkers that were 320 yard carries in the air then hitting downslopes and getting additional roll. Do we just keep adding distance? I hope not but is it the right thing to do to make every US Open course have 25 to 30 yard fairways and force the majority of the field to use long irons or utility clubs to hit the fairways? I don't think that is right either. I think the Master's is the only place that could implement a tournament ball and hope in the future it will happen. Marc Westenborg: The distance professionals are achieving does not concern me. Only a tiny portion of golfers worldwide can be described as professionals yet the advance in technology has benefited them significantly more than amateurs. If professionals continue to gain distance that is fine with me; just so long as it’s a “level playing field” for all. Spectators love the huge distances professionals are capable of and it must be remembered that the further the golf ball travels, the greater the need for accuracy. We must design new and adapt existing courses such that they challenge professional golfers without penalizing the amateur. There will come a point where technological advances reach a natural conclusion so I am of the opinion that the USGA and R&A’s time and money is better spent working together in growing the game of golf. Above photo identifications: *The first photo shows the demanding par-4 9th hole at Shinnecock Hills. *The second photo listed by the second question is the 10th hole at Pine Valley. *The third photo listed by the 3rd question is the 10th hole at Shinnecock Hills. *The final course photo is the iconic Stanford White clubhouse at Shinnecock Hills. The participating architects Dana Fry – Started in the business in 1983 working for Tom Fazio. Among his most noted design efforts include Erin Hills Golf Course-site of the 2017 US Open, Devil’s Pulpit, Devil’s Paintbrush, Calusa Pines Golf Club, Naples National Golf Club, Hamilton Farm Golf Club, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Farmlinks Golf Club & Shelter Harbor Golf Club. Jeffrey D. Blume – Blume is President of the American Society of Golf Course architects and managing general partner of Jeffrey D. Blume, Limited, a golf course architecture firm based in Houston, Texas. He is also a former General Chairman of the Shell Houston Open. Over twenty eight years in the golf course design profession, he has completed commissions both domestically and internationally. Some of his more notable designs include Grand Pines Golf Club at Bentwater, Sterling Country Club, and the renovation of The Golf Club at Texas A&M. Tripp Davis – Since starting his own design firm in 1994, has created 19 original designs around the world, including China and Mexico, and is one of the leading golf course renovation and restoration specialist in the US. Most notable original design include the Old American Golf Club near Dallas, Texas, recent and future host of the LPGA Tour, and his most notable renovation/restoration has been Oak Tree National in Oklahoma, which hosted the 2014 US Senior Open following his work. Marc Westenborg – Started his design career with Hawtree for whom he worked for 14 years before founding Westenborg Golf Design. Worked on over 50 projects worldwide; his most high profile being Dun Laoghaire, Dooks, Cobh and Cork in Ireland, Rockliffe Hall in the UK and La Zagaleta in Spain. A Senior Member of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects the company is based in the United Kingdom. Nathan Crace – After attending Mississippi State University and graduating from their Professional Golf Management program, he went on to work for an upstart design firm before founding his own firm eight years later. Designing courses for nearly 25 years--including Copper Mill Golf Club near Baton Rouge, Louisiana named Golf Digest's "Best New Public Course in America" in 2004. Crace is a native of Louisville, KY and raised in Charlestown, IN.

US Junior on tap this summer Baltusrol’s long-term agenda? By M. James Ward Last Thursday’s media rollout for the upcoming US Junior Amateur this summer at Baltusrol Golf Club provided an interesting peak behind the curtain for the historic Garden State club. Baltusrol has been the host location for a remarkable sixteen USGA Championships -- counting this year's Junior event. The club also served as host site (in 2005 and 2016) for the PGA Championship. But the news of the day went beyond the club's hosting of the Junior event for the first time in club history. Club president Rick Shea announced architect Gil Hanse has been brought on board as course consultant. The comments came unprompted from Shea in his welcome remarks to the assembled media and guests. What's interesting is a clear statement of direction for the historic club which had previously relied upon the Jones family -- Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and recently with Rees Jones in updating the two courses -- Lower and Upper respectively. Hanse is the most sought after architect in golf -- given recent various successes including his design of the Rio 2016 Olympic Golf Course and in updating two classic courses slated to host the US Open in the next few years with Winged Foot (West) in 2020 and Los Angeles (North) in 2023. Interestingly, it is Winged Foot that got the nod for the 2020 event over Baltusrol and it's fair to say the NJ-based club sought to replicate the success of the Mamaroneck, NY club in having the Hanse touch involved. Clearly, the leadership at Baltusrol believes something is needed in order to bolster the 36-hole A.W. Tillinghast design. Hosting the Junior event is something Baltusrol is likely doing to curry favor with the USGA since hosting the last event of the Association with the 2000 Amateur. With the last of the seven US Opens played on the Lower in 1993 -- the next opening for America's national championship will not be until 2028. That marks at minimum a span of 35 years from having hosted America's national championship -- the longest in club history. Interestingly, the club had previously had a 13-year period between US Opens when hosting the 1954, 1967, 1980 and 1993 championships. Although not stating at the podium an outright interest in hosting an eighth US Open, the desire of the club to remain a fixture in championship golf is clearly evident. The Junior Amateur will showcase both courses, but it is the Upper which will stage the entire match play portion for the best junior players. Baltusrol is the only club in US Open history where both courses at the same site have hosted the US Open. The Upper has not received overall fan and media attention, but architecturally, many, including this writer, see it as the superior design. The US Open used to be a regular agenda item for Baltusrol. That is no longer the case and the competition among various sites to remain in the favor of the USGA is always subject to change. Witness the favor of Bethpage (Black) early on when hosting the 2002 and 2009 events -- then splitting and aligning with the PGA of America to host the 2019 PGA Championship and 2024 Ryder Cup Matches. The same can be said of Oakland Hills (South) which last hosted the US Open in 1985 but did host the Ryder Cup in 2004 and PGA Championship in 2008. In addition, the Detroit-area club has hosted two US Amateurs since the 1985 championship, thus far the USGA has not indicated if a return for a 7th US Open will happen. Bringing in Hanse is a clear statement Baltusrol is keen to do whatever is needed in order to once again have America's national championship return to New Jersey. There are no guarantees and the payoff will not happen immediately, but the Junior Amateur is anything but "junior" to a club now intent in taking the needed steps to rejoin the conversation at the top of America's golf pecking order. Whether that happens or not will be a work in progress certainly worth watching.