TPC BOSTON FEATURES DIFFERENT LOOK, TOUGHER CHALLENGE FOR DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP
8/2/07 1:16


NORTON, Mass., July 30, 2007 � When defending Deutsche Bank Championship winner Tiger Woods makes his way around the Tournament Players Club Boston for the first time before this year�s Championship, he won�t find the same golf course on which he shot 16-under par 268 to win the event last September. Instead, Woods and the rest of the 120-player field will discover a course that has been altered dramatically in the last 12 months � one that will blend more naturally into its surroundings and, perhaps more notably, will make players exercise their brains as much as their physical skills, golf course architect Gil Hanse and tour playing consultant Brad Faxon believe.

�We�ve tried to implement some things to get the players to think about shots and not make it so obvious � have them spend a little time trying to figure out the golf course,� said Hanse, whose company, Hanse Golf Course Design, Inc. was commissioned to remodel the course. Hanse worked steadily from September through May on the project. �Aesthetically, I believe that what we�ve done is made the golf course feel like it belongs in New England.�

The 2007 Deutsche Bank Championship tees off Aug. 28-Sept. 3 at the remodeled TPC Boston, which will feature all new bunkers, many re-graded fairways and a handful of re-constructed greens. Its altered look will be courtesy of the addition of stone walls, �chocolate drop mounds� and some new grass bunkers.

Hanse and his crew, along with TPC Boston golf course superintendent Tom Brodeur and Faxon, spent nine months laboring through the remodeling process. Benefiting from a relatively mild winter, they laid down an estimated 1.2 million square feet of new sod. They had as many as 70 people working on the course at one time.

�It�s created a completely different visual look and a completely different way of approaching the golf course,� Brodeur said.

One of the biggest differences, and the one most players will note immediately when first looking at the scorecard, is that the course has actually been shortened, from 7,415 to 7,207 yards. While much of the length was taken from two holes, Hanse and Brodeur both emphasized their belief that the recent trend toward building longer, narrower golf courses doesn�t necessarily make for more interesting golf courses.
 
Instead, with this project, they focused on making TPC Boston more challenging and thought-provoking.

The fourth hole has been changed from a sharp dogleg right to a straight-away, driveable par 4 less than 300 yards from tee to green, a hole which Hanse believes will give players many different options depending on the hole location.

On No. 7, a massive cross bunker has been added between 140 and 100 yards to the hole � Hanse�s homage to �Hell�s Half Acre� at Pine Valley. The addition of this hazard is certain to take golfers out of their comfort zone on both their second and third shots.

The 16th hole, now the shortest par 3 on the course at 161 yards, has been altered by increasing the size of the pond between the tee and green. The new hole should allow for some excitement late in rounds, as it is a birdie hole but could also spell disaster for those who find the water in the front or back left of the green.

Another massive bunker has been added along the left side of No. 17 � Brodeur estimated the bunkers on Nos. 7 and 17 total 20,000 square feet in size � and could come into play for long hitters.

On No. 18, three diagonal cross bunkers have been added in the driving area and another small pot bunker was added about 100 yards from the green, asking players to make plenty of decisions on the finishing hole.

�I think there will be some very different shots hit on 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 16, 17 and 18. There�s no doubt that anybody who is a sophisticated golf fan will find it interesting,� Brodeur said. �There will be a lot of discussion about one hole or another, and it will be very thought provoking. Everyone may not agree about how good they are, but it will engage people in a discussion about the golf course in a way that is very healthy.�

Hanse and his team were selected to oversee the course�s remodel by representatives from TPC Boston, the PGA TOUR and the Deutsche Bank Championship. A graduate of Cornell who formed his own business in 1993, Hanse is recognized as one of today�s top young golf course architects. He has been lauded for his work on nearby Boston Golf Club (in Hingham, Mass.), and in 2006 he had both that course and his design at Rustic Canyon honored by Golfweek in its list of Top 100 Modern Golf Courses. In addition, he had two other designs on the publication�s Top Public Courses list, and his firm maintains consulting relationships with eight courses named to the Top 100 Classic Courses list.

Hanse said he will experience some nerves leading up to the Deutsche Bank Championship as he anticipates the reactions of various PGA TOUR players, but he is also excited to see how the course plays.

�I�m confident we did what we set out to do,� Hanse said. �We were told by the TOUR that this is what the players wanted, and we provided that.�

Championship week for the Deutsche Bank Championship begins with practice rounds Tuesday, Aug. 28 and Wednesday, Aug. 29, followed by a pro-am competition Thursday, Aug. 30. The four-day Championship, which serves as the second of four PGA TOUR Playoffs events for the inaugural FedExCup, begins Friday, Aug. 31 and continues through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 3 � the only scheduled Monday finish on the PGA TOUR. The winner of the PGA TOUR Playoffs will be awarded $10 million, the richest prize in golf history.

About Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank <NYSE: DB> is a leading global investment bank with a strong and profitable private clients franchise. A leader in Germany and Europe, the bank is continuously growing in North America, Asia and key emerging markets. With EUR 1,126 billion in assets and 68,849 employees in 75 countries, Deutsche Bank offers unparalleled financial services throughout the world. The bank competes to be the leading global provider of financial solutions for demanding clients creating exceptional value for its shareholders and people.

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., member NYSE, NASD and SIPC, is the investment banking and securities arm of Deutsche Bank AG in the United States.

About IMG
IMG is the world's premier and most diversified sports, entertainment and media company. We partner with the world's leading marketers and media networks to help them grow their businesses through our event properties, media production and distribution, talent brands, sponsorship consulting, brand licensing, sponsorship sales and other services.
From emerging leadership in areas like digital media, licensing and entertainment programming, to our long-standing strength in sports, fashion and traditional media, IMG is committed to providing business-building solutions. Our partners include many of the world's most famous brands, media outlets, sports governing bodies, national and local governments, athletes, entertainers, models and fashion designers.
IMG is the global leader in event management and talent representation across golf, tennis and fashion and has a significant presence in many other sports,
cultural and lifestyle categories. Our media division is one of the world's top independent producers of sports and entertainment television across multiple genres and is an emerging leader in video and interactive content creation for broadband and mobile platforms.
Founded in 1960 with a handshake between Mark McCormack and golf legend Arnold Palmer, IMG has grown into a global operation with more than 2,600 employees located in 30 countries. In 2004, renowned entrepreneurial pioneer Ted Forstmann acquired the company and infused it with renewed energy, creativity, and strategic direction.

About The Tournament Players Club Boston
TPC Boston is a private golf club located in Norton, Massachusetts and is part of the 21 Club, TPC Network owned and operated by the PGA TOUR. The Club opened on June 28, 2002 and was designed by Arnold Palmer. The Club has quickly risen in stature in part due to hosting the Deutsche Bank Championship over Labor Day weekend since 2003.
 
Recently, the Club has continued to evolve with an extensive course renovation to all 18 holes led by architect Gil Hanse. The course has developed a more traditional look and feel emulating some of the great old golf courses on New England. Stack sodded bunkers, chocolate drop mounds, whispy fescue and rock walls frame many of the holes visually, while a heightened emphasis to shot selection is also quite evident. The new look has been matched by the implementation of traditional caddie program for the Members as TPC Boston provides a PGA TOUR experience not only during the Deutsche Bank Championship, but all season long.
     # # #

Footer

  1. /