This course is among the most insular of American courses, and for years, it has been tabbed among the top courses in America by various Golf magazines.
But it never hosts a PGA tournament! But that's not because it is not up to standards of play, but because it's layout (and relative remoteness) make it an almost impossible task to house the incredible multitudes who would gladly attend ... if only to SEE the course.
I don't know if they would even permit WGT to come in there and measure the course, but they open the grounds once per year (late) for a certain amateur tournament.
Between forty and fifty years ago, they even hosted "Shell's Wonderful World of Golf" whereby two touring pros would play between each other (stroke play), and no one, but no one found the course to be a "cakewalk".
Last I looked the standard slope from the men's tees was 153, perhaps the most difficult course in America (and it wasn't a slope created for a tournament, like many courses, just their standard play slope. (Average muni courses are 113 with course rated stroke average of 3-5 under par. This one is +5 to +7, meaning zero handicap pros don't golf par here, on average!
But PINE VALLEY, which has many penalties for length overshoots, is a target type golf course - you must be precise from the tees to fairways, then precise again from fairways to greens, and don't land in certain places or your score will suffer dramatically.
What a great challenge WGT could make of this course (with the different green speeds and other assorted conditions)!
I have known two members during my Wall St. years, and each of them told me in no uncertain terms that my 16 handicap (at the time) would make me an embarrassment, and told me not to bother asking any more. (I told you it was very insular.)
But should anyone want to see this course, it's on GOOGLE EARTH for all to see! (39-47-10 N by 78-54-12 W)
So, what do you think WGT? Any chance they might want to add to their fame yet keep the exclusivity they currently enjoy?
I would love it, even if it's more annoyingly difficult (for me) than Merion or Olympic. We all know there are TL's out there who will make mince meat of any course on the planet!