Colorado Springs, Colo. – The Broadmoor East Course is a true beast this year for the U.S. Women’s Open.
It’s the longest course in U.S. Women’s Open history at 7, 047 yards, some 300 yards longer than Interlachen in 2008. Add some gnarly rough and really, really quick and sloping greens, and you’ve got yourself a heck of test ahead of you.
The course features one par 5 at 600 yards (No. 17), a 223-yard par 3 (No. 12) and another lengthy par 5 (No. 3), not to mention three par 4s on the back side of at least 440 yards.
In the practice round Tuesday, I watched players all day long who were forced to hack out of the rough with a wedge just to hit their approach to the green. But that’s not the half of it. Dealing with elevated greens and tough pins in most spots on the green means hitting the right shot to the correct side of the hole is key this week. And if you don’t, it means dealing with that treacherous rough again.
Once on the green, it’s easy to run a 10 foot putt, five feet by. Players will definitely have to keep their second putt in mind this week if they are unable to make the first. They’re certainly won’t be a lot of ramming putts into the hole, that’s for sure.
The view out here on the course is truly great though. The backdrop of the mountains is picturesque. You can see them on almost every hole.
The course is in pristine condition and the greens are rolling true.
You can’t ask for much more. It’s going to be a great week.
