Feature written by Garrett Johnston.
Quail Hollow has been the yearly host of the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo Championship (now the Truist Championship) since 2003.
Unlike many PGA Championship venues, such as Valhalla last year and Oak Hill the year before, this one will at least feel familiar to many of the players. In 2017, Justin Thomas validated his promising talent with a two-shot win, capped off by a brilliant 7-iron on the par-3 17th hole over water which sealed his maiden major victory.
Many players describe the course as expansive, making it ideal for the fan experience by offering a variety of viewing options and perches. There were also some course changes in 2023, which we’ll get to in a bit.
The closing three holes at Quail Hollow, known as the Green Mile, provide a dramatic setting for fans to enjoy the decisive finish. PGA Tour winner Taylor Pendrith believes the string of holes enhances the atmosphere.
“The course can fit a lot of fans, and the Green Mile has a great overlook across the lake. As a spectator, you can see four or five different holes, plus it’s always rocking on the 17th tee.”
PGA Championship victor in 2011 Keegan Bradley appreciates the challenge posed by water and trouble late in the tournament.
“Those last few holes are such a good test. You can’t fake it on the Green Mile. You need to have your distance control dialed in, and you can’t be too conservative on those three holes, either. You have to be all in with whatever club decision you choose,” he says.
Bradley also acknowledges that the demanding closing stretch is good for the viewer’s perspective at home.
“From the fan’s perspective, it’s a really entertaining finish to see the players take on the Green Mile,” he says. “A lot of things can happen at the end of the tournament there. There’s a lot of water to navigate and just a bunch of tough shots facing the contenders. I think Quail Hollow is a really strong major championship venue. It’s one of my favourite courses on Tour, no question. It’s just such an amazing country club. They treat us so well there, and it has a lot of history.”
RIGHT: Jason Day stresses prior experience at Quail Hollow is valuable. PHOTO: Getty Images.
Unlike Valhalla last year, Quail Hollow is a venue players see annually with the Truist Championship, and some competitors also played the 2022 Presidents Cup there. Jason Day, a regular at Quail Hollow’s Tour events, believes experience will be a factor in May.
“I think familiarity with the course and the way it plays during tough tournament weeks will be important. It helps to know what you can and can’t do out of that thick rough. It’s such a tremendous course and a great test. I make sure I never miss that tournament at Quail Hollow when we have it there. I just love the layout of the course.”
Day was victorious at the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow by two strokes. Though the course isn’t exactly the same test it was back then, his experience gives him added confidence heading into this major.
“It’s kind of nice to be able to go back to a course where I’ve had a lot of success and where I’ve won. Those are two really good positives that give me extra confidence stepping on the property for the PGA Championship,” Day says. “I’m looking forward to the PGA Championship heading there. I think Quail Hollow presents very, very well as a PGA course. That was exciting when Justin Thomas won there the last time the PGA was there.”
Collin Morikawa also boasts experience at Quail Hollow. In the Wells Fargo Championship, he missed the cut in 2023 but finished tied for 16th in 2024. The 29-year-old also went 2-1 in the 2022 Presidents Cup matches held there. He views his experience as vital to his approach during tournament week.
“I think it’s really important to have at least played some rounds there so you’re not too surprised by any setup changes,” Morikawa said.
“It’s just a great golf course overall. From tee to green, it’s comprehensive. You’ve got very challenging tee shots, and it’s a pretty long test. Mixed in there are some scorable holes – par-5s you can take advantage of, depending on the wind and weather. You just can’t let up on a golf course like that, and that’s all you can ask for in a major championship.”
Pendrith has a sentimental connection to Quail Hollow, as he arrived there immediately after his first PGA Tour win at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Dallas last May. Players like Tony Finau and Rory McIlroy congratulated him throughout the week, and he finished tied for 10th.
“Quail Hollow’s an awesome golf course, and it suits my eye really well. I played good golf there last year after my win in Dallas and just had a lot of confidence,” Pendrith said. “The keys around Quail Hollow are driving it really well – long and straight – and being precise around the greens. It can be tricky, and you have to have your short game dialed in to manage those greens and get up and down.”
Though Pendrith, Bradley, Day, and Morikawa praise Quail Hollow, not everyone is as enthusiastic. Some veteran British caddies who have looped in major events, including Ryder Cups, are more critical.
“My opinion is they spent millions changing certain holes and made it worse,” former caddie for Matt Fitzpatrick, Billy Foster says. A caddie in 15 Ryder Cups, Foster was on the bag at the 2022 U.S Open for Fitzpatrick before becoming an analyst for Sky Sports.
Quail Hollow closed for four months during the summer of 2023 for course alterations. These included softening the slopes on 12 greens to allow for better pin placements when greens are running fast. Distance was added to the par-3 13th hole and par-4 16th, bringing a fairway bunker into play for long hitters. The club also renovated its bunkers to improve drainage.
Justin Rose’s caddie, Mark Fulcher, is also unimpressed with the changes.
“It’s just poorly designed in my opinion, and it’s just average since those changes,” Fulcher says. “I don’t like it for a major course.”
While opinions on Quail Hollow vary, some players have never set foot on the property. One such player is rising Swedish superstar Ludvig Åberg. He finished second in his first-ever major at the Masters last year, but skipped Quail Hollow the following month due to a knee issue. Though he’s yet to play the course, he remains excited for the week.
“I’ve never played Quail Hollow. That was the one Tour event I didn’t play last year. I’m looking forward to seeing it in person,” Åberg says. “I’ve obviously seen it on TV a million times. I think we’ll try to do a trip beforehand so that come major week, we won’t need to prepare as much on the golf course. We want to keep it mostly to chipping and putting when we’re there for the championship.”
Åberg’s approach is notable for a younger player. During tournament week, he prefers not to overextend himself learning the course and instead focuses on sharpening his short game.
“What I’m finding in majors is that major weeks are really long, and you need to conserve your energy. There’s so much going on. I’m just going to try to prepare as well as I can and make sure I’m ready,” Åberg says.
Denny McCarthy knows the course well, having played it six times in Tour events. However, he acknowledges that Quail Hollow takes time to learn.
“It’s a fun course, but it has a lot of bite,” McCarthy says. “You need to be fresh for it because it can mentally drain you quickly. But I’ve learned to just take what it gives me. You can’t force shots around Quail Hollow.”
Hopefully, the rookies are listening to that sage advice.
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