If you've watched the 2018 PGA Championship, then you've no doubt heard about the stretch of holes called The Ridge at Bellerive Country Club. And if you've been playing a drinking game, then you're reading this with a splitting headache, and you're wondering what The Ridge is and why it got that name.
First, the easy part. The Ridge is the three-hole stretch at Bellerive Country Club from hole Nos. 14-16:
- No. 14 - A 410-yard par 4, the 14th hole is the easiest of the three, giving players an uphill approach after negotiating a mild dogleg move to the left.
- No. 15 - This 495-yard par 4 is perhaps the most difficult on the course. Missing the fairway here means almost certain doom, and a bunker in the landing zone means precision is required. A wide-but-shallow green moves hard from right to left, and big bunkers will catch unworthy approach shots.
- No. 16 - A 237-yard par 3 to close, the downhill tee shot requires finding the large green. Missing it will force a player to execute a great short-game shot to reach and hold the green to potentially salvage par.
Alright, now that you know what The Ridge is, now you wonder why it's called The Ridge. According to club members and the PGA of America, the stretch is called The Ridge simply because it's one of the most difficult stretches on the course, and it just happens to also be located on the highest-elevation portion of the property. These holes typically play into the wind. From these holes, golfers can see lower holes of the course and get a wider view. In fact, No. 14 has an infinity green to showcase other holes on the course.
