Inside the course: Congressional Country Club

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The 11th hole at Congressional Country Club, which ranked No. 1 in difficulty in 2008's tournament.

Jun. 29, 2009

The TOUR heads to the Washington D.C. area. this week for Fourth of July in the Nation's Capital at Tiger Woods' AT&T National. Learn more about the host, Congressional Country Club.

Fast facts

Director of Golf	Michael V. Giuffre
Original architect	Devereut Emmet (1924)
Course redesign	Rees Jones (1989)
Par value	70
Number of TOUR events as host venue*	3 (including 2009)
Course ranking	Ranked 27 (out of 54) in difficulty on the PGA TOUR in 2008
Yardage history	7,255 (2007'09)
Grass	Bentgrass (tees, fairways, greens); Kentucky Bluegrass, Bermudagrass, perennial ryegrass, fescue (rough); Poa annua (greens)
Tournament Stimpmeter	12 ft
Sand bunkers	102
Water hazards	5
Course tour	Click here

*In addition to the three AT&T National tournaments, Congressional CC has also hosted the Kemper Open (1980-86, 2005), the U.S. Open (1964, 1997) and the PGA Championship (1976).

Course record

Player
Tom Pernice Jr.
Peter Lonard

Year
2008
2008

Round
2nd
4th

Finish
T9
T12

Holes-in-one

There have been two aces recorded at Congressional Country Club

Player	Hole	Year
Corey Pavin	10	2008
Kevin Stadler	13	2007

2008 Rankings

Most Difficult Hole

	Another converted par 5, this elevated tee overlooks a tight landing area that slopes from left to right. Bunkers frame the right side. Any second shot requires great accuracy to negotiate the connected water hazards on the right and the bunkers on the left. 2008: 0 eagles, 27 birdies, 250 pars, 83 bogeys, 23 double bogeys, 5 others.
Easiest Hole
	Few players will reach this green in two shots, if for no other reason than the drive must be hit into the face of a hill. On the second shot, players should avoid the bunkers on the right, while on the approach, stay clear of a huge bunker left and trees along the right. 2008: 3 eagles, 128 birdies, 239 pars, 17 bogeys, 1 double bogey and 0 others.

Congressional Country Club			2008 rankings		Last two years
Hole	Par	Yards	Avg. score	Rank	Avg. score	Rank
1	4	402	3.899	15	3.921	15
2	3	232	3.209	3	3.248	3
3	4	455	4.044	8	4.058	8
4	4	427	4.07	7	4.128	7
5	4	407	3.918	14	3.961	14
6	4	518	4.247	2	4.270	2
7	3	174	2.951	13	2.978	12
8	4	354	3.755	17	3.790	17
9	5	602	4.863	16	4.850	16
10	3	218	3.144	5	3.169	5
11	4	489	4.307	1	4.355	1
12	4	415	4.008	9	4.010	11
13	3	187	2.959	11	2.973	13
14	4	454	4.149	4	4.221	4
15	4	439	3.954	12	4.049	9
16	5	579	4.704	18	4.742	18
17	4	437	3.985	10	4.045	10
18	4	466	4.09	6	4.130	6

Course origins

Congressional Country Club was established in 1924. A group of legislators met in 1921 and decided the best way to break down the barrier between them and the country was through the formation of a country club and to invite, as co-members, professional businessmen from around the country. Today, the club membership is more family oriented. Some of the original founding members include Calvin Coolidge, Warren Harding, Woodrow Wilson, William H. Taft, Harvey S. Firestone, William C. Carnegie, William Randolph Hearst and Walter P. Chrysler.

The club has quite a history with tournament golf, playing host to the 1964 U.S. Open, 1976 PGA Championship, Kemper Open from 1980-1986, 1995 U.S. Senior Open and the 1997 U.S. Open. Congressional will also host the

2009 U.S. Amateur and the 2011 U.S. Open. --Source: Golf Course Superintendents Assocation of America

Tournament course history

Course	Location	Years
Congressional Country Club	Bethesda, Md.	2007-present

This week's Kodak Challenge hole

HOLE: The par-4, 466-yard 18th at Congressional Country Club
LAST YEAR: The 18th played to a stroke average of 4.090, with players recording 1 eagle, 55 birdies, 254 pars, 65 bogeys, 12 double bogeys and 1 other.
DESCRIPTION: Congressional's signature hole sets up perfectly for a long, right-to-left tee shot. Anything too far right could find trouble as well as a thick grove of cedars. Bunkers right of the green combined with water on three sides make the second shot a test of courage. (Click here for Congressional tour)