Captains praise Oakland Hills set up

Oakland Hills, once regarded as a monster of a course, has been praised by rival Ryder Cup captains Bernhard Langer and Hal Sutton.

Although the severely contoured greens on the par-70 layout are among the most difficult in the game, Langer and Sutton agree the parkland course has been fairly set up.

"The rough is not quite U.S. Open," European captain Langer told a news conference on Tuesday.

"I think it's around four inches, which is playable. It's punishing, but it's playable. You can move the ball out of there.

"You've got to be fairly straight off the tee, you have to hit precise iron shots and the greens are some of the most severe that you can find anywhere in the world."

U.S. captain Sutton, who has played the course several times this year, believes the undulating South Course at Oakland Hills Country Club will suit both 12-man teams.

"All 24 of these guys are qualified to prepare for any golf tournament anywhere in the world," he said.

"I can't help but think, at the end of the day, they are going to say: 'Man, this is pretty neat. Man, this golf course is nice.'"

Renowned for its heavy bunkering and challenging greens, Oakland Hills was described as a monster of a course by Ben Hogan when he won the 1951 U.S. Open there.

"I am glad I brought this course, this monster, to its knees," said Hogan after closing with a 67, one of just two sub-par rounds achieved during that year's tournament.

"It's the greatest test of golf I have ever played and the toughest course."

Although the 7,077-yard layout is no longer considered brutally long by today's players, the extreme challenge of its slick, sloping greens remains.

"There are a lot of demanding holes," said 2001 U.S. PGA champion David Toms, who is playing his second Ryder Cup this week.

"The greens are fast and you'll see a lot of big-breaking putts. The greens seem to make the whole golf course. The greens and the fact the rough is pretty thick and penal.

"The pin placements will make it difficult to get to some of the holes. Then, if you're not in the right spot, it will be difficult to two-putt."

Hale Irwin, a three-times U.S. Open champion who has played the course in four major championships, said: "There's a lot of mystery around the greens at Oakland Hills.

"They may encourage trying to go for it, but that doesn't mean the players have to, or will."

The 35th Ryder Cup starts on Friday.