Twenty miles east of downtown Louisville, Valhalla Golf Club is synonymous with modern major championship golf. The PGA of America gradually purchased portions of the club between 1993 and 2000 and ultimately staged four PGA Championships (1996, 2000, 2014, 2024), two Senior PGA Championships (2004, 2011), and the 2008 Ryder Cup at the Kentucky club. Tiger Woods, Anthony Kim, and Rory McIlroy have all made their mark in golf lore at the Jack Nicklaus design, making it a familiar place for golf fans. Now, following the PGA of America’s sale of the club and changing winds in golf course architecture, it’s time to see whether the course’s reputation can overcome its subpar design.

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Take Note…

Roots – Valhalla’s original owner and founder Dwight Gahm fancied himself a golf course architect and wanted to bring championship golf to the area, ultimately opting to build the course on his farm. Gahm passed away in 2016, but his presence remains in the form of a statue near the Valhalla clubhouse.

Firmer and faster? – Located on the American Mason-Dixon line, Valhalla is in a very difficult area when it comes to growing grass. Summers are hot and humid while winters see cool temperatures. As a part of Valhalla’s most recent renovations, the fairways were changed from bent to zoysia grass. In theory, this should allow for a firmer playing surface in the summertime.

Enjoy the walk back – While the course is barely 40 years old, its original length was quickly outpaced by modern distances. New tee boxes are particularly noticeable in the walkbacks on Nos. 16 and 17, but the new tee on No. 1 is particularly shocking. Located next to the driving range, this tee box adds 50 yards to the length the players saw on this hole at the 2014 PGA Championship. The new one on the par-3 14th isn’t much better.