Edgewood alters course layout for celebrity tournament
By Dan Hinxman, Reno Gazette-Journal
The Reno-Tahoe Open isn’t the only prominent local golf tournament making changes to its course this year.
The 22nd annual American Century Championship celebrity tournament, which starts today at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, has switched its first and second holes with Nos. 10 and 11 in an effort to create more drama, just as the RTO will do by switching the nines for its PGA Tour event, Aug. 4-7 at Montreux.
Edgewood Tahoe has tweaked the course for the ACC tourney. Photo/LTN file
“The original No. 2 (now No. 11) is going to play 315 yards,” ACC spokesman Phil Weidinger said. “(Tournament organizers) wanted to switch it to the back nine because it’s a drivable par-4 that can create more drama on the back nine.”
Edgewood constructed a tee box on the new No. 11 to create the drivable opportunity, though some of the big hitters in the field of about 85 celebrities will probably have to go with something other than a driver.
The change also adds a little more pressure to the start of the round. Both No. 1 and No. 10 have water guarding the left side of the fairway, but water comes into play much more with the new No. 1. Players tee off the front and back all three rounds of this 54-hole tournament, and it will be the lead half of the field that goes off No. 1 on Saturday and Sunday.
“I really like it,” former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer said of the changes. “This start is much harder than the other start, the old 1 and 2. Driving the ball early in rounds is a challenge many times.”