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Josh Bennett's Hole-By-Hole Course Breakdown for The Rocket Mortgage Classic (2023), an in-depth look into the host course for PGA DraftKings tournaments.
Welcome to the latest edition of the PGA DFS Hole-By-Hole Breakdown, where Josh Bennett (@JishSwish) breaks down the course the PGA Tour is playing each week. We think this course breakdown is an important slice of the "PGA DFS pie" and will help change the way you do your research for every tournament. A good understanding of the course that's being played is extremely important before diving into individual players. Each week, this article will give you everything you need to know about the course, strategies players could take, and statistics that fit the specifics of the layout.
This week's Breakdown features Detroit Golf Club, host of the PGA Tour's Rocket Mortgage Classic. This Donald Ross layout brings some challenges from a breakdown perspective, because the event actually reroutes holes from DGC's North and South Courses for the purposes of this week's tournament. We should see another weekend of low scores here from all kinds of different skill sets, but longer hitters should have a slight advantage. Be sure to also read all of our other top-notch weekly PGA DFS and betting articles to help you win big!
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Detroit Golf Club: Par 72, 7370 Yards
Hole 1: Par 4, 397 Yards (North Course, hole #8)
Off the Tee: The opening hole is not a difficult one. It's relatively short and the landing area is wide open for anyone that can carry it about 275 or further. They should just see how far down the fairway they can get it, and then take the short wedge that's left from there.
Approach: A short wedge into this green that is protected on the front-right by a couple bunkers, and another bunker on the front-left. They should not be in play from the distances they'll be hitting these wedges from, however. As long as the tee shot goes straight, this is a birdie hole for the whole field. Green Size: 20x30 yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, Ball-Striking, SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 2: Par 4, 453 Yards (North course, hole #9)
Off The Tee: The options on this hole are either fairway with a shot at the green or pitching out behind a tree. There is very little room at the landing area between the fairway and the treeline. A long and accurate tee shot will be important here. The fairway bunkers far down the fairway are mostly only there for looks, they won't be in play for anyone unless Bryson really crushes one.
Approach: A mid-iron approach into a decent-sized green that is protected by bunkers on the entire left and right sides. Due to the length of the approach, those bunkers will be in play, but the green is large so there won't be a ton of shots finding those bunkers. Green Size: 20x30 yards
Advantage: Ball-Striking, GIR
Hole 3: Par 4, 393 Yards (South course, hole #1)
Off the Tee: Another short par 4 to start off the round, and even easier tee shot than the last one. They will take the trees out of play on the left and take aim towards the right side of the fairway. A miss right will still have a clear angle to the green. Like the first hole, just hit it as far as possible and play the short wedge wherever it winds up.
Approach: A short wedge into a narrow green that's protected by bunkers on the left and right sides. With these wedge shots into the green, they likely won't play too much out of the green-side bunkers. This is a scoring hole for the whole field. Green Size: 15x30 yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 4: Par 5, 635 Yards (North course, hole #2, tee box behind #1 green)
Off The Tee: This is an extremely long par 5, but it's not a difficult one. They added a tee box behind the North course #1 green to lengthen the hole by over 50 yards. Most players' tee shots will be short of the fairway bunkers on the left, so there is not much trouble off the tee. Hit it as far as possible and then decision-making comes into play.
Approach: Very few players will be able to get to this green in two, so the decision is how far down the fairway to go so there is a comfortable distance left. There is enough space to take 3-wood and hit that as far as possible too, but some may elect to hit irons and leave full wedges into the green. From wherever they lay up to, it is an easy approach to a green only protected by bunkers on the left. Although the hole is long, this should be a scoring hole for the whole field. Green Size: 20x30 Yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, SG: Approach, Par 5 Scoring
Hole 5: Par 3, 167 Yards (North course, hole #3)
Approach: This is a short par 3 but it is well guarded by bunkers on all sides except the right side. Although the green is well protected, it should be short enough so that most of the field will hit this green in regulation. This is score-able with a good putter. Green Size: 20x30 Yards
Advantage: SG: Approach, SG: Putt, Par 3 Scoring
Hole 6: Par 4, 461 Yards (North course, hole #4)
Off the Tee: The fairway here is narrow, but there is room for bad misses on both sides so there won't be extremely high scores here. The hole plays over par most likely because tee shots wind up underneath trees and require pitch-outs. Accurate players off the tee will benefit on this hole.
Approach: A mid-iron approach to a green that is barely protected in the front-right by a bunker. The green is large and shouldn't be hard to hit as long as the drive leaves an angle to take a shot at the green. The green is large and will likely have many long putts for birdie. Green Size: 25x35 Yards
Advantage: Ball-Striking, Driving Accuracy, SG: Approach, SG: Putt, Scrambling
Hole 7: Par 5, 552 Yards (North course, hole #5)
Off The Tee: A short par 5 that is understandably one of the easier holes on the tour. Long hitters can carry the bunker on the left to a wide open space, and others can leave it short of that bunker and still be able to get to the green in two. Almost the entire field will be able to get to this green in two, some can even hit 3-wood off the tee and make it.
Approach: A long-iron or fairway wood will be used into this large green. The protection is on the front-left and front-right sides by bunkers. The front of the green is wide open, so we may also see some of them roll the ball up onto the green from the front instead of carry it all the way there too. Eagle will be in play for most of the field on this hole, and birdie should be pretty easy. Green Size: 20x35 Yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, Ball-Striking, SG: Around the Green, Par 5 Scoring
Hole 8: Par 4, 372 Yards (North course, hole #6)
Off The Tee: The third short par 3 on the front, but probably the most difficult one because of the tee shot. The hole bends left-to-right, so a tee shot that bends that way is ideal. However, anything overcooked to the right will be in the trees or fairway bunkers. If the ball goes too far left it will also be behind trees or potentially out of bounds. Many may elect to hit iron off the tee behind the bunkers and still leave a short wedge into the green.
Approach: Another approach with a short wedge into this huge green that has bunkers on the left and right, but they won't be in play at all. This should be an easy approach, as long as the tee shot allows for a look at the green. Green Size: 20x30 Yards
Advantage: SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 9: Par 3, 207 Yards (North course, hole #7)
Approach: Left and right misses will have to be kept in check on this hole to avoid the bunkers on the left and right sides. It is a long hole, so those bunkers will be in play. Hitting the green and taking par on this hole is one of the few on the course they'll be happy to walk away with par. Green Size: 20x30 Yards
Advantage: GIR, Scrambling
Hole 10: Par 4, 425 Yards (North course, hole #10)
Off the Tee: The course routing gets back to normal starting on hole 10. The ideal tee shot here will hug the left side of the fairway, but too far left will have trees in the way to the green. A shot to the right will bring a set of two bunkers into play as well. Length is key here to take the bunkers out of play, but accuracy is equally important to stay in-between the tree lines.
Approach: The approach will be a wedge or short-iron at most to a large green protected on the left and right sides. Like other greens prior, since the approach will be with wedges, the fairway bunkers probably won't be in play much this week. Not much to this approach, and it should be a birdie hole for the field. Green Size: 25x25 Yards
Advantage: Ball-Striking, SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 11: Par 3, 233 Yards (North course, hole #11)
Approach: This is statistically the hardest hole on the course, but it is not overly difficult, and the scoring average is high because of the length of the hole. They'll hit long irons to this green that's protected on the left side and the front-right side by bunkers. The green is large, and many may just choose to hit at the middle of the green and take a two-putt from there. Hitting the green shouldn't be difficult, but putting may be, depending on where the pin is in relation to where the ball winds up. Green Size: 25x30 Yards
Advantage: GIR, SG: Putt, Scrambling
Hole 12: Par 4, 489 Yards (North course, hole #12)
Off the Tee: Distance will be important off this tee to eliminate the bunker trouble. Slightly over-average distance off the tee will be good enough, otherwise accuracy is what they'll need to keep it out of that bunker. Tee shots that end up in that bunker will most likely be played for bogey because of the length of the second shot.
Approach: mid-iron approaches to this green that's protected by a bunker on the left and a smaller one on the front-right. The front of the green is wide open, so they can roll the ball up onto the green if they need to, especially from the fairway bunker. The long hitters that can keep it away from the trees will have good chances at birdie, but most of the rest of the field will have good looks too. Green Size: 20x30 Yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, Ball-Striking, SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 13: Par 4, 393 Yards (North course, hole #13)
Off The Tee: Another short hole, and similar to the last one, the tee shot has to be relatively accurate to have a good shot at the green. Much of the field will choose to lay up off the tee, and they'll still have wedges into the green. They should hit whatever they can most confidently put into the fairway.
Approach: A short wedge approach into this green that's protected in the front-left and front-right by bunkers. Assuming there is a look at the green from the tee shot, this should be a birdie hole for the field and the approach is not difficult at all. Green Size: 25x25 Yards
Advantage: Ball-Striking, SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 14: Par 5, 555 Yards (North course, hole #14)
Off The Tee: Bombs away on this one. Long hitters will have to try to keep left and use the opening after the trees as safety, and shorter hitters will just be hitting at a wide open fairway. Nothing too difficult here, just get it out there and get ready for a decision on the second shot.
Approach: The green on this par 5 is protected by the only water on the course. The more left that the approach comes from, the more the water is in play. The shot will likely require a long-iron or fairway wood, so accuracy with those will be key and may even force some to lay up to a wedge. If they do decide to go for it, they absolutely must avoid the water, and thus will bring fairway bunkers on the right side into play. It will not be easy to hit this green in two, but they should be rewarded with an easy birdie if they can pull it off. Green Size: 20x30 Yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, Ball-Striking, SG: Approach, SG: Around the Green, Par 5 Scoring
Hole 15: Par 3, 160 Yards (North course, hole #15)
Approach: Rare for a PGA event, this is the second relatively short par 3 on the course. Mid-irons or possibly short-irons for long hitters to this green protected on every side except the back by bunkers. This shot just needs to be accurate and on the green, a miss is likely going to end up in one of the bunkers. Another rare hole on this course where they should be happy to walk away with par even though the hole is short for PGA Tour par 3 standards. Green Size: 20x25 Yards
Advantage: SG: Approach, GIR, Scrambling, Par 3 Scoring
Hole 16: Par 4, 446 Yards (North course, hole #16)
Off The Tee: This tee shot will allow for small misses off the tee, but needs to be accurate to keep from being behind trees. Long hitters will also have to be careful to avoid the three fairway bunkers. We may even see some of the longer hitters take out 3-wood on this hole. No matter what, the ball has to be straight or there will be no chance to get it on the green in two.
Approach: Through 16 holes, there seems to only be a handful of the same approaches over and over. Wedges, mid-irons from 160, or long approaches to par 5's. This one is in that middle tier, which is a mid-iron of some sort to a green with bunkers on the left and front-right. The green is large, so they shouldn't have much of a problem getting on the green. A good putter will be the difference maker on this hole. Green Size: 25x30 Yards
Advantage: Ball-Striking, SG: Approach, SG: Putt, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 17: Par 5, 577 Yards (North course, hole #17)
Off The Tee: This hole is one of the easiest on tour and it's easy to see why. There is nothing to worry about off the tee with a wide fairway and no real tree trouble. Long hitters can just let it rip here to give themselves the best chance at getting to the green in two.
Approach: Whether they can get to the green in two or not, the whole field will likely give it a shot knowing there isn't much penalty even if the green is missed. Long hitters can get there for sure with long irons or fairway woods. The green is open on the front again, so shorter hitters may be able to roll fairway woods up onto the front of the green since it is not protected there. The green-side bunkers should only be in play for the longer hitters that can get to the green in two. Other approaches will be chips or pitches onto the green and will easily avoid those bunkers. This is a birdie hole for the whole field. Green Size: 35x25 Yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, SG: Approach, SG: Around the Green, Par 5 Scoring
Hole 18: Par 4, 455 Yards (North course, hole #18)
Off the Tee: The tee shot coming down 18 needs to be either accurate or very long. An average-length tee shot that isn't straight down the fairway will wind up in the bunkers on the left or right. They also can't cut off too much of the hole going left because of the ravine that cuts off the fairway. This is hole is made difficult by this tee shot.
Approach: Another mid-iron approach to finish off the round to a large green with not much protection, other than a fairway bunker protecting a very small portion of the left-side of the green. Like many of the other greens, hitting it will not be the issue. Putting on it will be the difference maker. Green Size: 20x35 Yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, Ball-Striking, GIR, SG: Approach, SG: Putt, Par 4 Scoring
Conclusions
Other than two of the long par 3's, every hole on this course will put an iron in hand that can be easily scored with for the pros. SG: Approach should be leaned on heavily this week for that reason.
Long hitters will have the ability to take fairway bunkers out of play on this course, so those high up in the driving distance statistic should contend this week. In addition to length, a handful of holes also will require a bit of accuracy to avoid trees, so targeting good ball-strikers is a good idea as well.
Finding the greens on this course shouldn't be an issue. The greens are large and do not have much protection for the most part. Guys that can avoid 3 putts or gain strokes putting in general should do well this weekend.
Other stats to consider: Par 4 Scoring, Par 5 Scoring, Scrambling, SG: Around the Green, GIR
Assumptions
Images and measurements were done on Google Earth. These satellite images can sometimes be up to five or more years old and not show very recent changes to courses if there were any.
Detroit Golf Club re-routed the course for this specific event, so regular satellite views compared to their normal scorecards do not work. Tee boxes here are not pictured, but are in accurate positions according to prior year images. Actual holes on the course day-to-day are noted in parenthesis next to each hole.
Carry distance is used for off-the-tee distances shown in the images. The average carry distance on tour in 2021 was 281 yards, so that is what is used here.
I used a total dispersion off-the-tee of 60 yards. This comes from an article that Jon Sherman wrote for Practical Golf (@practicalgolf) discussing average dispersion, and I took 5-10 yards off from that number.
I assumed a 10-15 yard roll out from the carry distance to start the measurement to the green. Measurements to the green were rounded to the nearest five yards and measured from the center of the fairway to the center of the green.
Green measurements were also measured to the nearest five yards.
Things like weather, rough length, elevation, etc. are not taken into consideration on the measurements. I can only see and assume so much from satellite images. However, I do note where possible on each hole if things like elevation and wind could impact how the hole plays.
Scorecard:
