Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Director of Golf notes Wissahickon course stood its ground at Truist

By Bruce Adams

badams@21st-centurymedia.com

FLOURTOWN – Jim Smith Jr, Director of Golf at Philadelphia Cricket Club, was pleased with the way the Wissahickon course stood up to the attack on par by the golfers at the Truist Championship last week.

“I think, generally, everybody was happy with how our course held up against the pros,” said Smith. “On the first day, you had perfect weather, a first-day (relatively easy) pin placement, and the best players in the world. For the next three days, you had different weather each day, tougher pin placements, rain in the second round, and the greens got faster and firmer.

“I remember before the tournament there were all sorts of posts on social media saying that the course (par) was going to be destroyed, but it didn’t happen that way.”

Six weeks before the tournament, Smith noted the course record was 65 and said, “That will be broken, and it might get broken every day – these are the best players in the world.”

Smith’s prediction turned out to be pretty accurate — on three of the four days, the course record was broken.

In the first round, with picture-perfect weather, 10 players broke the course record; in the third round Saturday, Hideki Matsuyama shot a 63; and in the final round Sunday, Andrew Novak shot a 64. The only round the course record wasn’t broken was the second round, under wet conditions, but Shane Lowry matched the course record.

Smith said, “Some people were saying that the course was short at 7,100 yards, but you have to remember it’s a par 70, and the majority of courses that the pros play on TOUR that are 7,500 yards, are par 72. Our course certainly isn’t short in relation to par.”

Smith also noted the brisk sales of merchandise during the week.

“I was told by the retail people that (the Fan Shop) hit their weekly budget (of items sold) by 2 p.m. on Friday,” said Smith. “Food and beverages sold were way beyond budget. Philly fans came out in force for this tournament – it was great to see.”