The Ryder Cup 2008 will be played the third week in September at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
The choice of Valhalla for the venue is an interesting one. In Norse mythology, as those who study such things know, Valhalla is the the place where the Viking heroes go when they die – Viking Heaven, in fact. Actually, it’s the Great Hall of Odin, the chief of the Norse gods. Odin is the Norse god of war, battle, death and wisdom. So, our Valhalla in Kentucky seems to be an appropriate choice as the place where the gods of golf will come to do battle later this year.
Valhalla is an 18-hole, 7,195 yard layout from the longest tees. It has a par of 72; the course rating is 75.9 and it has a slope rating of 141. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, ASGCA, the Valhalla golf course opened in 1986. Nicklaus, described the site in 1983 as a "golf designer's dream because there is a variety of terrain, vegetation and water to work with. Everything necessary for an excellent golf course is here: room for wide, tree lined fairways and spectacular golf holes."
Over the next 10 years, the course matured and settled. Then, in 1996, it became the venue for PGA Championship of that year. So successful was the 1996 championship, the PGA of American decided to purchase a 50% stake in the club. Again, the decision was a good one and, by the end of 2000, they decided to the rest of the club. That same year, they announced that the 2008 Ryder Cup would take place at Valhalla.
In addition to the 1996 PGA Championship, Valhalla has played host to several other important tournaments, including the 2002 PGA Club Pro Championship and the 2004 Senior PGA Championship. The marriage with the PGA has been good for Valhalla. Who knows what great things the future holds for this most excellent of golf courses.
My goal in writing this article is to give you a taste of what’s to come in September, 2008. Other articles will follow:
- Things to do in Louisville
- Maker’s Mark – The Distillery
- Where to Stay
I was lucky enough to visit Valhalla in April this year. When I arrived, I was offered the chance to play the course. That put me into quite a dilemma: I wanted to photograph the course and I knew I could not do both. If I played, the photography would suffer – I can’t do both at once. I decided not to play – I photographed it the course instead – and I’ve regretted it ever since. The results of my efforts can be seen in my Photo Gallery of Valhalla. Even though the trees look like winter skeletons, it was actually springtime at Valhalla. The grass was a deep green, the greens immaculately trimmed, and the course was in wonderful condition. Enjoy!
Ryder Cup Tickets – My Ticket Market
Where to Stay:
- The Seelbach Hilton Hotel
502-585-3200
500 4th Avenue
Louisville, KY 40202
www.seelbachhilton.com
- Louisville Marriott Downtown
502-627-5045
280 West Jefferson Street
Louisville, KY 40202
www.marriottlouisville.com
- The Brown Hotel
502-583-1234
335 West Broadway
Louisville, KY 40202
www.brownhotel.com
- Hilton Garden Inn
502-297-8066
1530 Alliant Ave.
Louisville, KY 40299
- Hampton Inn & Suites
502-809-9901
1451 Alliant Ave.
Louisville, KY 40299[/u]
Contact:
Valhalla Golf Club
15503 Shelbyville Rd
Louisville, KY 40245-4139
United States
P: (502) 245-4475
F: (502) 245-1157
