5 things to know about Valhalla Golf Club

The Valhalla Golf Club is set to host the 2024 PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky.

The prestigious course has a significant history dating back to its inception in 1986 and is home to some of golf's greatest moments.

5 facts about Valhalla Golf Course

1. Designed by Jack Nicklaus

Statues of Jack Nicklaus and Dwight Gahm at Valhalla Golf Club (Image via Getty)

Dwight Gahm, a businessman and casual golfer, had a vision in 1981 to create a championship course to host championship events. Gahm and his sons worked with Jack Nicklaus to design a 486-acre world-class facility.

Construction began in 1984 after Nicklaus explored 40 different course layouts. Nicklaus designed the course to challenge professionals.

2. Host of the 2008 Ryder Cup

Team USA, Ryder Cup 2008 (Image via Getty)

In 2008, Team USA broke their nine-year losing streak to win the 37th Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club. Team USA secured their victory with 16.5 points to Europe's 11.5 points.

3. Host of PGA Championships

Valhalla Golf Club was announced as the host for the 1996 PGA Championship after several site visits were made to the club.

The club hosted the PGA Championship in 1996, 2000, and 2014, and is set to host for the fourth time in 2024.

Tiger Woods emerged as the winner of the 2000 PGA Championship after a three-hole sudden-death playoff with Bob May.

Rory McIlroy emerged as the winner at the 2014 PGA Championship after a close chase from Phil Mickelson.

The venue hosted the 72nd Senior PGA Championship in 2011. Tom Watson defeated David Eger in a sudden-death playoff.

At 16 years old, Akshay Bhatia made his breakthrough at Valhalla Golf Course during the 43rd Boys Junior PGA Championship in 2018.

4. Ownership Change

The PGA of America acquired a 25% stake in the club in 1993. They increased their stake to 50% after the PGA Championship was held in 1996.

In 2022, four local businessmen and club members officially purchased Valhalla Golf Club from the PGA of America. The men did not like the idea of the club being under the ownership of non-locals.

5. Community Impact

Since its inauguration in 1986, Valhalla Golf Course has contributed to Kentucky's growth.

The iconic course gives back to Kentucky by partnering with local schools and organizations to host multiple fundraisers, golf clinics, and development programs.

Valhalla Golf Club Scorecard

The Valhalla Golf Club plays 7540 yards from the back tees and 5240 from the front tees. All 18 greens were renovated in 2012 along with new bunkers.

The par-72 course plays hilly with water hazards and bunkers all around. José María Olazábal set the course record of 63 in 2000.

Hole	Name	Yards	Par	Hole	Name	Yards	Par
1	Cut the Corner	446	4	10	Turns	590	5
2	The Ridge	500	4	11	On the Edge	210	3
3	Floyds Fork	205	3	12	Odin's Revenge	467	4
4	Short 'n Sweet	372	4	13	The Island	350	4
5	Fade Away	463	4	14	Two Tears	217	3
6	The Bear	495	4	15	On the Rocks	435	4
7	Players Pick	597	5	16	Down the Stretch	508	4
8	Thor's Hammer	174	3	17	No Mercy	472	4
9	The Rise	415	4	18	Gahm Over	542	5
Out		3,667	35	In		3,791	36

About the author

Lathika is one of the newer additions to Sportskeeda’s budding golf journalism team and has brought plenty of in-game experience to the role. Having been a golfer for over 12 years now, some of her crowning achievements include winning titles on the Indian Golf Union Ladies tour and Junior Girls Amateur tour.

She currently competes in Division 1 golf in New York, and hopes to play in the U.S. Open and Chevron Championship one day. She is set to cover the 2025 Ryder Cup as well. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration and Management, and holds a Sports Marketing certification from Northwestern University, which helped her learn to draft press releases and ultimately transition into journalism.

Lathika has thus developed a knowledge base that allows her to view golf from both player, spectator and media lenses, enabling her to bring statistics, insights and an understanding of fan emotion together in her copies. She only uses verified information from reliable sources like the PGA TOUR.

Her favorite golfers are Nelly Korda and Tiger Woods, both for their playing style as well as their mental strength. Much of her time away from work is spent playing golf, but she also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and learning new hobbies or upskilling.

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Edited by Prathik BR