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The PGA Championship is all set to commence at Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. This marks the second time of this golf venue hosting this prestigious major championship. However, a 42-year old retired professional golfer is garnering attention following his comments about the course.
Hunter Mahan, a six-time PGA Tour winner, recently appeared in an interview with Gabby Herzig of The Athletic. Besides winning on the Tour, Mahan has represented the USA in international events. He recently criticised the PGA Championship venue for being reportedly soulless.
Mahan's comment further brings forward an analogy where he compares Quail Hollow to a Kardashian. In the interview, he said:
“I guess I would say Quail Hollow is like a Kardashian… It’s very modern, beautiful & well-kept. But it lacks a soul or character.”
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NUCLR Golf shared the quote regarding the PGA Championship venue on X (previously Twitter). Check it out here:
Quail Hollow was originally founded by George Cobb in 1959, and then it was redsigned by Tom Fazio. Since the 2000s, this venue has been home to the Wells Fargo Championship, a significant PGA Tour event. In 2017, instead of Valhalla Golf Club, the PGA Championship was hosted here for the first time.
Besides that, Quail Hollow has been home to the 2022 Presidents Cup. The par-71 course is famous for its course length and difficulties, especially on the final three holes, often referred to as the infamous Green Mile. The penal roughs, Bermuda greens, and narrow fairways put forward a tough closing stretch.
With the PGA Championship being held here this year, Mahan's statement might appear harsh. But it echoes a broader sentiment that some golfers have harboured for years. A section of the golf community has been critical of Quail Hollow for not being as significant as other major venues.
According to them, the Charlotte golf course venue is just polished on the outside, and has a challenging course layout.
What did popular golfers say about the 2025 PGA Championship venue?
Apart from fans on social media, the course has come under fire multiple times over the years. Although a section of the professionals prefer Quail Hollow for the aesthetic, it might not be the case for everyone.
Back in 2010, Phil Mickelson had a bone to pick with the PGA Championship venue. While talking in an interview, the 6-time major champion expressed extreme disapproval and added (as quoted by NBC Sports):
"For as beautifully designed as this golf course is tee to green, the greens are by far the worst-designed greens we play on tour."
Rory McIlroy has a strong record at Quail Hollow. However, the Northern Irishman also expressed his views during the 2017 PGA Championship and said (as quoted by Sky Sports):
"This is not the Quail Hollow we have gotten to know over the last 10 years. It's a completely different golf course. Even if they didn't do anything else with the golf course and just changed it to full Bermuda like it is now, all of a sudden makes the golf course two shots more difficult."
Apart from McIlroy and Mickelson, golfers like Jon Rahm, JB Holmes, and Webb Simpson have also made remarks that put Quail Hollow under fire.
