First impressions: Pros say Dubs looks difficult but fair

After a couple of leisurely afternoons playing nine holes a day, Heath Slocum knows what turbulence might lie ahead this weekend when play begins at the BMW Championship at Cog Hill on the renovated Dubsdread course.

"If it firms up, it's going to be a beast," said Slocum, winner of the Deutsche Bank Championship, the first leg of the FedExCup playoffs.

"I mean, they've put in plenty of bunkers that you have to work. You get in some of these bunkers - it's going to be difficult to get the ball close and on the green in some instances."

In other words, following the $5 million renovation under the guidance of Rees Jones: meet the new course, not quite the same as the old course.

"It really is kind of a new golf course," said Slocum, who is currently third in the FedExCup points standings. "Obviously the holes go in the same route, but there is a lot of new things."

Hunter Mahan, still abuzz over his selection to the U.S. President's Cup team on Tuesday, thinks in addition to course management, brain management will be an absolute requirement over the new tract, which can play as long as 7,600 yards.

"We're going to have to think our way a little bit more, try to figure out the nuances of the course and the greens and everything," Mahan said. "We're all treating this like a new course."

But a fair one.

"I think if we avoid some rain and it plays somewhat fast, it's going to play well," Slocum said. "It's going to be difficult, but fair."

Fair enough that Tiger Woods' course record of 22-under set in 2007 can be within reach?

"I'd never put anything past anybody out here to shoot a good number," Slocum said. "It's going to be difficult.

"Again, I think a lot of it depends on the course setup and where some of these tees are.

"If you play all the back tees on all the par 3s and all the par 4s, yeah, I don't think we're reaching that number. But if they move the tees around, and I think there's a chance of some rain, keep things soft, yeah, you can still shoot some really good scores out here."

But they won't find that out until the first round begins Thursday morning; until then, there's still a lot of work to be done during this shortened work week.

"I'm trying to figure out the fall lines on the greens and where the water is going to run off and where the putts are going to break - stuff like that," Mahan said. "You just have to figure out this course and the tendencies of it, and hopefully you figure it out by Thursday."

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=319791"><b>MIKE IMREM:</b> Let's hope Dubsdread lives up to its name<span class="date"> [9/8/09]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=319767">First impressions: Pros say Dubs looks difficult but fair<span class="date"> [9/8/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>