THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS | The older you get the harder change becomes. But youngsters adapt to a new environment like they’re putting on a new pair of shoes. Maybe that’s why younger players on the LPGA Tour, even those who had the privilege of jumping into Poppie’s Pond in the California desert in the past, have either embraced the Chevron Championship’s move to Texas or shrugged it off as a fact of life.
“I can’t lie and say I don’t miss Palm Springs, just because I’ve been going there for so long and the history of the place, but so far, my time here has been amazing,” Nelly Korda said after playing a couple of rounds at Carlton Woods, the Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course that now hosts the Chevron Championship, formerly called the ANA (and the Kraft and the Colgate — but always known as the Dinah Shore after the woman who started it).
There’s an illustration of Dinah along with a list of the past champions on a sad little board behind the 18th green grandstands, but other than that, the page has been turned and this major championship now feels like a lot like the first couple of playings of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
“They’re treating us really well,” Korda said. “It’s amazing to see a company like Chevron step up and support women’s golf. I think we’re all extremely grateful for it.”
Organizers have gone out of their way to keep some things the same. Soft-serve ice cream in player dining was always a hit at Mission Hills Golf and Country Club, the Rancho Mirage club that hosted the Dinah for 51 years. So, the Carlton Woods staff added a sundae station manned by a dessert hostess to build whatever you need. Stacy Lewis, who grew up in The Woodlands and still lives about an hour away in College Station, led several meetings with Chevron, IMG and the folks at Carlton Woods to get all the details right.
“We feel like we’ve added touches that keep some of the traditions of the past while creating some things that are definitely new,” said Steve Salzman, the club’s general manager and chief operating office. “There is definitely a nod to history but also some things that, we believe, will create new history.”
The international flags lining the road on the way in and the signage throughout the community give the place a more welcoming vibe. And The Woodlands residents have offered a warm Texas embrace. It’s a manufactured town — about 20 minutes north of Bush International Airport — filled with bike paths, wooded setbacks, restrictive commercial covenants and homes the size of boutique hotels. Juli Inkster rode around the course on Monday afternoon and said, “If these places were in California, they’d sell for $50 million.” Texas oil money ain’t subtle. But there are perks that come with all that. Bentley provided the courtesy cars for past champions. Rolls Royce SUVs were also available but only with a driver.
“Super cool car. It’s definitely above my grade of driving skill,” world No. 1 Lydia Ko said. “It’s really cool, though. I chose the (Bentley) SUV version rather than the sport convertible because me in a convertible in a mint color doesn’t really go very well, I don’t think.”
There is also an homage to the past on the final hole. The 18th at Carlton Woods is a par-5, reachable from a forward tee, with a pond on the left and in front of the green. It’s not exactly like Mission Hills but similar enough that the same drama could come through in the end.
“I guess it’s really hard to compare something to a completely different hole, but I think that was one of the big considerations when they were choosing a golf course, like trying to have that feel,” Ko said. “I think it’s a really beautiful hole. I love a par-5 finishing hole. I think it can really put everybody that’s only a couple shots away coming down the stretch, put them all in play, whereas if it’s a tricky par 4 or something, it might not necessarily work out that way.
“We put in a gator net, and had our divers dredge it out so that it’s at least five feet deep all around. We don’t know if the winner wants to jump in. But if they do, the option is certainly available.” – Steve Salzman, general manager at Carlton Woods
“Obviously at Mission Hills we had Brittany Lincicome hitting the (18th) green for two and making eagle, Webby (Karrie Webb) who holed her third shot out of the fairway. I think there’s been a lot of drama on that hole. I had to birdie that hole to win (the Chevron Championship) in the end.
“I think this hole is going to be like that. With the wind and everything and potential rain, I don’t know how that hole is going to play for sure until we are actually playing it, but I do love a dramatic finish. I hit a shot a couple days ago (in practice) and I was able to reach the green in two. I think it’s going to be fun, and I think it doesn’t matter what length player you are, you can pretty much get on the green, especially from the front tees.
“It’s really cool, and there’s a lot of aspects to it. Just because it is a par 5 doesn’t mean it is an automatic birdie anyway, so I think it’s going to be really exciting.”
There’s also a diving platform beside the green, just in case someone decides to take a leap at the end.
“We put in a gator net, and had our divers dredge it out so that it’s at least five feet deep all around,” Salzman said. “We don’t know if the winner wants to jump in. But if they do, the option is certainly available.”