Akron, Ohio
Firestone’s South Course is a legendary test that’s hosted countless famous moments, shaping the PGA Tour’s history and demanding the best from any golfer who takes it on. The challenge is straight-up: narrow corridors, tiny greens, steep history, and no let-up until The Monster is in your rearview.
Firestone South is a monument to classic, do-or-die championship architecture: long, mostly straight parkland corridors hemmed in by stately trees, brutally penal bunkers, and exquisitely small, sloped greens. Robert Trent Jones Sr.’s redesign took Bert Way’s gentle bones and engineered a relentless, strategic test—every hole needing careful placement, every approach threatened by deep sand or water. Holes run mainly north-south, challenging you to keep the ball in play and in position for unrelenting green complexes. The whole routing is built for tournament pressure, forcing pros and amateurs alike to produce their best under the gaze of history.
Originally a Bert Way design (1929), Robert Trent Jones Sr. transformed the South into a true championship crucible in 1959-60, adding hazards and strengthening every aspect to test the world’s best.
Often considered the course’s toughest par 4, No. 6 runs long with a semi-blind tee shot and a tight landing area. The green complex punishes short iron shots not struck perfectly.
Accuracy off the tee is critical—take aim at the right portion of the fairway. The second shot needs height and control to hold the well-guarded green.
Bunkers right and left swallow misses; short leaves a brutal up-and-down.
Tour-grade fairways and greens; fast, firm, classic championship setup.
Generally steady—expect a deliberate round, especially in events or busy times.
Traditional, focused, and historic—pure golf, with club-level exclusivity.
Collared shirts and tailored pants or shorts required; soft spikes.
Get comfortable with 180–220 yard shots—there are multiple long approaches and par 3s where this is the winning gear.
Accuracy is more valued than sheer distance. Find your fairway finder, because the trees and bunkers won’t let up.
With over 50 bunkers, crisp sand play is a must. Expect plenty of tricky recovery shots.
The small, sloped greens reward a leave under the hole—practice controlling approach spin and lag putting on fast surfaces.
South Course opens, designed by Bert Way for Firestone Tire & Rubber Company employees
Hosts first PGA Championship; earns 'The Monster' nickname from Arnold Palmer
Hosts PGA Championship, won by Al Geiberger
Hosts PGA Championship, won by Jack Nicklaus
Hosts PGA Tour Champions' Kaulig Companies Championship
In the 1960 PGA Championship, Arnold Palmer called the 16th hole 'The Monster' after a round-killing triple bogey, and the name stuck for decades. Today, the plaque near the green is a pilgrimage point for any Firestone golfer.
From 1999 to 2013, Tiger Woods dominated Firestone South, winning eight World Golf Championship events here—sometimes by margins that made the best in the world look mortal. His playoff win in the dark in 2000 is the stuff of highlight reels.
When Robert Trent Jones Sr. was asked to toughen Firestone for the 1960 PGA, he added more than 50 bunkers and introduced water in key spots, decisively ending the course’s reputation as 'toothless.' The new look welcomed a new era—no safe holes from tee to green.
Even with its parkland setting and blue-collar roots, Firestone has held up to wild Ohio weather, staging major events and finishing rounds despite summer storms. The traditions of no nonsense and no excuses still define its ethos.
No. 16, 'The Monster,' is so legendary that a plaque near the green commemorates Arnold Palmer’s fateful triple bogey and nickname.
Tiger Woods won an astonishing eight times at Firestone South—more than any player at a single World Golf Championship venue.
The course’s original design (pre-Jones) had no bunkers or water hazards at all.
Firestone South has hosted top-flight professional tournaments every decade since the 1950s.
The vast majority of holes run north-south, creating a unique parallel corridor layout.
Playable by all, this top municipal offers a classic parkland test with affordable access.
Just over an hour away, Jack Nicklaus’s acclaimed tour venue is a modern Ohio must-play (if you can get on).
Historic, locally loved club—classic routing and pure conditioning.
Northeast Ohio’s strong private challenge, a solid complement to Firestone.
Akron or southern Cuyahoga Falls for central access to championship courses and modern amenities.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Bethpage Black Course asks for the same disciplined decision-making, making it a compelling counterpart to Firestone Country Club (South Course).
Why it matches: What links these two? Brings a comparable level of challenge and puts the same premium on presentation — a familiar feeling, expressed in Atlanta Athletic Club (Highlands Course)'s own setting.
Why it matches: If Firestone Country Club (South Course) is your kind of course, Oakmont Country Club is worth a look because it brings a comparable level of challenge and puts the same premium on presentation.
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