Course Preview and Fits: Arnold Palmer Invitational

Depending on how you feel about Shane Lowry, the Cognizant Classic was either the best or the worst finish you have experienced in a long time. Truly some of the worst shots I have ever seen a professional golfer hit in contention, but that’s golf! This week, the Florida swing rolls along as players head to Bay Hill for the Arnold Palmer invitational, a classic PGA Tour event that now carries signature status and will thus have a remarkably strong field. 19 of the top 20 players in the world golf rankings will be in attendance, all but guaranteeing some studs in contention come Sunday afternoon.

The Course:

A classic PGA Tour venue, Bay Hill Club and Lodge is set to host the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the 48th consecutive season. Slated to play as a 7,466-yard par 72 with four par 5s, four par 3s, and 10 par 4s, Bay Hill will feature Bermuda greens with rye overseed tees, fairways, and rough.

One of the most difficult golf courses on Tour, Bay Hill provides a serious test from several perspectives. First and foremost, there is the trouble both off the tee and on approach. Since 2019, Bay Hill has ranked in the top 10 in both penalty rate and reload rate. Water is in play on nine holes, often on multiple shots, and out-of-bounds is also a factor throughout the golf course. Big misses are usually punished with penalty strokes, and even when they don’t result in penalty strokes, the rough provides little reprieve, ranking in the top 15 for “rough penalty” over the last seven seasons. To put it plainly, playing from the fairway is exceptionally valuable at Bay Hill.