The palmer south course at the k club (formerly known as the south course and the smurfit) has gotten more praise than the most recent smash. Harrison minchew, arnold palmer's chief designer, was tasked with coming up with a style that would compete with the current tree-lined palmer north course, and the result is a sculpted brute.

Over 200 acres of flat, featureless fields have been turned into a course of mounding, sophisticated bunkering, incredible water hazards, and massive sloping greens. The mounds offered excellent viewing points for the many fans who watched retief goosen win the 2004 smurfit european open at palmer north, which was planned as a stadium course. Not bad for a course that had only been running for a year. The course was renamed after dr. michael smurfit, the founder of the k club and a longtime principal sponsor of the european open.

The distinction between an fun round and a boring grind for the handicap golfer is judicious use of the various tee boxes. Palmer south is a monster at 7,300 yards, and when you throw in the wind, you've got a huge problem on your hands. The south course, with a par of 72, was the longest on the european tour circuit.