The Undrivable Drivable 14th At Muirfield Village

Jack Nicklaus intimated in his press conference Tuesday that Muirfield Village's 14th may see tees moved up to make it tempting for longer hitters in the four-balls to take a shot at the green.

But as Helen Ross reports, that's not what some of the players are seeing. As it should be. This one just isn't architecturally capable of tempting anyone to drive it unless they are goofing off. It's a fine drive and pitch hole, nothing more, nothing less.

 Zach Johnson didn't even wait to hear the whole question.

"I can interrupt you, there's no temptation for me," he said firmly.

Even if the tees are moved up this week at Muirfield Village's 14th hole, a 325-yard par 4, don't look for the recent winner of the BMW Championship to take out the big stick and try to drive the green.

"It's not even an option," Johnson said. "It's an iron and then a wedge regardless of where the pin is for me." 

Doug Ferguson weighed the 14th's temptation factor and found that captain Couples will be discouraging such a move.

"On the 14th I watched Hunter (Mahan), Webb (Simpson), (Bill) Haas and (Brandt) Snedeker play the hole," Couples said. "They all tried to drive the green. Three of them could actually reach the front part - it depends on where the pin is, but it's (still) a very difficult shot. Most players can probably get it up and down in front of the green but there isn't much room."

Not to worry, Muirfield Village has some super risk-reard par-5s and the two back-nine par-3s, set-up properly, should offer some great temptation in match play situations. The 14th? Not so much.