The first few hours of the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits were mired by dense fog. Fans waited anxiously around the 10th hole tee box for star players like Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh. This anxious energy would turn to frustration and resignation as the first tee times were pushed back three hours. As the first group waited to tee off at 10:10 am, I took a stroll around Whistling Straits to see what the field of 156 players would contend with over the next four days.

My walk took me from the tee box at the 10th hole to the fairway at the 18th hole. The first element of Whistling Straits that caught my attention was the course’s unusual topography. Every story about Whistling Straits for time eternal will point out that it is a links course. The term “links course” means very little to newcomers. Imagine a typical golf course with 18 holes of well-manicured grass, trees and sand bunkers. Now take away the trees, triple the bunkers and add some steep hills into the mix. The disheveled playing surface at Whistling Straits looks more like the original Scottish courses than Augusta National Golf Club. Whistling Straits may not be the most aesthetically pleasing course in Wisconsin but it looks like the most difficult to play.

I cut across the 11th hole to view sections of Whistling Straits that stretch along the Lake Michigan shore. The 16th hole nicknamed “Endless Bite” spans 569 yards with great views of the lake from the tee box and green. My favorite hole at Whistling Straits is the 12th hole nicknamed “Pop Up.” This 143-yard hole looked difficult for a par three. The tee box is elevated higher than the green with brush and bushes filling the remaining space. The 12th green drops off significantly with dunes on all sides and Lake Michigan looming to the right.

As I headed back to the 10th hole, the fog began to lift and the first round was ready to begin. The fog gave me an opportunity to check out the course without distractions. Fans reconvened around the 10th tee box and green as caddies emerged from the clubhouse. The first grouping of Jason Day, Rich Steinmetz and Tim Petrovic started three hours and ten minutes after the original tee time. The PGA Championship staff made sure that the groups teed off in a timely manner so that the last group could get started with plenty of daylight.

A few notable players teed off at the 10th within an hour of the first group. Madison native Jerry Kelly got a loud welcome after his name was announced. J.B. Holmes hit a drive that generated plenty of wows from spectators. John Daly set aside his penchant for vice and intriguing quotes to let loose with his first drive. The announcement of the 11:36 group at the 10th hole created the loudest applause of the morning. Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and 2009 PGA Championship winner Y.E. Yang exchanged pleasantries before teeing off. The understated entrances of previous players stood in stark contrast to the tidal wave of attention lavished upon Tiger Woods.

The first round was still underway as this article was submitted. Leaders among early tee times included American Bubba Watson at -4 through 17, Australian Jason Day at -3 and Gregory Bourdy from France at -3 through 12. In the next few days, I will post about the 2010 PGA Championship including the tournament atmosphere and the fan experience.