Best junior male golfers in US getting to play the Hills Course in Jupiter

TEQUESTA — There’s not many golf courses where newcomers are startled when they get to the first tee.

The Hills Course at Jupiter Hills Club is one of them. And that makes Hall of Fame architect Tom Fazio smile.

“It’s a very distinctive piece of land, with tremendous elevation changes,” Fazio said Tuesday. “The golfers know about it, but when they get to the first tee, they are actually shocked. It’s like, ‘Wow!’ ”

Seventy-two of the U.S.’s best junior male golfers will have that reaction this weekend when they play in the Team TaylorMade Invitational. In just its second year, it has become one of the top American Junior Golf Association championships.

It’s the first time Jupiter Hills has hosted an AGJA event, but this isn’t a trial run: It’s the only club in South Florida that has hosted two U.S. Golf Association championships -- the 1987 U.S. Amateur (winner was Billy Mayfair) and the 2018 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship (won by Stuart’s Garrett Barber and Cole Hammer).

Players had to earn their spot in this field. Invitations were awarded based on the Rolex AJGA Rankings, and most of the top players jumped at the opportunity.

The Team TaylorMade Invitational field is strong. We’re talking 43 former AJGA champions, 21 Rolex Junior All-Americans and 12 of the top 20 in the current rankings, including No. 1 Nicholas Dunlap of Northport, Alabama, and No. 2 Benjamin James of Milford, Conn.

“We’re going to be reading about some of these kids in a few years,” Fazio said.

Nobody has a better perspective on Jupiter Hills than Fazio. He was 18 and getting started in the business when his uncle, George, built the all-sand-based Hills course in 1969. Tom renovated the course 30 years later, oversaw a recent re-grassing and re-contouring of the course and plays it at least twice a week during the winter and spring.

“Jupiter Hills is a special place to me,” Fazio said. “It’s not on the long side, but it’s still quite a challenge. There are some pins you can’t aim at. You need to use the slope of the greens to get close to some of the pin placements.”

It’s almost impossible to build a course that will be too long for the game’s elite players, even teenagers. The 54-hole event, which runs Saturday through Monday (no spectators allowed, sorry), will play about 7,350 yards as a par 70.

Again, that’s 7,350 yards. As a par 70.

And that not even the course’s best defense against these powerful, talented kids. It’s the lightning-quick greens (Stimpmeter is 14 for those who care) that will provide the biggest challenge.

“It will be everything these kids can handle – and more,” said Kevin Muldoon, Jupiter Hills’ director of golf. “The winning score of this tournament last year at Streamsong (Bowling Green, Fla.) was 16 under. I don’t think anyone will touch that this weekend.”

No matter who wins, 72 players will get a chance to play one of the U.S.’s top courses. They will know what part of their game to work on after this weekend.

This won’t be the last time Jupiter Hills opens its doors to the top amateurs. Don’t be surprised if the club soon becomes the only one in South Florida to host three USGA championships.

“I can’t speak for the powers-to-be,” Muldoon said, “but there has been talk about the club hosting another USGA event. This shows our commitment to amateur golf and junior golf.”

And it produces a three-letter anagram rarely said on a golf course: Wow.

Chip shots: Stuart’s Ken Duke won a playoff against Gavin Coles in a qualifier at the Bear’s Club last week to earn a spot in next month’s U.S. Senior Open. They both shot 68s, three shots behind medalist Tom Gillis of Jupiter. Mark Mielke of Jupiter is first alternate … Tyler Collet of John’s Island Club in Vero Beach bounced back from an opening 79 to shoot 71 in the second round and finish second among the 20 PGA Professionals at the PGA Championship. Zac Oakley of Palm City went 81-82 in his first PGA Championship.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Team TaylorMade Invitational tees off this weekend at Jupiter Hills