Lucas Glover has called out the BMW Championship venue and revealed why players were unhappy with the course at Caves Valley Golf Club. Speaking on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio, the 2009 U.S. Open winner said he had never seen such a unanimous reaction from the field in more than two decades on the PGA Tour.
Glover Claims Everybody Disliked Caves Valley
The BMW Championship, part of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, was staged at Caves Valley for the second time at last week’s event. Caves Valley, a private course outside Baltimore, underwent extensive renovations led by Tom Fazio in 2023. However, Glover and others believe the changes went too far. The tournament organizers hoped the redesign would provide a strong test for the top 50 players in the standings, but the result was far from what many expected.
“I have never in my 21 years heard the consensus from the field being unhappy with the golf course,” Glover said on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio. “I think it was pretty much everybody didn’t really like Caves Valley. And it is a shame because it is a heck of a place. They decided to make it to redo it just to make it more difficult for the PGA Tour. And harder doesn’t always mean better, is the best way I can say it.”
Glover finished T-40 in the 50-man field after entering the playoffs on the back of strong summer form but struggled to carry that momentum into the BMW Championship. His performance at Caves Valley reflected the frustrations of many in the field, with the layout proving to be less about precision and more about power, leaving players feeling restricted in their approach.
“Caves Valley Virtually Unplayable”
While Caves Valley has hosted notable tournaments before, including amateur championships and women’s events, the renovations aimed at toughening the course seemed to backfire at the elite level. Instead of providing an exciting stage for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, it left players feeling boxed in.
“I feel sorry for the members that have to play that now, because it’s virtually unplayable,” said Glover, who used the term “crazy” to describe some of the new greens. “It seemed like a very lazy renovation. . . . It’s sad that that’s what people think is good golf and good golf course design.”
It is unclear if Caves Valley will return as a host for the BMW Championship in the future. The tournament rotates sites each year, and with so many other courses available, organizers may take the players’ feedback into account when making decisions. “It would shock me if we go back, which is a shame,” the 45-year-old added.
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