Scheffler calls course setup ‘kind of absurd’ as players whine at PGA Championship

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Published May 15, 2026  •  Last updated 17 minutes ago  •  4 minute read

Scottie Scheffler of the United States plays a shot on the 13th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 15, 2026 in Newtown, Pa. Photo by Richard Heathcote /Getty Images

NEWTOWN SQUARE. Pa. — There was some major championship complaining blowing through Aronimink Golf Club on Friday as the world’s best players tried to come to grips with the challenge in front of them this week outside of Philadelphia.

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It began with near-universal grousing about pin locations through two days of the PGA Championship, then included some rolled eyes over the glacial pace of play, and finished with chagrin at the wind and the weather, elements out of anyone’s control.

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“This is the hardest set of pin locations that I’ve seen since I’ve been on tour, and that includes U.S. Opens, that includes Oakmont,” world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler said after shooting a one-over 71 on Friday.

“Most of the pins today were, I mean, kind of absurd,” he said. “The one on 14 was probably the hardest pin that I’ve seen in a long time just because, there’s literally just like a spine and they’re like, ‘Oh, we’ll just put the pin right on top of it.’ ”

Scheffler’s complaints were all made in good spirits, but he certainly hammered the point that what is making Aronimink particularly punishing are the dastardly pin locations; as well as the fact they are paired with severely undulating greens that professional golfers rarely see on the PGA Tour.

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Here’s is the world’s best player spiralling into a vortex about the par-4 10th hole.

“I got a green that goes like down right-to-left into a valley, up left-to-right, back right-to-left, and then the pin is quite literally, if I hit that chip shot and the pin’s here and it goes to there, it goes all the way over the back of the green, and now I have a very, very difficult up-and-down for bogey.”

Did you get all that?

“I feel like if it’s hard for me out there, then it’s going to be hard for other players,” he added.

While not much fun for players on the course, these rare weeks of professional pain seem to be exactly what golf fans wait for. A quick stroll around social media or a trip to your neighbourhood clubhouse will tell you that watching fabulously rich golfers get blown off the course in cashmere hoodies makes for an ideal weekend.

“I’ve never seen a leaderboard like this in my life, so bunched,” Justin Thomas said after shooting a one-under 69 on Friday.

And he was right. After the opening round there was a major championship record 33 players within two shots of the lead, with nobody able to pull away from the pack.

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“It can be so hard to make birdies when it’s as windy as it was yesterday and this morning. So, yeah, it’s hard for anybody to kind of go too crazy when the wind’s like that,” Thomas said.

As for meltdowns, there have been a few. On Thursday, Jon Rahm took a frustrated swipe at the thick rough, only to send a chunk of it flying into a tournament volunteer’s face. Not a great look for the Spaniard, or for the poor volunteer sporting a turf toupee. But Rahm was properly aghast at the result of his actions and offered a sincere apology, so all was forgiven.

On Friday, Thomas and his playing partners Keegan Bradley and Cameron Young were none too pleased to be put on the clock for slow play. That led to Thomas and Bradley getting some broadcast time barking back at the rules official who was lucky enough to deliver them the news.

“We just didn’t really agree with it,” Thomas said, although he agreed they were slow. “We weren’t holding up the group behind us.”

This was the second time this week that a golfer seemed to question exactly how time works.

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On Thursday, Garrick Higgo was penalized two strokes for being late to the first tee and offered a few instant classic excuses, including: “I was obviously there on time, but late,” as well as, ” One second is tough to define.”

Was Friday’s time warning enough to make Thomas pick up the pace a little bit? Of course not.

“I’m not going to rush and hit a shot that isn’t right,” he said. “So just kind of went about my business and just was ready to play when it was my turn like I feel like I do normally.”

With urgency like that, it’s no surprise there were frequent 20-minute waits on some holes.

“When you have a three group backup on the tee, it’s probably not a great setup,” Canadian Nick Taylor said on Friday.

Taylor mentioned that it isn’t particularly good for momentum to wait 20 minutes on a windy, cool day — especially on a 250-yard par-3 with a fairway wood in hand.

“I think all of us probably underestimated how difficult it is,” Taylor said. “If they like how the scores are, they’ll keep doing it.”

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After two days of punishment, it’s almost easy to forget that one of the concerns heading into the week was that Aronimink might not be tough enough, and that the world’s best players would have their way with the Golden Age Donald Ross-designed course.

“In the practice rounds I knew they had pins in bowls and centres of the greens, but I thought the course was more gettable,” Corey Conners said after following Thursday’s 68 with a Friday 73. “It’s definitely surprised me how difficult it’s playing, but I think the wind has been a big factor and some tricky pin positions.”

For all the griping, the PGA Championship looks to be set up for a great weekend, especially from the comfortable vantage point of your couch. And no matter how much carnage there will be along the way, on Sunday evening somebody will raise the Wanamaker trophy and add a well-earned major title to their resume.

“I truly believe they could have the winning score be whatever they want it to be,” Scheffler said. “Is that the best test? Who knows. It’s a different test.”

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