Quail Hollow plans major redesign for 2017 PGA Championship

When the 2017 PGA Championship is played at Quail Hollow Club, the golf course will look significantly different than it will when the Wells Fargo Championship is played there in May.

Major changes are coming to the front nine at Quail Hollow as part of a master plan created a few years ago by course designer Tom Fazio. Club president Johnny Harris confirmed the changes but declined comment on the specifics.

The changes will not affect the Wells Fargo Championship, scheduled for May 5-8, where Rory McIlroy will be the defending champion.

The front nine will get three new holes starting at No. 1, which will be converted from a relatively short par-4 into a longer par-4 for professionals (par-5 for members).

The change will eliminate the par-3 second hole to allow for the new first green which will be located near the current second green.

The par-5 fifth hole will also go away and in its place will be a par-3 and a par-4 hole.

The sixth through ninth holes will remain the same.

The par-4 11th hole may also be redesigned, moving the green to add length to the hole. A fairway bunker will likely be moved approximately 80 yards farther from the tee to bring it back into play.

The design changes are part of a plan that began with the creation of a new 16th hole in 2013.

The work is scheduled to be done this summer when the putting surfaces are being switched from Mini Verde bermuda to Champion due to issues with the current grass.

With the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in 2017, the Wells Fargo Championship will be played at Eagle Point in Wilmington next year before returning to Quail Hollow in 2018 and 2019. The club will also host the 2021 Presidents Cup.

Hall inductees: On Thursday evening, Harris and Dean Cassell were inducted into the Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame at a dinner at Quail Hollow Club.

Harris was honored for his commitment to the game, which includes bringing the Wells Fargo Championship, the 2017 PGA Championship and the 2021 Presidents Cup to Quail Hollow, among other contributions.

Cassell, who lives in Charlotte, was president of the golf division of Acushnet Titleist Company and president and CEO of Dunlop Sports. As president of the National Golf Foundation and the Golf Ball Manufacturers Association, Cassell played a major role in creating the modern ball.

This story was originally published February 12, 2016 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Quail Hollow plans major redesign for 2017 PGA Championship."