Tyler Hall Aims For Historic Run At 97th State Open At Metedeconk National
Tyler Hall of Upper Montclair has the opportunity to do something only two men have achieved in the nearly 100 years of the New Jersey State Golf Association Open Championship.
Clarence Hackney of Atlantic City (1924-26) and Johnny Golden of North Jersey (1927-29) are the only golfers to win three consecutive State Open championships. Nine others have won back-to-back titles and the last before Hall to do it was Ed Whitman of Knickerbocker in 1995-96.
Hall will get that chance for a rare triple when the 97th NJSGA Open Championship is played July 11-13 at renowned Metedeconk National Golf Club in Jackson. Metedeconk is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
In the past two NJSGA Opens, Hall conquered Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth, home of the NJSGA, to set a course record 64 en route to winning by six strokes in 2016. The previous year, 2015, he won by seven shots at Rockaway River Country Club in Denville.
“I love the idea of defending my championship again. I love to compete regardless of my track record. The chance to do something historical gives me more drive,” said Hall, 35, who had extensive surgery on his right shoulder during the off season
“I had the surgery in the winter to be ready for the State Open. I love the challenge. Guys are playing well in the section, so it won’t be easy. But I will be ready to go. “
He has shown signs of being ready. On May 30, he fired a three-under-par 69 to tie Alex Beach of Baltusrol in a one-day Assistant Professional NJPGA event at Plainfield.
“I feel like my game has really come around. I’ve been sticking to some swing changes I’ve been trying to get to for years,” said Hall, who played 10 years on the mini-tour circuit
“The swing changes involve the position of my left hand when I’m taking the club away. Years ago, I switched because I had wrist and hand surgeries. Now, I’m trying to keep the left wrist flatter, rather than cupped. It’s a tough thing to get out of. I know if I can stick with it, it will make things better.”
“I’m just happy to be hitting it again and I’m making putts.”
Making putts again is another obstacle Hall had to overcome this spring. His car was broken into in Arizona, where he spends the colder months, and all his equipment and wallet were stolen.
Included in the golf bag was the long putter he had used for 12 years.
“I’m trying to replicate the loft and lie. I have no idea what the specs were on the putter. I said I would drop the charges if the person would just return the putter,” he noted.
He played Metedeconk National for the first time in May and made some interesting observations.
“Metedeconk is legendary. It’s going to be a great test. I’ll have to get out there a few times.
“Hitting it a long way will not be an advantage. There is nowhere to land the ball. It will play tougher for the longer hitters. It will take a little finesse to score well. It all comes together for me if I’m hitting it well,” Hall said.
Metedeconk National Golf Club opened in 1988. The private, 27-hole facility was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Roger Rulewich.
Inspired by the varied topography of the area, Jones and his chief designer, Rulewich, created a 27-hole masterpiece of tree-lined fairways, well-placed bunkers to maximize accuracy and the subtly contoured greens for which Jones is known.
And, typical of all Jones' creations, the development of water as a playing hazard is a strategic consideration on seven holes at Metedeconk National. From the championship tees, the course has a rating of 75.4 and a slope index of 146 with a par of 72.
The three nines are played in three 18- hole combinations. The nine holes on the Third Course are very similar in design and layout to the original First and Second Nines, except that the greens are a little larger than those on the original eighteen holes. They also have a little more undulation. The fairways are narrow, putting an emphasis on accuracy off the tee. The signature hole is No. 7, requires a tee shot up a dogleg right fairway.
For the State Open Championship, the Third and First nines, which comprise the Tournament Course at Metedeconk National - will be employed. The Tournament Course will be playing at par-72, 6,902 yards.
