Liberty National Golf Club will once again host THE NORTHERN TRUST (formerly The Barclays) as the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Playoffs get underway this week in New Jersey.
The course itself has hosted this event three prior times, leading to three one-stroke victories: 2009 (won by Heath Slocum), 2013 (Adam Scott), and 2019 (Patrick Reed).
Here's what you need to know about Liberty National Golf Club.
Liberty National Golf Club Course Information
Par: 71
Distance: 7,410
Average Green Size: 4,653 square feet
Green Type: Bentgrass
Stimpmeter:
Past 3 Winning Scores: -16, -11, -9
Prior 3 Cut Lines: -1, -1, +5
At 7,410 (after playing 7,370 yards in 2019), Liberty National is now pretty long for a par 71 (it's around around 100 yards longer than the average par 71 on the Tour).
It also features small greens that are shy of 4,700 square feet on average. Among courses in the usual PGA Tour rotation, those green sizes rank fourth smallest behind Pebble Beach, Harbour Town, and TPC Southwind.
Liberty National also ranks 4th (of 48 courses in my database) with 98 sand bunkers and 5th in water hazards (13). There's a reason winning scores aren't flirting around 25-under.
Liberty National Golf Club Hole-by-Hole Breakdown
| Liberty National Golf Club | Par | Yards | vs Median PGA Tour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 398 | 91% |
| 2 | 3 | 219 | 110% |
| 3 | 4 | 395 | 90% |
| 4 | 3 | 205 | 103% |
| 5 | 4 | 427 | 98% |
| 6 | 5 | 538 | 96% |
| 7 | 4 | 515 | 118% |
| 8 | 5 | 611 | 109% |
| 9 | 4 | 474 | 108% |
| 10 | 4 | 496 | 113% |
| 11 | 3 | 230 | 115% |
| 12 | 4 | 431 | 99% |
| 13 | 5 | 580 | 104% |
| 14 | 3 | 150 | 75% |
| 15 | 4 | 481 | 110% |
| 16 | 4 | 325 | 74% |
| 17 | 4 | 445 | 102% |
| 18 | 4 | 490 | 112% |
| Total | 71 | 7410 | 101% |
There are two abnormally short holes on this course, both on the back nine: a 150-yard par 3 and a 325-yard par 4. The short 16th was the 3rd-easiest hole in 2019, making a rare time a par 4 played easier than a par 5 (the 611-yard 8th played tougher that year).
The long par 3 11th was the 2nd-toughest hole that year.
In total, 6 of the 18 holes are at least 110% the length of the median hole relative to the median PGA Tour hole at the same par.
Courses Similar to Liberty National Golf Club
Some other courses with small bentgrass greens and average-to-long overall lengths include:
- Muirfield Village (The Memorial)
- TPC Boston (The Northern Trust)
- Colonial Country Club (Charles Schwab Challenge)
- TPC Deere Run (John Deere Classic)
- Detroit Golf Club (Rocket Mortgage Classic)
Key Stats for THE NORTHERN TRUST at Liberty National Golf Club
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
- Strokes Gained: Around the Green
- Bogey Avoidance
- Strokes Gained: Putting on Bentgrass
The three winners here have ranked 4th, 2nd, and 2nd in strokes gained: tee to green among cut-makers in the event that they won, which is a bit obvious, but it's not always the case.
Often enough, we see a heavy emphasis on strokes gained: putting, yet that's not really what we have seen here the past three times. Each of the past three winners have ranked between 20th and 32nd in strokes gained: putting in their wins, averaging 0.55 strokes gained with the flat stick.
Datagolf's course fit tool shows no priority on any particular stat, which means that the usual weight should be applied to the more important stats. That's why approach and off-the-tee play is at the top of the list.
Golfers With Great Course History at Liberty National Golf Club
These golfers have gained at least 1.0 strokes per round at Liberty National Golf Club since 2009 among golfers with at least six rounds played at the course.
- Jason Kokrak (2.06)
- Webb Simpson (1.98)
- Jordan Spieth (1.94)
- Rory McIlroy (1.94)
- Adam Scott (1.81, past winner [2013])
- Brandt Snedeker (1.60)
- Gary Woodland (1.44)
- Ian Poulter (1.40)
- Patrick Reed (1.13, past winner [2019])
- Jason Day (1.09)
- Dustin Johnson (1.00)
These golfers have made all three cuts since 2009: Webb Simpson, Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson, and Charley Hoffman.