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Josh Bennett's Hole-By-Hole Course Breakdown for The Charles Schwab Challenge (2023), an in-depth look into the host course for PGA DraftKings tournaments.
Welcome to the latest edition of the PGA DFS Hole-By-Hole Breakdown, where Josh Bennett (@JishSwish) breaks down the course the PGA Tour is playing each week. We think this course breakdown is an important slice of the "PGA DFS pie" and will help change the way you do your research for every tournament. A good understanding of the course that's being played is extremely important before diving into individual players. Each week, this article will give you everything you need to know about the course, strategies players could take, and statistics that fit the specifics of the layout.
This week's Breakdown features Colonial Country Club for the PGA Tour's Charles Schwab Challenge. The players will have to navigate their tee shots away from trees and bunkers in order to be successful this week. Be sure to also read all of our other top-notch weekly PGA DFS and betting articles to help you win big!
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Colonial CC: Par 70, 7209 Yards
Hole 1: Par 5, 565 Yards
Off the Tee: Starting the tournament off, they'll get a difficult tee shot that needs to avoid the trees on the right. A well-placed drive moving left-to-right will cut off a good portion of this hole and make the shot into the green in two significantly easier. The bunkers will be in play off the tee because of how narrow the landing area is, so we will see a lot of players hitting irons out of those bunkers up to a comfortable wedge distances.
Approach: If they can get a good drive down past the bunkers, there will be some woods or long irons hit to this green, with misses likely going long to avoid the set of 4 green-side bunkers protecting the front and both sides of the green. Drives that are out of position will force a lay up, and we will then see players hitting their most comfortable wedges in for their best looks at birdie. No matter the approach taken, this hole is a birdie hole for the field. Green Size: 15x30 yards
Advantage: Ball-Striking, SG: Approach, SG: Around the Green, Par 5 Scoring
Hole 2: Par 4, 389 Yards
Off The Tee: The long hitters will have an advantage on this hole by being able to cover both fairway bunkers and basically be left with a chip shot onto the green. Average-length hitters will have to think more about their strategy so they don't end up in one of the bunkers. As long as they aren't in the fairway bunker this is a scoring hole for the whole field.
Approach: There will be nothing more than short wedges flying into this green that's protected in the front on both sides by bunkers, as well as another bunker in the back right. The hole gets a little more tricky if pins are placed in the front, but they'll be able to go after any pin from the middle of the green and back. Green Size: 20x30 yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 3: Par 4, 483 Yards
Off the Tee: From one of the easier and shortest par 4's on the course to one of the longest and hardest. The difficulty on this hole comes from the tee shot. Three bunkers line the left side of the fairway and they will need almost 300 yards of carry to take them out of play. Plus, a miss too far to the right with any kind of distance brings in tree trouble. An accurate tee shot is important here to give a chance at hitting this green in regulation.
Approach: The approach length will vary significantly, depending on how much of the hole is cut off by length going left or how far right they miss. Approaches could come anywhere from 160 yards all the way back to 220 yards. The green is decently sized and only protected on the front-right and back-left, so as long as the tee shot is in an okay position they should be able to get this one on. Avoiding the trouble off the tee and getting a par here is a good result. Green Size: 20x25 yards
Advantage: Total Driving, GIR, Scrambling
Hole 4: Par 3, 247 Yards
Approach: A very long and uphill par 3 will leave much of the field hitting fairway woods into this green, especially if there is any wind present. Longer hitters may get away with a long iron. Bunkers protect the front-left side of the green. The green is large, so any semi-accurate shot should hang onto the green, but we will see many misses just due to the length of the hole. Around the green games will be on display here. Green Size: 30x20 Yards
Advantage: GIR, Scrambling, 3 Putt Avoidance
Hole 5: Par 4, 481 Yards
Off the Tee: Another long par 4 with a very difficult tee shot. It is very obvious from the image above why this is the hardest hole on the course and one of the 25 hardest holes on Tour in 2019. A miss right winds up in the trees or river, and a miss left goes into a ditch towards the driving range with trees in the way. The drive has to be in the fairway or there is almost no chance at getting this ball on the green.
Approach: Assuming the tee shot is in play, the approach is long and into a smaller green protected on all sides by bunkers except the back-left. This hole is a grind from tee-to-green and players will be scrambling just to keep doubles off the card. Par will be an excellent score. Green Size: 20x25 Yards
Advantage: Driving Accuracy, Scrambling
Hole 6: Par 4, 406 Yards
Off the Tee: Another tee shot on a fairly short hole that will favor long hitters if they choose to carry the bunker on the right. Otherwise, we will likely see some irons or fairway woods off this tee just short of the bunker on the right to leave a wedge into the green. Nothing too difficult about the tee shot here as long as it stays out of the bunkers.
Approach: The whole field will have wedges into this green no matter their choice of club off the tee. The green is long, narrow, and protected on the front-left and right sides. With wedges in hand, the trouble around the green should mostly not be in play. This is a birdie hole for the field. Green Size: 15x30 Yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 7: Par 4, 440 Yards
Off the Tee: More of the same off this tee. Trees are in the way on a miss to either side, and anyone with average length or more will also have to deal with the fairway bunker. Accuracy is important here because the approach is far less difficult.
Approach: The approach here is short and into a nice-sized green. It's protected by two large bunkers in the front and back, and another small one on the far-left. Distance control with short irons and wedges will be key to leaving good looks at birdie. Green Size: 30x20 Yards
Advantage: Driving Accuracy, SG: Approach, Scrambling, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 8: Par 3, 199 Yards
Approach: The second long par 3 brings a different set of challenges than the last. It's a little shorter, but the green is protected well on all sides by bunkers. The green is narrow, making it more likely we will see a lot of shots out of these bunkers based on dispersion from longer clubs. A GIR and a two putt on this tiered green will be good enough. Green Size: 15x35 Yards
Advantage: GIR, Sand Saves, Scrambling
Hole 9: Par 4, 407 Yards
Off the Tee: This hole is proof that you do not need a long hole for it to be difficult. Ranked as one of the top 30 hardest holes in 2019, the difficulty of this hole obviously comes from the tee shot. We should see much of the field hitting less than driver in attempt to keep it behind the set of four fairway bunkers. Any miss to either side has the potential to bring trees into play and likely force to play for bogey since they'll have to lay up short of the water in front of the green.
Approach: As long as the tee shot is in play, the approach should be fairly simple. It will be a short wedge into a large green protected by water and bunkers on all sides except the right. As hard as this hole plays, a good tee shot will bring birdie into play for everyone. Green Size: 25x30 Yards
Advantage: Driving Accuracy, SG: Approach, Scrambling, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 10: Par 4, 408 Yards
Off the Tee: The fairway cuts off right at the 280 yard mark which is going to force the whole field to hit something off the tee less than driver. What would be a difficult tee shot if the fairway extended is now an easy one (for the most part). A long iron or fairway wood out to the fairway will leave short irons and wedges into this green.
Approach: Short irons and wedges will be played at this green, protected by bunkers in the front-left and front-right. The good iron players should be able to score here no matter where they put the pins. Green Size: 20x30 Yards
Advantage: SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 11: Par 5, 635 Yards
Off the Tee: This is another tee shot with a narrow fairway, but the result does not matter as much as it does on many of the other holes as long as it's not wildly off-line to the right. This is a three shot hole for the majority of the field, so even a miss off the tee will results in a lay up just like it would if the ball was in the fairway.
Approach: Almost all approaches except from the extremely long guys who can reach this green in two will be short wedges after a lay up from wherever the tee shot wound up. Birdie should not be difficult from there. The green is protected by bunkers on the left and right, but shouldn't be in play much with wedges. Green Size: 20x25 Yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, SG: Approach, Par 5 Scoring
Hole 12: Par 4, 445 Yards
Off the Tee: This hole will play much differently depending on the type of player. Long hitters will be able to clear the bunkers on the left and be left with wide open area for misses. Shorter hitters will have to play behind the bunkers with longer approaches. A longer drive on this hole is a significant advantage.
Approach: Shorter hitters will have mid-length irons into the green, long hitters will have wedges. The green is small and protected on all sides except the back, so it is a huge advantage to be able to hit a wedge into this green. Long hitters should score well on this hole. Green Size: 15x20 Yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 13: Par 3, 190 Yards
Approach: This is a very intimidating shot that has to carry water almost the entire flight of the ball. Any miss short or right is in the water. Misses left end up in one of the two green-side bunkers. We should expect to see many players chipping from behind the green after taking extra club to be sure they stay out of the water. Green Size: 20x25 Yards
Advantage: GIR, Scrambling
Hole 14: Par 4, 464 Yards
Off the Tee: Another long par 4 with a challenging tee shot. There isn't as much trouble off this tee as the other long par 4's, but accuracy will still be important since the approach will be from farther away. A miss right will be safe, but it will leave a very long approach into the green.
Approach: A mid or long iron approach into this green, protected by bunkers on the left and right sides. Just hitting the green will be good enough with approaches that could be coming from 200 yards away. They should be happy to take a par here and move on. Green Size: 20x25 Yards
Advantage: Driving Accuracy, GIR, Scrambling
Hole 15: Par 4, 430 Yards
Off the Tee: This is another tee shot that will favor the long hitters who can carry the bunkers. Everyone else will be forced to lay up behind the bunkers with a longer approach shot. This is one of the first holes where trees are not in the way much, but they made up for that with fairway bunker issues.
Approach: Long hitters will have wedges into the green, shorter hitters will have to play with mid-irons from behind the bunkers. The green is medium-sized and is protected in the front by bunkers, as well as a smaller one in the back-right. Those players hitting wedges to the green won't have to deal with the bunkers as much as the shorter hitters will. Green Size: 25x25 Yards
Advantage: Driving Distance, SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 16: Par 3, 192 Yards
Approach: Back-to-back par 3's that have to carry water. This one is not as difficult as the last, but the water presence is still there. While the water does not protect much of the green, there are bunkers on both sides that do the protecting. Par is a good score here. Green Size: 15x30 Yards
Advantage: GIR, Scrambling
Hole 17: Par 4, 387 Yards
Off The Tee: This hole is very similar to the last hole with a split fairway. It cuts off at about 280 yards, which will force the whole field into a lay up off the tee. Not much to this tee shot at all and will leave wedges in for the whole field.
Approach: The whole field will hit wedges into this green that is protected by bunkers on the left and right sides. They should not be in play with wedges though. As long as the fairway has been found off the tee, this is a scoring hole for the field coming down the stretch. Green Size: 15x25 Yards
Advantage: SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Hole 18: Par 4, 441 Yards
Off the Tee: A tee shot to end the day a lot like we've seen in the previous holes, except there are no bunkers in play. Trees line each side, so an accurate tee shot is important, but it opens up on both sides for longer hitters too. Longer is better, but it's definitely not required.
Approach: Short or mid-irons will be played into this narrow but long green with bunkers protecting the front-left and front-right. This will be an easy green to miss if accuracy left and right is an issue with irons. However, a shot to the green with good distance control will leave a really good chance to end the day with a birdie. Green Size: 15x30 Yards
Advantage: Ball-Striking, SG: Approach, Par 4 Scoring
Conclusions
Accuracy off the tee will be extremely important for this event. Trees and bunkers line both sides of almost every fairway and they will be in the way if they miss even a few yards off line. However, distance off the tee is a significant advantage on a handful of holes as well, so looking at overall good ball-strikers is a great place to start.
If they can't keep the ball straight off the tee, they will have to be good scramblers. Bogey will be in play from bad tee shots, but those that can scramble around the course and keep recording pars from bad situations will keep themselves in contention.
The course is not terribly long, and many par 4's leave short irons and wedges into the greens, assuming that players find the fairway. Strokes Gained: Approach is a good statistic to use to find players that should be successful this week.
Other stats to consider: Par 4 Scoring, GIR, SG: Around the Green, Bogey Avoidance
Assumptions
Images and measurements were done on Google Earth. These satellite images can sometimes be up to five or more years old and not show very recent changes to courses if there were any.
Carry distance is used for off-the-tee distances shown in the images. The average carry distance on tour in 2021 was 281 yards, so that is what is used here.
I used a total dispersion off-the-tee of 60 yards. This comes from an article that Jon Sherman wrote for Practical Golf (@practicalgolf) discussing average dispersion, and I took 5-10 yards off from that number.
I assumed a 10-15 yard roll out from the carry distance to start the measurement to the green. Measurements to the green were rounded to the nearest five yards and measured from the center of the fairway to the center of the green.
Green measurements were also measured to the nearest five yards.
Things like weather, rough length, elevation, etc. are not taken into consideration on the measurements. I can only see and assume so much from satellite images. However, I do note where possible on each hole if things like elevation and wind could impact how the hole plays.
Scorecard:
