PGATOUR.com - Charles Schwab Cup Championship: Course Information

Charles Schwab Cup Championship

Monday Oct 27 – Sunday Nov 2, 2008

Sonoma Golf Club · Sonoma, Calif.

Purse: $2.5 million
Winning Share: $442,000

Course

Sonoma Golf Club

Course Par Value: 72

Course Yardage: 7,103

Click here to visit Sonoma Golf Club www.sonomagolfclub.com

Opened in 1928, Sonoma Golf Club has a long standing reputation as one of Northern California's finest golf courses. Sam Whiting and Willie Watson, designers of the Olympic Club's Lake Course, designed a very natural and challenging golf course on 177 acres located northwest of the town of Sonoma. A true parkland experience is accentuated by dynamic views of the surrounding wine country and classical golf course architecture, the quality of the layout has stood the test of time. At just under 7,100 yards, a nice mix of long and short holes test a player's ability to play every shot in the bag.

Hole	Par	Yards
1	4	386	Accuracy here is more important than distance. Avoid the oak tree on your left, but watch out for the bunker on your right. Your approach is to a green guarded by a collection of bunkers on your left and right. Add an extra club for a pin located on the back of the green.
2	5	552	Bring out the lumber! Your drive should favor the right, as O.B. lines the left side. Your second shot must be accurate to avoid bunkers on your left and right. This green slopes from back to front and the majority of putts will break towards the vineyards.
3	4	409	Long and very demanding par 4. Bunker on your right must be avoided, since it often stops you from reaching the green in two. Your approach shot must negotiate bunkers on either side of this long, narrow green. Beware! A hidden lake guards the right side of this green.
4	3	204	This par 3 demands pinpoint accuracy. O.B. is left and bunkers guard both sides of the green. If the pin is back add one-to-two clubs. This green falls away at the front and a ridge runs through the middle. Be very careful, three putts are common.
5	4	431	Long straightaway par 4. Bunkers left and right make this fairway only twenty yards wide. You are left with a long iron or fairway wood into an open fronted, enormous green that is surrounded by bunkers. Don't be surprised to find an up-and-down opportunity for your par.
6	4	417	Probably the toughest tee shot on the course. A hazard on the left and a deep bunker on the right makes accuracy more important than distance. Your approach appears to be downhill, but trust the yardage. A shot over the green here makes a big number a reality.
7	3	219	This long par 3 is known as Sam Snead's favorite hole. Hazard on your right, but bunkers and oaks on your left will cause you nothing but trouble. This green has several ridges that make putting a real challenge. Take your par and feel like you made a birdie.
8	5	596	A monster! Very long par 5 will require three well executed shots. Notice the blind bunker on your right. A long iron or fairway wood must avoid bunkers right and large trees left. Play your approach shot to the middle of the green to avoid the shelf on the left.
9	4	345	A short but difficult hole. Your tee shot must avoid a deep bunker on your left. Your approach shot plays uphill to a three-tiered heavily bunkered green. Add at least one club. If your approach lands on the wrong tier you will have a very difficult two putt.
10	4	425	The back nine starts with a slight dogleg left. Aim your tee shot at the tall evergreen tree. An errant tee shot left may be blocked from the green by several trees. Favor the right side of the green on your approach, because everything will funnel to the left.
11	4	359	Short uphill par 4 plays longer than the yardage dictates. Favor the right to open up this two-tiered green. Club selection on your approach is crucial. Add one-to-two clubs depending on pin placement. Shots above or over this green will make you earn bogey.
12	4	427	Straightaway par 4 often plays into the wind. Be careful, this tee naturally aims you towards the hazard on your left. A long iron will be needed to hit this elevated green. A large ridge separates this green in two sections. Depending on pin placement, putting can be very difficult.
13	5	587	Rather large fairway, but guard against the left side. Your lay-up shot is the most challenging shot on this hole. Beware! A lake on the right guards this hole from 100 yards in. Be careful, but aggressive and make your birdie.
14	3	215	Another long par 3. This lake is an illusion here. It does not continue all the way to the green. Deep bunkers guard a thin, long green right and left. The green slopes from front to back and can be rather quick. Be careful!
15	4	436	Probably the toughest hole on the course. Favor the left off the tee. Right is jail where par will only be a dream. Your second shot will require a long iron or fairway wood to a large green. Not a lot of visual trouble, but length makes this hole a bear.
16	5	541	Intimidating tee shot. Trees left and a large bunker right. Favor the right to open the dogleg. Bunkers and wastelands on both sides make your second shot a challenge. Your apprach shot is to one of the largest greens on the course. Beware! Over is a sure bogey or worse.
17	3	142	Finally, a short par 3! Deep bunkers surround this large green. Appears to be downhill, but trust the yardage. If the pin is located back right, add one club. Again, over the green here is bad news.
18	4	412	The safe play is left of the bunker, but the gambler may take it right to cut the corner. Beware! A blind creek runs in front of this green. Any ball above this hole is brutal, expecially with a front pin. End it well!