Chambers Bay Golf Club

University Place, Washington

Colonial Country Club (Fort Worth, Texas)

Colonial Country Club logo Golf Course Review by: Bill Satterfield

Rankings: 

 

The Takeaway:  A classic layout that has been a mainstay on the PGA Tour for longer than almost any other, Colonial was the king of Dallas/Fort Worth for about 75 years until Dallas National hit the scene. The famed Hogan’s Alley stretch of holes on the front lives up to the hype, but the flat terrain, overgrown trees, and forgettable design features hold it back from being more special.  Grade B

Quick Facts

Designer:  John Bredemus and Maxwell Perry in 1936

Cost:  Private

Phone Number:  (817) 927-4221

Course Website:  Official Website - Visit Colonial Country Club's official website by clicking on the link provided.

Directions:  Get here! - 3735 Country Club Circle, Fort Worth, Texas  76109 – UNITED STATES

Photos:  See additional photos of Colonial Country Club

What to Expect:  Colonial is the icon course of Texas with a deep history in PGA Tour lore. Just five years after opening, the course hosted the 1941 U.S. Open which success lead the PGA imploring Colonial to annually host a Tour event which it has since 1946. Known as “Hogan’s Alley” due to Ben Hogan winning PGA events as Colonial five times, the Fort Worth course boasts such names as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, and others on their famous Wall of Champions found near the number one tee. Though not a winner during her visit, Annika Sorenstam brought notoriety to the club when she elected to play in the 2003 PGA Tour event at Colonial, identifying it as a shorter shot-makers course where she felt would fit her game better than many of the “bomber” courses found on tour. The intimate surroundings and setup of the course are uncommon among courses found on the PGA Tour and help differentiate it. The course is cut through pecan trees and features classic hole shapes and features. The terrain is relatively flat and tame which is the case with most of the state of Texas. A couple of water hazards come into play with the most difficult stretch of holes being the “horseshoe” (holes 3-5) which consistently post the highest average score above par during tournaments. The majority of Texas is not blessed with great terrain for building golf courses, but Colonial does well with what it has. Though it has perennially been a Top 100 course, overall I was underwhelmed by the offering. That being said, I played the course prior to the 2010 renovation which has reopened to rave reviews and makes me anxious to revisit the historic club.

By the Numbers

Tees Par Yardage Rating Slope
Championship 70 7054 74.7 133
Men's 70 6526 71.7 127
Executive 70 6085 69.6 124
Ladies (Women) 70 5745 74.7 136

Individual Hole Analysis

Signature Hole:  5th Hole – 472 Yard Par 4

Best Par 3:  13th Hole – 171 Yards

Best Par 4:  3rd Hole – 467 Yards

Best Par 5:  1st Hole – 563 Yards

Birdie Time:  2nd Hole – 387 Yard Par 4

Bogey Beware:  5th Hole – 472 Yard Par 4

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