Set on the rolling foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, surrounded by picturesque vineyards, CordeValle Golf Club is the host for this week’s US Women’s Open. This is only the third time in the Championship’s history that it’s being held in California, and the first time in the Bay Area.
The USGA has always had a different strategy to promote the game when it comes to Women’s golf and this week is no different.
CordeValle is ready for its major debut. #USWomensOpenhttps://t.co/92JMorOLyG
— USGA (@USGA) July 6, 2016
Unlike the Men’s US Open, the Women’s US Open is more often than not hosted at courses most of us would not be familiar with. Hard core golf fans might be familiar with this Robert Trent Jones Jr. design, which served as the host of the PGA Tour’s Frys.com Open from 2010 through 2013.
CordeValle will play to about 6,752 yards, a Par-72, for the championship. That’s fairly long for most players competing this week, but factor in the elevation change (150 feet throughout the 18 holes) around the course, strategy off the tee will be vital. The USGA has also made a routing change to the course to ease crowd flow and will the 4th hole, a Par-4, as the first hole of the championship.
Since the course is set in a valley, the wind will play a crucial role and as such, shot-making will the key this week. Some of the greens rise-up steeply towards the back or fall-off severely from the front. This will cause a lot of players to use the natural slope of the land to maneuver the ball to the hole. The rough is graduated as one would expect but is extremely inconsistent this week, owing to weather conditions. Unlike Oakmont, which was suited towards the long-hitters, this is one course which is not suited for one type of a player.
We rounded up some tweets from the USGA to give you a hole by hole look at CordeValle.
Hole 1
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle
No. 1 – Par 4 | 396 Yards pic.twitter.com/rmVTDf2R8T
— USGA (@USGA) June 28, 2016
Hole 2
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle
No. 2 – Par 4 | 426 Yards pic.twitter.com/cucJBroNID
— USGA (@USGA) June 28, 2016
Hole 3
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle, No. 3 – Par 5 | 523 Yards pic.twitter.com/6M27NGnAXz
— USGA (@USGA) June 29, 2016
Hole 4
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle
No. 4 – Par 3 | 210 Yards pic.twitter.com/pGsQ4LC0m6
— USGA (@USGA) June 29, 2016
Hole 5
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle, No. 5 – Par 4 | 352 Yards pic.twitter.com/KGDWORjaF0
— USGA (@USGA) June 30, 2016
Hole 6
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle, No. 6 – Par 4 | 371 Yards pic.twitter.com/h30nUKBBJM
— USGA (@USGA) June 30, 2016
Hole 7
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle, No. 7 – Par 4 | 410 Yards pic.twitter.com/x3rNTe093D
— USGA (@USGA) July 1, 2016
Hole 8
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle, No. 8 – Par 3 | 183 Yards pic.twitter.com/uoMIWBV852
— USGA (@USGA) July 1, 2016
Hole 9
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle, No. 9 – Par 5 | 561 Yards pic.twitter.com/wnYYdHrT1b
— USGA (@USGA) July 2, 2016
Hole 10
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle, No. 10 – Par 4 | 407 Yards pic.twitter.com/fbDSt9ZJNd
— USGA (@USGA) July 2, 2016
Hole 11
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle, No. 11 – Par 4 | 360 Yards pic.twitter.com/l5cYzj8Uu3
— USGA (@USGA) July 3, 2016
Hole 12
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle, No. 12 – Par 3 | 191 Yards pic.twitter.com/oSRh44YNUd
— USGA (@USGA) July 3, 2016
Hole 13
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle, No. 13 – Par 4 | 382 Yards pic.twitter.com/ckvwzCqyMb
— USGA (@USGA) July 4, 2016
Hole 14
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle
No. 14 – Par 4 | 429 Yards pic.twitter.com/8KBtH8l0Vz
— USGA (@USGA) July 5, 2016
Hole 15
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle, No. 15 – Par 5 | 471 Yards pic.twitter.com/vwIoZLvRLC
— USGA (@USGA) July 5, 2016
Hole 16
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle
No. 16 – Par 3 | 166 Yards pic.twitter.com/WsbiwwJZZE
— USGA (@USGA) July 5, 2016
Hole 17
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle
No. 17 – Par 4 | 418 Yards pic.twitter.com/HUQvqiobbF
— USGA (@USGA) July 6, 2016
Hole 18
#USWomensOpen Preview: CordeValle
No. 18 – Par 5 | 528 Yards pic.twitter.com/EGlASCeN1R
— USGA (@USGA) July 6, 2016
CordeValle is no Pebble Beach but it will provide a stern challenge for the biggest prize in Women’s golf.
SOURCES: USGA | CORDEVALLE
