Golf Course Scouting Report: Sedgefield Country Club

Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, Sedgefield Country Club is a classic layout designed by the legendary Donald Ross in 1926. Unfortunately, the evolution of the modern game has rendered this course a bit antiquated in some respects. A significant number of bunkers have become obsolete as players have gotten longer over the decades, and numerous short holes present no particular challenge to the best golfers in the world.

Nevertheless, this layout still possesses the trademarks of a Donald Ross championship course: beautiful sight lines, tricky greens, and interesting runoff areas. It is not one of the flashiest courses on the professional Schedule, but despite its shortcomings, it serves as a solid host for the action-packed final event of the PGA Tour regular season.

Overall: 4.80 - Sedgefield Country Club possesses a few good holes displaying the style of the great Donald Ross, but there are too many ordinary and easy holes for it to be considered a top-tier golf course.

Memorable Holes: 3.5

Arguably the biggest critique of this layout is the number of bland, non-descript holes. Most of the par fours are similar and don't have many distinguishable features; the bunkering is vanilla, and the green complexes are monotonous. Still, there are a few holes that will stand out in a golfer's mind: The bunker-less seventh is a unique and difficult par three with its plateau green fronted by a small stream; the par-five 15th is aesthetically pleasing with a pond guarding the front-right portion of the green; and the 18th is well known for its difficulty and significance as the final opportunity to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Overall, however, the majority of holes are not going to make anyone's jaw drop.

Interest: 5.0

As far as excitement goes, Sedgefield is an average golf course. There aren't a plethora of must-see shots, but it's not a layout to sleepwalk through, either. As already mentioned, the lack of interesting bunkering is one of the biggest demerits of this venue, and I wouldn't consider many of the green complexes to be particularly anxiety-inducing. That being said, there are some interesting runoff areas around the greens along with tricky hole locations that bring the occasional water hazard into play. Significant elevation changes add to the fun on multiple occasions.

Par Threes: 6.0

As I discuss in detail on my podcast, Linksworms, the group of short holes are arguably the biggest strength of Sedgefield Country Club. The initial one-shotter arrives at hole three, an uphill 175-yard shot to a green perched on a shelf and guarded by deep bunkers short.

Things get more interesting at the 223-yard seventh, a par three that features no bunkers and a little stream running just short of the green, which sports a small finger that juts out on a plateau guarded by said stream. The 235-yard 12th is, in my opinion, the best hole on the course: the green displays a severe false front that will repel shots coming up short while a raised back tier makes deep hole locations difficult to access. Finally, the 175-yard 16th is a scenic hole with a small punch bowl in the front portion of the green. There is solid quality and variety at each of these par threes.

Difficulty: 4.0

Sedgefield Country Club doesn't pose much of a challenge for the best players in the world. There are a handful of legitimately difficult holes, such as the aforementioned seventh, 12th, and long-par-fours 11, 14, and 18. Beyond these examples, this is a layout where birdies are plentiful and bogeys are rare. The two par fives are particularly easy as both measure under 550 yards and don't present any significant defense.

Finish: 5.5

The final three holes at Sedgefield are respectable. The par-three 16th, mentioned above, is an intriguing hole with the potential for a variety of unique hole locations. The 406-yard 17th is a bit mundane, but the green complex is made distinct by a fall-off ledge that runs along the right side. Finally, the layout finishes with a 507-yard brute of a par four which serves as a postcard finish; the tee shot plays steeply downhill before the fairway turns dramatically back uphill toward the home green. It's an intense finish for players desperately trying to scramble into the FedEx Cup Playoffs on the final hole of the regular season.

For the criteria used to determine these ratings, please click here.