Windsor Golf Club

Overview

Opened in 1989, this championship-caliber layout winds through mature oaks, a year-round creek and several lakes, with the vineyard-covered hills of wine country framing the horizon. Playing to 6,599 yards from the back tees, Windsor built a reputation well beyond its municipal roots by hosting five PGA Nike Tour events, the developmental circuit that is today's Korn Ferry Tour.

Course History

Windsor Golf Club opened in 1989 as a municipal course for the Town of Windsor, and it quickly punched above its weight. Through the 1990s the club served as host to five PGA Nike Tour events, the second-tier professional circuit later rebranded as the Buy.com, Nationwide, Web.com and now Korn Ferry Tour. Those tournaments put the course on the professional map and cemented its standing as one of the more respected daily-fee tests in the North Bay. The layout's difficulty was recognized by the pros themselves: holes 2 and 7 were consistently ranked among the Nike Tour's Top 10 Most Difficult holes, and the course record of 62 is held by Jason Schmuhl.

Design & Architecture

The course was designed by architect Fred Bliss and opened in 1989, with additional design work credited to David Dale in 1990. It is a classic parkland layout that uses the natural features of its Sonoma County setting: a year-round creek, several lakes, well-placed sand bunkers and stands of mature oak trees define the routing. The result is a shot-maker's course that rewards accuracy off the tee and thoughtful approach play rather than pure length. Four sets of tees, ranging from 3,114 yards up to 6,599 yards, let the course flex from an approachable round to a genuine championship test.

Playing the Course

From the Black tees Windsor plays 6,599 yards to a rating of 72.8 and a slope of 139, so scratch and low-handicap players will find plenty to keep them honest. Mid- and higher-handicap golfers can move forward to the Blue (6,125 yards, 70.6/131), White (5,595 yards, 68.0/125) or Red (5,050 yards, 65.8/111) tees. Water and the meandering creek come into play on a number of holes, and the tree-lined corridors put a premium on driving position. Practice facilities include a full grass driving range, a separate chipping area and two putting greens to warm up before the round.

Know Before You Go

• Public access: open to all players; book tee times through the golf shop.

• Call the golf shop at (707) 838-7888 to confirm rates, hours and reservations.

• Practice before you play: full grass driving range, chipping area and two putting greens on site.

• Choose your tees wisely; the course stretches to 6,599 yards with a 139 slope from the tips.

• Located in Windsor, Sonoma County, minutes from wine country attractions and Santa Rosa.