{"id":21519,"date":"2026-05-26T17:45:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T17:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.betspertsgolf.com\/raw-forum\/?post_type=article&p=21519"},"modified":"2026-05-26T19:45:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T19:45:39","slug":"noonans-2026-charles-schwab-challenge-outright-betting-picks-preview","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/api.betspertsgolf.com\/raw-forum\/article\/noonans-2026-charles-schwab-challenge-outright-betting-picks-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Noonan\u2019s 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge Outright Betting Picks & Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"

The PGA Tour has been coming to the legendary Colonial Country Club since 1946, and it’s held up through all the changes in the game. Precision is the name of the game, both off the tee and into these small bentgrass greens. Birdies are hard to come by, and historically, bombers\u00a0have been forced to go less-than-driver more than most other tracks due to the many forced layups, doglegs, thick Bermuda rough, and tight tree-lined fairways. That appears to be changing, though.<\/span><\/p>\n

We’ve seen an increase in driver usage off the tee over the past few years, a trend that will likely continue for some this week. Not everyone has the apex and carry distance required to drive it over the trees to cut off the many doglegs at Colonial, but those who can likely continue to try. Regardless, as is often the case, approach play is paramount this week.<\/span><\/p>\n

Colonial Country Club is a par-70 course that measures 7,289 yards, making it a slightly above-average-length classical course. It features tree-lined fairways, numerous doglegs, and small greens. Notably, Colonial is the fifth toughest course on the Tour for gaining strokes off the tee. The fairways are among the narrowest on Tour, averaging only 27.5 yards in width, which makes it difficult to overpower the course. <\/span><\/p>\n

Colonial also ranks <\/span>among<\/span> the toughest courses for making birdies, presenting a challenge to golfers year after year. It has the third-smallest average landing zone when considering both fairway width and green size, with a combination of 27.5 yards for fairways and 5,000 square feet for greens. Given its tight fairways and small greens, the course tests a player’s ball-striking skills. With the sixth-smallest greens on Tour and the fifth most penal rough, there is a strong emphasis on effective approach play, particularly with short to medium irons inside 175 yards.<\/span><\/p>\n

The course underwent a significant renovation prior to the 2024 event, with renowned architects Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner leading the extensive makeover. The duo modernized the course’s features and restored it to its original form. Every aspect of the course infrastructure, including an irrigation system, bunkers, tees, and greens, was addressed. Many trees and bunkers were removed to create a more open and well-lit course. <\/span><\/p>\n

For more details on the course and renovation, check out <\/span>Ron’s<\/span><\/a> course preview<\/span><\/a>. It’s the best in the business, bar none. Also, don’t forget to check out our research tools, the Colonial <\/span>course stats<\/span><\/a>, along with the <\/span>Tournament Cheat Sheet.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n