Tournament Info
Therese Hession retired after nearly 30 years as head coach and Director of Golf at The Ohio State University. In 2023, to honor Therese for her tremendous contribution to women’s collegiate golf, the tournament was renamed The Therese Hession Regional Challenge. Lisa Strom, the current women’s head golf coach at OSU, is the tournament organizer.
2025 Tournament Schedule
16 Teams: 5 players competing
Low 4 scores count each day
Saturday
February 1st
Practice Round,
College-Am Tournament
College-Am Tournament
SUNDAY
February 2nd
First Round
MONDAY
February 3rd
Second Round
TUESDAY
February 4th
Final Round,
Awards
Awards
Course Overview
The golf course was designed in 1924 by the renowned team of George C. Thomas and William P. “Billy” Bell who also designed Riviera CC, Bel Air CC, Los Angeles CC North and the course at Ojai Valley Inn. Fairways and rough are Kikuyu grass. Greens, firm and fast, are composed of bent and poa annua grasses.
The course is a classic example of Thomas and Bell designs of the 1920’s with extensive use of natural hazards. The premium is on accuracy rather than length. While not long in length at 6480 yards, they used the natural terrain, barrancas, creeks, and hills while taking into account our prevailing westerly ocean breezes. The small greens, extensive bunkering, narrow fairways with strategically designed landing areas make the course a challenge for golfers of all levels. Members take pride in preserving the original design and routing of this masterpiece.
The Course
Hole #1
Par 4 | Handicap 5
392
363
355
334
305
The par 4 first hole is a slight dogleg to the right that can play longer into a prevailing wind. A good drive avoids the fairway bunker on the left and carries the ridge. This sets up a short to medium approach shot. Your approach plays uphill to an elevated green that is bunkered to the left and right. Beware of the false front, as short shots will roll back down to the fairway.
Hole #2
Par 3 | Handicap 15
208
200
179
173
85
A long par 3 with a bunker just right of the green and another just to the left of the green. The green is pitched from back to front. The play is to keep the ball under the hole leaving you an uphill putt or pitch. Usually plays into the prevailing ocean breeze.
Hole #3
Par 4 | Handicap 1
413
389
374
350
298
A par 4 dog leg right. The fairway bottlenecks at the dog leg and falls off on the right side, so play your tee shot to the left side. The approach shot is to a small green, well-bunkered, with trees over hanging the left side of the green.
Hole #4
Par 3 | Handicap 13
226
210
193
182
159
A long par 3 that plays extremely downhill to a two tiered green surrounded by bunkers. The key here is getting the right yardage.
Hole #5
Par 5 | Handicap 7
522
502
474
430
373
A slight dogleg left par 5, requires an accurate drive to find the narrow landing area. The key for the layup shot is to keep it in the fairway, as the fairway is tree-lined the whole way up and plays extremely uphill. Take more club for your approach shot, not only for the uphill, but this is one of the largest greens on the course.
Hole #6
Par 4 | Handicap 9
338
330
317
309
263
A short par 4, that plays extremely uphill on the tee shot, as well as the approach shot. The difficulty on this hole is the well-bunkered two-tier green. Getting the correct yardage on your approach shot is crucial.
Hole #7
Par 5 | Handicap 11
561
531
494
460
330
The tee shot is to a sloping right-to-left fairway. If you can get your tee shot over the hill, you will pick up some extra yardage and have a chance to go for the green in two. If not, the layup is will be just over the top of the hill. Watch out for the pond on the left. The green has a narrow opening, with water on the left and bunkers on the right.
Hole #8
Par 3 | Handicap 17
155
147
137
127
110
A short par 3, plays downhill to a small well-bunkered green. Getting the right yardage and club is key.
Hole #9
Par 4 | Handicap 3
386
369
343
328
360
This uphill dogleg right par 4 demands an accurate tee shot. If you try to cut too much off the corner the trees on the right come into play. Your approach shot is slightly uphill to well-bunkered, two-tiered green.
Hole #10
Par 4 | Handicap 10
364
357
342
335
324
A slight dogleg left par 4. The tee shot is downhill and then back uphill for the approach shot. Positioning your tee shot is crucial to give you the best angle into a tree-lined well-bunkered green.
Hole #11
Par 4 | Handicap 8
362
362
355
347
291
A straight away par 4 with a semi-blind tee shot. Players should favor the right center of the fairway to leave the best angle into a kidney shaped well-bunkered green. The green is not very receptive, so a high soft approach shot is necessary.
Hole #12
Par 3/4 | Handicap 14
283
263
130
125
120
A short uphill dogleg right par 4 across a deep barranca, where a big hitter can go for the green. Play as a par 3 from the White, Red, and Gold tees located just across the bridge. With out of bounds on the left and trees lining the right side, positioning off the tee is crucial for your approach into the well bunkered and smallest green on the course.
Hole #13
Par 4 | Handicap 4
418
418
404
387
337
A downhill, slight dogleg left par 4, which normally plays into the prevailing wind. Fairway bunkers protect the corner of the dogleg, so finding the fairway is crucial. The fairway slopes from right to left as well as downhill. The approach is into a two tiered green that slopes extremely from front to back, with bunkers on both sides of the green.
Hole #14
Par 4 | Handicap 2
439
416
334
329
263
A slight dogleg left par 4, with a barranca running down the entire left side all the way to the green. An ideal tee shot is right center in the fairway. This will open up the angle into the green, which is sloped front to back and surrounded by bunkers.
Hole #15
Par 3 | Handicap 18
145
135
118
110
46
A par 3 with a small well bunkered green. Accuracy and choosing the correct club are crucial to making par on this hole. This hole usually plays downwind and being long on your tee shot will leave a very treacherous up and down.
Hole #16
Par 5 | Handicap 16
486
474
440
424
302
An uphill par 5 that plays a lot longer than the yardage on the scorecard indicates. Reachable in two by the long hitters, the green is another small well-bunkered green that slopes back to front.
Hole #17
Par 4 | Handicap 12
330
330
322
311
207
This relatively short par 4 is more about accuracy than length. Off the tee, you have a fairway bunker that come into play down the left side of the fairway and for the longer hitters wanting to hit driver, there is a bunker farther up the right side. The approach shot demands accuracy as you’re hitting to a well-bunkered green that sits at an angle with a spine running through it.
Hole #18
Par 4 | Handicap 6
405
401
380
373
343
The finishing hole is a dogleg right par 4. An ideal tee shot is to aim at the fairway bunker down the left side with a slight cut. If you try to cut too much off the corner, you can be blocked by the trees on the right. The approach shot plays more uphill than it looks, so be sure to take 1 more club. This very large green is sloped from back to front and is surrounded by big bunkers on each side and another bunker in the back right.
The 2025 Therese Hession Regional Challenge is sponsored by
