16 minute read
Let the Good Times Roll
LOCAL GETAWAYS FALL 2022
Golf has enjoyed an uptick of late — here’s where to play in the Bay Area.
By Robert Kaufman
TALK ABOUT AN ELEVENTH HOUR EAGLE. The pandemic delivered an unexpected top score for the game of golf. Just as the Tiger Woods-popularity effect was waning and enterprising golf course owners were struggling to come up with new ways to attract more players to their beautiful verdant greens (electric surf carts, sunset happy hours), a worldwide shutdown hit, allowing only a few options for socializing, golf being one. And poof — golf is back, better than ever.
As reported by Erik Matuszewski, editorial director of National Golf Foundation and Forbes contributor, “There were more rounds of golf played at courses across the U.S. than at any time in history. Ever.” This fun fact made it harder to secure tee times. With this came a change in the old school Rodney Dangerfieldesque country clubber, as the face, age and economics of golf is evolving.
One of the channels for change can be attributed to the thriving Youth on Course program, which has provided over 130,000 kids access for $5 or less to golf courses around California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona and Idaho. Many of the courses around the Bay Area participate in the program — TPC Harding Park, for example, offers access via YOC in addition to hosting PGA Junior Championship tournaments. Up Highway 101, Silverado and Windsor in Napa Valley and Sonoma County offer summer camps and tournaments.
The big-ticket landscape of the Greater Bay Area, from bustling cosmopolitan cities to quiet coastal communities, has been gifted with an exceptionally diverse collection of communal golf courses layered with a rich frosting of history, from the architects who conceived them to some of the greatest wizards of golf, including Johnny Miller and Ken Venturi, who honed their skills on sidehill, uphill, and downhill lies. Whether a local or visitor, there’s a golf challenge to suit any size wallet.
The following is a curated list of the best public golf courses in greater Bay Area, in alphabetical order.
Baylands Golf Links | PALO ALTO
Year built: 1956 Architect: William Bell / Redesign (2018) Forrest Richardson Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: Driving range with 26 hitting bays, plus large chipping greens Food & Beverage: Baylands Cafe
Opened in 1956, Palo Alto Municipal GC adjacent the Palo Alto Airport was redesigned by renowned architect Forrest Richardson and reopened as Baylands GL in 2018. With a fresh look, including the removal of 400 non-native trees, the 6,680-yard walkable layout features five par 3s, five par 5s and 55 acres of native Baylands vegetation and wetlands areas through which the San Fransisquito Creek, a historic waterway, runs acting as a major flood conveyance stream. baylandsgolflinks.com
Chardonnay Golf Club & Vineyards Course | NAPA VALLEY
Year built: 1991 Architect: Algie Pulley Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: Driving range with multiple target greens, practice fairway bunker, and undulated practice green; Kris Moe Golf Schools Food & Beverage: View Bar & Grill
Searching for an authentic Wine Country golf experience? Chardonnay GC (1986) serves up the quintessential tasting. Void of any private residences, golfers will need only avoid hitting their golf ball into the countless rows of chardonnay, merlot and pinot noir grapevines bordering the fairways. There are no wine sampling stations available on the 18-hole, 6,773-yard course but the layout does feature a unique blend of six par fives, six par fours, and six par threes. chardonnaygolfclub.com
Cinnabar Hills Golf Club | SAN JOSE
Year built: 1991 Architect: John Harbottle III Number of holes: 27 (three nines) Practice Area: Grass-tee driving range, chipping area, and three putting greens Food & Beverage: Cinnabar Hills Restaurant
Peacefully tucked high in the hills only a short drive from fast-paced Silicon Valley, Cinnabar Hills GC, designed by John Harbottle, includes three distinct nines: Lake, Canyon, and Mountain Courses. All 27 holes blend championship-caliber golf with spectacular views and have been crafted to maintain the natural slope of the area and protect the resident wildlife, including foxes and turkeys. To further enhance the landscape, hundreds of oaks were incorporated into the layout. cinnabarhills.com
CordeValle | SAN MARTIN
Year built: 1999 Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr. Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: Driving range, putting green, chipping practice area Food & Beverage: One Iron Bar and Lion’s Peak Grill
Situated on 260 acres of gently rolling terrain 30 minutes south of San Jose, Robert Trent Jones, Jr. took advantage of the natural elevation changes formed by peaks and canyons and enhanced by meandering creeks, plus sycamore and California oak trees. The 7,360-yard CordeValle GC offers an impressive variety of hole challenges for amateur and professional golfers (hosted PGA Tour Frys.com, 2010-13, and 2016 U.S. Women’s Open) and luxurious accommodations for a 5-star escape. cordevalle.com
Corica Park | ALAMEDA
Year built: North Course (1927); South Course (1957) Architect: North Course (William Park Bell) / Redesign by Marc Logan (2022); South Course (William Francis Bell / Redesign by Rees Jones (2018) Number of holes: 45 (North Course/ South Course/Mif Albright 9 Par 3)
Practice Area: Driving range, short game area Food & Beverage: Jim’s on the Course Sports Bar & Grill
Golf down under on the island city of Alameda at the Bay Area’s only Australian sand-belt style course. After a dramatic restoration (2018) to the South Course by famed architect Rees Jones, the minimalist 6,874-yard layout plays fast and firm with the option to strike the ball to the hole by air or ground. The property, five minutes from Oakland International Airport, is also home to the North Course (under renovation; 9 holes due to open June 2021) and one of America’s top nine-hole, par-3 courses. coricapark.com
Eagle Vines Golf Club | NAPA VALLEY
Year built: 1991 Architect: Johnny Miller Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: Putting green Food & Beverage: The Eagle Grill
Beautifully blended into the foothills of Napa Valley, an hour away from Sacramento, San Francisco and Santa Rosa, Eagle Vines GC came into existence somewhat ready-made with ten of the original Shakespeare Course holes from the adjacent Chardonnay GC. The 18-hole, 7,297-yard course designed in part by World Golf Hall of Famer, Johnny Miller, weaves around majestic oak trees, creeks, and working vineyards to epitomize how golf and nature can coexist in magnificent harmony. eaglevinesgolfclub.com
Half Moon Bay Golf Links | HALF MOON BAY
Year built: Old Course (1973); Ocean Course (1997) Architect: Old Course (Arnold Palmer); Ocean Course (Rees Jones) Number of holes: 36 Practice Area: Putting green Food & Beverage: Mullins Bar & Grill
Along the Pacific Coast 30 minutes from San Francisco or Silicon Valley, two 18-hole courses create bookends to The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. The Arnold Palmer/Francis Duane-designed 7,001-yard Old Course (1973) has a parkland feel with a premium on strategy over distance and a postcard 18th hole finish along the coastal bluff. The 6,854- yard links-style Ocean Course (1997) is an Arthur Hills’ crafted layout with wide open fairways and Big Blue views from nearly every hole. A sunset finish on either is complimented by Scottish bagpipes. halfmoonbaygolf.com
Hiddenbrooke Golf Club | VALLEJO
Year built: 1995 Architect: Arnold Palmer Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: Driving range, chipping area, and putting green Food & Beverage: Hiddenbrooke Grill
A former host to the LPGA’s Samsung World Championships of Golf (2000- 2002), the acclaimed an Arnold Palmer Signature golf course is nestled in a scenic secluded valley just north of San Francisco. At 6,619 yards with dramatic elevation changes, large challenging greens and water on 14 of the 18 holes, the award-winning (4.5-star rating from Golf Digest) Hiddenbrooke GC provides five sets of tees to accommodate beginning to advanced golfers. hiddenbrookegolf.com
Indian Valley Golf Club | NOVATO
Year built: 1957 Architect: Robert Nyberg Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: Driving range, chipping/ putting green, practice sand bunker Food & Beverage: 19th Hole Bar & Grill
Indian Valley GC (1958), Marin County’s most remote golf challenge, is enhanced by game-distracting scenery of protected farmland covering the rolling hills surrounding Stafford Lake. Steeped in its blue-collar roots with a family atmosphere, the 6,374-yard hidden gem yields a variety of 18 holes playing around woodlands and wetlands but, perhaps, the most unique feature of any golf course is the elevator for transporting energetic walkers up a steep grade from hole #13 to #14. indianvalleygolfclub.com
Metropolitan Golf Links | OAKLAND
Year built: 2003 Architect: Johnny Miller/Fred Bliss Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: All-grass driving range, short game practice area Food & Beverage: Snacks and drinks
In the tradition of great links courses, Johnny Miller and Fred Bliss designed 18 holes right next to Oakland International Airport with a spacious and open feel giving the thinking golfer a variety of options depending upon the wind and appetite for risk/reward. With a backdrop of the Oakland Hills, Bay, downtown Oakland and San Francisco, the compact 6,959-yard layout includes straight holes, doglegs and even a couple double doglegs throughout the subtle mounding and wetland areas. playmetro.com
Napa Golf Course at Kennedy Park | NAPA
Year built: 1967 Architect: Jack Fleming / Bob Baldock Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: Driving range, short game practice area, large putting green Food & Beverage: Jack’s Bar & Grill
Bordering the Napa River wetlands in the city of Napa, the classic parkland-style 6,681-yard course showcases a routing with somewhat narrow fairways that follow the topography, from tree-lined fairways on the east side to the flatter, more expansive holes on the west with some lakes. With significant enhancements, including cart paths, tees, and bunkers in recent years plus a remodeled golf shop, it is one of the region’s most relaxed, kid-friendly, and affordable courses. playnapa.com
Northwood Golf Club | MONTE RIO
Year built: 1928 Architect: Alister Mackenzie Number of holes: 9 Practice Area: Putting green Food & Beverage: Casa Secoya / Northwood Bistro
Adjacent to the Russian River in Sonoma County, Northwood GC (1928) was designed by famed architect Alister MacKenzie (Meadow Club, Cypress Point, Augusta National) in collaboration with Robert Hunter, as a creation for the exclusive Bohemian Club. Now open to the public, the friendly staff is super welcoming at this picturesque 2,893-yard nine-hole course with narrow fairways weaving around strands of towering Redwoods. northwoodgolf.com
Pasatiempo Golf Course | SANTA CRUZ
Year built: 1929 Architect: Alister Mackenzie Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: Driving range, putting green Food & Beverage: Hollins House & The Tap Room / Mackenzie Bar & Grill
Less than an hour’s drive north from the Monterey Peninsula, Pasatiempo GC (1929) was designed by Alister MacKenzie (Augusta National, Cypress Point). It was considered the renowned Scottish architect’s favorite 18-hole creation and where his American home still borders the sixth fairway. Consistently ranked among America’s top public golf courses, this historic 6,495-yard championship venue is a must-play on the Bay Area’s golf bucket list. pasatiempo.com
Peacock Gap Golf Club | SAN RAFAEL
Year built: 1960 Architect: William F. Bell / Forrest Richardson (2007 renovation) Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: All-grass driving range, practice green, chipping area Food & Beverage: Range Cafe Bar & Grill
Peacock Gap GC (1960) was designed by William F. Bell and later renovated (early 2000’s) by Forrest Richardson. By blending the classic Bell bunker style with innovative green contours and new holes, including risk-reward par-4s, reachable par-5s and a par-3 that plays across a pond to a two-level green, the very walkable 6,261-yard layout offers golfers a solid variety of shot-making. Also on site is Marin County’s all-grass driving range, practice greens and chipping area. peacockgapgolfclub.com
Poppy Ridge Golf Club | LIVERMORE
Year built: 1996 Architect: Rees Jones Number of holes: 27 (three nines) Practice Area: All-grass driving range, pitching green w/bunker, and three putting greens Food & Beverage: Grill at Poppy Ridge
In the heart of Livermore Wine Country, the 27-hole Rees Jones design is reminiscent of the Scottish heathland courses. Three nines as distinct as the grape varietals they are named after – Merlot, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel – sweep through 3,000 acres of savannah-covered hills to provide challenges for golfers of any skill level. Each hole is shaped by extensive bunkering to reinforce the feel of a true links-style course and each nine closes with a lakeside green in front of the hacienda-style clubhouse. poppyridgegolf.com
Presidio Golf Course | SAN FRANCISCO
Year built: 1895 Architect: Robert Johnstone/ William McEwan Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: Driving range, 6-hole practice putting/chipping green Food & Beverage: Presidio Café
Overlooking the gateway to San Francisco Bay, Presidio GC (1895) is the second oldest course west of the Mississippi. Before transitioning to a public course in 1995, play was restricted to military officers and the likes of Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth and Dwight Eisenhower. The deceivingly long 6,481-yard hilly layout within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area meanders around Eucalyptus and Monterey Pine trees and is a mission worth undertaking. presidiogolf.com
Sea Ranch Golf Links | SEA RANCH
Year built: 1974 (front nine) / 1995 (back nine) Architect: Robert Muir Graves Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: Putting green Food & Beverage: The Bar + Lounge
This Scottish-style links course along the North Coast was completed in two phases with the front nine appearing in 1974 along the undulating landscape, followed by the back nine in 1995. The 6,649-yard layout is fairly unprotected from the ocean breezes and the fairways are bordered by native grasses and plants that sometimes serve as a magnet for wayward hit golf balls. Stay-and-play packages are available. thesearanchlodge.com/golf
Silverado Resort & Spa | NAPA
Year built: 1955 (North Course); 1966 (South Course) Architect: 1966: Robert Trent Jones Jr. redesign of North Course and added South Course/ 2014: North & South redesign by Johnny Miller Number of holes: 36 Practice Area: All-grass driving range, putting green, chipping green Food & Beverage: The Grill
Napa Valley’s renown Wine Country and 36 golf holes at the iconic Silverado Resort & Spa exemplify the consummate pairing. With two championship courses redesigned by World Golf Hall of Fame member and co-owner, Johnny Miller. Both offer an abundance of water and large greens, however, the 7,166-yard North Course, which hosts the annual PGA Tour Safeway Open, is longer and more straightforward than the hillier 6,612- yard South Course with less room for error. Don’t miss the famous “burger dog” available at the snack shack. silveradoresort.com
Rooster Run Golf Club | PETALUMA
Year built: 1998 Architect: Fred Bliss Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: All-grass driving range, two practice putting greens Food & Beverage: Snacks and drinks
Located on the outskirt of Sonoma Wine Country, Rooster Run GC features level, wide fairways surrounded by ancient oak trees, native willows and cottonwoods, plus a bevy of water hazards, including six lakes and the areas only island green. But the true test for scoring well on the 7,001-yard track will be earned on the greens that are large, fast, and very undulated. roosterrun.com
The Course at Wente Vineyards | LIVERMORE
Year built: 1998 Architect: Greg Norman Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: Driving range, putting green, chipping green, short game practice area Food & Beverage: The Grill
Greg “The Shark” carved an 18-hole masterpiece through acres of centuryold grapevines and rolling hills in the scenic Livermore Valley Wine Country. The Course at Wente Vineyards (1998), 50 minutes east of San Francisco, provides eye-candy panoramas to compliment a 7,181-yard layout that once challenged (2006-08) the PGA Tour’s Nationwide Tour (now Korn Ferry Tour). The cart ride from hole No. 9 to No. 10 treats golfers to a taste San Francisco’s world-famous Lombard St. wentevineyards.com/course
The Links at Bodega Harbour | BODEGA BAY
Year built: 1978 (back nine) / 1987 (front nine) Architect: Robert Trent Jones Jr. Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: Putting green Food & Beverage: Bluewater Bistro
Hugging Sonoma County’s coastline with spectacular Pacific Ocean views, The Links at Bodega Harbour (back nine, 1978/front nine, 1987) guarantees a happier birdie experience than Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds that was filmed nearby. With rolling hills and undulating greens dominating this Scottish-style links designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., the front nine is demanding with strategically-placed pot bunkers, while the back nine presents wider fairways and a dramatic three-hole, par 4-3-4, finish. bodegaharbourgolf.com
TPC Harding Park | SAN FRANCISCO
Year built: 1925 Architect: Willie Watson/Sam Whiting Number of holes: 27 Practice Area: Toptracer Range, putting green Food & Beverage: Cypress Grill
Surrounded by Monterey Cypress trees and Lake Merced, TPC Harding Park (1925) is where San Francisco born golf legends Johnny Miller, Ken Venturi, and George Archer honed their game. Following a $16 million restoration project in 2002-03, the 6,845-yard gem has hosted multiple pro tournaments, including the Presidents Cup (2005) and the 2020 PGA Championship. The Fleming 9 course (2,165 yards) was added in 1961 in the interior of the 18-hole layout. tpc.com/hardingpark
Vintner’s Golf Club | YOUNTVILLE
Year built: 1999 Architect: Casey O’Callaghan Number of holes: 9 Practice Area: Putting green Food & Beverage: Lakeside Grill
The charming 9-hole gem is situated next door to the Domaine Chandon Winery and across Hwy 29 from Yountville’s eating establishments and shops. With three sets of tees to challenge any player from scratch to beginner for a two-hour round, the 2,929-yard course was redesigned by PGA Tour and Senior Tour player, Bob Boldt, and showcases large greens and ample-size fairways. vintnersgolfclub.com
Windsor Golf Club | WINDSOR
Year built: 1989 Architect: Fred Bliss Number of holes: 18 Practice Area: All-grass driving range, putting green, chipping area Food & Beverage: Charlie’s Restaurant
As a one-time host to several PGA Ben Hogan Tour and Nike Tour (now Korn Ferry Tour) tournaments, Windsor GC (1989) in Sonoma Wine Country is a challenging 6,599-yard layout uncluttered by neighboring homes that carves through a gently rolling landscape with a multitude of visual treats, including the club’s signature Silo, native oaks, and strategically-placed ponds. windsorgolf.com
