Walnut Creek Region

[FEG]

Hi there, any recommendations for a solid round a golf in that area?  And will also have rental sets available.

TIA

[James the Hogan Fan]

Diablo Creek and Boundary Oak are average-to-solid muni courses. Nothing flashy but you get to play golf. Boundary is better, in my opinion. Previously there were a number of decent courses in Antioch/Brentwood... They are dead and gone.

 

If you can open yourself up to a 30-60 minute drive radius you might try:

 

The Bridges: always in decent shape, a little pricey and very challenging, but one of my bay area favorites. (not walkable at all)

 

Las Positas: had a rennovation/rebuild 10 years back and came up better for it. Another muni but in my opinion better than DC or BO above.

 

Callippe Preserve: Starting to get further out but this ia an excellent golf course that everyone(!) likes. Beware of rush times because it can easily turn into a 5 hour slog.

 

Wente Vineyards: had a Nationwide tour event back when. Upscale semi-private style course. Fun, good condition, totally unwalkable.

 

Poppy Ridge: never been there but heard good things.

 

Corica Park: If you want to drive through the tunnel to Oakland this gem in Alameda was rennovated 2 years ago and is the real deal. They keep it in good shape with fast greens, and turned a mediocre muni into something pretty special. 

 

I'm sorry I cannot offer info on the Napa valley courses. Simply too far away for me to have played.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NVMBR]

^Co-sign on all this above. The Bridges is super unwalkable. Boundary > Diablo.

 

Getting farther out does offer some good stuff. Oakland area has Corica and Metropolitan (a cheaper option).

 

If you are willing to drive a lil bit the SF courses are worth a loop (slightly pricey for non residents): TPC Harding Park, The Presidio

 

 

[Spicoli]

Some other decent public options:

Franklin Canyon

Tilden

Chabot (18 is a par 6 straight down the hill, so kinda of unique)

Blue Rock Springs, two courses

Lone Tree

San Ramon Golf Club, formerly Royal Vista

Canyon Lakes (goat trail and not a fan)

 

I have to drop Diablo Hills in WC (where I learned to play). A nothing special nine holer, but cool that you get 5 par 4s and a Par 5.

[95124hacker]

Haven’t played there in years but would add Hiddenbrooke in Vallejo. Second the Bridges recommendation.

[blazer_fan]

If your tied to Walnut Creek, Boundary Oak is by far the best bet over Diablo Creek. The greens at BO can get really wild depending on pin positions, and the course is a lot more interesting than Diablo Creek. BO has elevation changes and a nice mix of varying length par 3s, 4s, and 5s. Diablo Creek is very flat and feels like the same hole over and over again out in a big field off the freeway.

 

I guess the Bridges is about the same distance as Diablo Creek, but depending on what time of day your are driving the traffic situation makes a big difference. Bridges is fun, but very challenging and most likely you will either love it or hate it with little in between.

[pretzelbag]

Regarding rental sets, lots of courses are not renting clubs at all due to the virus so you should probably call ahead to see if the various courses have any sets available.

 

For instance, Poppy Hills (a course I would recommend, 35 minutes from WC in no traffic) is the NCGA-owned course in Livermore and their March 12th 2021 notice says no rental sets.

[Gnucastle]

How is Oakhurst Country Club these days? 

 

A little off topic but I used to work there as an assistant pro - back in the day. Was semi-private then. How about now?

[Metro-PA]

It's been a couple years since I've played Oakhurst, but I believe it was still semi-private.  The few times I played it was with a member.... so I'm not totally sure.  Great course!

[Golferguy209]

+1 on all the recommendations above.  If you wanted to drive not too much farther north of WC is Chardonnay and Eagle Vines in American Canyon.  

[chussey]

On 4/11/2021 at 8:40 PM, Metro-PA said:

It's been a couple years since I've played Oakhurst, but I believe it was still semi-private.  The few times I played it was with a member.... so I'm not totally sure.  Great course!

Played Oakhurst late last year. Not semi-private anymore…full on private. As a guest, they charged me $90 for a weekday afternoon round which wasn’t too bad but a pricey. Interesting layout and quite tough but wasn’t in good shape at all. The first three greens had major dead spots but hey it’s the deep east bay…it gets hot. my member friend quit since he did not think it was worth it. 
 

Boundary is my go to weekday after work round although the range absolutely sucks. Greens can be so tricky despite looking easy…everything breaks to the hospital. 
 

don’t give Diablo Creek any of your money except maybe at the range. 
 

Chardonnay, Callippe and Corica are fantastic.
 

 

[Shakester]

I miss Roddy Ranch.  It was such a awesome course.  

[gambit]

13 hours ago, Shakester said:

I miss Roddy Ranch.  It was such a awesome course.  

Roddy Ranch could’ve been something really special if the bunkers were consistent and they had better mgmt.

[Steve P OAK]

Mention Roddy to anyone during a round in the Bay Area, and you will get misty reminiscing eyes.

[James the Hogan Fan]

On 8/20/2021 at 1:39 PM, Steve P OAK said:

Mention Roddy to anyone during a round in the Bay Area, and you will get misty reminiscing eyes.

It may not be the same but 9 holes of Shadow Lakes are coming back from the dead!

[blazer_fan]

On 6/23/2021 at 7:27 AM, chussey said:

Played Oakhurst late last year. Not semi-private anymore…full on private. As a guest, they charged me $90 for a weekday afternoon round which wasn’t too bad but a pricey. Interesting layout and quite tough but wasn’t in good shape at all. The first three greens had major dead spots but hey it’s the deep east bay…it gets hot. my member friend quit since he did not think it was worth it. 
 

Boundary is my go to weekday after work round although the range absolutely sucks. Greens can be so tricky despite looking easy…everything breaks to the hospital. 
 

don’t give Diablo Creek any of your money except maybe at the range. 
 

Chardonnay, Callippe and Corica are fantastic.
 

 

I actually just joined Oakhurst in July as I recently moved further into the East Bay. The course was in pretty rough shape and I was kind of shocked at the conditions (very slow greens, dead spots, bunkers with no sand) as well as the lack of certain features on the course (yardage markers, benches, water stations, etc.) that I would expect from a country club. However its still in the middle of a drought and COVID, and apparently the green mowers were broken earlier in the year. Since I joined, they fixed the green speeds (night and day difference) and have just started a new bunker rehabilitation project. All and all though you can't beat the price and location and I am happy.  I do miss my regular rounds at Boundary Oak. That course has a lot of character for being a muni, but I don't miss getting murdered on the greens.