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Published August 20, 2008
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The East Bay’s Public Golf Courses
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| By Garrett Ley |
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| Tilden Park, Berkeley Photos courtesy http://tildenparkgc.americangolf.com |
Tilden Park
Tilden Park couldn’t be located in a more beautiful setting, nestled in the North Berkeley Hills. The course is a par 70, mainly because of its short length (just 6,294 from the longest tees), and boasts a course rating of 70.6 and slope rating of 123. The course was built to fit right into the hilly terrain, and finding a flat lie, even in a fairway, can be a challenge. The three-tier driving range is one of the nicest facilities around, but beware -- hitting off the top deck can cause delusional golfers to believe they’re hitting their eight iron 257 yards to the back fence. Words of wisdom: Don’t aim for the deer; the pro shop guys will yell at you.
A six-hour round is not out of the question here, so you might as well plan your entire day around golfing. If you consider yourself a below-average golfer, you’ll be right at home.
The prices are cheap and affordable—if you know when to go. Weekend rates can kill you; a round and a cart can be up to $70. However, there are hugely discounted rates Monday through Thursday, along with cheap twilight rates Friday through Sunday. Kids 17 and under can play Monday-Thursday for $7, currently the best deal in the East Bay.
Boundary Oaks
Boundary Oaks Golf Course, located off of Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek, is a lengthy 18-hole public course with several water hazards. At 7,063 yards from the tips, Boundary is one of the longest public courses in the East Bay that favors the deep hitter rather than the finesse player. If you spray your tee shot, not to worry, you’re to find safety in a nearby fairway. Though not as hilly as Tilden Park, the course does feature some holes with slope. Most Par 4s and 5s have a slight dogleg, and the greens can be fast and challenging in the dry, late summer days.
Finding a tee time in the morning can be a challenge at Boundary Oaks because the pro shop sends golfers off the 1st and 10th tees from sunrise to 10 a.m., so nobody can get on until 12:30 or later. Golfers hit uphill off mats at the driving range; however, the painted red stripes on the range balls turn your clubs red over time. Wind comes into play in the late afternoon, affecting iron shots into greens—especially the tee shot on the par-3 second. Watch out of in-course out-of-bounds on holes 3, 8 and 14. For a well-designed course that features water on seven holes and over 7,000 yards of terrain, Boundary Oaks has very cheap rates. A tee time on a weekday is just $23, and it rises to a reasonable $31 on weekends. A cart costs just $15 more.
Diablo Creek
Diablo Creek, known to some as Port Chicago Highway Country Club, is another grip-it-and-rip-it course with wide-open fairways and nowhere to go wrong. The course is less challenging than Tilden or Boundary, but it can get tricky when the wind comes into play in the late afternoon. Measuring 6,439 from the blue tees for a par of 71, Diablo Creek isn’t super long, but the three Par 5s are tough to reach in two because they play into the wind. The course has a two-sided driving range where golfers hit balls towards each other, which can be exciting if you have wind at your back. Immaculate
Like most public courses, the pace of play can be slow at Diablo Creek, especially on the weekends. The course does get a lot of use, and consequently the greens are bumpy at times. If you consider yourself an amazing putter who digs immaculate greens, stay away for a while. But if you’re looking for a fun, inexpensive course located next to the beautiful Port Chicago Highway in Concord, Diablo Creek is for you. Fridays are the best time to hit up Diablo Creek—the course offers a $36 green fee (includes cart) that is valid all day. Greens fees are $28 ($24 if you tell them you’re a Concord resident) on weekdays, and $37 ($32 for residents) on weekends. The junior rates are $14 on weekdays.
Buchanan Fields
Buchanan Fields is a short 9-hole course located off I-680 in Concord. It’s the perfect place for a beginner looking to improve before heading out on more challenging courses. The course itself is just 1,982 yards, mixing par 3s and par 4s for a par of 31. The driving range is the highlight, offering plenty of stalls to refine your swing. |
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| Tilden Park, Berkeley Photos courtesy http://tildenparkgc.americangolf.com |
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| Reach at: info@lamorindaweekly.com |
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA