Where to play in Napa?

[tlavin]

I'm obliged to go to a wedding in Napa on Memorial Day weekend.  I'm not familiar with the courses/clubs there.  What do the cognoscenti recommend?

[Sean Leary]

If you can get access, Mayacama. I have any heard great things, and it is considered one of Nicklaus' finest efforts to date..

On the public side, I have played Silverado and Chardonney, and both are worth playing if there but nothing great...

[Tim Leahy]

Chardonay has 27 holes, public, nice, right next door is Eagle Vines-johnny miller, a little more expensive but still good. Both play through vineyards. If your on  a budget Napa muni at Kennedy Park is good and interesting. Seniors play a tourny on Sonoma Mission Inn course but I wouldn't pay the high fees for the course. Nearby is also a Palmer course that is nice, Hiddenbrooke. If its over a weekend I would advise a teetime, also check the course web sites for deals, also GolfNow.com has some deals in that area.

[Kalen Braley]

I can 2nd the vineyards....some interesting holes out there and a wicked version of the eden hole.

[tlavin]

Any other great private clubs other than Mayacama?

[Jeff Doerr]

Terry,

I would also suggest the Meadowclub (private) or Sonoma (resort).

Jeff

[Bob_Huntley]

Jeff,

Meadowood is a nine holer, quite charming but just a filler really.

Mayacama is the place to call in chits and Sonoma National is worthwhile.

Bob

[Jeff Doerr]

I did mean Meadowclub, it is a bit of a distance but worth it. The restoration to the MacKenzie original has been discussed already.

MEADOW CLUB (1927/1930)
1001 Bolinas Road, Fairfax, 94930. Mail: P.O. Box 129 Fairfax, 94978. Golf Shop 415/456‑9393. Business Office 453‑3274. Fax 453-3276. Internet: www.meadowclub.com. Private, 18 holes. Members and guests only. Reciprocal with other private clubs. Guest Fee: $175, cart  included. Jack Grehan, Mgr.; Jim O’Neal, PGA Class A Pro; David Sexton, CGCS Supt. San Francisco Bay Zone. Club 53-342. Course Designer: Alister MacKenzie. Course Record: 60 by Ray Leach. Club Champions: Kevin Kobalter (Men); Ann Lahey (Women); Bill Sonnenberg (Senior).
            Men
Black   71        72.6     135      6686
Blue     71        72.1     133      6606
White   71        70.9     130      6317
Gold     71        69.7     128      6079
            Women
Gold     74        75.4     134      6116
Red      73        74.2     132      5888
Green   73        73.2     129      5781

[Bill_McBride]

Terry, if you start or finish your wine country stay with a night or two at the Sonoma Mission Inn, you can play a very worthwhile round at the Sonoma Golf Club.  It's private now unless you stay at the hotel; very sad, it used to be an affordable public course.  

[Joel_Stewart]

Terry:
Mayacama which is in Sonoma and Sonoma Golf Club are by far your 2 best bets.  Everything else is 2nd or 3rd rate.  Tom Doak has restored a nine holer called Aetna Springs which may be open by then???

If you are in the bay area and want to play with some GCA people send me a private email.

[Joel_Stewart]

If you are a Alister MacKenzie nut then try Northwood which is an interesting 9 holer carved among redwood trees.

[Jim Nugent]

I did mean Meadowclub, it is a bit of a distance but worth it. The restoration to the MacKenzie original has been discussed already.

MEADOW CLUB (1927/1930)
1001 Bolinas Road, Fairfax, 94930. Mail: P.O. Box 129 Fairfax, 94978. Golf Shop 415/456‑9393. Business Office 453‑3274. Fax 453-3276. Internet: www.meadowclub.com. Private, 18 holes. Members and guests only. Reciprocal with other private clubs. Guest Fee: $175, cart  included. Jack Grehan, Mgr.; Jim O’Neal, PGA Class A Pro; David Sexton, CGCS Supt. San Francisco Bay Zone. Club 53-342. Course Designer: Alister MacKenzie. Course Record: 60 by Ray Leach. Club Champions: Kevin Kobalter (Men); Ann Lahey (Women); Bill Sonnenberg (Senior).
            Men
Black   71        72.6     135      6686
Blue     71        72.1     133      6606
White   71        70.9     130      6317
Gold     71        69.7     128      6079
            Women
Gold     74        75.4     134      6116
Red      73        74.2     132      5888
Green   73        73.2     129      5781

Jeff, the Black tees appear to be only 80 yards longer than the Blues.  Seems small on the face of it.  Is there much difference between the two?  

[Tom Huckaby]

Jim - re Meadow Club, the black tees are only 80 yards longer because they only EXIST on 3-4 holes period... Perhaps there are a few more than that, but I know it's a minority of holes that even have black tees.

Re where to play in Napa, I'd concur with everything so far, except for one thing:  no one listed a course that's actually in Napa.  All listed so far are a considerable drive, with Sonoma GC being the closest... and depending on where Terry's staying, even that could be 1/2 hour away.

For courses actually in Napa, the pickings are slim as well... Silverado is worth playing, but one generally has to stay there to play there.  Napa Muni is damn good, but good luck getting a tee time Memorial Day weekend.  There are two publics called Chardonnay and Eagle Vines that are each pretty decent....

Here's a site that gives you all courses anywhere near.  Take a look, let us know which ones you are interested in.

http://www.ncga.org/sfnb.php

TH

[Mike Benham]

... very sad, it used to be an affordable public course.  

When was that, 1975?

[Bill_McBride]

... very sad, it used to be an affordable public course.  

When was that, 1975?

Actually, later than that.  I walked for $45 in I think 1992.  It made the big switch over to resort / private golf rather precipitously a couple of years later.

After playing Muirfield in Scotland recently I can confirm that Sonoma Golf Club has the most Muirfield-like routing I've ever played.  Front nine clockwise around the perimeter, back nine counterclockwise inside the front nine.  OB never is a problem for the fader or slicer, but deadly for the duck hooker!  

[jeffwarne]

if you want to find out who your friends are, get married on Memorial Day weekend.  
That would be a no no on the precious few summer weekends in the northeast

[Mitch St. Peter]

Frankly I think Mayacama is a good course but not worth the billing.  But I guess it would be worth the fun since it is an exclusive place and the experience is special.

The most enjoyable include Sonoma Golf Club (Sonoma National), Silverado North and Silverado South (Trent Jones).

The old Chardonnay is fun too which I think is called the Vineyard or Vines or something.  

[Tom Huckaby]

Mitch:

Re Mayacama, I guess "worth the billing" would depend on what the billing is.  Is it one of the 10 best courses in our state?  Likely not.  But is it the best course within an hour's drive of Napa?  Seems certain to me.  But you're right in any case, a lot of what makes it great is what some would call the "experience" - caddies, very private, secluded, etc.  Of course to me that counts, especially when someone is asking "where should I play", but I guess if you want to limit this to pure architecture, it wouldn't.

I concur re the others in any case.  Just note re Chardonnay, they took one nine from the old private Club Shakespeare and it's now the front nine on a new 18-hole course, Eagle Vines.  The other nine is now public, part of the 27 hole Chardonnay GC.   All five of those nines are worthwhile to some extent.

TH

[David_Tepper]

Has anyone played (private) Napa Valley CC? Used to be a 9-hole course that had a 2nd (very different) nine built about 15-20 years ago. I have been on the premises a couple of times for golf lessons, but have never been on the course. It is on the east side of Napa (city).