Callippe Preserve, Pleasanton, CA

[JLahrman]

Hole 16, par 3 (212/175)

The 16th was probably my least favorite of the par 3s. Just one picture from the tee box. The green was fairly flat. The creek runs up the right and around the back of the green, but doesn't come into play much.



Hole 17, par 4 (447/404)

The 17th is a tough hole. Like the 9th, the creekbed cuts off the fairway. Like the 9th, I hit a 3-wood solidly, into the hazard.



The green is behind the bunker. I'm not sure if those short trees sticking out of the creek could potentially come into play. No pictures of the green again, but this was a tougher green that ran from left to right.



Hole 18, par 5 (573/528)

Unique hole, and not really in a good way in my book. The tee shot needs to lay up short of the creek, which again bisects the fairway. You can aim way right and get a pinball kick back towards the fairway. No reason at all to mess with the left side.



Here is a view of the second shot. The green is up to the right, not yet visible. You can play towards the bunker, and leave maybe 160 yards in. Or you can try for the narrower finger to the right of the bunker and get into wedge distance. You'd have to be a really good player to think about going for the green from here. If you were a good enough player to go for the green, you're probably good enough that you flew the creek on your drive anyway.

It certainly would have been an option to leave this as a par 4 and put the green where the bunker is, allowing for a nice finish under the clubhouse...



The view of the green, from about 140 out. As you can see, not a lot of room up there so it's really hard to think about getting to this green in two shots. From the white tees I hit 3 iron - 6 iron - wedge onto the green, that would probably be standard operating procedure for me.

[JLahrman]

I usually play at Alamada, Metro, and Monarch Bay and don't head over the hill too often. In the area, I would certainly put Callippe well ahead of Canyon Lakes and The Bridges, but behind Roddy Ranch. I did like Callippe's greens, they rolled quickly and most of them had a decent amount of slope. Favorite holes were #2, #3, #5, #7, #12, #14. Least favorite were #15, #16, and #18.

[Stewart Naugler]

I know Callippe was lucky enough to get one of the most knowledgeable and well respected superintendents in the country. The course must be in great condition for a public track?

[JLahrman]

I know Callippe was lucky enough to get one of the most knowledgeable and well respected superintendents in the country. The course must be in great condition for a public track?

No complaints about the course conditions, based on my one round. The greens were rolling really well, and the course was playing pretty firm for February (though the dry winter so far deserves some credit).

[astavrides]

ive found it always to be in great condition. 

I like #15, but other than that, i mostly agree with your other picks, pans, and comments.

[JLahrman]

I like #15, but other than that, i mostly agree with your other picks, pans, and comments.

I think #15 gave me flashbacks to that par 5 - #4 or #5? at The Bridges.