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 Oak Valley Golf Club predates the newly named East Valley Golf Club (formerly PGA of Southern California Golf Club) by nearly a decade, but it holds up nicely against the 36-hole facility's newer courses, located on the other side of the freeway. It also shows the softer design style of Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley, who are the architects behind the two neighboring courses. Their design credits also include Goose Creek and Talega Golf Club, to name a couple. THE AMENITIES Oak Valley has a minimalist clubhouse, with a quaint golf shop and dining room. The practice facility is sprawling with multiple targets and an all-grass hitting area. It's an excellent place to warm up before a round. It also has lights, allowing you to work on your game following a late afternoon round. NO-FRILLS FRONT NINE Straightforward golf would be an apt description of the front nine. For this round we played the white tees that measure 6,372 yards. The blue tee boxes were closed in preparation for the second stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School, which Oak Valley has hosted each fall for several years. The third hole is the first of several magnificent par 3s, with the toughest hole on the front nine being the par-4 seventh. It traditionally plays into a prevailing wind and can stretch to 475 yards from the back tee. STRATEGIC TESTS COMING HOME More strategy is required on the back nine, starting with No. 10, a 319-yard hole that requires players to hit a 200-yard shot off the tee to set up the best approach to the green. It's the first of several holes on the back where driver might not be the best option. The 159-yard, par-3 11th hole is one of the prettiest on the course. Players must carry the water in order to hit the green, which gives a hint of Pete Dye's influence on Schmidt and Curley's design. Railroad ties border the hazard, giving the hole some rustic appeal. The 493-yard, par-5 16th hole has a brilliant risk-reward element. A slightly downhill tee shot gives players extra length off the tee, which sets up an approach to a shallow green guarded on the left by a lake. Native vegetation is visible right of the green and behind the putting surface, so the best play for the weak of heart is to lay up short and right of the green to set up a simple pitch for a chance at birdie. THINKING GREEN A Holiday Inn Express recently opened next to the course and could help turn the area into a destination for golfers wanting to play both facilities. Oak Valley's fairways are lush and green, and the subtle breaks on the greens make putting more fun and less adventurous than some of the greens at East Valley Golf Club. Green fees are $60 on weekdays and $80 on weekends. The course and its neighbors across the highway make it worth the trip. For more information, call (877) 625-2582 or visit oakvalleygolf.com. |
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