401 West Country Club Drive,
Brentwood, California 94513
The Course:
18 holes. Open parkland. Undulating terrain - several slopes to climb.
Surroundings:
Residential and rural countryside.
Designer:
Gary Roger Baird
37.925882
-121.750118
48 miles E of San Francisco / 2 miles W of Brentwood
From the Bay Area take Hwy 4 direction Antioch, and then Hwy 4 Bypass direction Brentwood. In Brentwood turn right onto Balfour Rd. After 1 mile Shadow Lakes GC is on your right.
Shadow Lakes
Shadow Lakes Golf Club: following closure in 2017 and a subsequent renovation, the course here reopened its full 18 holes in 2023. With nearby Roddy Ranch and next-door neighbour Deer Ridge having closed down their golf courses, local golfers are delighted that a reinvigorated Shadow Lakes is back-up and running.
Occupying the undulating foothills of Mt Diablo, before they dissolve into the San Joaquin river delta, Shadow Lakes takes you first on a steady upward climb. These opening holes set the scene: plenty of undulation change, a relatively open, linksy layout, and houses flanking many of the holes, although never too closely. Occasional rocky outcrops and plenty of rugged bunkering also line the way.
From the tee-box of the par-3 4th hole you are rewarded with a stunning "top of the world" vista; a 360-degree panorama in which housing communities in the foreground are eclipsed by open hills, mountains and the wide San Joaquin delta stretching away as far as the eye can see.
The first of four small lakes arrives as you plunge downhill at the par-4 5th, water threatening any approach shot hit right of the green. The second and largest lake is located in the lowest section of the course, and is introduced first as a tee-to-green hazard at the long par-3 11th. The lake subsequently comes back into the picture three times: as a watery surround to the tee-boxes of the uphill par-4 12th, and then creating island greens at the par-4 16th and par-3 17th.
The 16th (Matthew's Dare) offers up a heroic, risk-reward, downhill short par-4. For big-hitters who "give it a go", anything lacking precise length and direction is likely to get wet. Although some of the maintenance could be improved and housing is often in view, the immense popularity of this course stems from its wonderful layout, the undoubted golfing challenges it lays down, and many rewarding vistas from the higher elevations.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance.
Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2024].
Non-metal spike facility. Walking permitted.
Good
Shadow Lakes Golf Club and, on the other side of Balfour Rd, Deer Ridge Golf Club (now closed) were under common ownership. Both are laid out on the lower foothills of Mount Diablo, which rises to an elevation of 3,849 feet (1,173 m) 10 miles to the west. To the east of the golf courses, the San Joaquin River's delta region provides rich and abundant farmland.
8820 Brentwood Blvd, Brentwood, CA 94513
+1 (925) 634 6400
Visit websiteAn ideal choice for a visit to the delta region of the San Joaquin River, where you can enjoy unlimited options for fishing, boating, water sports and golf. Within an hour’s drive of Oakland, San Francisco, Sacramento, the Napa Valley & Livermore Wine Country.
No
Shadow Lakes; Deer Ridge; Roddy Ranch (6 miles)
No
7605 Brentwood Boulevard, Brentwood, California 94513
+1 (925) 513 1299
Visit websiteLocated in an agricultural community just east of the Bay Area, the Brentwood area is renowned for its peaches, corn, and cherries. The Hampton Inn in Brentwood is located within easy reach of Highway 4, just a mile from downtown and only minutes from numerous shopping, dining, and recreational destinations.
No
Shadow Lakes; Deer Ridge; Roddy Ranch (7 miles)
No
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