NOT FOUND: golf review.jpgSince the rain that has come through our area has restored the lush green grass and brought our water tables to sustainable levels, I thought it would be a good time to treat myself to a round of golf at Winchester Country Club. Winchester is located in Meadow Vista, CA, which is just above the city Auburn and about 40 minutes from Sacramento. It is situated in the foothills with great views of the Sierras and spectacular scenery all around. As you will find at a great deal of courses surrounding Sacramento, nature interacts very smoothly with the golf course.
Winchester was rated #54 in Golfweek’s top 100 residential courses. It is ranked #26 in California by Golf Digest and it's also one of the top three courses built in Northern California in the last 35 years. High acclaim has been awarded to this course since it’s opening in 1998. It was a private club until last year, so non-members may now play anytime after 11AM. They are closed on Tuesdays.
The course is great, but first I have to tell you about the practice area! Even after playing courses all over the country, Winchester definitely has one of the best practice areas I have played. Their well-kept tee areas and landing areas are better than some other courses’ regular greens. There are two putting areas and an area to practice sand shots as well as chipping and pitch shots.
The first tee is a great start. As you begin your round, you have a view of the Sierras and the tree line. This is an elevated tee, so your drive is downhill, leaving you with an uphill approach shot and requiring some accuracy. If you are off the fairway, as I was, you’ll have a tougher shot because of a side-hill lie. This course plays five sets of tees and gives every golfer an opportunity to play well and be challenged. Some of the best challenges come from the par 3 holes that cannot only play long (over 200 yards) but also require precise shot-making skills because of the small landing areas. The shortest of the bunch is number seven that plays 172 yards from the back tees, but plays downhill to a shallow green. While you can putt from off the green, it will be harder to get a true scoring opportunity.
Some of the toughest parts of this course are the greens and their landing areas. There are quite a few false fronts to these greens. Certain areas appear to be greens, yet you find they are still fairway. These are a part of the design of Robert Trent Jones Sr. Mr. Jones is one of the foremost golf architects of this generation. It has been said that he has designed or re-designed about 500 golf courses in at least 40 US states and 35 other countries all around the world. It has been jokingly said that, "The sun never sets on a Robert Trent Jones golf course." He had certain thoughts about how a golf course should play and Winchester certainly lives up to those thoughts. Jones' courses are noted for their artistic landscaping, innovative use of bunkers, liberal use of water hazards, and deft placement of greens and hazards that encourage a high level of strategy. He believed that golf should be a no-risk, no-reward sport and his designs encouraged daring play. Winchester will leave you with chances that you should and should not take. There is, however no risk in playing at Winchester. It is a definite winner and a great golf course to play. Take some time and enjoy it soon.