Poppy Ridge- Livermore

Twenty seven holes with one tree? Gotta be dull, easy or both. That’s what you figure.

But when you get out to Poppy Ridge in Livermore, you’ll quickly see that neither is true. There is only one mature tree on this course, but the track has plenty of other ways to defend itself. There’s lots of wind. (Then again, I’m still looking for a Bay Area course that’s not windy.) The greens are large and tricky. And the holes are surrounded by this scraggly thick stuff that will leave you wishing you simply picked up your ball and took a penalty stroke. That is, if you find your ball in the first place.

The main thing that Poppy Ridge has going for it is that it’s priced very reasonably for what you get. If you’re a member of the Northern California Golf Association, you can walk this course during the week for $35. Rates go up to a maximum of $82 for non-members, riding, on the weekend.

If you have a whole day to kill, you can play another 18 holes, including the nine that you missed the first time around, for just an extra $20.

That’s a great deal. Plus, you won’t have to go to the gym that day. Marching up and down this hilly course will give you plenty of a workout. Just try to stop panting before you hit your next shot.

Being the lazy slug I am, I’d recommend riding at this course. It’s not walking the holes that bothers me so much, but there are some long hikes from one green to the next tee. The course was designed for carts.

When you show up for your tee time, you will be assigned one of the nines to start on. If you’re lucky enough to start on the Zinfandel course (hey, it’s wine country), you have a chance to get some momentum. It is by far the easiest of the three, and not coincidentally my favorite.

The first three holes are a short par 4, a downhill par 3 and another short par 4. That’ll get you going. My favorite par 5 on the course is Zinfandel No. 8. It’s 528 yards from the tips, with a relatively easy tee shot but trouble galore if you want to go for it. The green is guarded by a stone-lined gulley and a few bunkers.

The Merlot nine, which is the back if you start with Zinfandel, is the toughest. The first hole is only 426 from the tips and 397 from the white tees, but it somehow seems much longer. It’s uphill and it curls around to the left, and the green is on a plateau between a hill and a deep bunker. The first time I played this I made a five and walked off thinking I had a nice par. Then I checked the card. It’s a par 4.

The finishing hole on the Merlot is a scenic par 5 (see above photo). You start from an elevated tee, looking down at a fairway with water looming on the left. You’ll want to bail to the right, but don’t. That water is farther away than it looks. Tiger can get there, but you can’t. Your second shot will be another risky one, as the green is cozied in between the water and two bunkers. Someone in your group will go for it.

The Chardonnay nine is the Jan Brady of this course. Kind of the middle sibling. Not too interesting. Not that hard or that easy. The only feature worth mentioning is on hole No. 8.

That’s where you’ll find the tree.

By Jeff Fletcher
Editor, sfbaygolf.com

Back to Reviews | View Course Profile | Course Website