BIRDIES & BOGEYS:  CROW CANYON
GRAND CANYON

Crow Canyon just may be the toughest  short course in Northern California.

Situated at the foot of Mount Diablo, about 35 miles east of San Francisco in the San Ramon Valley, are 18 holes of championship golf that have the reputation as the toughest short course in Northern California. It’s a reputation that Crow Canyon Country Club in Danville well deserves, members will attest to the dubious visitor.

Don’t be deceived by the 5,949 yardage of the blue “tips” of this Ted Robinson-designed layout. You’ll likely need every club in your bag. The same is true, although to a lesser extent, for golfers opting to play from one of the course’s three other sets of tees — the 5,566-yard whites, the 5,398-yard reds, and the 5,053-yard golds.

Two holes in particular will be on a golfer’s mind during the drive to the course — No. 6 and the finishing No. 18.

“No. 6 can make or break your round,” golf professional Brent Mulanax says. “It’s a long par-3 that gets longer and longer for anyone who fades the ball.”

That’s because the dominant feature of the hole is water.

The best strategy, especially for a higher handicap player, is to lay up to the landing area to the left, short of the slightly elevated, flat green. That’s the safest route to par or bogey. A layup also takes the bunkers out of play for the second shot.

The lower handicapper, however, usually can’t resist the direct route over the water, a carry that probably requires a well-hit long to medium iron from the white or back tees.

The target is anywhere on the green, but longer hitters will have an advantage in that the green widens and becomes a bigger target toward the back. When in doubt, hit an extra club. After all, there is a saving bunker on the back to catch balls before they roll out of bounds onto the road. The biggest challenge to any player on No. 6 is the wind. The breeze swirls are difficult to judge on a typical Northern California day.

The finishing No. 18 is a long par-4 that requires precision off the tee and a tough, uphill approach shot to a well-bunkered, elevated green that features the clubhouse as a backdrop. Here, there is no advantage for the long-drive champion because water wends down the left side and across the fairway. The more skilled player is likely to opt for a long iron or fairway wood off the tee. In any case, the goal is to hit the fairway. There’s little room for a miss.

Greens throughout the Crow Canyon layout are fairly small and often well bunkered. “Don’t play too much break,” Mulanax advises newcomers. And unlike other California courses, where putts typically break toward the mountains, Crow Canyon’s greens show little influence from the towering Mount Diablo on the horizon.

“I wouldn’t have any preconceived notions about the greens,” Mulanax adds.

That proves to be very sound advice.

SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT
Location: Crow Canyon Country Club, 711 Silver Lake Drive, Danville, California.
Manager: Patrick Tombelaine.
Membership Director: Mac White.
Beyond golf: 13 tennis courts, swimming pool, cocktail lounge, grill, dining room, private dining room, fitness center, spa — and a full calendar of activities.