bolt65

I’m excited to play here each time. Played the “new” 18 4x now and each time has been excellent. Greens are solid as is the test around the greens. A good variety of holes.

This course offers amazing views of Mt Diablo, and the section surrounding holes 11-12-16 is noteworthy.

This is a links course that plays soft, meaning the course is too wet. Fast and firm is what it should be but isn’t. Greens are soft too. No bounce. I was hoping for faster greens…

Design is fine, some good holes for sure.

As for the hazards there are a few, not enough to keep you from hitting your next shot. Wide open course with sand traps well placed and high quality sand in most bunkers as just a few had rocks.

With the wind and soft course, in October with a dry summer, I’d expect it to be firmer. Made the course extra long from the black tees.

After 20 years of playing here I finally birdied 4 and 17 however both playing well over 200 yards.

4 stars because it’s on the bay with good views, a crowd, and good mix of links holes. Not to mention those great birdies!

The ups and downs at this course are interesting. The smallest green is the 190 par 3 14th over water hazard with water right too. It’s probably the easiest/flattest green on the course if you manage to hit a good tee shot that must be long and straight.

. ..Tbis hole will open as will 8 others completing this 18 hole track that has had its closures and now reopening after seeing what 9 holes Played twice and a range looked like…

Some pin positions will give you Vertigo. A few approaches will roll back if you dont play to middle when front pins.

It’s a very interesting track interwoven between hills, lakes, and lateral hazards with uphill and downhill shotmaking required and slope knowledge especially on 18.

Go get some. It’ll be 18 next week.

I’m sure the homeowners surrounding the property are going to benefit from this re opening…

Been here 20x, never gotten to play the Lakes. Amazing stat, considering it’s also over a 20 year period…it just turned 25?

When playing (a few times a week and well), course is like any other, and gettable. As a +2 who HAS played with LPGA pros, this course has it all. My feeling is that I still may lose to a TOUR LGPA member easily…

When having had a time off playing like a month or two or more, this place will eat you back up.

Having played only 18 of the 27, 180 holes gives me a good idea…

Play well. You won’t score otherwise.

Greens were excellent even with the 1-16th aeration. Rolled great even with splotchy greens due to Poa. Course seemed fast and firm even though they clearly watered. Tee boxes flat and good. Go get some. Those final par 3 are nasty from the Palmer tees. Saw my -6 round lose a few on 17.

Always enjoy it here. No complaints.

2nd time playing here in twenty years and even more amazed than the first time. This is a must play destination course as it’s far from civilian life, yet so memorable from start to finish.

Trouble can be found on every hole. Avoid bunkers at all costs IMO. With links holes, tree lined gems, “gorsh,” and plenty of rough, you need to be long and or straight here, carve the ball left and right, know when & where to lay up, and lag putt well.

This is an awesome course, design, and layout. Anyone that says otherwise doesn’t know pure golf. What a walk in the park! This course has just about it all…

Was looking forward to playing the 9 holes that were closed and was not disappointed. Grass is growing, and what’s dormant now will be green come next rains after winter.

Good greens, sand, fairways and tee boxes.

Will only get better from what I can see and then we’ll see how it’s maintained thereafter.

Can play soft or fast and firm going up and down the Brentwood hills.

Too wet for an afternoon Tuesday on a links course. Not enough wind to keep the jet engine fuel you’ll inhale from Oakland Airport. I’m seasick

You’ll have to dodge all the geese and their poops everywhere including on greens…

I love the looks of this place but looks can be deceiving.

First played this course when it opened and over the years. Been about a decade since I’ve played here but it seemed the same just run down or eroded too much…

Always enjoy playing here but the course isn’t what it use to be. It’s kind of a mirage here, as what you see can be either or.

Tee boxes were too wet for me yesterday, as it wasn’t more than 69 degrees and windy all day. I get preparing for heat but man, these tee boxes are either chewed up, or too wet.

Greens were verticut and could be good in a week. Otherwise they were too grainy.

Had to play the ball up most of the day as ground conditions leave something to be desired. Hole 7 is a mess around the green as are many.

The tee boxes on 10 & 14 are horrendous. These are the two best holes out here too. It’s a shame…

…but I’ll be back eventually. There is always a decent golf now deal and the course has its upsides.

You get what you pay for. This time year can be anything depending on weather. The colors of the course are beautiful.
And the greens were perfect yesterday. Best I’ve seen in 25 years.
I didn’t hit the sand traps but they looked fine. Also the tee boxes were very good.

Any complaints are not warranted. Great Muni with lots of character.

I still say make 14-15 middle a lateral hazzard though. May as well just let the river run Thru it…

Love playing Nicklaus courses. This place is awesome. The 7 holes on the other side of the freeway may give you vertigo, so be careful. The course has character, design, risk/reward, treachery and simplicity.

One of the best tracks I’ve ever played.

If wind is up, play safe. If it’s a nice day you can score, but it will take more than your low handicap.

Thrilling course all in all. Loved every minute of it.

The original mr chow review can fake a hike and save it!!!. This place is awesome and I’d wait all day on that 16-17-18 turn to take in what we just experienced. Those holes are fine being played slow, and the views having been already priceless were now more abundant. No way he waited an hour…

originalmrchow and his review can save it! This course is awesome each and every time. Been playing here for 20 years and it hasnt changed a bit…

And the staff is awesome.!

Thanks for the great golf each and every time!

In fact played a 4th of July tournament here once and they said they’d mail results. They didn’t. But the next time I was there they gave me 2 sleeves of pro-v for winning long drive. Didn’t even have to prove it.!!

Greens a tad slow from what they can be but they were ok and playable l. They were verticut and lightly sanded for quality before punching in a week or two as They will aerate oct 3-4.
Solid green track today otherwise with only two or three greens having some fungus.

I’d say the next week or two will be a great time to play this course before they punch. Better than average for this time of year.

This is a fun course.

Been so hot it’s no wonder the course is torched, BUT I’ve played two “nearby” MUNIS that were in good shape that have had similar heat…green as can be. What happened Yocha?
Two or three holes were cart path only, I stopped counting how many fairways were under repair as almost every fairway was beat up compared to the green Yocha is known for…

I’d say 1/3 of the course had fairways that had 20x20 dirt patches being re-sodded about 20-30 in each fairway! Never in my entire life have I ever seen this on any course…ANY.

Is it a fungus or heat related?

Glad they have the maintenance to address the issues and they were all over the course tending to it…

Greens were rolling slow too, only 85 degrees tops outside as heat has passed thru area and rain incoming.

Anyway, one of the best layouts you can find, just beat up right now. Should be fine in a few months? Anyone rating 5 stars is not relevant today…

The experience is 5 stars, the course has been 5 stars, and I expect it to be 5 stars soon enough, just not today or even in a month…

Side note. Hole 2 is cart path only. The Marshall was on the cart path at about 280 where my drive was. We went right up to him, We entered the fairway and had to back up. He didn’t bat an eye and never said a thing. Funny actually.

Not one golf course in CA—NOT ONE—has come as far as Napa Kennedy Park in this drought ridden golf attrition time. They are to be commended for making this course green again. Hats off to management and especially maintenance and greens keeper crew for making it entirely playable and enjoyable. It’s no mirage. It’s truly a good course and always has been.

I’ve played USGA, PGA, and Senior PGA events these last few years that are in no better condition than Napa is in right now.

Greens are solid. Plenty of sand in traps. Tee boxes are good, flat, and grassy. In fact most fairways were in really good shape.

If it were me running the place. I’d put a lateral hazard down the middle at about 250-300 yards on hole 15 to stop some of the whining I see posted here with some reviews.

And who said the food was awful? I had the Cali chicken sandwich yesterday and it was delicious.

From the vistas and panoramas here at Kennedy Park, don’t underestimate the photo opportunities and embrace being in a wonderful nature preserve that is truly a good golf course.

Come and get it now, as it’s a wonderful time of year to enjoy this track. We all know that the 16 holes with lakes can become 160 lakes in the winter, or with rains, but that isn’t the case right now.

FORE! Look out for Napa Kennedy Park as it’s no too busy, not too swanky, and since it’s not $600 like pebble beach or a country club that’s out of reach, it’s value is noteworthy.

For the money it’s a no brainer. FOR THE COURSE ITSELF, ,.it as good as some of the finest public golf anywhere I’ve seen. Country’s Club design, can play longer than looks. Awesome back nine coming in. Don’t underestimate hole 3 at all. It’s a beast all around into holes 4-5-6. Holes 7/8/9 are parkland golf, holes 12-18!-are country club especially 15-16 as they have teeth. Great 17-18 holes in.

First, it was great not receiving any phone calls going away from clubhouse as bandwidth varies from front and back sides. Would a cell tower or increased bandwidth in clubhouse make a difference? I guess that depends on who you are and what you’d expect from a course about 3 miles from a major city and freeway that has minimal bandwidth. For me it can all wait as bandwidth increases the minute you are near the clubhouse.

Ah. Wait. That is a great word that has been used lots when describing Redwood Canyon. And WAIT—-we did not have to wait but for a few holes and the pleasant surroundings made it easy. It was a smooth transition all day.

Today was a holiday. Jam packed. Yet we finished in 4:15 which was outstanding considering all the negative reviews suggesting otherwise.

This course has character and the approach shots far and near to these picturesque locations were noteworthy.

Course condition was average, as we played plenty of balls up, but that did not deny the experience or quality of golf we encountered.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time here today having not been here in 20 YEARS!!!
Maintenance crews were everywhere trying to make improvements yet we only noticed the golf course and it’s unique character in both length and its few shorter yet wonderful risk reward holes, and it’s natural surroundings, and the potential this course has.

From the Blue Tees, the par 5 are outstanding as two are most of the time layups(9/18), one is severely uphill and reachable with two perfect shots(4), and hole 12 is a short par 5 with a false left side that will make you humble if you hit a great drive and have a hybrid or mid iron in that you should have easily reached this green in two on. Birdie is must on this hole but be careful with that left side near green as it’s runoff is treacherous. Four perfect par 5 to challenge your game.

As for the par 4, holes 1/2/6/8 are exactly what a golf course needs, with a very challenging first hole and 6th hole if you hit the lateral hazard which runs through the entire right side. Beware, as trouble is everywhere left or right out here.

The three par 3 on the front are just fine with holes 5& 7 being lengthened to appx 200 & 180 respectively, and hole 3 a mere strong wedge. The two par 3 on the back at 125 and 175 are aptly placed.

Hole 10 from the back seems like it’s about 450 but the tee was forward during to irrigation control measures that are nearly complete on entire back 9 that’s has short par 4 that require precision or a medicine ball back into fairway and a pitch and putt to save par.

If you hit a good drive birdie is in play all day on the back nine 5 par four.

So why the 5 star review? Scroll back to top and read again.

I can’t wait to come back in a few months or sooner as they aerate greens tomorrow.

For what it’s worth, I’m a +2 handicap, average about 280 off tee, and have an impeccable 7 hybrid/5wood, as well as a tour pros mid iron and short iron game. I chip as good as any tour pro, Putt well(had 31 toady) and shot 71 with 3 birds. With my +2 handicap and a course rating of 68 thats 5 over my handicap go figure…

We will play here again. And if we have to wait, we will wait patiently—

—as the course and it’s lengthened tee boxes(5/7/18?/10?18) make it about 6200-630O instead of the scorecards published 5900 yards.

Can wait in fact—-

This course could be anything…and today even with some rough edges was unique and very enjoyable. And no wait at all.

The North while more of a championship style course and very green, May in fact be easier than the South? The south is very straight. The north has doglegs. It’s my opinion anyway. And my scores reflect it as a +1 handicap.
I prefer the North but the South offers a wonderful change of pace. Two totally different courses. Great par 3 on both. Nice vistas all day on North and on back nine of South.

I could play the par 5 all day out here and never be bored. Great 18th on both sides too.

I have always loved this course. Regardless of condition, I always see workers working on the course.

Some of my best rounds have come here, regardless of condition.

Keep the ball in play and have a shot.

When the course is soft it’s gettable. When it’s firm look out!

Many bunkers have been removed and replaced by what will be grass I assume. Feels more like a links course with elevation now.

It’s never been a poor ball strikers course.
Hit it well and have a chance.

A great back nine.
Always look forward to the first tee as well. It has great driving holes on front and back, with some treacherous greens.

Tons of enjoyment today! Brown is the new green here and done to perfection. Lots of character and more. Greens green, fairways lush, and panoramic views everywhere. Felt like a links course on the front nine, and even better on a great designed back nine that’s a true turn.

Remember Calippe, and get some. Summer and Winter conditions differ yet are equally enjoyable.

Holes 15-18 are as good as they get!

Awesome GPS on carts too! Well done!