Bidwell Park Golf Course is a municipal 18-hole layout set inside Upper Bidwell Park, one of the largest city parks in Northern California. The course has been in continuous play since 1929, making it one of the region's original municipal golf courses. Jim Summers is credited as the architect behind the current layout. Horseshoe Lake, just across Upper Park Road, was constructed in the 1930s specifically as a reservoir to irrigate the course, with WPA-era work shaping much of the surrounding infrastructure.

On the course

The par-72 routing has two distinct nines. The front nine plays through a parkland setting with valley oaks and olive trees lining fairways that amble around corners and over creeks, while the back nine climbs into the foothills of Upper Bidwell Park, where the terrain steepens and holes wind among rock formations rather than running flat and parallel. The course rating is 70.2 with a slope of 123 from the white tees. Greens are Bent/Poa and fairways are Bermuda/Rye, and the layout is walkable for most golfers.

Who it suits

Bidwell suits public-course regulars and visitors looking for a scenic, affordable round rather than a resort experience. There is no driving range, but the property includes a practice putting green, practice bunkers, a pro shop, and the Bidwell Bar & Grill on site. Wildlife including deer and geese is common along the routing, and the foothill setting provides shade and natural backdrops uncommon among urban municipal layouts. Green fees sit at the affordable end of the Sacramento Valley market, which combined with the historic pedigree makes it a regular stop for Chico State students, local men's and women's club members, and golfers passing through Butte County.

Architect: Jim Summers · Opened: 1929