Brentwood Golf Club sits in the East Bay foothills below Mount Diablo, about an hour east of San Francisco. The facility was designed by Ted Robinson Sr., the prolific American Society of Golf Course Architects fellow known for incorporating water as a primary hazard across more than 160 courses in the western U.S., Hawaii, Mexico, and Asia. The original layout opened for play in 1994, with a third nine, the Creekside, added in 2000 to create a 27-hole rotation across the Creekside, Hillside, and Diablo nines.

On the course

The course today plays as an 18-hole, par-72 layout stretching roughly 6,400 yards from the back tees, with four sets of tees to accommodate a range of players. Robinson's signature water features are in heavy use here: lakes and creeks come into play on multiple holes, supplemented by strategically placed bunkers, mature trees, and rolling greens with noticeable elevation change. The course uses reclaimed water for irrigation, and wildlife is common along the creek corridors that thread through the property.

Who it suits

The practice facility includes a driving range, putting green, and a two-bay indoor simulator with instruction available. The clubhouse houses the Palm Tree Restaurant and a separate event venue used for weddings and corporate functions. Brentwood suits mid- and higher-handicap golfers looking for a walkable, moderately priced public round in the East Bay, as well as lower handicaps who want to work the ball around Robinson's water-guarded greens without the green fee of a destination course. The address is 100 Summerset Drive, and the club is open to public play seven days a week.

Architect: Ted Robinson Sr. · Opened: 2000