Canyon Lakes opened in 1987 as Canyon Lakes Country Club, a Ted Robinson Sr. design in the foothills off Bollinger Canyon in San Ramon. Robinson, known for elaborate water features, gave the course its namesake lakes and the elevation shifts that still define it. Industry veteran Don Naumann bought the property in 2015, and in September 2017 a ten-barrel brewhouse opened on site, rebranding it as Canyon Lakes Golf Course and Brewery, billed as the country's first championship course with its own craft brewery.

On the course

The card shows 6,373 yards and par 71 from the blue tees, but a 133 slope against a 71.8 rating hints at the trouble packed in. Five par 3s carry real teeth, from the 213-yard 3rd into the wind to the 152-yard 5th across water to a two-tiered green, plus the uphill 15th, which plays well beyond its 163 yards to a three-tiered target. Water bites hardest early: the short par-4 4th ends at a turtle-back green guarded by a hazard, and a pond hugs the left of the 8th green. The back nine trades water for elevation, with a steep downhill dogleg 11th, an elevated double-tiered 13th, and a 433-yard closer that usually plays into an afternoon headwind.

Who it suits

Walking is allowed after 8:30 a.m. on weekdays and 10:30 a.m. on weekends, though the climbs and green-to-tee gaps make a cart the popular choice. Reviewers describe conditioning as uneven, with patchy stretches, hard-packed bunkers, and a back nine often in better shape than the front, though several credit management with recent improvements. Posted weekday rates run under $50, and the layout suits mid-handicappers who value shot-making variety over manicured turf.

There is no driving range here; warming up means hitting nets alongside the putting and chipping area near the first tee, and the pro shop also handles NCGA memberships. The clubhouse restaurant pours 18 house-brewed taps, from lagers to barrel-aged stouts. Pick Canyon Lakes when a tactical, target-style round followed by a fresh pint appeals more than a full range session.

Architect: Ted Robinson Sr. · Opened: 1987