Eagle Vines Golf Club opened for play in 2004 on rolling foothill terrain in American Canyon at the southern end of Napa Valley. The 18-hole, par-72 layout was designed by World Golf Hall of Famer Johnny Miller in collaboration with Jack Barry. Several holes on the property trace back to the 1970s, when they were part of the neighboring Chardonnay Golf Club before being reworked and absorbed into the current routing.

On the course

The course plays up to 7,297 yards from the back tees and down to 5,587 from the forward markers, winding through working vineyards, mature oaks, cherry trees, and a series of ponds and creeks. Fairway landing areas are generally generous, but water comes into play on numerous holes and the surrounding vineyard rows are marked as out of bounds. Rolling contours frequently feed off-line shots toward trouble, and the greens are large, multi-tiered, and well-guarded by bunkers, which makes lag putting a central part of scoring here. Unlike most Bay Area daily-fee courses, Eagle Vines is not bordered by housing tracts, so the routing remains exposed to open vineyard and foothill views throughout the round.

Who it suits

The signature hole is the par-3 14th, a downhill one-shotter to a bunkered island green ringed by a waterfall and pond, with the back tee box itself surrounded by water. The opening par-5 sets the tone with a creek crossing the fairway between two ponds. The vineyards on the property produce estate wines sold in the clubhouse, and the on-site Eagle Grill and patio overlook the 8th fairway. The course suits mid- and low-handicap players comfortable carrying water and managing slope, but multiple tee sets keep it playable for higher handicaps looking for a scenic Napa round without the resort price tag.

Architect: Johnny Miller · Opened: 2004