Lake Chabot Golf Course opened in 1923 in the Oakland Hills and is credited to architect William Lock, with some sources also crediting Willie Watson of Olympic Club fame as a co-designer. The municipal facility sits about 13 miles southeast of downtown Oakland, abutting Anthony Chabot Regional Park, and has been a fixture of East Bay public golf for over a century. The original Spanish-style clubhouse remains, recently renovated alongside other property improvements.

On the course

The 18-hole regulation course plays just over 6,000 yards to a par of 71 and routes through very hilly, largely undeveloped terrain. Level lies are scarce, greens are small, round, and elevated, and there are no water hazards and only a handful of fairway bunkers — trouble comes from trees, fall-offs, awkward stances, and blind shots created by the elevation changes. Elevated tee boxes produce dramatic downhill tee shots on most holes, with views stretching across Oakland, the Bay Bridge, and on clear days San Francisco.

Who it suits

Two holes define the round. The par-3 9th drops from a clifftop tee almost straight down to the green, making club selection a guessing game. The 18th is the course's signature: a 673-yard par 6, reportedly the only par-6 hole on a course west of the Mississippi, played as a long downhill descent to the clubhouse. The facility is rounded out by a 9-hole par-3 short course that opened in 2006, measuring 1,040 yards with holes from 66 to 126 yards, plus a driving range and practice greens. Lake Chabot annually hosts the Oakland City Amateur Championship and suits walkers willing to handle steep grades, players who enjoy quirky vintage routings, and beginners and juniors looking for an affordable muni with a forgiving short course on site.

Architect: William Lock · Opened: 1923