Las Positas Golf Course opened in 1966 as a Robert Muir Graves design on city land adjacent to Livermore Municipal Airport. Graves, a UC Berkeley-trained landscape architect and past president of the ASGCA, completed more than 800 course projects during his career, and Las Positas stands as one of his early Bay Area municipal layouts. The facility sits in the heart of Livermore Valley wine country on the east side of the Tri-Valley.

On the course

The property is a 27-hole municipal complex. The main Signature 18 plays to a par of 72 at roughly 6,723 yards from the back tees, complemented by the Links 9, a nine-hole par-3 short course that stretches to about 1,133 yards. The terrain is largely flat parkland with mature trees, but water is the defining hazard: seven lakes are in play across the property, ponds come into play on five holes on the front nine, and a creek bisects several holes on the back. Two ponds frame the par-4 16th, one of the more memorable approach shots on the regulation course.

Who it suits

Las Positas underwent a $6 million renovation completed in 2011-2012 that reshaped the Signature 18 with five new holes, twelve redesigned tee boxes, new bunkering with white sand, rebuilt cart paths, upgraded drainage, and a halfway-house grill called Beeb's at the Turn near the 10th tee. The work modernized the course while preserving Graves's original routing through the valley floor.

The layout suits a broad range of players. Modest length and flat walking make it accessible to seniors, high-handicappers, and golfers wanting an easy walking round, while the water hazards and tightened corridors give better players strategic decisions off the tee. The Links 9 par-3 course is a useful option for juniors, beginners, and short-game practice.

Architect: Robert Muir Graves · Opened: 1966