Paradise Valley Golf Course opened in 1993 as the second of the City of Fairfield's two municipal courses, following Rancho Solano by three years. The design belongs to Robert Muir Graves, one of Northern California's most prolific public-course architects, who routed the eighteen across gently rolling ground threaded by a seasonal creek rather than forcing dramatic earthmoving onto the site.

On the course

That creek is the course's organizing idea. It meanders through the property and produces a steady diet of doglegs, and water ultimately touches nine of the eighteen holes, with lakes in view on five. Oaks line most fairways, so the tee shot usually asks for a shape or a position rather than a full send. The par-5 10th is the acknowledged signature, a genuine three-shot hole that demands placement from the tee forward, and the round closes past two small lakes that pinch the tee shot on the 18th.

Who it suits

The practical case is strong for a municipal course. The routing is a favorite among golfers who prefer to walk, and readers of the Vacaville Reporter voted it the Best Golf Course of Solano County for more than seven consecutive years. At 6,787 yards and par 72 it carries enough length to hold a good player's interest, while forward tees keep it comfortable for recreational and senior golfers.

The practice setup is one of the best in Solano County: a lighted driving range with more than thirty stalls, seasonal weekend grass tees, an island-green target, a short-game chipping area, and a large putting green, plus club fitting and repair through the on-site Golf Performance Center. The Golf Range Association of America named it a Top 50 public range in 2021. Choose Paradise Valley when you want a traditional creek-and-oaks parkland test with a proper practice session before the round.

Architect: Robert Muir Graves · Opened: 1993