Skywest Golf Course opened in 1965 on a 126-acre site adjacent to Hayward Executive Airport in the East Bay. The 18-hole, par-72 layout was designed by Bob E. Baldock, a prolific California architect responsible for dozens of public courses across the West. The facility was operated by the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District as a municipal track and served Bay Area golfers for nearly six decades.

On the course

The routing is classic Baldock parkland: flat ground, wide fairways, and mature trees framing most holes, stretching to roughly 6,860 yards from the back tees with a course rating of 72.9 and a slope of 121. Because the property sits at the edge of San Francisco Bay next to the airport runway, wind is the defining hazard — calm mornings give way to steady afternoon breezes that turn the open, treeless stretches into the course's real defense. Bluegrass fairways and greens, a full driving range, and a practice area rounded out the facility.

Who it suits

Skywest played as an accessible, walkable municipal course rather than a strategic test, which made it a popular choice for beginners, junior golfers, and players moving from the range to their first full 18. The course closed in September 2020 after nearly 60 years of operation, and the City of Hayward has since begun a planning process to redevelop the site in coordination with Hayward Executive Airport. Golfers researching Skywest today will find its historical scorecard and reviews online, though tee times at the original facility are no longer available.

Architect: Bob E. Baldock · Opened: 1965