The Bridges Golf Club opened in 1999 in the Tri-Valley foothills of Mount Diablo, roughly 35 miles east of San Francisco. Johnny Miller and Damian Pascuzzo, working for the Robert Muir Graves golf course architecture firm, originally laid out the course.

On the course

The NCGA rated it one of the most challenging courses in Northern California, and it operates as an 18-hole East Bay championship daily-fee facility now managed by KemperSports.

Who it suits

The routing climbs and falls across landscaped hillsides above the San Ramon Valley, with lies and stances that are almost never level as the natural slopes tilt toward a gulley that usually sits on the right side of the holes.

Distinguishing features include two split fairways, significant elevation changes, an 85-yard-long 18th green, and a combination of bunkers and landforms designed to add challenge to every round.

Afternoon west winds rolling over the East Bay Hills further complicate club selection.

The course's toughest tests come late: the 15th and 18th holes both require two forced carries to reach the green. The par-3 8th is a scenic highlight, with tee boxes that look out over the valley. In 2013, under KemperSports management, every bunker was reshaped, outfitted with new drainage and a modern liner, and refilled with new sand, with the re-crafted bunkers designed to allow greater playability and access.

More than 80 bunkers were removed from Miller and Pascuzzo's original design as part of Jay Blasi's renovation.

The Mediterranean-villa clubhouse anchors a property that also includes a lighted driving range and a full practice center. The Bridges suits mid- to low-handicap players who enjoy uneven lies, forced carries, and target golf, though Blasi's renovation made the course meaningfully friendlier for higher handicaps as well.

Architect: Johnny Miller & Damian Pascuzzo · Opened: 1999