The Course at Wente Vineyards opened in July 1998 on the Livermore Valley estate of Wente Vineyards, founded in 1883 and recognized as America's oldest continuously operated family-owned winery. The family commissioned Greg Norman, whose design threads through native woodlands, working vineyards, and grassland hills, with jagged-edged bunkering that nods to Alister MacKenzie. The course hosted the Nationwide Tour's Livermore Valley Wine Country Championship from 2006 to 2008, and Norman's firm returned in 2024 to renovate every bunker with new liners and fresh white sand.

On the course

From the tips it plays 7,181 yards at par 72, rated 74.5 with a 142 slope, and more than 200 feet of elevation change produces uneven lies all day. Two short par 4s invite aggression, the tree-pinched 2nd and the 10th, where a canyon falls away right of a high tee. The long 9th grinds into the prevailing wind and played among the hardest holes during the tour years, while the 18th finishes with a creek splitting the fairway below the restaurant terrace. Ryegrass greens roll fast and true, and the afternoon breeze is a genuine factor.

Who it suits

Carts are included in every green fee and effectively required; Wente discourages walking on this terrain, and GPS units plus on-course marshals keep rounds under four and a half hours. Reviewers consistently praise the conditioning, layout, and service, and the property has held Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary certification for more than 15 years, though value scores dip at peak rates. It suits golfers marking an occasion or pairing a round with a winery visit more than bargain hunters.

Practice facilities include putting and chipping greens beside the golf shop, a short-game area, and a driving range a five-minute cart ride away; primetime green fees include unlimited range balls. A full golf shop anchors the operation, and The Grill serves lunch overlooking the 18th green. Choose Wente for the East Bay's closest thing to a resort round: a tour-tested Greg Norman design with big elevation, vineyard views, and premium conditioning.

Architect: Greg Norman · Opened: 1998