Nearly 70 golfers from Northern California enjoyed California Golf News and Travel’s most recent golf outing at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward.
The event was held on the TPC Stonebrae course that hosts the Stonebrae Classic on the Web.com Tour and was voted Northern California’s Best New Course by LINKS magazine soon after the David McLay Kidd-designed layout opened in 2007.
Among the Scot’s other designs are Bandon Dunes in Oregon and the Castle Course at St. Andrews.
“It was the first time I’ve played Stonebrae and it certainly was a unique and challenging experience,” said Gary Sommer of San Ramon. “I think it’s one of those courses that you need to play at least a second time to appreciate and understand the subtleties, but I certainly enjoyed it.
“And the facilities, the amenities and the hospitality of the staff were all first-class, top-notch.”
The golfers were treated to a barbecue lunch before playing the scenic course located 1,500 feet above sea level in the hills above Cal State University-East Bay in Hayward, about 20 miles from Oakland.
On a clear day, golfers can drink in a view of San Francisco Bay that includes all four of its bridges–the Golden Gate, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, the San Mateo Bridge and the Dumbarton Bridge–not to mention the skylines of San Francisco and Oakland.
Also in sight are Mt. Diablo to the East and Mt. Tamalpais to the north.
Afterward, the participants adjourned to the 31-000-square-foot clubhouse and enjoyed a wine-tasting of the best Manzoni Estate Vineyard in Soledad has to offer, and a scotch-tasting courtesy of Glenmorangie of Ross-shire in the Scottish Highlands.
“I enjoyed the Scotch-tasting and those I talked with about the wine-tasting also said it was very good,” Sommer said.
Among the other California Golf News sponsors who donated raffle prizes and awards for long drives and shots closest to the pin were Roger Dunn Golf Shops, The Golf Mart, Golfers Warehouse, Edwin Watts Golf, Uinta Golf and Van’s Golf Shops.
