Coyote Creek Golf Club (Tournament)

Opened in 1999, it is the more demanding of the club's two Nicklaus courses and earned early acclaim as an upscale public championship venue, hosting the Champions Tour's Siebel Classic in Silicon Valley in 2001 and 2002. Playing to 7,027 yards from the back tees, the Tournament Course pairs generous, manicured fairways with strategic bunkering, water hazards, and sweeping views of the surrounding valley.

Course History

The Tournament Course opened in 1999 as the flagship of Coyote Creek Golf Club, a 36-hole Jack Nicklaus complex in Morgan Hill. Its championship pedigree was established quickly: the course served as host to the Champions Tour's Siebel Classic in Silicon Valley in 2001 and 2002, bringing a field of senior professionals to the South Bay for the event's final two editions.

Coyote Creek is widely regarded as the Bay Area's premier public Jack Nicklaus-designed facility, with the tougher Tournament Course complemented by the more forgiving sister Valley Course. The club has remained a popular daily-fee destination for tournaments, corporate outings, and everyday play.

The Design & Architecture

Jack Nicklaus routed the Tournament Course through the natural contours of the Morgan Hill landscape, using elevation changes, mature trees, and native grasses to frame the holes. True to the Nicklaus design philosophy, the course rewards strategic positioning off the tee, with well-placed fairway bunkers and water hazards demanding precise shot-making. Bluegrass greens and fairways provide the lush, championship-caliber playing surfaces, and from the back tees the layout stretches to 7,027 yards with a stout 74.8 rating and 143 slope.

Signature Holes

The Tournament Course saves its most dramatic golf for the finish, where a series of four lakes and two waterfalls forms the grand centerpiece of the closing holes. The signature hole is the 18th, a 433-yard par 4 with water hazards running along the entire right side of the hole. An accurate tee shot is essential, and even then the approach — typically a short iron — must carry the lake to reach the green, a fitting final examination on a layout that once tested the Champions Tour.

Playing the Course

The Tournament Course plays as a genuine test for low-handicap golfers while offering multiple tee options to keep it enjoyable for a range of abilities. Accuracy is at a premium, as errant shots can find bunkers, water, and the rolling terrain that defines the property. With a full-length driving range and practice facilities on site, players can warm up before tackling a round that rewards thoughtful course management and solid ball-striking.

Know Before You Go

• Public daily-fee course; tee times can be booked in advance and are recommended, especially on weekends.

• The Tournament Course is the more challenging of the club's two layouts, so choose tees that match your game.

• A driving range and practice facilities are available on site to warm up before your round.

• Located at 1 Coyote Creek Golf Dr, Morgan Hill, CA, just off Highway 101 south of San Jose; a clubhouse with dining and event space is on property.