Napa Valley Country Club

Established in 1915, its 18-hole, par-72 course blends a classic parkland front nine with a more modern back nine, all framed by mature oaks, redwoods, and views across the surrounding valley and vineyards. The club pairs its golf with a refined clubhouse offering dining, social spaces, and event venues.

Course History

Napa Valley Country Club traces its roots to 1915, with a nine-hole course that opened for play in 1917. The original layout was attributed to Scottish-born architect Willie Watson, who is also credited with work at Pebble Beach Golf Links. In its earliest days the front nine was cut from tall grass and wild oats, and the greens were of the traditional "oiled sand" variety common to the era.

The club remained a nine-hole venue for decades before expanding to a full 18 holes. The new back nine was completed in 1990 under architect Ronald Fream, giving the course a more contemporary character to complement its historic front side.

The Design & Architecture

The course is a study in contrasts between its two nines. The front nine plays as a classic parkland design, with elevated tees, narrow fairways lined by large oak and redwood trees, and modest, understated greens. The back nine, completed in 1990 by Ronald Fream, adopts a more modern, target-style approach with rolling fairways and undulating greens. Together the two sides form a par-72 test of roughly 6,298 yards nestled into the Napa Valley hills.

Playing the Course

At about 6,298 yards with a course rating of 71.4 and a slope of 129, Napa Valley Country Club places a premium on accuracy over raw distance. The tree-lined, narrow front-nine fairways reward controlled tee shots and thoughtful positioning, while the more open, rolling back nine calls for solid approach play into its contoured greens. A practice range is available to help members warm up before a round.

Know Before You Go

• This is a private club with membership by invitation only; access is generally limited to members and their guests.

• The club is located at 3385 Hagen Rd, Napa, CA 94558, in the hills above the Napa Valley.

• A practice range is on site; call the club at (707) 252-1111 for tee times and guest policies.

• Expect tight, tree-lined fairways on the front nine, so leave the driver in the bag when accuracy matters more than distance.