Oakmont Golf Club (West)

Overview

An 18-hole, par-72 Ted Robinson design that stretches to roughly 6,359 yards from the back tees, it is the longer and more traditional of the club's two courses, the counterpart to the shorter par-63 Sugarloaf (formerly East) executive course. Open to the public, it winds through the Oakmont community at the foot of Sugarloaf Ridge and Trione-Annadel State Park, with mature oaks, generous fairways, and near-constant mountain views.

Course History

Oakmont was developed in the early 1960s as a golf-oriented community on the eastern edge of Santa Rosa, at the mouth of the Sonoma Valley. The West Course opened in 1963 as the community's original regulation course, designed by prolific California architect Ted Robinson, Sr. A decade later, in 1973, Robinson added the shorter Sugarloaf (East) course, giving Oakmont a 36-hole complement of full-length and executive golf.

In recent years the facility rebranded its two courses under new names, with the former West Course becoming the Valley of the Moon Course and the former East Course becoming Sugarloaf. The Valley of the Moon name is a nod to local history: author Jack London, who lived nearby in Glen Ellen, popularized "Valley of the Moon" as a romantic name for the Sonoma Valley in his 1913 novel of the same title. The course remains open to public play, with tee times bookable online.

Design & Architecture

Ted Robinson, Sr. (a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects) built a classic, walkable parkland course that fits comfortably into the valley floor and the surrounding Oakmont neighborhood. From the tips it plays about 6,359 yards to a par of 72, with a course rating of 71.2 and a slope of 130 from the Blue tees, and it offers a full ladder of shorter tees down to roughly 3,750 yards for a more forgiving round.

The layout favors position and short-game touch over raw distance. Fairways are generally open and framed by mature oaks and other specimen trees, while Robinson's signature use of water and greenside bunkering defends the ryegrass greens. The setting does much of the aesthetic work: nearly every hole frames views of Sugarloaf Ridge and the wooded slopes of Trione-Annadel State Park.

Playing the Course

At a shade under 6,400 yards, the Valley of the Moon Course is a comfortable, playable test that appeals to a broad range of golfers rather than a bruising championship slog. Accurate driving and solid iron play are rewarded, and the multiple tee sets let players dial the challenge up or down. It is walkable, and both walking and riding options are available.

Practice facilities include a grass driving range, a putting green, and chipping and bunker areas, so it is easy to warm up before a round. The clubhouse houses the Quail Inn restaurant and event space overlooking the course, and deer are a common and photogenic sight on the fairways in the early morning and evening.

Know Before You Go

• Public access: the West / Valley of the Moon Course is open to public play, with tee times bookable online at playvom.com or by phone at (707) 539-0415.

• Two courses on site: be sure to book the 18-hole, par-72 Valley of the Moon (West) course rather than the shorter par-63 Sugarloaf (East) course.

• Choose your tees: the course ranges from about 6,359 yards down to roughly 3,750 yards, so pick a tee set that matches your game.

• Warm up first: a grass driving range, putting green, and short-game practice areas are available on site.

• Make a day of it: the Quail Inn restaurant at the clubhouse and the surrounding Sonoma Wine Country make for an easy pairing with a round.

• Location: about 15 minutes east of downtown Santa Rosa at the gateway to the Sonoma Valley, beside Trione-Annadel State Park.