Rancho Solano Golf Course

Overview

Opened in 1990 and designed by Gary Roger Baird, the layout is known for its country-club look and feel, generous elevated tees, and some of the largest greens in Northern California. It plays to a par of 72 and measures about 6,632 yards from the Blue tees.

The course is operated as part of the Fairfield municipal golf operation alongside nearby Paradise Valley Golf Course, and has been a repeat winner of the Daily Republic Readers' Choice award for best golf course in Solano County.

Course History

Rancho Solano Golf Course opened in 1990 as a City of Fairfield municipal facility, built in the hills on the north side of the city. From the outset it aimed to deliver a country-club experience at daily-fee prices, and it quickly became one of the most popular public tracks in Solano County. The course has earned the Daily Republic's Readers' Choice award for best golf course in the county on numerous occasions since 1993, and it has been recognized by Greenskeeper.org as "Worth the Green Fee" in multiple years. Today it is managed together with the City's Paradise Valley Golf Course under the Fairfield golf operation.

Design & Architecture

The course was designed by golf course architect Gary Roger Baird. Routed across hilly terrain, the layout makes extensive use of elevated tees that offer sweeping views of the surrounding hills and give players a clear look at the challenge ahead. Its most distinctive feature is its greens, which are among the largest in Northern California and are known for dramatic undulation, placing a premium on approach-shot distance control and lag putting. Sparkling lakes dot the property and come into play on several holes, while numerous strategically placed bunkers frame the fairways and guard the putting surfaces.

Playing the Course

At roughly 6,632 yards and par 72 from the Blue tees, Rancho Solano offers a stern but fair test with a course rating of 71.8 and a slope of 133. Multiple tee sets make the course playable for a wide range of abilities. The back nine gets the most attention: its opening holes are demanding, and the par-4 11th in particular is a hole where accurate club selection is the key to scoring. With big, rolling greens throughout, a solid short game and a good touch with the putter go a long way here.

Know Before You Go

• Address: 3250 Rancho Solano Parkway, Fairfield, CA 94534. Phone: (707) 429-4653.

• A practice facility is on site, including a driving range with 16 mats, a putting green and a chipping area.

• This is a walkable municipal course; both walking and riding rates are available, with resident, twilight and junior discounts offered.

• Bring your short game: the oversized, undulating greens are the defining challenge, so expect long approach putts and tricky reads.

• Book tee times and confirm current rates and hours through the official Fairfield golf website at fairfieldgolf.com.