The Fountaingrove Club

Overview

The Ted Robinson Sr.-designed course plays 6,940 yards to a par of 72, winding through wooded ridges and open fairways with sweeping views of Hood and Taylor Mountains. Beyond golf, the club offers a fitness center, swimming, tennis and an award-winning dining program, all anchored by a $20 million clubhouse that opened in December 2021.

Course History

Fountaingrove opened in 1985 as a golf and athletic club on the historic Fountaingrove Ranch lands north of downtown Santa Rosa. It grew into Sonoma County's only member-owned private facility, pairing championship golf with a full slate of racquet, fitness and dining amenities.

On October 9, 2017, the Tubbs Fire swept through the Fountaingrove neighborhood and destroyed the club's 30-year-old clubhouse, pro shop, cart barn, maintenance buildings and gatehouse, sparing only the athletic center. The golf course itself was largely spared, but with the irrigation system down, crews trucked in water and used on-site hydrants to keep the greens and fairways alive, allowing the course to reopen on January 18, 2018. After a multi-year rebuild, the club unveiled a new 22,100-square-foot, $20 million clubhouse in December 2021, marking its full recovery.

Design & Architecture

The course was designed by Ted Robinson Sr., the prolific American architect known for his dramatic use of water features and his work on hundreds of courses across the western United States. At Fountaingrove he routed the holes across rolling, wooded terrain that climbs and falls with the surrounding hillsides, framing shots with mature trees, elevation changes and strategically placed water. Eight sets of tees stretch the layout from a forgiving forward distance out to 6,940 yards, letting golfers of every ability find a comfortable challenge.

Playing the Course

From the tips the course rates 73.3 with a slope of 135, a stern but fair test that rewards accurate driving and thoughtful positioning on its sloping fairways. The greens are undulating and well-guarded, and the closing par-4 18th plays over water to a green beneath the clubhouse for a memorable finish. Practice facilities include an on-site driving range with six practice tees, and the club runs an active calendar of men's, women's and senior competitions along with instruction, club fitting and a junior academy.

Know Before You Go

• Private, member-owned club: access is generally limited to members and their guests; non-member play may be possible via reciprocal club arrangements.

• Location: 1525 Fountaingrove Parkway, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, in the hills just north of downtown.

• Contact the club at (707) 701-3050 or thefountaingroveclub.com to confirm membership, guest and reciprocal-play details.

• Practice facilities include a driving range with six tees; the club also offers fitness, swimming, tennis and dining.

• The clubhouse was fully rebuilt after the 2017 Tubbs Fire and reopened in December 2021; the golf course remains open and in regular operation.