Mayacama Golf Club is located in a secluded 600-acre sanctuary in the heart of California‘s Winelands. It’s a cross between a wine estate and a golf club and if you like a tipple you’ll love it here alongside the premier winemakers of Sonoma and Napa.
The club celebrates its proximity to wine country with a majestic clubhouse and winery while still delivering with a most excellent and remote golf course that tumbles gently through the rolling meadows and aged oak trees.
Designed by Jack Nicklaus for walking, Mayacama’s classic layout rewards strategic play and, while not praising mediocre shots, won’t unfairly penalize them either. Definitely a shot maker’s course, players at every skill level will appreciate the ability to challenge it differently on any given day.
Measuring 6,761 yards from the back tees, the par 72 championship layout is entirely sand-capped making its meticulously groomed, tournament-conditioned turf playable year round. Another striking feature is Mayacama’s immediate maturity. The combination of century-old oaks, judicious planning that produced minimal land disturbance and complete fairway sodding has created a course with the maturity of one constructed 50 years ago.
Signature hole at Mayacama Golf Club
18th Hole – 559 Yard Par 5 – The final hole at Mayacama with its risk/reward options falls right in line with many of the other holes at the course.
From the elevated tee the golfer is afforded a generous look at the hole, but isn’t able to see the water hazard beyond the trees on the right. A good drive can turn on the green light to reach the green in two, however the putting surface is much wider than it is deep thus greatly reducing the chances of a lengthy approach staying on the green. Ideally the golfer will hit a high fade that take the water out of play on the right while affording the opportunity to potentially get kicked back to the green from the hillside on the left if the ball doesn’t fade enough. It is a beautiful hole and exciting finish to this amazing golf course.
Most difficult hole at Mayacama Golf Club
2nd Hole – 525 Yard Par 5 – On the card, one might expect a 525 yard hole to be a great birdie opportunity rather than being the most difficult hole on the course.
However, with only one warmup hole behind you, the 2nd hole at Mayacama starts delivering some formidable challenges. The tee shot plays uphill and must carry a heavily forested ravine to a fairway the pushes balls towards the bunker on the left. From there the hole plays downhill to a green that is protected by eight bunkers and is perched in the side of a hill with the fairway coming in tightly at a 90 degree angle from the left side. Going for the green in two is a very risky proposition since there is virtually nowhere that offers a safe bail out area and target isn’t very large. From the layup position the golfer will likely have a slightly downhill lie and will have to carry five of greenside bunkers to hit the perched green. Anything short will be in the sand or kicked out of play while approach shots that go long will likely find the other side of the ravine. This is a great hole that is jam packed with trouble.
