Shadow Lakes & Deer Ridge Present the East Bay’s Niftiest Golf Package
by Andrew Hidas
Shadow Lakes and Deer Ridge, a short stroll apart from each other in the East Bay boomtown of Brentwood, used to engage in a friendly little rivalry to squire away available golfers while fully acknowledging the merits of the opposing course. Like two belles both looking to shine at every ball, both courses were built upon fabulous genetic endowments and wrapped in gowns by noted designers—Gary Roger Baird for Shadow Lakes (debuted fall 2001) and Andy Raugust at Deer Ridge (fall 2004). Then late in 2006, they went friendly competition one better by joining together in the niftiest little partnership this side of Ben and Jerry.
Today, both courses offer up a consistent blend of playability, views, challenge, impeccable course conditions, great practice facilities, and that intangible something-or-other that every memorable golf venue leaves in the very bones of players in those satisfying hours and days after a round.
These are daily-play public courses (or dailydouble- play at 36 holes if you’re feeling sprightly) that also offer membership packages on a single- or both-courses basis. Even today, with significant housing elements that have seen Brentwood more than double in population to nearly 50,000 people since the 2000 census, both courses play to the feeling of expansive skies, pasturelands and orchards that still give this part of the bay its distinctive sense of place.
What the partnership has done besides make 36 holes available for a daily double golfing dose is to increase course availability in the wake of the events business that has become a significant factor in the golf industry’s business model. Meaning, when one course closes for a tournament or corporate event, the other is there waving its open arms. Shadow Lakes presents the larger year-round events capability, while Deer Ridge is ideal for more intimate events through the moderate weather months. Out on the courses themselves, the extra 400 yards, generous fairways and difficult greens of Shadow Lakes makes it the course of choice for pros, scratch golfers, and “let’s kick it up a notch” recreational players searching for maximum challenge in their outing. Though both courses are par 71, figure on a good three extra shots (and more time with your irons) most days at Shadow Lakes compared to Deer Ridge.
Most all the 6,710 yards of Shadow Lakes and 6,302 yards of Deer Ridge fall under the half-imposing, half-inspiring spell of Mt. Diablo. The mountain presents a stately and irresistible visual magnet that can help leaven whatever mussing and fussing you’re compelled do with club selection, shot angles and the like. “Heads up!” is more than a warning to beware of errant balls here—it’s an imperative that helps you remember the wonders of a golf outing in this part of the world.
Perhaps nowhere is Mt. Diablo more present than on No. 6 at Shadow Lakes, a 572-yard uphill par-5 that plays into prevailing winds with the mountain behind you, multiple bunkers and a world of challenge ahead. It’s a beautiful—and very physical—hole. Make par here and you’ve earned the right to Twitter your friends about your astute shotmaking. You’ll face the opposite situation on Deer Ridge’s gorgeous 16th hole, shooting from an elevated tee where you can behold endless farmlands and the mountain—yes, that mountain—framing the 521 yards of long narrow fairways and green. Both courses are lauded by players and media alike for their tremendous conditioning, Deer Ridge more recently honored as “Best Overall Value” in the Bay Area by Greenskeeper.org, which uses course conditions combined with price as its main metric. The finishing holes here, Nos. 15 through 18, show off those conditions to maximum effect, with the rolling topography of native grasses and scattered oaks framing playing areas lovingly maintained by longtime course superintendent Jose Flores and his crew.
A blind tee shot on No. 17 leads to the lake bordering a large chunk of the fairway right, extending around three sides of the green that is further protected by bunkers. The risk is high here. No. 18 is a visual pleasure as you lift your tee shot over the lake’s finger and angle yourself gently dogleg right around the lake’s back side. More bunkers await you on the green. It’s a gorgeous and challenging finishing hole, just the right tone to get you primed for what awaits.
While Shadow Lakes is no walk in the park (which, handily enough, you can find almost next door to both courses at 4,500-acre Cowell Ranch State Park and its miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails), redemption can be found here in both small and big ways. No. 13 is a par- 4, 439-yarder that helps the 220-yard drive it requires off the tee by angling slightly downhill. No. 17 is only 178 yards but all over water. That nicely sets up the finishing hole, 559 yards with reasonable chance for a par if your drive can utilize the plentiful room on the right to bypass a ravine, and you later use some care to negotiate the bunkers fronting the green. With daily fees in the decidedly low-to-midrange of Bay Area pricing ($38 at Deer Ridge weekdays, $50 at Shadow Lakes), the picture gets even better for regular golfers, with annual membership for both courses as low as $2,150 (weekdays, $3,200 everyday, carts included).
That represents barely 20 plays at a number of courses in the region, so pricing would seem to be right in line with the trend toward economic modesty in these chastened times. Combine that with the sundry pleasures of a two-course golf tango under a storied mountain, and you’ve got yourself just the prescription for a healthy and invigorating recreational program heading into the second decade of the millennium.
