Got a chance to play here on 6/11. For those unfamiliar with Mayacama, it is an ultra-exclusive course located in the mountains just north of Santa Rosa. It is a rare and special opportunity to be a... Continue »

Got a chance to play here on 6/11. For those unfamiliar with Mayacama, it is an ultra-exclusive course located in the mountains just north of Santa Rosa. It is a rare and special opportunity to be able to play here & I feel extremely lucky to have been invited, along with my brother for an afternoon round. The setting is just spectacular, with a beautiful, giant Tuscan-Style Clubhouse in the middle of a 600-acre preserve. A Jack Nicklaus course winds its way through the hillsides all around the clubhouse It fits right into the terrain, like it's just always been there & part of the natural setting. It is just breathtaking. I've played a few Nicklaus courses (Pronghorn, Vista Vallarta & Vidanta) & this is best one. Kudos Mr. Nicklaus! Mayacama is walking only. You can hoof your bag or take a caddy. We had a caddy & are so thankful for it. It is not an easy course to walk under any circumstance, as there are extreme elevation changes on both the front & back. It also happened to be the hottest day this year, so I struggled just walking around, especially on the front 9. Definitely effected my golf game, but just glad I didn't cash out on the 4th green. Not the worst way to go, though. The course is fairly short, at under 6,800 from the tips, however with a rating of 73.8/150, it's no joke. Very much the definition of target-golf. The par 3s are some of the most scenic & challenging I have ever experienced. As for the Par 4s & 5s, a great mix of medium to long & short risk/reward holes. Most tee shots have generous landing areas with an optimal "side" of the fairway to approach the green. The approach is where things got real. The smallish, elevated & well guarded greens often had tiers or slopes which you had to hit or it was off the green or 3/4-putt territory. The greens themselves were very rolling fast & true, but very difficult to read. They were undulating & the with all the surrounding terrain, it was difficult to tell if it was uphill, downhill, left, right, etc. (very much like Poppy Hills in Monterey). Our caddy has been there several years & he still had some trouble reading the break/speed on a few holes. Almost every hole is a signature hole & the views from many are just jaw-dropping. As you would expect with a course of this caliber, conditions are immaculate. From the 1st tee to the 18th green, not a blade of grass out of place. Bunkers were a bit baked on the top layer, but still perfect to play from. Fairways lush & even. The rough wasn't super long or penal, but definitely made the approach shots much more difficult to judge. To be able to share this incredible experience with my brother was beyond special & something we'll cherish forever. Now to work on getting invited out there again......Posted some pictures that hopefully do some justice to the beauty.