Forrest Richardson

Ventura, CA

Olivas Links is a municipal course beside Ventura Harbor, on flat ground near the mouth of the Santa Clara River. William F. Bell designed the original Olivas Park course, which opened in 1962; Forrest Richardson rebuilt it as Olivas Links in 2006, replacing the parkland layout with wide, rumpled fairways framed by fescue and native grasses. It plays 6,818 yards to a par of 72, rated 73.0 with a slope of 130 from the back tees. The site is open and close enough to the ocean that afternoon wind is part of most rounds. Greens are multi-tiered and bunkers are deep. The course is city-run, walkable, and dog-friendly.

Last verified 2026-09-16

Paradise Valley, AZ

The Short Course at Mountain Shadows is a par-54 course in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Forrest Richardson, a protégé of original architect Arthur Jack Snyder, redesigned it in 2017 as an 18-hole par-3 course. The design emphasizes strategic shot-making and green complexes. It includes the bonus 17.5 hole, "The Forrest Wager," for tie-breaking. The course integrates with the desert landscape and offers views of Camelback Mountain.

Palo Alto, CA

Baylands Golf Links, Palo Alto's revived muni run by O. B. Sports, has become a part of my regular playing rotation since reopening in 2018 after a seven-year, $12-million redesign by Forrest Richardson. With five par 5s and five par 3s, and plenty of room to spray it in the ever-present wind, it's a fun walk. Its links characteristics are somewhat mitigated by the Seashore Paspalum turf, a grabby style of grass that doesn't cater to bump-and-run shots.

Scottsdale, AZ

Legend Trail Golf Club is a public course in north Scottsdale, Arizona, designed by Rees Jones and opened as part of a desert community near Black Mountain, Pinnacle Peak, and Lone Mountain. The par-72 desert-style layout offers five sets of tees ranging from about 5,000 to nearly 6,850 yards, with wide fairways, strategic bunkering, and contoured greens. The course is open to public tee times booked online or by phone, with loyalty and annual pass programs available, and it includes a golf shop and instruction from PGA staff.

Ventura, CA

Just three miles away from the Olivas Links, Buenaventura Golf Course offers more of the happy same; again, a city course at a city course price. It’s been making local golfers happy since 1932 and has undergone several multi-million dollar renovations. Like its partner down the road, it offers cool summertime temperatures.

Gilroy, CA

Gilroy has three golf courses. The 11-hole Gilroy Golf Course offers budget-friendly green fees. Eagle Ridge Golf Club has a challenging course and a clubhouse with a restaurant and bar. CordeValle Resort features a championship course that hosted the 2016 U. S. Women’s Open.

Phoenix, AZ

Arizona Grand Golf Course is a links-style course in Phoenix, Arizona, attached to the Arizona Grand Resort & Spa at the base of South Mountain. The par-71 layout features dramatic elevation changes and desert mountain views typical of the Sonoran Desert setting, and riding carts are required, with walking not permitted. The course is open to public play, with tee times bookable online or by phone through the resort's golf shop, and it has operated for more than two decades. It has a practice facility with a warm-up area and chipping and putting greens.

San Jose, CA

The Ranch Golf Club, designed by Casey O'Callaghan, opened in 2004 in the eastern foothills of Silicon Valley. O'Callaghan's design emphasizes narrow, slanted fairways and punishing rough, requiring precision. The course uses bent grass greens and cool-season grass fairways, set among natural hillsides and large oak trees. The 15th hole, a downhill par-3, features a bunker splitting a tiered green. Despite past maintenance issues, the course is noted for its design and Bay Area views.

Los Alamos, NM

Los Alamos Golf Course is an 18-hole public course owned by Los Alamos County, New Mexico, built in 1947 by the Atomic Energy Commission and among the oldest 18-hole courses in the state. Set on the Pajarito Plateau at about 7,400 feet elevation beneath the Jemez Mountains, it plays through ponderosa pines and cottonwoods to a par of 72 over roughly 6,800 yards, with sloping fairways and small greens. The course underwent a turf renovation completed in 2024 with a phased reopening through 2026.