Fred Bliss

Poway, CA

Maderas Golf Club sits in the rolling foothills of Poway, an inland San Diego County community northeast of downtown. Johnny Miller and Robert Muir Graves designed the course, which opened in 1999 and runs through native chaparral terrain with substantial elevation change from tee to green. Canyons and ridgelines separate the holes, producing a sequence of dramatic uphill and downhill shots rather than a flat resort layout. Bunkering and green complexes take their shape from the topography instead of manufactured hazards. At roughly 7,167 yards it rewards precise iron play into sloped, well-defended greens.

Rocklin, CA

Whitney Oaks Golf Club is set in the rolling foothills near Rocklin, California, on former ranch land that includes granite outcroppings and mature oak trees. The property has a long local history, dating to a 19th-century ranch, and features water, wetlands and stands of live oaks throughout the layout. The course was designed by Johnny Miller in partnership with architect Fred Bliss and opened in the late 1990s. Bentgrass greens with notable contours and strategically placed bunkers give the layout its main challenge, and five sets of tees accommodate a range of playing abilities. Whitney Oaks operates as a semi-private club, with a clubhouse restaurant overlooking the 9th and 18th holes and banquet space used for weddings and other events.

Petaluma, CA

Rooster Run Golf Club is an 18-hole public course in Petaluma, California, built on land that was formerly flat pastureland in Sonoma County wine country. The course preserved three meandering creeks lined with native willows, cottonwoods, and oaks, along with two mature oak trees, while extensive earthmoving created rolling hills and elevation change across the routing. Six lakes, numerous fairway and greenside bunkers, and the area's only island green are featured in the layout. Rooster Run is open to the public with resident and senior rate discounts, and includes a pro shop offering apparel and equipment. The course is used for outings and events in addition to daily play.