A round of golf, a glass of wine and beautiful scenery are what you can delight in at The Course At Wente Vineyards. Located 40 miles east of San Francisco in the Livermore Valley, Wente Vineyard and Golf course has some of the most panoramic views I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. The area greets you with beautiful sweeping hills that are blanketed by grape vines, all neatly planted against the clear, bay area skies. The Course at Wente Vineyards seems to be painted into the terrain, encompassing three distinct ecosystems: mature vineyards, native woodlands and rolling hills of natural grassland. By Kevin Scott

The Wente Vineyard is the oldest family owned winery in California. They are consistently rated among the top twenty-five winegrowers in the U.S. Their wines include my personal favorite Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Johannisberg Riesling. The Wente family is known throughout the world for their excellent wines, serving over 150 countries.

So when the fourth generation of wine experts decided to build a golf course, the family picked the best to design it, Greg Norman, worldwide superstar and golf course designer.

Mr. Norman has designed courses in his native Australia, Japan and India, not to mention his adopted home state of Florida. He is a pretty good player too, winning professional tournaments world wide, while constantly finishing in the top thirty money winners on the PGA Tour during the 1990s. In his spare time he managed to win two British Opens!

Greg compared The Course at Wente Vineyards to Pebble Beach when he indicated: “I haven’t played any finer course than Pebble Beach. But if you take away the esthetics of Pebble Beach, such as the location by the Pacific Ocean, then you can stack The Wente right up there.” I totally agree

Mr. Norman faced many challenges while designing The Wente. The biggest was the 350,000 yards of dirt that had to be moved and married to the surrounding hills. The idea was to make the course look as if it had been there for twenty years. Greg’s plan was to give the player beautiful vistas to contemplate before every shot, whether looking up or down. The backdrop on each green gives one the feeling of an oil painting, surrounded by a beautiful natural frame. “The Wente is uniquely beautiful because you have the stark contrast of the great vineyard, you’ve the brown wispy color of the natural vegetation and then you’ve got the hills”.

Devin Meheen, PGA Director of Golf, is the lucky guy who oversees all golf operations at The Wente. Devin has spent several years managing and developing courses such as Rancho La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, California, The Maroon Creek Club in Aspen, Colorado and Monttreux Golf & Country Club in Reno, Nevada. His first golf course job was at Quail Lodge Gold Club in Carmel at the age of 14 and he has been playing since the ripe old age of ten.

“The Course at Wente Vineyard is one of the premier golf courses in the nation,” says Meheen. “The terrain is distinct by its peaks and valleys and surrounding vineyards. And it is owed by one of the most highly respected families in California.”

Devin not only knows golf, he is very good at picking personnel. The day I had the opportunity to play The Wente, I was treated like royalty from the time I stepped from the car. A friendly young man named Brad Cook, who insisted upon caring for my clubs, and meeting my every whim, greeted me. Assistant Pros Blake Dipietro and Scott Graham met me as I entered the finely appointed clubhouse. They were determined to make my experience at The Wente unforgettable. They succeeded beyond my wildest dreams!

Speaking of the clubhouse! It was modeled after an Australian station house, reminiscent of Greg Norman’s childhood in the outback. The clubhouse features a pro shop, casual dining and a full bar. It was designed by San Francisco architect Robert Lamb Hart who added a large covered patio just off the eighteenth green, affording one the opportunity to sip wine while thinking over the day’s adventure.

The Wente opened on July 15, 1998 and stretches to 6, 934 yards. The par is 72. Every inch of the course is the responsibility of course Superintendent Jeff Shafer, GCSSA. To put it in a nutshell I think he does an excellent job. I’m not easy to please. Not only do I want good golf, I also want beautiful fairways, well maintained greens and sandy white bunkers. My inner peace needs clear air, lots of landscape and bunches of green. My golf game needs much more, but we won’t get into that right now. My time at The Went was just wonderful! So Jeff, in my humble golf writer’s opinion, you do one hell of a good job!

The course can be a challenge to the novice as well as the pro. It features five tee boxes and sprinkler head yardage markers which measure to the center of the green. Golf carts must stay on the path at all times. I wouldn’t recommend walking The Wente, unless you are in really good shape. Definitely invest in the yardage guide available in the pro shop. The guide explains the strategy behind each hole, as well as the pin placement on each green. Remember the vineyards are out of play!

Jim Hansen and I played The Wente on a beautiful, clear day. We were accompanied by our new friend Dave Scott (no relation), from Seal Beach, California. Dave is a fine player, and a real gentleman. Dave kept telling us he was there on business. Sure Dave, did your boss know that? We have pictures Dave! Black mail could be in your future! Jim and I had fun. That is important, golf should always be fun. The Wente is fun!

Dave and I are standing at the bottom of Lombard Drive in the picture. The drive climbs from the ninth green to the tenth tee box. It’s a lot longer then the drive in San Francisco. Please don’t stop on the way up to admire the view. It is very steep and has a lot more curves then the original Lombard Street. Once you reach the top the view is spectacular. I went the wrong way down Lombard Street one time but that’s another story!

My favorite hole is the 15th. Probably because I birdied the 499-yard, par five. Two great shots left me in the right green side bunker. A nice sand shot left me about ten feet from the pin. I didn’t see the putt. I had my eyes shut. Jim and Dave said it was spectacular. The 15th typically plays down wind (now you know why I hit the bunker in two). There are fairway bunkers on the left and a lake on the right. There is a bunker in the middle of the fairway that gives the impression it’s guarding the green. Check your trusty yardage book. The bunker is not as close to the green as it appears.

Jim and I finished off the day sipping Cabernet and watching other players finish up. It was just plain fun! The fun can be yours as well.

Play The Course at Wente Vineyards. Please tell them D’Vine Magazine sent you!

Tee times booked up to 30 days in advance are $85.00 Monday-Thursday and $120.00 Friday – Sunday, holidays. Tee Times booked 31 to 60 days in advance are $110.00 Monday-Thursday and $140.00 Friday-Thursday, holidays.

Afternoon rates (start times vary seasonally): $50.00 Monday-Thursday, $70.00 Friday-Sunday, holidays. Twilight rates: $45.00 Monday-Thursday, 4 hours before dark. $65.00 Friday-Sunday, 4 hours before dark. $45.00 Friday-Sunday, 2 hours before dark (Super Twilight).

To book tee times call (925) 456-2475
or contact them at www.wentegolf.com.