The Course at Wente Vineyards — golf and wine in perfect harmony

The Course at Wente Vineyards combines Greg Norman's design with the tradition of the oldest family winery in the USA. For golfers with a taste for fine wines, the complex just outside San Francisco offers a first-class experience. If you tee off here, you'll see rolling hills, grapevines and the skyline of the Bay Area in the background.

Located a good 50 kilometers east of San Francisco in the Livermore Valley, the resort lives up to its reputation: On the way to the first tee, players pass by the winery's tasting station. Opened in 1998, the par-72 design cleverly makes use of the hilly terrain. Six tee options per lane allow a range of 4,865 to 7,181 yards. A cart is not a weakness here, but a common sense to save energy for wine tasting after the round.

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Front Nine: Panoramas and Strategic Climbs

The opening track, a par 4 with up to 474 yards, starts with a magnificent panoramic view and a slight dogleg on the left. Lane 2 surprises as a short strategic hole of just 307 yards, where precision is more important than length. The first par-3 leads onto elevated green, which slopes dangerously towards the vineyards.

Lane 6 is a special highlight: The 353 yards long par-4 leads steeply uphill over a wavy fairway. Anyone who reaches the summit looks at a steeply sloping apron to the green — clever course management is a must here. The first half ends with the most difficult hole on the course: a massive par 4 of up to 496 yards, which first runs downhill and then uphill again.

Back Nine: Lombard Street on the Fairway

After refreshments at the halfway house, the second half begins with a spectacular sequence. The short par-4 On lane 10, long hitters have the chance to attack the green directly, but requires a risky shot over a rugged slope. that Par 5 With its blind tee and heavily wavy terrain, track 12 is almost reminiscent of Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand.

The landscape centrepiece is track 13: an elegant DogLeg link (par-4) downhill, which is completely surrounded by grapevines. The final tracks lead back to the clubhouse at the foot of the vineyards. With three challenging par 4 holes over at least 453 yards and a 569 yards long Par 5 If there is a risk of ponds, concentration is required until the last putt.

Conclusion: The perfect end

After the round, wine tasting with our own grapes is almost obligatory. Combined with light snacks, this is the ideal addition to the 18 sporting holes. And as insiders assure: With every glass, the score that has just been played improves by itself.