Winchester Country Club

History

Most Bay Area residents know the magic of being out-and-up-bound from the Sacramento Valley, heading for the glory of the Sierra range. Nearly halfway to Lake Tahoe, above the heat and winter fog and steeped in trees and lush meadows, sits a chunk of year-round golfing magic not to be missed while it still permits public play: the decade-old Winchester Country Club in Meadow Vista. Just minutes off Highway 80 past Auburn but secluded as if another world, this site was enough to entice both Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Jr. to team up in revealing its charms. Accolades from virtually all the golf magazines have been streaming in ever since. They all cite exquisite views of the Sierra and the Sacramento Valley, reasonable rates ($75 weekdays), impeccable conditions, an award-winning clubhouse, and a course blended seamlessly with its rolling foothills topography. These features and more make Winchester a must-play before plans for returning it to fully private status are realized. Learn more