Hidden Valley Lake Golf and Country Club

When it comes to spectacular views on must-play courses, this Northern California gem is second to none: $30 for 18 Holes with Cart at Hidden Valley Lake Golf and Country Club near Santa Rosa ($60 Value. Expires October 31, 2014!)

Nestled away against spectacular costal mountains, Hidden Valley Lake Golf and Country Club is a retreat from the fog, smog and congestion of the big city. The sparsely populated Lake County serves as the perfect home for this golf oasis designed by William F. Bell.

Billy Bell — A.K.A. the man who designed Torrey Pines — originated an unhurried pace on 18 richly varied holes. Each of these holes has its admirers who claim it as the most interesting, or challenging, or beautiful, and it is indeed hard to pick a favorite. Fabulous, head-turning vistas on this par-72, 6,708-yard jewel include special touches like the signature No. 15's view of Mount Saint Helena, complete with a 250-foot drop to the fairway below. Luckily for visitors, a modern cart path to the bottom replaced the old rope swing.

Hidden Valley Lake Golf and Country Club features five water hazards, four different tee placements, nearly year-round sunshine and 100-year-old oak trees that lend the kind of soul-soothing character which ensures this course will linger in the memory long after the game is done.

Open to public play, rain and shine – with the exception of rare snow storms – Hidden Valley Lake’s golf course was the only 18-hole championship course in Lake County. This course has a relatively level, long-par front nine and a back nine that weaves between oak trees on hilly terrain.

Hidden Valley Lake's course covers 135 acres with an average greens size of 4,700 square feet. The course has a slope of 124 and a rating of 72.5.

This lush course has 32 sand bunkers and two acres of ponds and water hazards. The golf shop is housed in a 7,000 square foot building that also contains a full-service restaurant and fully stocked 19th hole known as Mulligan's.

Without a doubt, Hidden Valley Lake Golf and Country Club is a perfect choice to play a challenge worth accepting in the Northern California area.