DIABLO HILLS GOLF COURSE

The East Bay hills serve up a demanding test where elevation changes and prevailing winds turn what appears to be a straightforward round into a chess match of club selection and course management. Rolling terrain dotted with mature oaks creates natural doglegs that reward local knowledge, while the greens here hold better than most daily-fee tracks thanks to recent conditioning improvements. This blue-collar layout punches well above its weight class, delivering legitimate strategic interest without the pretense that plagues so many Northern California courses.