Callippe Preserve Golf Course

I’d heard stories of this beautiful course and figured since I’ve lived in the Bay Area for a while, I should check it out. Just got back into golf a couple years ago after about 8 years off, and I’ve been working on rebuilding my swing, mostly playing local par 3 courses. Stepping out onto a full sized course has always been daunting. Beware, all those to my right. Long clubs are not my friends. But the work I’ve been putting in has straightened things out considerably, so getting a ball out there off the tee 150 to 170 yards is not as big a mystery as it once was.

In my twilight round (4pm tee time with 6:30 sunset), I played and kept score on the front 9, but had just enough light left to play 10 and 11….and even stay on 11 for a few to work out a little with a 64° wedge I brought with me. I shot the best front 9 of my life with a 46. That’s darn close to bogey golf and huge for me. I’ve struggled with consistency and that’s one big thing golf will punish you for.

All that out of the way, what I saw of Callippe was beautiful. Wide open and inviting for a hack like me, but still challenging with its strategically placed bunkers. Gotta know your distances or you’re on the beach. I played from the red tees (~5100 yard course) as I have been doing all year and have been having a total blast. The forward tees put you right at the front edge of the fairway and I felt like I was really in the course as I looked out and planned my shots. Distance control and left to right placement is still just as vital to avoid bunkers, catch a nice kick or get one to roll another 20 yards down a hill.

Greens were beautiful, fun and challenging. A few more 3 putts up there than I wanted but that’s on me. Saw a tarantula about the size of a golf ball hanging out on the 6th green. First wild tarantula I’ve seen in CA. Found myself in green side bunkers twice and they were much softer and easier to get out of than what you usually encounter at the neighborhood pitch-n-putt. Dare I say they were a joy to play?

Staff at check in and start were both great, and the group I got paired with were fun, talkative, supportive and made me bring my A game. Can not wait to get back out to Callippe and play the rest of that beautiful course.

The course design is stylish. The scenery is beautiful. There are surprises from time to time. It is not boring. Several holes are difficult to play, but they offer experience the joy of challenge.

The issue is GN did not use my credit to pay for the booking fee, as it stipulates. Please fix it.

They did not inform front nine closed in advance

Forced you to play back nine twice , pace is so slow, spent 2.5 hrs only played 9 holes , I gave up to play back nine holes twice. Pace extremely slow, this is 2nd time when they closed 9 holes but they did not inform you in advance .

To be clear.. the course staff are great … the pro shop and owners used to reflect that attitude. The old staff still there are awesome but the pro shop couldn’t care less about helping the players. Just about charging them and making money off them.

I used to play here a lot more.. now it’s just one of many

2.45 hrs to play 9 holes on a weekday afternoon. No marshals, no urgency to get things moving.

If you can't get a morning tee time, best to avoid Callipe

Have been playing here all summer, amazing course, friendly staff and very well maintained course… 10/10

Overall the course is in great condition Waited every single hole on a midday Monday afternoon.