and equestrian trails wrap around the course for the rest of the community to enjoy. And while there are homes on the property, they are set well back from the golf course, fur- ther promoting a peaceful experience. These changes only enhance what is a beautiful setting, a course that alternates through meadows and trees. “The big pine trees we have here are
unique to this elevation,” said Bennett about Winchester, which can usually be played every day of the year. “That makes it have more of a mountain feel.” Taking advantage of its fantastic foothill
setting, Winchester uses the boulders indigenous to the property as both targets and obstacles. The fourth hole—labeled “Bobby’s Burn” after Jones Jr.—does this particularly effectively, as the left side of the second fairway on the 564-yard dogleg- right par 5 is lined with eye-catching stones and rocks. “There are definitely holes with a Jones
feel, where you have to place your ball in certain spots,” Lyon said. “There’s some tar- get golf out there. The back nine is definitely meadow-style golf.” Two of the most memorable holes on the
back nine play around the edge of a pond. The 412-yard 14th hole puts a premium on precision, as a giant oak plays defense against any approach coming in from the right. But the backdrop is a beautiful pond, which you will have to negotiate on the 15th hole. The 223-yard par 3 is appropriately called “Hero’s Welcome,” as it demands an all-carry shot to a green surrounded by water on three sides. It’s very Medinah-ish. Except Medinah deals with snow. So do the courses in Truckee and Lake Tahoe. But not Winchester. “We’re above the fog of the Sacramento
Valley and below the snow of Tahoe,” Ben- nett said. “You can get snow 15 minutes north in the winter, and you get fog 15 minutes south.” As an avid skier, Bennett can wake up on a winter morning, look at his skis and golf clubs, and decide which set he wants to put in his trunk. “There’s no doubt the location here is
unique, and sets it apart from the Auburn and Tahoe Courses,” Bennett said. “We think we are the best of both worlds— year-round golf and access to skiing. We are right off I-80 but still nicely secluded. That’s really the key feature—the environment and the location, and then you combine it with great golf in a beautiful community.”
SUMMER 2014 /
NCGA.ORG / 21
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