Where in the World Is Cori Brett?
July/August 2013
Yocha Dehe #17
Two figures frozen in white stone stared right past me. The old man and little boy might have been scanning the land for game, deerskins pulled over them in disguise. I followed their gaze and looked out at gorgeous vistas of rolling hills and green fairways. We were just approaching the bag drop at Yocha Dehe Golf Club. The luxurious clubhouse was the only building in sight.
Yocha Dehe is located in the tiny rural community of Brooks, California. The middle of nowhere? Hardly. It just seems like it when you’re navigating country roads, running late for a tee time. Yocha Dehe is about 45 minutes from Sacramento and an hour or more north of San Francisco. After miles of farmland, glamorous Cache Creek Casino Resort suddenly appears – the gateway to Yocha Dehe.
It sits in a secluded valley, a mile from the resort. Sacramento-based golf architect Brad Bell created an exciting layout. The course is routed around Cache Creek and over lakes, shaded by mature oaks, and framed by golden hills tanned by the summer sun. Yocha Dehe opened in 2008. It’s in great condition and beautifully landscaped.
First-timers all of us, we stood on the elevated first tee, facing about a 100-foot drop to the fairway below. The course offers five tee boxes, with the back tees at 7,337 yards. We chose to play at 5,937 yards and 6,449 yards. Yardages are identical for 8 out of the 18 holes, so those tee boxes are placed together. The excellent short game and putting area prepared us well for the large greens. I found the front nine more forgiving than the back, which has a lot of blind tee shots. Overall, it’s a fun, resort-style course that has its share of challenges.
No. 12 is a bunkerless par-4, so riddled with moguls that without the GPS on the cart, we couldn’t see the green or any players in front of us. When the green did come into view, I saw the beautiful vineyard that stretched behind it. Wine produced from those grapes is on the clubhouse menu and sold in the golf shop. Vineyards also border No. 13, a narrow par-3 with a fairway that consists mostly of a free-form shaped bunker with tufts of thick grass.
Yocha Dehe #4
Yocha Dehe means “home by the spring water.” Water does come into play on the course, and the lake that runs alongside No. 17 and No. 18 seemed to put a spell on my golf ball(s). Both fairways narrow as the greens draw closer, while the water on the right exerted a subtle magnetism. It was a dramatic finish, and I can’t wait to play the course again. www.yochadehegolfclub.com.
We experienced first-class service everywhere we went at Yocha Dehe, way better than most public courses. Troon Golf manages the course. The golf carts seemed custom, with comfy seats and extra storage. At the end of the round, we were greeted with chilled, scented towels. Burgers sizzling on the patio grill were tempting, but we had already booked lunch upstairs at the clubhouse. It’s a stunning structure with a panoramic view of the course, even better when seated on the big wrap-around deck. The Bahtenta Grill menu offered lots of choices, from delicious salads to shrimp scampi. I could imagine us coming back in cooler months and gathering around the big outdoor fireplace.
We had driven by Cache Creek Casino Resort to get to the golf course, and I wanted to know more about it. Both the Casino Resort and the golf club are owned and operated by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation . The hotel-casino first opened in 1985 as a small bingo hall. Now it’s a sprawling destination resort that includes a luxurious hotel and full spa, eight restaurants, a Vegas-style casino and entertainment at Club 88. The tribe also produces its own wine and olive oil, under the Seka Hills label. www.cachecreek.com
Yocha Dehe #18
It turns out the hotel is more, much more, than a place to crash after golf. Think four-star romantic getaway. The spacious rooms, tastefully done, come with large bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and lots of amenities, like in-room dining. Guests have access to the pool and sundeck area plus a full range of massage and body treatments at the spa.
Be advised to book ahead, as the hotel sells out quickly. It’s the only game in town. But as we found out, anyone who has experienced a day of golf at Yocha Dehe has already hit the jackpot.
“Escape with Cori” on assignment to exotic and fun golf destinations. First-hand impressions from an experienced golf travel writer and AWGA member. www.coribrett.com. Copyright Cori Brett 2013 – do not copy or cite in whole or in part without permission.
