The Golf Explorer

By Hal Gevertz

Golf at Indian Valley Country Club in Novato

What is now Novato was originally the site of several Coast Miwok villages. One was Chokeche near downtown Novato, while another was Puyuku located near Ignacio, and Olompali which is found at the present Olompali State Historic Park. The park overlooks the Petaluma River and San Pablo Bay from the east-facing slopes of 1,558 foot Mount Burdell. Several historic buildings are preserved within the park.

This all came about when the Mexican government in 1839 granted 8,876 acres (Rancho Novato) to Fernando Felix. The rancho was named after a local Miwok leader who had probably been given the name of Saint Novatus at his baptism.

The original town was located around Novato Creek at what is now South Novato Boulevard. A railroad was built in 1879, connecting Novato to Sonoma County and San Rafael. The area around the town depot became known as New Town and forms the edge of what today is Old Town Novato. The station minus the railroad still stands today. You can also be visit Novato’s acre Miwok Park and museum built around The Marin Museum of the American Indian. The gallery primarily houses exhibits of Coastal Miwok and Pomo Indian Cultures.

So it is only natural when it became time to built Novato’s first golf course in 1957 that it should be named Indian Valley. Its located right across the way from Stafford Lake’s 139-acre Park west of Novato on Novato Blvd. The very fishable lake is also used as a back-up water reservoir for Novato.

They say that variety is the spice of life and if you look at it in the design of a golf course architect Robert Nyberg, he must have his hands full when he took on the job of utilizing 6,374 yards on every conceivable topography that Indian Valley has to offer. Every hole is either up, down, sideways or even a level one for a change of pace. You will even note that numbers 13 to 14 is reached by a caged electric operated enclosed tram with a touch of the steep alpine spirit.

But what Indian Valley also has to offer more that any golf course you have played is its treasure trove of trees of every kind, shape and species that have been hanging around this neck of woods for more years then you can count.

And it didn’t take long for the parade of beautiful trees to begin. The 528-yd par five beginning hole shows off two center fairway placed ancient oaks standing in the way of continuing upward progress. The fairway eventually tales off on the left side where a slight two-level green is located that breaks from left to right. This is followed by a fairway (408 yds) that takes off in an upward motion and then makes its way down to an undulating putting surface. It’s fenced in the rear to avoid players hitting off the 18th located tee from getting clobbered. There is also a deep, grassed draw that is used for rain runoff and a hazard for incoming approach shots.

A bag full of bunkers is part of the 485-yd par five number three as it makes way over a long downward dry-grass rough and a heavenly endowed tree until the upward fairway is reached with its sand traps on both sides of the hole to avoid. A narrowing raised green waits accurate approaching that slants from front to back. The easiest hole on the hole follows with 120-yds of straight down terrain to overcome with a roundabout putting surface with little movement to have fun on.

The 289-yd par 4 5th and the 367-yd 6th are smothered with acres of lovely framed lumber with a smattering of fairway space in between to get into trouble if your ground game becomes wayward on both sides. And when you reach the 420-yd 7th, you will find a blind shot along a fairway that tilts from right to left. A blind second shot ensues as you make you way down to a green that falls away on the left sanded side and rear.

The 365-yd par four 9th is the most picturesque hole on the course. From a high promenade Stafford Lake appears on its left side with oodles of trees along the valley below. When you eventually get close to its raised green, you will come across a well-defined maize of bunkers and a grassy rough depression to get you into trouble.

Across the road is the 360-yd 10th that requires a center cut drive to keep you out of trouble with a large oak tree just to the right of the fairway as a target line. The fairway then drops down while turning left to a green faced by a large trap by its entrance. A 324-yd par four curving left fairway with trees blocking the left side follows the proceedings as it makes its way up to a “Tiny Tim” size putting surface that breaks from left to right. The next hole of 425-yds reverses itself as it turns down along a right angled fairway until you reach the bottom of the hill where an extensive, undulating putting surface is found with lots of room to make good or bad decisions.

There are two ways of succeeding to the next hole. If you have an electric car, a curving path will take you up to the next tee. But if you are walking or pulling a hand cart, a caged tram awaits you with the pushing of a bottom that will take you to the next driving area. If you are looking for a “stairway to the stars,” the 375-yd 15th is just the ticket as the fairway makes its way uphill with some heavy duty bunkers on the left side near a tilted putting surface that breaks severely from right to left.

What comes up must come down and the following tree framed par five of 528-yds gives one an exhilarating view and fairway as it cascades its way down along undulating terrain until it reaches a small football shaped putting surface that breaks from left to right. It’s followed by another par three of 148-yds that falls away from tee to a far below formidable green that breaks from right to left. The 491-yd par five 18th is found on ground level as it curves to the right by a smattering of trees. As you make you way to the approaching area you will find in front of you some distinctive bunkering framing a two level green with putts guaranteed to break from right to left.

Most golf courses include practice facilities in different sizes and shapes. But when it comes to one at Indian Valley, you are going to be entertained by hitting practice balls into Lake Stafford. It even has designated yardage signs dug into the shallow mud flats of the lake. I presume when it comes time to retrieve the balls, it could become a messy job. They do have a dry uphill driving area for short and mid size irons, but that’s no fun.

For reasonable rates, information and reservations, call 415-897-1118.