CordeValle Golf Club
Robert Trent Jones Jr opened CordeValle in 1999, a par 72 of about 7,360 yards in the oak studded foothills near San Martin, an hour south of San Francisco. It hosted the 2016 US Women's Open and a PGA Tour event for four seasons, and remains one of the great private resort tests in Northern California.
Photo via Google, contributed by Cordevalle.
The verdict
Robert Trent Jones Jr routed CordeValle in 1999 across a quiet stretch of the Santa Clara Valley, where vineyards and oak groves climb into the foothills of the Diablo Range. The course opens on gentler valley ground and stiffens as it rises, with a creek threading several holes and the back nine asking the firmer questions. It is wide enough to be a pleasure for the resort guest and exacting enough to have tested the best women in the world.
Our verdict: this is a polished, big league layout hidden in plain sight an hour from the city, the kind of course that rewards a player who flights the ball and respects the slopes around the greens. With the 2016 US Women's Open and four years of PGA Tour golf on its record, CordeValle earns a spot on any serious Northern California itinerary. For the regional shortlist, see our best golf courses in California.
CordeValle Golf Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1999
- Designer
- Robert Trent Jones Jr
- Type
- Resort parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,360 yds
- Green fee
- From about $250 (indicative)
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Robert Trent Jones II and leading course databases: Robert Trent Jones Jr, 1999, par 72, about 7,360 yards. CordeValle is a private club whose course opens to guests of the on site luxury resort; access typically comes with a stay, with indicative resort golf rates from around $250 in the 2026 season. Treat the figure as indicative and always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The front nine eases you in along the valley floor, with generous landing areas and greens that look receptive until you study the run offs. The par 3s are the early test, asking for clean iron play to firm, subtly tilted targets where a miss on the wrong side leaves an awkward recovery.
The round gathers teeth on the inward half as the land rises into the oaks and the creek comes more sharply into play. The closing stretch is where championships were decided, demanding two committed swings on the longer par 4s and a steady nerve on greens that quicken in the afternoon. This is shotmaker's golf, position over power, with bunkering and water punishing the player who drifts off line.
CordeValle rewards a plan and a calm tempo. Keep the ball below the hole, respect the green speeds, and the scorecard takes care of itself. It belongs in the same conversation as the peninsula classics, and pairs beautifully with a wider Bay Area trip taking in Pasatiempo down the coast.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private club; the course opens to guests of the on site luxury resort, so play is arranged through a stay rather than a public tee sheet |
| Green fee | Indicative resort golf rates from around $250 in the 2026 season, varying by season and package (always confirm before booking) |
| Booking | Reserve golf alongside your room reservation; the best tee times pair with a multi night stay |
| On the day | Caddies and carts can be arranged; a refined, unhurried resort pace is the norm |
| Getting there | Near San Martin off US 101, about an hour south of San Francisco and 30 minutes south of San Jose |
| Best months | Spring and autumn for warm, dry, settled conditions; summer is hot inland and winter can bring rain |
Access and fees verified June 2026 from the resort and leading databases. CordeValle is private with resort access, and availability is limited, so confirm current rates and tee times directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
The natural base is the resort at CordeValle itself, a low slung luxury property of villas and bungalows set among the vineyards, which unlocks the tee sheet and keeps the golf a short cart ride away. Its spa, winery and dining make it an easy place to build a couples or buddies trip around for a day or two before moving on.
From here the rest of Northern California's golf opens up: the Monterey Peninsula is roughly 90 minutes south, and the city courses sit an hour north. Pair CordeValle with the peninsula classics or with Spyglass Hill for a trip that runs from quiet valley luxury to the edge of the Pacific.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near CordeValle Golf Club.
Build a Northern California golf trip
We arrange CordeValle stays and tee times, pair them with the Monterey Peninsula and the best of the Bay Area, and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
CordeValle Golf Club questions
Who designed CordeValle and when did it open?
CordeValle was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr and opened in 1999 in the foothills near San Martin, California, south of San Jose.
What is the par and length of CordeValle?
CordeValle is a par 72 measuring about 7,360 yards from the championship tees, routed across rolling oak country with a creek and a vineyard in play.
Can the public play CordeValle?
CordeValle is a private club, but access opens to guests staying at the on site luxury resort, who can arrange tee times as part of a stay.
What tournaments has CordeValle hosted?
CordeValle hosted the 2016 US Women's Open and the PGA Tour's Frys.com Open from 2010 to 2013, along with earlier USGA and amateur events.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.