Lockeford Springs Golf Course

Short hitters don't necessarily have to be scared.

Lockeford Springs Golf Course in Lodi looks daunting on the scorecard ... almost 6,500 yards from the white tees, nearly 6,000 from the red.

But the 1995 design is a true grip-it-and-rip-it course, wide open off the tees with generous landing areas. And while there is enough trouble to keep the track from being boring, this is a real opportunity to hit your target score.

So rare back and let the big dog eat. And get ready for some fun.

Lockeford Springs features water on 13 of the 18 holes, in the form of small ponds and a creek. But most of the water can be avoided.

There also are only 15 bunkers on the entire track, with only three greens fronted by bunkers. So in addition to letting your drives fly, you can bomb away on approaches with your longer clubs.

You probably will use your longer clubs for much of the day. Seven par-4s are more than 380 yards in length from the white tees, including a whopping 450-yarder at No. 4.

But the white-tee slope is a not-too-difficult 125, despite playing 6,483 yards with a 71.4 rating.

The blue-tee distance is a lengthy 6,858 yards, with a 73.2 rating and a 130 slope. Dixon's Nick Watney holds the course record of 64, from the blues.

Lockeford's gentle side is evident at the start, with a straight-away par-4 at No. 1. There are just five trees up the right side, and no bunkers, so cash in quickly.

No. 2 gets a little harder, a dogleg-right par-4 at 391 yards from the whites. Aim left off the tee, because thick rough and a hazard await if you try to cut the corner.

A short par-3 follows. The four par-3s are pleasantly diverse, ranging from 130 yards to 178 from the white tees.

The monster par-4 is next, followed by another 400-yarder and a 517-yard par-5 as the length kicks in. The par-5s are the best holes on the track, with No. 5 a double-dogleg and No. 9 featuring three bunkers encircling the green.

The back nine is shorter than the front, but huge par-4s still await at Nos. 11 and 14. Make your birdies at the short par-4 10th and 13th, although those holes have two of the smallest greens on the course.

End your day with another great par-5, a dogleg left with water on the left and a dry creek on the right. Keep it in the fairway and go home on a good note.

Conditions are solid, even though this course gets a lot of play. The fairways are in good shape, and they're wide enough that you may hit off the short grass more than you have in a long time.

The greens are big and fast, but they roll very true. View putts from all sides, though, because the undulations that are commonplace can be deceiving. Some of the greens are beset by unrepaired ball marks, but overall the conditions are good.

The price is very fair. The weekday walking rate is just $22, and the course is flat enough to walk, although there are some long treks between holes.

Carts are fitted with GPS, another reason to pay the extra $15 to ride. Punch up the pro's tips for extra help on your first visit.

The long drives between holes make for some of the challenges. Signage is minimal here, so make sure you head to the right hole. The biggest problem occurs after the fourth, where eight of the holes converge around the on-course restroom. Go straight by No. 11, and turn left and then right after the restroom to get to No. 5.

If you can find your way around, you should be in for some fun.

Lockeford Springs may not make you say 'Wow,' except when you pay for your round, or look at your final score.

And maybe that's reason enough to drive to Lodi.

Directions - Take Highway 12 east through Lodi. Highway 12 turns into Kettleman Lane. Turn left on Highway 88. The course is on the right.