Monarch Bay Golf Club

You are closer to the beach than you realize.

Monarch Bay Golf Club in San Leandro provides beautiful views of the San Francisco Bay, beautiful conditions, and a chance to hit your target score ... if you can avoid the course's 90 bunkers.

If not, you might as well bring a beach towel, but you'll still have a blast.

The 1982 William F. Bell course was redeisgned in 2001 by John Harbottle, and Harbottle's penchant for bunkering (i.e., Cinnabar Hills in San Jose) comes through.

The gentle course begins in a park-like, tree-lined setting, but don't be confused. This is about as close to a true links-style course as you can get, with the balance of the holes paralleling the bay and spectacular views unobstructed by houses ... or trees.

In short, get ready to grip it and rip it. But remember that your short game is key here.

Six ... count 'em, six ... sets of tees will accommodate any ability level. The white-tee yardage is a pretty standard 6,061, but the rating of 68.8 (for a par-71) and gentle 115 slope may make you want to play from the gold tees.

That's fine, but it means you'll be hitting longer irons into the greens, all of which are protected by at least two bunkers.

The 14th hole has seven bunkers, all within 60 yards of the green.

Most of the bunkers also have very steep faces, although the quality of the sand will help you blast out on some of the holes.

Your round begins with a look at most of the trees you'll see all day, but the long par-4 at No. 1 also has three bunkers surrounding the green.

Once you get on the green, however, you'll find that Monarch Bay's putting surfaces are very fair, with no two-tiered jobs, no wicked slopes, and true, gentle breaks ... hence the lower-than-usual slope rating.

No. 2 opens up and heads toward the water. The long par-4 has two bunkers left of the fairway.

No. 3 has three bunkers guarding the right side of the fairway and three more surrounding the green.

A bunker evens sits in the middle of the fairway at No. 5, a long par-5 that has four more nasty, deep bunkers near the green.

The front side ends with a long par-4 that features a few more trees as you head back toward the clubhouse.

A gentle par-3 follows at No. 10, one of several real birdie chances.

Highlights on the back side include a trio of par-4s that are about as diverse as they can be: No. 13, a 450-yarder (from the white tees) that will test your accuracy with a fairway wood; No. 14, a 278-yarder with seven bunkers protecting the shallowest green on the course; and No. 15, a 358-yarder with the only lake on the course down the left side of the fairway.

Finish your round with your best birdie chance all day, a short par-4 to a very fair green.

There are all kinds of positives at Monarch Bay. This is a fun, walkable track with an excellent mix of long and short holes, particularly on the par-4s. And the links style near the ocean is a brand of golf you may not see too often.

The greens are solid with no real tricks, and provide great opportunities to sink some lengthy putts.

The fairways are some of the nicest you'll hit off, and you can still hit for length out of the first cut of rough.

Price is another plus, just $32 to walk during the week.

On the tough side, if you can't control your irons, you may be screaming at the bunkers all day. Many of the steep faces make for almost unplayable lies.

But this is a challenge that will make you think in the bunker, or look for a bailout in the fairway. Fortunately, most of the holes have places to bail out.

The wind also can wreak havoc on the course, and you can be cold in the middle of summer. So pack a jacket before you go.

And don't forget a beach towel and some sunscreen.

Directions - Take Interstate 80 west. Take I-580 east to I-880 south. Take the Marina Boulevard exit west, which becomes Monarch Bay Drive. The course is on the left.