Roddy Ranch Golf Club

Take an extra day off.

The Golf Club at Roddy Ranch in Antioch offers a beautiful challenge seven days a week. But the course's Monday-through-Thursday price of $45 with a cart is a steal for one of the top courses in the east bay.

There are even more deals available at the course's web site, www.roddyranch.com. And you can book a tee time up to 30 days in advance, a necessity with the courses's great pricing.

Picture the hills of Hiddenbrooke in Vallejo, combined with the feel of The Reserve at Spanos Park in Stockton. Add a little western flavor and you have a 4-year-old track that is climbing up the charts in Northern California.

Roddy Ranch can be an absolute monster if you want to punish yourself, or if you're Tiger Woods. The black-tee yardage is 7,024, with a 74.5 rating and a 136 slope.

But four sets of tees provide challenge or fun for all abilities, and the white (silver ... remember, this is the wild west) tees are 6,043 yards out. The rating is still 70.4 with a 130 slope, but the course can be had from the silvers, and a good score will help your index.

The hills provide the biggest tests, starting with the first hole, a mellow looking par-5, but one that plays uphill and into the prevailing wind. And, oh yes, there is wind in them thar hills.

But don't worry. Roddy Ranch has good variety of uphill and downhill holes, with the wind and against. There are doglegs left and right, and plenty of variety in length of holes.

Water only comes into play on two holes, and while there are well-placed trees, this is a hills course and not a woods track. Hills and native grasses border most fairways and provide much of the trouble, but under a local rule, a lost ball in a native area only yields a one-stroke penalty.

Bunkers provide some of the biggest challenges. There are 79 on the course, and many come into play. The two par 5s on the front side both have traps in the middle of the fairways, just another challenge to consider.

But this course provides plenty of opportunities to let out some shaft, and there are risk-reward shots on many holes.

If the wind isn't howling, the first two holes - the short 5 and an even shorter par-4 - will get you started with a smile.

The third hole is a short par-3, but the prevailing wind is a crosswind that will dump all but the best shots into a huge bunker that guards the right side of a huge green.

Most of the greens are big, and fast, but they do roll true and hold shots.

The par-3s have good variety, but they are tough.

The biggest fun comes on the par-5s, most notably the sixth hole. The downhill, downwind tee shot provides a perfect opportunity to hit a drive you can pace off, even if it is a blind shot.

If you land safely, the second shot must be played smartly because of the three bunkers dividing the fairway. The right side is a safer-looking play, but the left provides a better angle to a well-protected green.

More fun awaits on the ninth hole, an elbow dogleg left that has risk-reward written all over it.

The risk-reward theme continues on the 10th hole, which also features the first appearance of water. The more you hit your drive over the pond, the shorter the hole becomes.

In fact, all of the back nine has character, and only a couple holes give you a feeling of deja vu (I've played this hole before).

Directions - Take Highway 12 east to Rio Vista. After the Rio Vista Bridge, take Highway 160 south to Highway 4 west. In Antioch, take the Lone Tree exit south and turn right on Deer Valley Road. Turn right on Tour Way.