Skywest Golf Course

What you see is what you get ... and it's long.

If you are tired of tricked up, blind-shot-filled courses that make you lay up off the tees, get ready for a treat in Hayward.

Skywest Golf Course may as well be called Let the Big Dog Eat Links. The 1965 Bob Baldock track - the busy Baldock designed several area courses, including Bethel Island, El Macero in Davis and Yolo Fliers in Woodland - is long and mostly straight ... and long.

It's also there for the taking, provided your driver is working and you can get some loft on your approach shots. Every one of the course's 18 greens is protected in the front by bunkers on the right and left sides, another constant that is right in front of you.

Other standards at Skywest include well-groomed fairways and true, mature greens, so shoot right at the pins.

Just remember to warm up before you start your round, preferably with your driver. Skywest plays a whopping 6,520 yards from the white tees, and 6,171 even from the golds.

You may feel like you need to play from the gold tees if you don't drive the ball well, particularly when you look at the scorecard and see four par-4s more than 400 yards in length from the whites. There is only one par-4 shorter than 365 yards on the entire course, even from the white tees.

The short 4 comes at the second hole, after a long, straight par-5 to open. Make par or birdie on the first, and then club down at No. 2, because a driver that isn't warmed up can only get you into trouble. There are trees left of the fairway - another common theme - and water right, one of only five holes where water comes into play.

A long par-4 follows, and then another long par-5. The first respite isn't really a respite at all, since the par-3 fifth hole is 199 yards, into the prevailing wind.

Two more 400-yard par-4s follow before the first real break, a 121-yard par-3 at No. 8. Finish the front side with another test, a medium-length par-4 but one that has trees left and a small creek if you wander too far right.

Don't fret if you took lumps on the front side. The back is more than 100 yards shorter, and has more variety.

The first real dogleg comes at the par-4 11th, arguably the toughest hole on the course at 422 yards. But a short par-3 follows, and shorter par-4s and 5s round out the nine.

Positives at Skywest are a well-maintained course where you can use driver ... again and again.

The greens roll true and hold shots, with no funky breaks or tiers.

The weekday walking rate is just $28, and if you don't walk this course you probably won't ever walk.

There are homes, but they are well off track and the course is in a true park-like setting.

Skywest even has a posh clubhouse that opened in July, so take some extra time to eat after your round.

Flat, straight holes are the norm, but there is enough variety on the back nine to keep matters interesting.

Just make sure you bring your driver.

Directions - Take Interstate 80 west to Oakland. Take I-880 south. Take the Lewelling Boulevard-San Lorenzo exit and continued straight. Veer right onto Hesperian Way. Turn right on Golf Course Road.