Castle Oaks a royal treat after long drive to Ione

You aren't lost. In fact, nowhere may be a golfing paradise.

Castle Oaks Golf Club in Ione is one of the nicest tracks you'll find anywhere, a beautiful combination of water, bunkers, some trees, a few hills and a great price.

It isn't even that far away, or that hard to get to. You'll probably just think you're lost.

But take the trek toward Jackson, even if the only landmark you see on the way is the ominous former Rancho Seco power plant.

Stay on Highway 104 long enough and you'll see some nice turf. Turn in and get ready for a great day.

Castle Oaks combines great conditions - the course even has a driving range with real grass - with great variety of long and short holes, left and right, and some real birdie opportunities mixed in with some challenges.

Castle Oaks starts off with a tough 1-2 punch, but don't be intimidated.

The first hole is the longest on the course, 537 yards from the white tees, with water left and right off the tee and trees left and right at the green.

The second hole is more intimidating than it looks, although a par-3 surrounded by water and fronted by a huge bunker looks pretty scary before that first cup of coffee ... and even after.

Survive the first two holes and you're ready for some fun.

No. 3 is a long par-4 uphill, but there's plenty of room to let a drive fly.

Nos. 4 and 5 may provide the two best birdie opportunities on the track - a short, dogleg-right par-4 followed by a short, dogleg-left par-5. Placement is more important than length.

Trees on the left provide wonderful targets on both the sixth and seventh holes. Both are tough, but focus on placement over length again and you'll be fine.

The ninth is similar, but aim left of the tree on the right. You usually gain nothing, except trouble, by trying to cut the corner on any of these holes.

Hopefully your driver is working by the 10th hole, because it has water left and right off the tee. Miss left if you have to, because you can probably clear the water on the left, and a ball on the left side provides a better look at the green. Use at least one extra club for the uphill approach.

No. 11 looks more intimidating than it is, because of the huge bunker on the left. Miss right if you must on this short par-3.

No. 13 is the only par-5 on the back side. Again, placement is premium, because your approach must split two big trees.

No. 14 looks sedate enough, but there is out of bounds to the left and water right if you go too long. Three bunkers also guard the green, including a nasty, deep one in front ... but the sand is wonderful.

Hit long on No. 15, and aim right of the trees to get around the corner of the dogleg left, which also is guarded by three bunkers.

Be glad if you're hitting from the whites on No. 16, but walk down the hill to take a look and what you can't see from the blues. The short par-3 has the shallowest green on the course.

Grip it and rip it on No. 17, and don't be afraid of the trees ... most players can clear them, even with a driver.

The finish is spectacular, a long par-4 with water all around a split fairway. The left (shorter) route looks tempting, but the landing area is very small. Take the safe way to the right and be happy with par.

The positives at Castle Oaks are huge ... plenty of hazards with lots of escape routes, a challenge from any of five sets of tees, and a solid price ... just $42 during the week with a cart.

You do need a cart. The hills aren't huge, but the distance between holes makes walking impractical.

The conditions are great, the greens big but fair.

The trip is one of the few downsides, but it's only 70 miles ... not bad for a course this nice.

Directions: Take Interstate 80 east to Sacramento. Take Highway 99 south. Take Highway 104 east to Ione. Turn right on Castle Oaks Drive.