Pittsburg's Delta View lives up to its billing

What's in a name (or names)? Plenty.

Pittsburg's Delta View Golf Course gives you what it advertises ... great views of the delta. But the biggest names appear below the course name on the front of the scorecard - designers Alister MacKenzie and Robert Muir Graves.

MacKenzie is more famous for designing Cypress Point in Pebble Beach and Augusta National (with Bobby Jones), but he also did a wonderful job winding the first nine holes of Delta View through trees and smaller hills in 1947.

Graves, who has more than two dozen Northern California courses (including Paradise Valley) on his resume, had fewer trees but bigger hills and more water to work with on the back side, which he designed in 1991.

Despite the topographical differences, the nines mesh well together to form a test that plays much tougher than the 6,317-yard total looks from the back tees.

Delta View has it all ... a little history, a little sand, a little water, and a little price tag that will have you planning your next trip to Pittsburg soon after you walk off the 18th green.

About the only aspects that aren't little are the greens, which are, for the most part, huge and undulating. Combine them with sloping fairways and you've got a par-71 course that plays to a 71.3 rating and a 133 slope from the blue tees.

But both MacKenzie and Graves have given you some birdie chances, along with the opportunity to use every club in your bag.

One of the best birdie opportunities comes at No. 1, a short, straightaway par-4. But trouble also looms, in the form of a huge, steep-faced bunker left of the green and a huge, sloping putting surface. Stay below the hole.

The big-bunker, big-green combination continues throughout the front side, including No. 2, a long, uphill par-5.

Two more good birdie holes follow at No. 3, a short, dogleg-right par-4, and No. 4, a very short par-3 guarded by bunkers short-and-right and long-and-left.

No. 5 is one of the shortest par-5s you'll see anywhere, just 434 yards from the back tees. But the hole runs straight uphill, trees come into play off the tee, and bunkers guard the green. Club down, a rarity on a par-5, and you still may get a birdie.

MacKenzie's side ends with another gem, a long par-4 with the approach over water to an elevated green surrounded by bunkers.

Graves' nine starts with two memorable holes of his own: a very short par-4 to a big green fronted by water, followed by a long par-5 with an elbow dogleg left around water at the green.

More short par-4s highlight the back side, including a true risk-reward hole at No. 17: long hitters will be tempted to go for the green, which is 100 feet below the tee box and just 303 yards from the white tees. But long rough and trees run all the way up the right side of the hole, so short and left is the safe play. Enjoy the view before you pick your target, then beware of the huge speed bumps on the cartpath as you roll downhill toward the fairway.

There are three par-3s on the back side, including the finale: a 223-yarder (from the blue tees) over water and into the prevailing wind. Unfortunately, this bear can make or break your round.

Despite the weird finish, it's hard to find a downside at Delta View. There is wonderful variety, and plenty of hard holes mixed in with birdie chances.

Conditions are excellent, even though this course gets plenty of use and the tee boxes are relatively small.

As if the course itself wasn't enough of a draw, the price is about as good as you'll find anywhere. Even nonresidents pay just $39 with a cart during the week, $54 with a cart on weekends. Walkers save $14, although pack mules would have a tough time walking this course, especially on the back nine.

Need another reason to head to Pittsburg? Delta View is just 45 miles from Vacaville.

There's an all-grass driving range, if you need to unwind.

Directions - Take Interstate 80 west to I-680 south. Take Highway 4 east to Pittsburg. Take the Bailey Road exit south. Turn left on W. Leland Road and right on Golf Club Road.