Franklin Canyon Golf Course

Sometimes what's off the beaten path is just as important as what is on track.

That's the case at Franklin Canyon Golf Course in Hercules, a solid layout with rolling hills, tricky greens and some water. Just make sure you make note of the red - and particularly the white - stakes.

If you hit the ball straight, you're in for a lot of fun and probably a pretty good score. If not, you may have more penalty strokes than you'd care to remember.

As a result, the blue-tee rating is 71.5 with a 129 slope, pretty taxing for a course that measures just 6,594 from the back tees.

The whites are a test, even though the rating is just 69.6. The slope is 125, and the yardage is 6,152.

The 1968 Robert Muir Graves track - the busy architect redesigned Green Valley, designed Paradise Valley and had a hand in another 20 tracks within 100 miles of Solano County - starts with a taste of what's to come. The first hole, an uphill, dogleg-left par-5, looks sedate enough, but out-of-bounds awaits on the right side, and the combination of the hill and the dogleg make for some tough sidehill lies.

The second hole is a nasty, long, uphill par-3 with OB right, and introduces you to another theme. There are five par-3s on this course, none of which are birdie holes. Four of them are more than 180 yards from the blues, and two cross ravines.

As a result, you may be hitting longer clubs on some of the par-3s than you will on the third hole. The short, downhill par-4 looks inviting from the tee, but put away that driver. There is OB right and huge gum trees left, and hitting a wood may only add to your score.

The rest of the front side lets up a bit, but there is water left off the tee at No. 5, a big ravine to cross at the par-3 sixth, OB right on No. 7 and a hazard right on No. 8.

No. 9 is one of the best holes on the track, a long par-5 that doglegs around water. Of course, there is a hazard and OB right, and the pond left, but it is one of the few holes with a generous landing area off the tee.

The back nine will give you a break at the start, with relatively easy par-4s at Nos. 10 and 12 sandwiched around another tough par-3 at 11.

No. 13 is a monster, a long, uphill, dogleg-left par-5 with OB left.

The 14th hole may be the best on the track, a downhill par-4 that doglegs right around four huge bunkers. Stay left and let the slope take your drive to a place where you can pace it off and pat yourself on the back.

More OB awaits at No. 15, big hazards to cross at Nos. 16 and 17, and a canyon left and water right on the par-5 18th hole.

In short, this course can be very fun if you stay in the fairway, which is no small feat. It can be extremely frustrating if you don't. The hazards either make or break this course, depending on your point of view.

There are other positives, including the price - just $40 to ride during the week, including Fridays. The hills on Nos. 1, 2 and 13 are the only big ones on the track, so you can also walk this course for just $29.

Directions - Take Interstate 80 west. Take Willow Road to Highway 4 east. The course is on the right.