Woodcreek Golf Club

Try the black tees.

If you ever wanted to pretend you're Phil Mickelson (OK, Tiger Woods), Woodcreek Golf Club in Roseville is the best chance you'll have.

The quirky little track measures a mere 6,518 yards from the black tees, and 6,041 from the blues. The white-tee yardage is an unheard of 5,483.

Be don't be deceived. The 1995 Robert Muir Graves design - the busy Graves also did Paradise Valley in Fairfield and Blue Rock Springs East in Vallejo - has plenty of trouble, and can provide a test from any of four tees.

Woodcreek has more trees than Paradise Valley, and has a few more twists, turns and blind shots. It also has 80 bunkers, a few creeks, and some wetlands areas ... hence the 70.2 rating and 123 slope for a blue-tee yardage that has a sedate white-tee look.

You may be tempted to play whites just to hit your target score. Play the blues, or even the blacks, unless you don't mind leaving your driver in the bag at least half the time.

Use driver on the first three holes, all short par-4s, where three pars are a distinct possibility. The gentle No. 1 (thank you, Mr. Graves) has one of the most wide open fairways you'll see all day (aim for the bunker on the left of this slight dogleg right).

Enjoy a short par-3 at No. 4. In fact, the par-3s here are a blast, and the 183-yard 14th is the only one more than 150 yards, even from the blue tees.

Quirkiness comes full force at No. 5, the first par-5 and the No. 1 handicap hole. The hole is a slight dogleg left with a creek cutting across a split fairway, but the creek juts out into the left side. Shorter hitters should lay up on their second shots, although crossing the creek is tempting. Longer hitters can cross the creek, leaving a short approach to a green protected by a dry creek in front and two bunkers in the back.

Black-tee hitters face a 219-yard par-3 at No. 8, but everyone else gets at least an 80-yard break and a good chance for birdie.

No. 9 is a solid par-5 with hidden danger. Aim for the bunker on the left off the tee. Drive up to the top of the hill before you hit your second shot, then lay up to the right ... the lake juts out into the fairway in front of the green.

The back nine is even more unique. Some of the distinctive features include:

* a gully in front of the 10th green (drive up to the top of the hill before you hit your second shot);

* a chance to go for the green on No. 11, provided you can clear the trees on the left. Otherwise, club down to avoid rolling through the fairway;

* another very short par-4 at No. 12 and a great birdie opportunity, provided you can stay out of the bunkers on the right;

* another layup drive on No. 13, with an approach crossing a wetlands preserve;

* a short, slight-double-dogleg par-5 at No. 16. You can skip through the hardpan on the left and cut the corner, or take the safe route (aim for the green on the left).

The finish is a beauty, a long par-4 with water on the right and bunkers left at the green. Miss left if you miss, because the prevailing wind will push your approach toward the water.

Woodcreek has plenty of good features, including solid conditions, great variety and a chance to score if your short game is on.

The greens are large, but they roll fair, even though they are slower than you might be used to. There are subtle breaks around the holes, but in general there is less break than you might think.

Woodcreek has a weekday walking rate of just $25. And while you may have more fun riding, you'll save $14 and get plenty of exercise with your bags on your back.

There isn't much of a downside, and a good yardage book would solve most of the problems. The gentle rolling terrain leaves many blind shots, and there are a couple of holes (Nos. 5, 11 and 16, most notably) where first-time players simply don't know where to hit.

But hey, variety is the spice of life. And you'll probably want to come back, equipped with the valuable course knowledge you picked up on your first try.

Directions - Take Interstate 80 east to Highway 113 north. Take I-5 south to Highway 99 north. Take Riego Road east. Turn left on Woodcreek Oaks Boulevard. The course is on the right.