Indian Valley Golf Club

Come here even if you don’t golf. The food is great and the patio above Stafford Lake is fabulous. I had a tuna melt with “real” onion rings. There is a full bar. Golfing here is a beautiful trip through the hills and valleys. No reservation is needed for the restaurant. If you are lucky you will see the bald eagle pair that calls this area home.

I recently played a round of golf at Indian Valley Golf Course in Novato, CA and overall I had a great experience. The course is located in a beautiful setting, with stunning views of the surrounding hills and valleys. One of the standout holes on the course is the inviting par 5, which offers a challenging but fair opportunity for players to go for the green in two. On the other hand, the easy par 4 on hole 9 was a welcome break after a challenging front nine. Two short downhill par 3s, One short uphill par 3, and one longer par 3 offer plenty of opportunity to hole out (my friend did!) Also have met some solid players on this course who I see often. One of the things that made the experience even better was the friendly head pro, Felix. He made the check-in process a breeze and was very accommodating throughout the times I have played at Indian. Unfortunately, I did have an issue with another staffer who was unnecessarily rude and gave me a hard time about confirming my youth on the course membership through my name (which I had and just didn’t have service to pull up my exact number). It was frustrating, but thankfully it didn't detract too much from the overall experience. The course is also surrounded by a beautiful valley that you drive through next to Stafford lake, which holds holes 10-13. The views are absolutely stunning and add to the already enjoyable round of golf. The food offerings at Indian Valley Golf Course are basic, but the overall charm of the course more than makes up for it. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking for a fun and challenging round of golf in a beautiful setting. Overall, I give Indian Valley Golf Course 4 out of 5 stars.

I played on this course regularly beginning in the mid 1980's, but today was my first time there since 2012. Apart from the greens which have recently been aerated, I've never seen this course in such great condition. One sore spot for me on this course has always been the tee boxes - both the condition of the grass and the fact that they are uneven. They have obviously addressed that issue - I love it! IVGC has always been known for it's scenery and privacy. Apart from a few homes/ranches on holes 3 & 17, and the main road along holes 10/11, you don't see any houses and don't hear any cars. Today I saw deer, turkey, and geese. Several holes have elevated greens giving you a majestic view of the hole and the Stafford Lake area. The course itself is VERY hilly - rarely do you have a flat lie. That's fun for those visiting, but honestly gets old for regular players (tough when you're in the middle of the fairway with the ball more than 3 inches below/above your feet). Be prepared if you walk - you'll get a great workout! If you like flat fairways and greens, this isn't your course! But if you like a quiet round of golf (apart from the cursing in your group) and lots of nature, you'll love it. Holes can be made challenging in more creative ways than just making them longer or the greens faster....IVGC has accomplished that!