Alta Sierra at Alta Sierra Country Club

Alta Sierra Country Club sits in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Grass Valley, California, at an elevation that provides a mountain setting distinct from the valley courses below. Bob E. Baldock designed the original layout, with later work by Jim Summers. Baldock, a prolific Northern California architect active from the 1950s through the 1970s, created numerous courses throughout the region that worked with natural terrain rather than imposing dramatic earthmoving.

The course occupies rolling, forested terrain characteristic of the Gold Country foothills, with ponderosa pines and oaks framing fairways and elevation changes that require thoughtful club selection. The routing takes advantage of the natural contours, with holes that move through the trees and across slopes. Players encounter a mix of uphill, downhill, and sidehill lies that demand accuracy and course management over pure distance.

Alta Sierra serves as a traditional country club for the Grass Valley community, offering a mountain golf experience that reflects the character of the region. The setting provides cooler temperatures during summer months compared to the Sacramento Valley, and the course typically remains walkable despite the elevation changes. The layout represents the kind of regional design work that defined California golf development in the mid-twentieth century, built to serve local members rather than destination play.