D’Andrea Golf Course Review

D’Andrea is currently closed due to financial issues

Built in 2000, D’Andrea is an 18 hole public golf course situated in the easterly hills overlooking the Reno/Spark Valley.  The course is a curious combination of beautifully and ill-conceived holes that weave through a developed and undeveloped housing community.  The varying winds and course conditions at D’Andrea make the course either an enjoyable or frustrating golf experience.

2900 S D Andrea Pkwy
Sparks, NV 89434 (Google Maps)
775.331.6363
D’Andrea Website

Tees Par 72 (rating/slope)

• Black 6849 yards (71.7/132)
• Gold 6501 yards (69.5/130)
• Silver 6272 yards (66.3/128)
• Jade 5162 yards (69.4/128)

Scorecard: click here
Course Designer: Keith Foster
Course Record: 62

Peak Season Green Fees (May thru Oct)

• Regular- $49-69
• Member Guest- $49
• Northern Nevada Resident- $39-49
• Junior- $35

Off Season Green Fees (Oct-May)

• Regular- $49
• Member Guest- $39
• Northern Nevada Resident- $39
• Junior- $30

Rental Fees

• Cart (GPS)- included in fees
• Rental Clubs- $25

Practice Area

D’Andrea offers an expansive elevated south-east facing matted and grass driving range.  Open to the cross winds the range is located in a bowl and lacks solid targets to aim at.

A large putting and chipping green are found next to the driving range.  Conditions are fairly representational of conditions found on the course and both greens can accommodate multiple golfers.

The Course

A curious combination of beautifully and ill-conceived holes that weave through a developed and undeveloped housing community, D’Andrea Golf Club is the course with the most confused identity in the Reno/Sparks area.  Working its way up and down a cut out in the hills, the course can be picturesque with magnificent views of the valley as well as presenting view that are rather mundane and less than athletically pleasing.  The varying winds that roll from the west can wreck havoc on a golfer’s round because of the course’s layout and the timing of when particular holes are played.  Specifically there are seven holes that can become bogey or better holes simply because of the head/cross winds.

Playing conditions at D’Andrea range from average to good for a public course, with less than ideal conditions coming during the winter months. 11 of the course’s 18 holes have elevated tee boxes which can either be advantageous or a disadvantage depending on the wind direction.  Due to the rocky soil, fairway drainage is excellent and rarely are these soggy spots on the course…the exceptions being the 13th and 14th holes.  Bunkers are adequate, but could use an influx of sand.  Green conditions can be hit or miss depending on the time of year and the amount of traffic on the course.

D’Andrea has an elevation change of over 400 feet and it’s recommended that golfer not interested in hiking use carts

Patrons of D’Andrea tend to be mid-to-high handicappers and golfers can expect an average round of 3.5-5 hours, depending on the amount of traffic on the course.

Staff, Amenities, etc.

The staff at D’Andrea is largely professional and friendly, though certain individuals can be aloof. The Pro Shop is stocked to handle most last minute golfing accessory and equipment needs.

The clubhouse has a grill with indoor and limited outdoor seating. The menu is typical of most golf courses with average food quality.  There is a solid selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages as well.

Beverage cart service is typically available on weekends and is usually available to for the midday hours during weekdays (service during the winter months may vary).

Course Tips

Hole #1- D’Andrea’s opening hole presents a blind shot to the golfers off the tee while hitting into a fairway that slopes to the right.  Best to aim your tee shot over the center of “green” off the tee and approach the right bleeding green from the left.

Hole #2- Accuracy off the tee will reward the golfer with an excellent chance to score on green that slopes back towards the valley.

Hole #3- Narrow and long, the 2nd green can be a daunting target to hit from the elevated tee box on the course’s longest Par 3, especially into a head wind.  Keep the ball low, play for the middle of the green and deal with the valley feeding slope.

Hole #4- A short uphill is complicated only by the narrowing of the fairway around 100 yards short of a green which feeds back to the front left.

Hole #5- An elevated tee box, three bunkers surrounding a plateaued green and a tricky slope feeding towards the front right.  Find the right side of the green and walk away with par or better.

Hole #6- The second to last uphill Par 4, the 5th demands the golfer either attempt to clear the fairway bunker or lay off for a long approach shot that is best attacked from the left side of the fairway.

Hole #7- The shortest Par 4 on the course can punish aggressive play off the tee, especially when hitting into a head wind.   Golfers can either play for a 110+ yard approach shot short of the bunkers or each for the larger landing area left of the green.

Hole #8- The course’s first Par 5 presents a soft tee shot that when placed in the fairway allows for a great opportunity to each the green in two.  Approach shots will have to deal the slightly elevated green, front bunkers and a green that feed back to the front right.

Hole #9- The most difficult tee shot on the course demands that the golfer find the fairway in the narrowing of the fairway in the dogleg to the right. Hitting short or long of the leg will leave the ball OB.    Approach shot is into a slightly elevated green that feeds to the left side.

Hole #10- OB left and right protects this otherwise easy driving hole that is best played along the right side for the fairway for the approach into a green that slope back towards the protecting front bunkers.

Hole #11- Arguably the best designed hole at D’Andrea with a grew view, the 11th allows for longer hitters to go for the green off the tee while others can play for a 100+ yard approach shot from the left hand side of the fairway.

Hole #12- Tee box position and wind direction can be the determining factor between bogey or better on this Par 3.  Golfers need to find through the open expansive view from the tee box, find the green, and walkaway with par or better.

Hole #13- The narrowing fairway in the landing zone complicates reaching this short dogleg left Par 5 in two.  Best to be short right on approach as green is protected by bunkers and slopes to the front left.

Hole #14- The least atheistically please hole on the course demands the golfer thread their tee shot between the surrounding houses.  Best played as a 125+ yard approach shot from the left side of the fairway.

Hole #15- The shortest Par 3 on the course pressures the golfer to deal with water along the entire right hand side of the green and the bunkers on the left.  Playing for the left side of the green will leave golfers to contemplate a green that feeds back towards the water.

Hole #16- With a divided in the landing area, the Par 5 16th forces golfers to either lay back off the green or play for the second level when the hole is downwind.  Multi-level green slopes back to the fairway.

Hole #17- Longer hitters will have little problem off the tee, while others will have to navigate the fairway bunkers.  Hole is best played along the left hand side for the best approach shot into a green that slopes from right to left.

Hole #18- D’Andrea concludes with an uphill multiple level fairway Par 4.  While longer hitters can hit through the lower level, all golfers have to deal with a difficult uphill approach to a green that sloped significantly back towards the front right. Find the middle of the green and be happy with par.

Pictures of D’Andrea Golf Course