Diablo Country Club

“A winding road through a parched countryside leads to a rare oasis called Diablo. The old oaks greet you on your arrival like hosts of some forgotten time. The sheer beauty of the Rowers and the pungent fragrance of their perfume cause you to feel you are in some far-off Arcady. Unmolested quail scurry unafraid in your path. A green mantle is spread over all — while the white gold — that water which makes the oasis-soothes your spirit in the heat of the day. Above this oasis there nestles a Jewel Lake unseen and unsuspected until you have climbed a trail which rewards your effort. At night, even without moon or stars, shines that Great Beacon on Mt. Diablo, guiding those birds of the air and sending to you a sense of security and benediction. The morning cry of the birds awakens you to a world of life-and the songs you hear make you want to grasp that happiness which seems so near. If you do not hear, sense or see these things you are dull-or else your vision is only of stone walls and city streets. This Diablo needs and has more than nature’s loveliness. A jungle is no fit place for human kind — neither is Diablo a paradise without the laughter of children and the kindly associations of those older ones which have been built up through the years. And because those who are young and old can be there at the same time and enjoy together some of the same things — this Diablo is a Mecca — so near and yet so very far from a workaday world.” ~Club Member, August Eleventh, Nineteen Thirty-one. https://diablocc.org/the-ideal/

My listing, 1813 Calle Arroyo, is just steps from the clubhouse of Diablo Country Club. Its backyard borders the golf course’s 3rd hole. For more than 100 years, Diablo has been a sanctuary, a community of like-minded members who share an ideal. It’s a club built around families and gathering with friends. (https://diablocc.org/) It’s rich history features:

ownership by the Southern Pacific Railroad’s Big Four
course designs by prominent golf architects
one-of-a-kind homes built by residents who fell in love with the tranquility and amenities of the hamlet at the base of Mt. Diablo

Robert Noble Burgess, who owned part of Mt. Diablo, purchased Oakwood Park Stock Farm in 1912. The original property was known in 1874 as the Railroad Ranch, reflecting the Southern Pacific/Central Pacific ownership group of the Big Four (Charles Crocker, Leland Stanford, Collis Huntington & Mark Hopkins). David Douty Colton eventually purchased the ranch from his partners and began breeding and racing world-class pacers and trotters on the magnificent parcel of land. Elements of the ranch back then are the signature elements of today’s Diablo. The carriage Lounge (circa 1881) is the heart of the clubhouse. A Grand Barn (circa 1885) became the Red Horse Tavern. Trees that lined the turn of the century racetrack 130 years ago provide framing for the 16th hole, and an 1881 cupola tops the Neville Snack Shack at the center of this parkland golf course. Burgess was a trailblazing entrepreneur who bought the land and developed the Diablo Country Club to encourage investors to buy lots for summer homes.

Diablo Country Club opened in 1914. Burgess employed 23-year-old, two-time California Amateur champion Jack Neville to design the original nine holes at Diablo. It was his first golf course design. (GolfCourseRanking.com) He went on to create Pebble Beach Golf Links. That same year, John and Joann Smith moved from Carnoustie, Scotland (an iconic world-leading golf destination), to manage what was then called Mt. Diablo Park Club. All five of their sons played professional golf, and four of five played in the US Open. Willie Smith won the tournament in 1899. Alex had won in both 1906 and 1910 —beating out Macdonald, the youngest brother, who set the course record at Diablo with a score of 65. On May 14, 1916, four special trains dubbed the “Millionaire Special” brought prospective buyers to what is now Diablo Country Club. Local newspapers reported that more than 600 prospects came by train that day!

Construction of the next 9 holes was delayed due to World War I and the property was used as housing for Naval Officers and other military personnel. Renowned golf architect William Watson designed the second set of nine holes in 1920. In 2019, Todd Eckenrode of Origins Golf Design began restoring the historical design and won 2021 Renovation of the Year by Golf, Inc.

The 18-hole “Diablo” course course rating is 72.1 and it has a slope rating of 130 on Bermuda grass. https://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/ca/diablo/diablo-country-club Diablo Country Club measures 6766 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 139 and a 73.8 USGA rating. The course features 5 sets of tees for different skill levels. It boasts a year-round golfing season and guests are welcome with a member. There is a pro in house, rental clubs, and rental carts. Click here to see more info from GolfCalifornia.com and view the Length, Slope, and Rating for each tee.

Diablo is now home to about 400 estates nestled within about a square mile, including the country club. Katie Lance at Empire Realty Associates interviewed my fellow East Bay Realtors, M.J. St. Jean and Marilee Headen in 2009:

Diablo is a cohesive community centered around a beautiful golf course. Homes vary in size and price but most are unique and shaded by old growth trees. No cookie cutter homes here. You enter Diablo through an arbor of oak trees. People buy in Diablo for the pretty homes, large trees and country club setting but they stay for the community. The residents are involved in welcoming newcomers, special Halloween events, food bank collections, etc. The country club offers many activites for families including golf, tennis, swim team, concerts in a beautiful environment. (Marilee Headen)

Diablo is a “one of kind” community. It is a vibrant mix of properties in a beautiful setting at the base of Mt. Diablo. The moment you enter, it is clear you have stepped into a different world. Residents treasure its tranquility, the winding, tree-lined lanes, and strong community. It’s not hard to get to know neighbors in Diablo. The “community” center is the quaint post office established in 1916. I love Diablo because of what it offers. It is like a step back in time with an amazing history and location, tremendous amenities, and has a vibrant community. It has great schools within minutes and easy access to freeways and BART. (M.J. St. Jean) (https://empirera.wordpress.com/diablo/diablo-country-club/)

To see more about my listing, 1813 Calle Arroyo, click here. To view the YouTube video, click here.

Some notes about The Diablo Country Club neighborhood from the sellers of 1813 Calle Arroyo: It is such a unique place to live. It is like living in a park with all the beautiful trees and peaceful streets. Living on the golf course gives us added privacy and beautiful views, especially from the primary suite’s balcony. We can easily walk to the clubhouse, use the pool, play tennis or start a round of golf. The cul-de-sac is also very private. We feel like a hidden treasure. It takes us just a few minutes to get to downtown Danville or the Blackhawk Plaza from our home in Diablo. We can also get on Highway 680 very quickly and into downtown Walnut Creek, San Francisco, and San Jose.