Sherwood Lake Club

Overview: Sherwood Lake Club is a private 18-hole par-three course in Thousand Oaks, designed by Jack Nicklaus. It measures 1,965 yards and winds through a scenic canyon of rustic hillsides, ancient oaks, a small lake, creek corridors, bridges and distinctive rock formations. The short-course format is deliberate: three tee sets and tiered greens give beginners, juniors and experienced players different ways to experience the same routing, while the setting supplies much of the challenge and drama.

History: The course opened in 2006 as a new golf facility at Sherwood. Nicklaus Design records the opening event and explains that owner David Murdock originally considered adding nine championship holes, but Nicklaus proposed a par-three course that would preserve more of the beautiful property. The result became a separate complement to Sherwood Country Club’s championship course rather than an extension of it.

Did You Know? Sherwood Lake was the first 18-hole par-three course Jack Nicklaus designed. The fourth hole stretches 173 yards, while an island-green hole measures only 65 yards, so the course tests distance control and trajectory in very different ways. Its riparian areas were also planned for protection, making the natural canyon and its watercourse part of the design story rather than scenery placed after the golf was routed.