Technology...Part Two

     I used my G.P.S. yesterday in my round.  We played at my home course, and I know that course like the back of my hand.  The device came in handy a few times, but I found myself relying on the thing a little bit too much. Don't get me wrong, I think it is a great tool.  How much of the game does it take away, at least how the game was played, or intended to be played?
     Here is my point.  When I first began to play the game, figuring distances was a key part to the game.  Until recently, that was a big part of the enjoyment of the game.  Distances were a part of the participation of the game.  You found the distance marker...100, 150 or 200 yards...made your calulations as far as distance to the hole, selected your club based on that distance and hit your shot.  After playing the game for 40 years, you get pretty good at estimating those distances and hitting your shot accordingly.  This is becoming a lost art. 
     G.P.S. is a good thing, I will admit that and has its place and I use it.  When I go to a new course, it is great to have exact distances.  But it still takes a mental component out of the came, and I still enjoy the mental challange of figuring out distances without technology.   

New Toy and Golf

     Many of you know that I went out and upgraded my phone to an I Phone.  I also was contemplating purchasing a rangefinding device or a "Sky Caddy". As I was playing in the Senior Tournament on Thursday, one of the players in our group told me of an ap that can be purchase through the I Phone.  I bought it instead of the Sky Caddie or the rangefinder figuring I would try it out.  The thing of it is that I buy the ap but how much it will improve my game.  I'm really not sure if I am to see a great improvement in my game, or if I have just become part of the crowd that has bought into the technical craze.  New equipment and devices have to improve your game.  I am not sure that that is totally correct, we will have to see. 

Golf, Fun, Food and Fog...The Ridge Creek Senior Tourney

     When I turned 50, I reached a milestone in my life.  To many people, this is quite a time of change in their lives.  As far as I am concerned it is the best time of my life and life is getting better.  One of the perks of turning 50 is that you can qualify for senior tournaments.  The Dinuba Senior Tournament held at Ridge Creek Golf Course each month and hosted by the course with Gene Hardy as the director of the tournament is one of high points of my life after 50.  It is one big kick in the butt!
      The format of the tournament is a blind-draw 4 person scramble.  I like this because it gives you a chance to meet people you have never met or played with before and of all different skill levels .  Players come from all over the central California area as far away as Oakhurst in the north and Porterville in the south.  In our group...we played a fivesome...was Norm, Bob, Willie, Pete and myself.  Honestly, I can't remember who was from where but I know the cites were spread around a large geographical area and the towns were Oakhurst, Fresno, Dinuba, Reedley and Visalia. 
      I was worried that the turnout for today's tourney was going to be down because of the weather conditions as it was foggy and the fog was very thick.  It turned out this did not deter the enthusiasm of the group and there was a very good turnout of 90 golfers.  There were of course the usual gripes of playing in the fog. The fog, in my opinion, made the round more interesting.
      The winners of the tournament as well as closest to the pin on two of the par threes was announced at lunch after the tournament.  The three top teams win a small amount of money for winning and there is also a drawing for some pretty good prizes. 

      Who won?  I don't know.  That isn't the purpose of this tournament.  As you looked around the room at those having lunch after playing in the tournament, the whole thing is about golfers getting together and having a great time.         

The Toughest and Most Expensive

     I have to say that I am on my soap box right now.  I have a pet peeve.  Why is it that the media and in general the public have a fascination with the "toughest" courses and also those which are very expensive? Does 7000 yards plus mean good? I am not going to say much about this right now, and I want you to think about it for a second.  Ours is a game that should be enjoyed at all levels. Also, think about the definition of "tough" course.  What makes a course "tough"? By the same token, what makes a course fun and enjoyable?

Golf Morro Bay With Family and Friends

     Monday January 16, 2012 just happened to be Martin Luther King's birthday.. I thought I would put the day to good use and make good on a Christmas present I gave my son-in-law and a birthday present for my youngest daughter.  I gave them a round of golf at Morro Bay Golf Course and a dinner at Jocko's Steakhouse in Nippomo, California. Joining us for the day were my future son-in-law (I hope) Kyle and his father Bill.
     Morro Bay Golf Course is a course located in the town of Morro Bay and overlooks the town and the Harbor's famous Morrow Rock and Bay.  It is situated ouside of down and sits on a sort of hill.  The greens are small and tricky.  The views from the course of the bay, the rock and the beaches is outstanding.  It is a classic course dating back to the twenties, and I find it a kick to play.     
     Bill and Kyle had never played the course, and that fact can be a bit of a disadvantage as far as scoring and putting.  Bill was talking to himself as the round progressed.  I will admit that the greens are hard to read, and you must know where the mountains are and where the ocean is. The ball breaks, as with most coastal corses, away from the mountain toward the ocean.  One problem though is that the course is on a bit of a penninsula.

Last Minute Golf in San Diego

     I usually like to take a trip out of Fresno in January. It is a time for me to get away and to refresh my winter batteries. This year, I chose a trip to San Diego, and when I left I really didn't have the desire to play golf but I carried my clubs with me down south. Who knows, the urge may strike at any time and I wanted to be ready with my sticks.

As I was sitting in my hotel room early in the morning after breakfast, I was struck with a harsh reality. What was I going to do that day? It was 6:00 A.M. and I had not planned my itinerary today. My mind was full of ideas about what to do and where to go, but nothing seemed like what I really wanted to do.

     Since I was by myself and I don't get to play golf much down in San Diego when I am with others I decided to play, but where? I called San Diego Country Club and talked to Tom, their head pro, to see what he could suggest. I knew that San Diego Country Club was private and I could not get on to play there so I could rely on the information that Tom would pass on to me.

I wanted a course that was a good layout and challenging yet wouldn't cost an arm and a leg in green fees, somewhere around the neighborhood of $50 with a cart. We chatted a bit about golf and he told me that that might be very difficult to do, to stay within my budget. He did suggested a couple of courses that I might be interested in, but highly recommended a course in the hills above Chula Vista where I was staying. We ended our conversation and he wished me good luck.

     Tom recommended Salt Creek Golf Course and said he didn't know what the green fees where there. I called Salt Creek and found out that the regular daily rate with cart was only $38 and my decision was made.  I'll take a shot at it, literally.  I was on my way and really didn't know what to expect.

     I was told that Chula Vista is a geographically large city. After driving around the city into the hills above and still being in Chula Vista, I began to understand the accuracy of that statement. This course was a long way away from where I was staying and yet was still in Chula Vista. The drive was truly worth it and the view of the city and the bay beyond was breathtaking.

     Salt Creek was designed by Cary Biddle and John Cook. Being a hill course, one has many side hill, downhill and uphill lies. You really have to work at keeping your mind in the game to play these differing lies. The greens are fast, but I felt they were true and rolled well. I was truly surprised at the design of the course, which was treeless and built into the natural landscape. There were very few trees and played like a links course.

     I know that I have not given much information or talked in depth about Salt Creek.I plan to return soon and I enjoyed playing the course. The experience at Salt Creek was well worth the hunt for it. For the price, the golf and the total experience, I highly recommend the course.