My "I Want To Play That Course Someday" List That I Did Play Finally

     One of my earlier posts was about the 10 courses on the way somewhere that I want to play. We all have that kind of list. These are courses that we say we want to play and most of the time don't get around to playing.  Mine is still pretty long, but I did get to play some of these courses.
      I recently took some of them off my "I Will Play Someday" to my "I Have Played" list because I did get the opportunity to play them. Some I even went back to play again on another trip.  My "I Will Play Someday" list keeps growing, but at some point I will play the ones on that list and I will replace those courses.  You know what? My "I Have Played" list off that "I Will Play" list keeps growing as well. We all know that there enough courses to keep us going for a very long time.
     I know that all that sounded a bit confusing. That's OK, I guess I am a bit confused by it too. At any rate, here is the list of  5 courses that I said I really wanted to play because I would pass by them or be near to them and finally decided to play.  More will be added to that list soon.:

1.  Coronodo Golf Course, Coronado, California: I have been to San Diego many times and there it was, right underneath the San Diego-Coronado Bridge. I kept saying on the Harbor Cruise and when we went to the beach in Coronado "I have to play that someday."  Someday came and it was a treat.  This is one great course that has scenery all around it and is fun to play. Coronodo is always in great shape as well. I like it so much that I did a feature article on in for West Coast Golfer Magazine. When you are in the San Diego area, make sure to put it on your list.  Plan ahead and make a tee time because as you can imagine, the course is very busy.

2.  Balboa Park (The 18 Hole Course), San Diego, California: Yes, it is located in Balboa Park in San Diego.  You turn left to go to the zoo, and right to go to the course. I wasn't sure about this one because it was completely redone in the 90's I think.  I did want to play it though. It is hilly and has some great holes on it.  I do remember one thing about the course.  I was playing with a couple of ladies and I asked about how to play my second shot.  They said just don't hit the ball to the right, there is a baranca there.  So I made sure to hit my ball to the left.  Guess what, there was a baranca on the left as well and I lost my ball. I asked the ladies why they didn't tell me about the baranca on the left and their reply was, you didn't ask. It is a fun course and was in pretty good shape.

3.  Lake Tahoe Golf Course, South Lake Tahoe, California:  As you drive into the South Lake Tahoe Basin you pass a large flat meadow and discover that there is a golf course built in it. You wold think that a golf course built in the mountains would have some hills on it. Not at this course.  It is flat. I drove by it several time as I went to Lake Tahoe the many times I have been there but wondered if I wanted to play it.  It was flat.  It couldn't possibly have any character to it. I was wrong.  What I didn't know until I played it is that the Truckee River runs through the property and cuts across the course in some very strange places. It is a fun course to play and very beautiful with the high mountains of the Sierra and around Lake Tahoe as a backdrop. It is a fun golf course and well worth it.  I never have hit a 5 iron 200 yards or a wedge 140 yards before.

4.  Manteca Park Golf Course, Manteca, California:  I was told so many times when I lived in Fresno that I should play Manteca Park. I finally did and I was glad.  The course is a kick to play and it was in very good condition even though we played it just soon after a heavy rainstorm.  It is short, but I was a bit confused by the high slope. It can't be that tough, why is it rated so high? It was tough.  The fairways are tight and the greens are small. I want to go again soon.

5.  Lake Chabot, Oakland, California:  A par six, are you kidding me.  Nope, the eighteenth hole is a par six and you kind of wonder when you haven't played there why it is a par six. OK, it is 633 yard of pure downhill bliss. The City of Oakland brings in snow and lets people ski down it during the winter. The cart path snakes back and forth through the fairway because if you went straight down the middle of the fairway it is so steep that you probably would turn the cart over.  Needless to say, the rest of the course is hilly as well. It is a fun course and not punitive but the greens are small and the course does get some getting used to. Ask the marshals for some local knowledge, they will help.  Listen to them, they know.

     I have many more courses that can go on this list and I will probably revisit this soon and talk about those courses. But for now, that's it. Don't forget to check out my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com to see some of the courses I played. Take a look at some of my course U-Tube videos and the instruction pages. Until next time, hit 'em long and straight.  Don't forget to not leave that birdie putt short.

Number eighteen at Lake Chabot.  It looks like Lombard Street in San Francisco.

The First Tee at Coronado.

     

Index And Handicap Part 3--Equitable Stroke Control

     "What did you have on that par four?" he asked.
     "I stopped counting at 12.  Just put down my maximum, a seven." the second golfer replied. The question can be asked, Is this second golfer cheating on their score.
     Outwardly, it appears so. Why did he do that? It doesn't make much sense and the whole thing seems to be all wrong. But it may not be the case. Let's take a closer look.
     Golfer A and B have established handicaps.  Both play in handicapped and flighted tournament events are based on those indexes and course handicaps. When that index is inflated, it is not fair to the rest of the field entered in that particular tournament. The golfer with the artificially inflated index enters that tournament, they enter it with an unfair advantage of having more handicap strokes. We call this what?...Sandbagging.
     What did golf do about this problem?  It established a procedure by which the golfer with a handicap would adjust their score on a given hole to a maximum number of strokes. The procedure is called called Equitable Stroke Control. For example, I carry an eighteen handicap and can only post a maximum of seven strokes. Believe me, many times I have gotten down on my knees and thanked "The Golf Gods" for implementing this. It is a way to keep the game honest. However, the golfer is still on their honor to post all scores, not just the high scores and this posting of just high scores can still lead to some serious sandbagging.
     I use equitable stroke control when I post. It is in the rules and is a fair way to level the playing field when it comes to club tournament and amateur golf. I can honestly say that my handicap is accurate. The scores that I post are adjusted to reflect equitable stroke control.  I am totally OK with that. If my handicap was not accurate, then when I do play in a tournament there would be a huge discrepancy between my regular play scores against my handicap and what my tournament scores would be with my handicap. There isn't. My tournament scores are generally within one of two strokes, plus or minus, of what my course handicap should be depending on whether or not I had a good or bad day on the course.
    Does equitable stroke control stop sandbagging? My answer to that is of course not.  It is not the cure all because you still are on your honor to post all your scores, high or low. I post all of my scores. I do that because I want to have an honest handicap. In tournaments, I want to do my best and accept the challenge of accurately competing. I feel great when I do well and place in a tournament, my scores are what they should be.
     At any rate, equitable stroke control is a good thing. Don't forget to check out my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.  I am continually updating it to keep you up to date on courses and other things related to golf.  I am really proud of the videos on the site about the courses I have played. If you haven't taken a look yet, please do so. In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight.  Don't leave that birdie putt short.

The leaderboard at the end of the tournament.

 
   

Riverside In The Heat

Sharp Park 0001

Index And Handicap--Part 2 The "Vanity" Handicap

     The other night, I went over to a good buddy of mine's house to play cards and talked golf, of course. He had played that day with anothe good friend of ours who plays to a twelve handicap. Oh really, he's a twelve handicap?  That handicap is what I call a "vanity" handicap.
     Let me define what a "vanity" handicap is.  You may kind of know, but for the sake of this post I will define it, and it differs from the handicap of a sandbagger.  A sandbagger posts only his or her highest scores inflating artificially their handicaps so that when they play in tournaments they are given more strokes or put in a different play flight. In effect, this is a very bad form of cheating.  having a "vanity" handicap really isn't cheating but you are hurting yourself. The "vanity handicap" golfer wants to appear to others as a better player than they really are, so they only post their lowest scores.
     "Vanity handicappers" only hurt themselves, and the people that they normally play with know that the players handicap should be higher.  Even people that they don't play with on a regular basis will guess that their handicap is not right, by the way they play. Let's face it, you can tell a twelve handicapper from a twenty handicapper once you have played with them. In a handicapped event, you wouldn't want them as your partner because you give up too many strokes to the field.
     There is one very important rule in golf that most golfers abide by.  That rule is, count every stroke.  This includes penalty strokes. Along that lines, there is another important rule and that is play the ball where it lies. Yes, there is taking relief and dropping your ball and the rules of golf are very specific when you can do that. But, if you don't like where your ball comes to rest, you can't generally move it. A true golfer takes their penalty strokes and plays the ball where it lies.
      What about "The Vanity Handicapper"? That issue can also be debated.  Some take their penalties and play their ball where it lies. At the end of the round, if their score is higher than usual, they don't post. At least when they post, the score is accurate and all strokes, including penalty strokes, are counted. At least they are hurting themselves legally. There is no hint of "cheating".
     I will say this bluntly.  some "vanity handicappers" flat out cheat. They don't count penalty strokes and improve their lies.  When they miss a short twelve inch putt, they don't count it.  If it goes into the water, they either hit the ball again and not count the "water ball" or drop and not count the penalty stroke.  Should the ball go out of bounds, either hit it again or play it from where it went out and not count the strokes.  This is not golf, folks, this is out and out cheating. Into the computer goes a low number, or if it is a high number it doesn't get posted even though the golfer wasn't exactly honest about their score.
     I post everything.  Yes, when my index goes up, I cry. When the index goes down, I jump for joy.  At least, my numbers are accurate and I post everything according to the way they are supposed to be posted.
     That';s it for today.  Have you checked out the new U-tube videos I have posted on my website.  Take a look. Go to http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and see.  I'm very proud of them and more are coming. Until the next time, hit 'em long and straight.  Don't leave that birdie putt short.

Left side outside of the fence is out of bounds.  Two stroke penalty.

         

Riverside In The Heat

Index and Handicap

     What's your handicap index? Some people don't worry about establishing a handicap at a local golf course or associate organization, and I can understand many of the reasons why.  I won't go into that at this point, it is not important.  However, it is good to know how you stack up as far as your game goes with the rest of the golfing public.
     I admit that I have let mine lapse.  One simple reason is that I am not playing as much golf today as I was five years ago. Another reason is my move from Fresno to Merced.  At this point, I haven't joined a club here although I will sometime this year or maybe next. I very much miss competing in tournaments on the local club level and want to return to doing that.  First, I have to re-establish my handicap and then I will play tournaments again.
     Do you know what your handicap index means and how you arrive at a particular course handicap.  Many golfers don't, they just establish a number. I will try to explain it as briefly as I can.  You post your score to an organization called GHIN on the course computer. I have never found out  what GHIN stands for, I just know that they are the handicap people.  It's not that important. After 20 rounds the computer takes the scores of those twenty rounds and calculates, using a devised formula your golf index. My last one was 18.4, I think.
     The area or state golf associations are responsible for what is known as rating the golf courses.  Our organization in this part of California is as many know The Northern California Golf Association.  They send out a team of golfers to play a given course to establish that course's rating depending on how hard the course is to play. After they play the course, they go over the course hole by hole and agree on a degree of difficulty of the course and then what is known as a "slope" is calculated for that course.
    Sometimes I find this "slope" number a bit arbitrary and subjective because I have played courses in  Northern California and courses in Southern California which are similar in difficulty, but the slopes are very different.  It seems that courses are rated easier than they truly are in the south than they are in the north. That's only my opinion, however. The ratings depend on the raters and what they agree to, so the numbers are different and may differ from one rating session to the next a few years later. Different raters using the same criteria may rate a course differently.
    Slopes are assigned to the different courses and slope numbers can range between 50 to 150 depending on the rating given by the ratings committee. From there it is simple.  The golfer finds the slope chart for that course and the tees that he or she played, looks up their index and there is your course handicap.
    For example let's take my 18.4 index.  I go to the course slope chart for the white tees and find that the slope of the course is 123.  I go down the chart to find the range of my index where 18.4 lies to find my course handicap.  I find that is is 19 for that particular course. That's my course handicap.  That was simple, wasn't it?
     That's all I have for today. I hope that I haven't insulted anyone's intelligence by this simple expla
nation of the index/handicap system. Many of you do know it. In the meantime, visit my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.  I have put up a couple of new U-tube videos that I am quite proud of. Take a look. so, for now hit 'em long and straight.  Don't leave that birdie putt short.

OK, how would you rate this hole?  A par 6, downhill to a slightly elevated green.  Yep, it's number 18 at Lake Chabot in Oakland. 

My " Ten Golf Courses I have Driven By On My Way To Somewhere But Couldn't Stop To Play" List Part 2

     I hope you enjoyed my list.  Have you played any of them.  There are a couple of courses I forgot after thinking about it all night.

1.  San Juan Oaks, San Juan Bautista, Ca.: I'm going to play this one, I really am.

2.  Black Lake, Nippomo, Ca.:  How could I have missed this one all these years.  I drive by it a lot.  Maybe I will just have to suck it up and play it.  I can justify playing it and reward myself afterward by going to Jocko's and having a good steak.

3. Rio Vista, Rio Vista, Ca.:  this one is truly almost out in the middle of nowhere.  There is a town there, but the course kind of sneaks up on you as does the town.  Reviews on this course are pretty good, and I hope to play it and review it on my website.

4.  Prim Valley, Nipton, Ca.:  This one is on Interstate 15 on the California/Nevada state border. You guessed it. It is on the road to Las Vegas.  I have played in Las Vegas.  Sometime I promise I wil stop for a day and play here.  Maybe, I will be on my way to Las Vegas you know.

5.  Mare Island, Vallejo, Ca.:  This is supposedly one of the oldest golf courses west of the Misissippi. It used to be a military course, but has been redone and is now open for public play.   I have heard that the views from the course of San Francisco/San Pablo Bay are breathtaking.

6.  Catalina Golf Course, Avalon, Ca.: I wanted to make it official and this one tops my list.

7.  Dryden Park, Modesto, Ca.:  As you are driving north on Ca. Highway 99 through Mosesto you cross the Stanislaus River and to your left on the bluff you see a golf course. This course is actually Modesto Muni, which is a 9 hole tract but down the street is Dryden Park, the 18 hole venue.  My future son-in-law, who is a golf pro, grew up playing that course. I'm going to get there soon as I live 40 miles south.

8.  The Presidio, San Francisco, Ca.:  Someday.

9.  Harding Park, San Francisco, Ca.:  It doesn't hurt to dream, does it.

10.  Sunnyvale Golf Course, Sunnyvale (where else), Ca.:  I have driven by this course on my way to San Francisco or wherever I am going in the South Bay or Penninsula for years.  I am torn as to which way to turn my head, to see the blimp hangars at Moffat Field on one side of US 101, or Sunnyvale Golf Course on the other side. I have been wanting to stop and play this course for a long time.  Its on my bucket list.

     As I travel, I'm sure I will pass many more golf courses and make a mental note that I should come back and play the course some day. I don't know if I will or not, but I hope so. there are so many course and so little time.
       I have a couple of new videos on my website.  One is of Bajamar in Ensenada, Mexico and the other is of historic Sharp Park in Pacifica, California. Go to my website and click on the U-tube Video page and take a look at them. I'm getting better at making them and I am very proud of these two. My website can be found at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. Watch them and let me know what you think. In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight.  Remember, don't leave that birdie putt short.

This was Tanglewood, in Felton, Missouri.  That was a long drive.

 

Sharp Park 0001

Sharp Park 0001

My " Ten Golf Courses I have Driven By On My Way To Somewhere But Couldn't Stop To Play" List

     I travel a lot, as I have shared.  How many times have you, like I have, been on a trip with a definite purpose and driven by a beautiful golf course next to the road and said, "That looks like a great course and going to play it someday."? I do that all the time.  The course doesn't have to be by the roadside.  It can be in a city I pass through, but can't stop. It happens all the time and I have prepared a list of those courses I have thought about playing but haven't.  At some point in my life, I will make a special trip if I have to.

Here's the list and they are not in any particular order:

1.  Coyote Creek, San Jose, Ca.: There are two courses here, The Tournament and The Valley Courses and I want to play them both. Every time I drive to San Jose or somewhere south of San Francisco I pass this venue and vow to play them.

2.  Edgewood Tahoe, South Late Tahoe, Nevada:  Of all the "Drive By" courses this is probably the one I most want to play.  I don't get up to Lake Tahoe much anymore, but I have to play this course at some time in my life.

3.  Metropolitan, Oakland, Ca.:  This course has an interesting history.  It started out as a golf course and then it closed because the Port of Oakland needed somewhere to dump the toxic dredging when they deepened the Port.  After a while golfers became angry and wanted their golf course back, and finally they did.  The course was completely redone and is now Metropolitan.  I understand that you want to play this one in the morning, because it tend to get very windy in the afternoon.

4.  Tulare Golf Course, Tulare, Ca.:  I have a lot of friends who have played this course.  They say it is nothing special, but I would like to judge for myself.  I was hesitant to play Rancho Del Rey, but I am glad that I found that course.

5.  Mace Meadows, Pioneer, Ca.:  This course is located on Hiway 88 on the way to Carson Pass and Reno beyond. I have passed by it many times and have heard some great things about the course.  It is there just waiting for me.

6. Lockeford Springs, Lodi, Ca.:  Before you get to Mace Meadows, a long way before, you have to pass Lockeford Springs just out of Lodi. I have heard a lot about this course and it has been featured on the "hooked On Golf" golf program.  It looks very inviting and I can't wait to make a special trip up there.

7.  Shoreline, Mountain View, Ca.:  This one is not really right on the road, but I want to play it. My daughter played the course a couple of times in junior tournaments and I had to walk along lusting at the course wanting to play it.  She got all the fun, I got the sore muscles. 

8.  Poplar Creek, San Mateo, Ca.:  Growing up and in later years I have fond memories of driving to Candlestick Park and freezing at a San Francisco Giants game.  In order to get to "The Stick" you have to pass Poplar Creek just off of US 101. I wanna play this course!

9.  Crystal Springs, Burlingame, Ca.:  This is another course my daughter has played and I haven't. It lise just over the hills of the San Francisco Penninsula in a small valley between the Pacific Ocean and The San Francisco Bay. Once again, she played it and I walked it watching her play.  This was true torture. I plan to go back there and vindicate this injustice some day. It will probably take a special trip and time set aside to play it, but it is well worth it.

10.  All The Los Angeles Courses, Los Angeles, Ca.:  I don't travel south very often, and when I do it is normally to board a ship for a cruise out of Long Beach.  We don't stay.  There are several great courses down there, and someday I will get down there to play golf.

     Yes, I know these courses are in California and Nevada. California is a huge state and there are a lot of highways that go by golf courses. I live in California as many of you know so I do most of my traveling within the state.  Sorry but I am a bit biased but there are many courses around the state to explore and play. I have played in Canada, Mexico, Florida and Missouri so I have played in other states and countries.  I won't mention some of the courses I have driven by in those places.
     If you have a course that you drive by and want to play, let me know. In the meantime I have to run.  Don't forget to check out my website, http://golfisforeveryonemd.com.  Remember, hit 'em long and straight and by all means don't leave that birdie putt short.

 


  

My Monterey 10 List--Not In Any Order

     I want to start today's entry with a very sincere THANK YOU to all of you who are reading this golf blog.  I passed a milestone today in that I went passed the 2000 view mark. I have had this blog now for a couple of years, but I haven't been posting to it that often, concentrating on my other blog David Rallis Writes.  Now, I am doing both and plan on posting much more on this blog.  Again, THANK YOU, and I hope you will continue to visit and read.  Don't forget to tell three of your friends about this blog, I can use the help.
     My last post was on California golf and I mentioned golf paradise, Monterey.  When people think of Monterey, they generally think of Pebble Beach and the great courses on The Seventeen Mile Drive. These are very beautiful courses, but there is more to the Monterey golf scene than just Pebble Beach, Spyglass or Cyprus Point. Here is a list of ten courses in the area I have played and enjoyed. Most were not that expensive to play and you can play them when and if you go to Monterey.  Be sure to check out their websites andbook your tee time by clicking the advertisement for Tee-Off.com here on my blog.
      These are all course within a ten mile radius of Monterey and I have played them all.. There are many other courses to the east and north of the area, but I am focusing here on just the Monterey area. I have a list of other courses within a 50 mile radius another time.  Here they are and not in any order of favorites, because I loved them all.

1. Bayonet:  I used to really hate this course and always thought that I would beat it some day.  Even though I keep playing it, they have softened it and it is a lot more player friendly and fun but I still haven't beaten it.  It is still a tough course, but I enjoy it more since they redesigned it.  However, in the redesign they retained most of the courses flavor and fun.

2.  Blackhorse:  I used to love to play this course especially after being beaten up by Bayonet. It is Bayonet's sister course and they are located on the same property, the old Fort Ord.  They redesigned Blackhorse as well and made it harder. Life changes I guess, and there is no perfect world. I still like the course though, its still fun to play, but it is a lot harder with more bunkers and undulating greens.

3.  Pacific Grove Golf Course:  When they say that this is "The Poor Man's Pebble Beach" they really mean it.  I recommend this course highly.  The view of The Pacific Ocean from the holes on the ocean are well worth it as you play the back nine in the dunes above the ocean and below the Pt. Pinos lighthouse. My advice for this course is don't underestimate its short length as it can be tough. I was also told of it being unique in that you start with two par threes, then two par fours and then two par fives.

4.  Monterey Pines (Know locally as "The Navy Course"):  I am in the process of writing a book called, "Have You Played...The Hidden Gems of West Coast Golf" and of all the courses I could write about, this is probably the most hidden or at least unknown.  It is on the campus of The Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey and is owned by the Navy so most people think you can't play it. Let me let you in on a little secret.  It is owned by the Navy but is very much open to the public. This is a sporty course and pretty short, but tricky and challenging.  The course is always in great condition and has some nice views of Monterey.

5.  Poppy Hills:  OK, this one is on The Seventeen Mile Drive.  What's wrong with that?  It is the members course of The Northern California Golf Association and I'm not going to explain who they are. The course was in the rotation of courses for The AT&T Pro-Am but was taken out. Recently, it underwent a complete renovation and I haven't played it since the renovation. I like the course, although I never play it well. It is hard to get on because there seems to always be an N.C.G.A. tournament going on, but well worth the effort of trying to get on.  If you can't get on, try Monterey Pines.

6.  Old Del Monte:  This is one of the oldest courses west of the Mississippi in continuous operation.  That fact is debated by several other courses, but does it matter?  I haven't played here in a very long time because I don't think it warrants the expense. The course is a lot of fun and has a few great holes, but it is very similar to Monterey Pines and I would rather spend less money and play Monterey Pines. Don't call me cheap, just value orientated.

7.  Laguna Seca:  Yes, there is a golf course at Laguna Seca, not just a race track.  The course is located about five miles out of Monterey on Highway 68, the road to Salinas.  Generally, when Monterey is foggy, Laguna Seca is warm and sunny. The course is fun to play and has some memorable holes on it, but I would say it is not that exciting. That is not to say that I don't recommend it.  Play it, it is very reasonable as far as green fees, and decide for yourself.

8.  Spanish Bay:  Thank you Tom Watson for taking this old sans quarry and transforming into a golf work of art. My only question is, why did you make it such a hard work of art. This is one tough golf course. It will really beat you up. However, and this is a big however, it is so pretty you don't mind the beating.  There are ocean holes and forest holes, all told a beautiful setting. This is one that you play, do your best and sit back and enjoy. I have played it several times, never scored on it and got beat up each time. It was well worth the experience. Make sure to be here at sunset to hear the piper.  That experience alone soothes the wounds after your round.

9.  Quail Lodge:  This is a resort course located in Carmel Valley.  Like Laguna Seca, the climate here is warmer and most of the time it is sunny here when it is cloudy in Monterey. You won't see any ocean here as you are a few miles inland.  This course is fun to play but tight. The fairways are tight and the greens are small so the course puts a premium on accuracy. The Lodge has golf packages available and it is not hard to get on. Green fees are a bit pricey, but check the internet for specials.

10.  Tehama Country Club:  I confess that I have not played this one.  I was supposed to, but the offer fell through. I know that a journalist's credibility is sacred and if you feel that I have betrayed you, I'm truly sorry. This is Clint Eastwoood's private course and if you are not a member you better know Clint or Dina or Clint's new girlfriend. This course is ultra exclusive and is Clint's private domain.

     Should you travel to Monterey, I highly recommend playing. It truly is golf paradise.  You can get clearer idea of these courses and see some pictures taken on some of them by going to my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.
     Thanks for reading my blog and hit 'em long and straight.  Don't leave that birdie putt short!

The eighteenth green at Bayonet.  Always a welcomed sight.

     







       

California Golf. What's Your Pleasure?

     I feel very fortunate to live in California.  Most of us complain about the taxes and other problems.  Many of us are thinking of leaving, but I prefer to stay and complain, although I do speak with my vote. At any rate, we are blessed with a very pleasant climate and a rage of things to see and do.
     Golf, of course, is no exception. There are so many courses, every one different and fun to play not to mention the settings.  The question is, what do you want in golf? If you want a desert course, you can find it.  How about a traditional parkland course? If you want to play a mountain course, you can do that. The Pacific Ocean provides the backdrop for a number of great ocean courses.  We have that too.  Take your pick, and some of these courses have a little of everything I mentioned.  It is truly a golfer's paradise.
     Living in California's Central Valley and right in the middle of that valley in a city called Merced, I am close to just about everything that is California golf.  We are two and a half hours away from the Monterey area, and you know that that is the home of some great courses like Pebble Beach and Bayonet/Blackhorse designed by famous golf architects like William Bell Sr. and Alistair MacKenzie who designed Au
gusta National.. The mountains are close and in less than an hour I can be at Saddleback in Copperopolis or at Greenhorn Creek in Angel's Camp. San Francisco is a couple of hours away where I can play The Presidio or whichever of the fine courses that are in that area. I've been to Palm Springs and played a couple of outstanding desert courses. Whatever you want is here in California, even a dreary windswept links style course right on the ocean.
     If you live here in California, you know what I am talking about.  If you don't live here, come to California and bring your sticks. I'll be waiting for you, just let me know where you want to play.

     Don't forget to visit my golf website.  It is ever evolving and I have made some changes.  Soon you will be able to read about and see some of the hidden gem courses around the state.  I have also put some golf tips from some of golf's best instructors including tips specifically for women and left handed golfers. In the near future my store will be up and running so keep checking back.  I'm excited about how it is evolving and I am proud to share it with you.  Remember, I have played all of the courses that I include in the directory and write about.  Take a look at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.  In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight. Don't hit that birdie putt short.

Sharp Park in Pacifica, California.

   
    

Monterey Sunday--No Golf

     It was hot in Merced on Sunday, 108 to be exact. What do you do in Merced when the mercury soars to 108?  You try to escape the heat and go somewhere where it is much cooler. If you can't do that, your only alternative is to find a swimming pool and dive in or just hole up in an air conditioned house or apartment, crank up the cool,  turn on the TV and watch a good movie or baseball game. Don't watch soccer, its a communist plot to take over the world (LOL). Playing golf in this heat is not the best of options, although I have done that. Denise did question my sanity.
     It was Denise and my first wedding anniversary on Sunday and we were invited to go to Monterey with some friends for the day.  I'm not going to go into specifics about the trip.  If you want to read about it, you can go to my travel blog at http://travelthewestwithdave.blogspot.com and find the description there. The couple we went with don't play golf and we didn't go there to play.  Let's just say that it was killing me being in Monterey and not playing.  It has been a while since I have played there. It was almost torture, but I behaved.
     I will state the obvious here.  As most golfers know, the Monterey area has a lot of golf courses. Most people think of the 17 Mile Drive courses specifically when they think of Monterey, but there are many other world class courses that not many golfers are aware of. What many people really don't know is that there are many affordable courses in the area that are well worth playing.  
     How many of you know what I am talking about when I say "The Poor Man's Pebble Beach"? For those of you who don't, I'm talking about Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Course.  This course rates as one of my favorite golf courses on the planet. It is unique in many ways that a lot of people don't know like it is the only course in the world (that I know of or have been told about) that begins with two par threes, then two par fours and then two par fives right in a row. The course starts by the front nine winding above Pacific Grove and then the back nine plays in the dunes across the street from the ocean below the Pt. Pinos Lighthouse.  Each whole has its own breathtaking view of the ocean and it is really exciting hearing the roar of the surf as you play each hole. Should you play it, make sure you play on a calm day.
     I do have a course that I feel very special about and that is Monterey Pines.  I hesitate to write or talk about this course because it is probably the best kept secret in Monterey.  Most of the local people in Monterey know the course as "The Navy Course"as it is on the grounds of The Naval Post Graduate School and was a military course.The course is short, but a lot of fun to play and I will warn you not to underestimate it.  It can be very tricky.  The great thing about it is that it is always in great condition and is very affordable to play.  The views of Monterey from some of the holes are wonderful.
     From Santa Cruz in the north over to Gilroy, Holister and Salinas in the west and down to Monterey in the south there is a lot of outstanding golf in this area of California.  There are a lot of hidden gems here that I encourage you to check out. 
     You can find a listing of the courses in the Monterey area that I have played with a short description and the course's websites by going to my website and clicking on "Course Directory" and the "Monterey Area" tab.Check it out by going to http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. Check out all the courses and information along with photos.
      Until next time, hit 'em long and straight.  Don't leave that birdie putt short.

Pacific Grove Golf course is right across the street from here. The views from the course will take your breath away.

No Water (Part 2)

     Yes, I know that the courses here in California and most of the west are getting brown due to lack of water. Sorry, but I am afraid that is just the way it is going to be.  We will get a wet year soon and the courses will come back. Until then, we need to just play the game we all love.
     There are some courses that have closed.  The Legends course at Diablo Grande in Patterson, Ca. has been closed for an indefinite time due to Diablo Grande's water allocations.  This is sad.  I have played both courses and I think the Legends is the best of the two courses. It was designed by Jack Nicklaus and Gene Sarazen with the course being the more picturesque and playable of the two courses. I have played the Ranch course and thought that it was not as beautiful and had some holes I really didn't think were very fair or even necessary. So much for my opinion.  At any rate, it is sad to see this, and I think there are more courses to follow, especially those that have two eighteen hole courses or 27 hole tracks. 
     I remember watching the British Open one year.  The course, I don't remember which, was brown with only patches and wisps of green. Even the greens were not green, but a brownish shade of yellow-green.  I wondered why that was until I asked a good golfing friend of mine that happened to be from Scotland. 
     The answer is very simple.  They don't irrigate the courses in most of the British Isles and Ireland because it rains so much. The courses don't need to be irrigated because of the rainfall. Most years it rains and rains, but some years the rains don't come. There is also the belief that golf should be played on natural terrain under natural conditions. It is to be played under all conditions, rain and drought included. I kind of agree with that.  We are spoiled with very green, highly irrigated courses.
      Here is my suggestion.  We need to just keep playing the game we love under whatever conditions.  Get used to the dry conditions, they are going to be with us for a time.  Enjoy the game and be patient.
     I have a new U-tube video out that I just finished last night.  It is about Bajamar Golf Resort in Ensenada, Mexico.  I am very proud of it and I took all the pictures as well as played the course.  You can find it on my U-tube page or on my website at my U-tube page on the website.  My web address is http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.  I hope you enjoy the video and the website.  In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight and don't leave that birdie putt short.

Its pretty dry out there.

 
    

Bajamar 0001

No Water!

     California is in probably its worst drought in history.  The California economy which relies on agriculture is in shambles because there is very little water to irrigate. This will effect all of us as far as the food we eat and the price of that food.
    Golf courses have been hit hard by the drought.  I know that watering a golf course is not as important as growing lettuce or raising cattle for our tables, but courses have been adversely effected by the drought as well. Water should go to agriculture before it goes to water grass on a golf course, but that doesn't change the fact that courses need water too. The  lush green courses we are used to playing here in California are for now, a thing of the past.  Everyone has to fight for their part of the water pie.
     It is not my intention to go into the politics of water.  That is not important, but it should be noted that part of this water crisis is brought on by some bad decisions on the part of the government.  This drought's impact could have been lessened if some sound water usage decisions were made.  You store water in a drought to be used later, not release it to be wasted by flowing to the Pacific Ocean. That's where I will leave it.
     Last Friday was a golf day for me.  I got to chat with the pro at my local course that I played, Rancho Del Rey in Atwater, California, about the water situation.  He was concerned about the situation.  Not only had the drought effected them, but also Merced County had changed the way that they were billing the course for water. Water costs were skyrocketing, and when costs skyrocket so do green fees.
     Normally they keep the whole course green during the summer months.  That is not the case this year.  Rancho has some of the lushest rough in the valley during the summer, but not this year.  I could already tell that parts of the course were not being watered and he told me that this was going to be the case.  Sprinklers that normally water the rough were being capped. They would do their utmost to keep the fairways green, and they were green when I played, but they would save water wherever they could.
     I will have more on this in other posts.  Until then, check out my new website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.  I have listed a lot of great courses that you can play.  I have personally played them all.  My U-tube page is up, so you can see some of the courses in a U-tube video.  Make sure you check it out.  In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight and make that birdie putt!

You can see some of the drought's effects on how dry courses are already.

Trump UTube 0001