Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Monday, November 9, 2015
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Monday, October 19, 2015
Friday, September 18, 2015
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Saturday, July 4, 2015
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Friday, June 12, 2015
Monday, June 1, 2015
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Monday, May 18, 2015
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Friday, March 20, 2015
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Friday, March 6, 2015
Escape Where--To The Sun and San Luis Obispo Part One
We need to escape this cold and fog. I have said that a number of times over the years along with its companion during the summer--we need to get out of this heat. Where do you go to escape the cold of winter and the oppressive heat of summer? My overwhelming favorite is San Luis Obispo County on California's Central Coast of the Pacific Ocean. It just doesn't get any better.
We left Merced on New Year's Day on a very cold and overcast January afternoon. It was time to get out of the dampness and into some sunshine. The three and a half drive is well worth it, just to see the sun again. Three days of being away was ahead of us, and so was two rounds of golf.
Our first stop in San Luis Obispo County was at the James Dean Memorial located around a huge oak tree in the parking lot of the Jack Ranch Cafe. James Dean was killed at the intersection of California State Highways 41 and 46, a few miles from the memorial. You may know that he was a young actor that starred in three movies--Rebel Without A Cause, East Of Eden and Giant--and was killed just after Giant was completed. The memorial is simple but compelling. There are many rumors and stories about James Dean that persist today, including the details of the crash in the Porsche that killed him. After a brief stop, it was on to San Luis Obispo.
San Luis Obispo is one of my favorite cities. It is home to California State Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo, otherwise known as Cal Poly SLO. Downtown is home to Mission San Luis Obispo, one of the twenty one missions founded by the Spanish in early California. The mission is number five in the chain and was founded by Father Junipero Serra, one of the original nine that he personally founded. I enjoy walking downtown and enjoying its quaint charm and feel taking in the shops and restaurants.
You just can't go to San Luis Obispo without stopping downtown and checking out a good book at Barnes and Noble or having a fantastic bread bowl of chowder at Splash Cafe, both located at Downtown Plaza off Higuera Street. Splash's chowder is perhaps one of the best chowders in the world. Try to be downtown on a Thursday night and roam the downtown Farmer's Market where Higuera Street is closed off and filled with booths where growers sell fresh produce grown in the area along with other vendors selling other wares. Many of the area restaurants have booths as well where you can savor a meal.
We stayed downtown for a bit and realized it was getting late, time to go to our hotel to check in and get settled in for the two nights we were going to stay. Our home for the two nights we were in San Luis Obispo County was The Embassy Suites Hotel, located just off Hiway 101 and Madonna Road.
I enjoy staying in an Embassy Suites Hotel. The rooms are two room suites and have all the amenities a great hotel could offer as well as being quite cozy and comfortable. The hotel includes a cooked to order breakfast buffet each morning to guests as well as a complimentary guest reception each night between five and seven o'clock. These two features come in very handy as it eliminates the guesswork of where to have breakfast in the morning, especially at the start of a full and hectic day. The evening reception is a great way to unwind before going out to dinner at night. After ordering fast-food at the nearest "In And Out" Hamburger location and bringing it it back to the room we ate, watched some TV and then turned in as we knew we had a full day ahead of us tomorrow. A round of golf at Morro Bay Golf Course in the morning seemed very appealing tonight.
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| San Luis Obispo Downtown Plaza |
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| The James Dean Memorial at Jack Ranch |
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Of Golf, Sunshine, The Bay and the Rock--Morro Bay Golf Course
When it gets cold and foggy in the winter or scorching hot during the summer here in California's Central Valley, most residents escape to nearby getaways. In winter the aim is to escape the cold, foggy, overcast chilly days and find the sun. During the summer we hunt for cooler climates in order to find relief from the 100 degree plus heat. We go to where the sun is away from the fog in winter and travel to cooler places during the summer. You have two options, the nearby Sierra Nevada Mountains or the Pacific Coast.
I enjoy going to the mountains occasionally, but I prefer the Coast. My roots are Greek and my grandfather was a merchant seaman so the ocean calls loudly to me. I am an ocean person, and that is where I go to escape when I need a change from the Central Valley weather extremes. San Luis Obispo County is my ocean place and I normally end up in the small town of Morro Bay, California. Of course, many time when I take the two and a half hour drive there I play golf at Morro Bay Golf Course.
Morro Bay Golf is located just south of town and is built on the side of a mountain within the boundaries of Morro Bay State Park. If you are driving to the course from the south, be careful because the road up the hill which takes you to the course is not marked and sort of sneaks up on you. That's OK because if you do miss the turn, you are in for a real treat. The road loops around the State Park and campground besides the bay and you get a delightful view of the course on the right with the bay and Morro Rock on your left. Finally, you come to the city side of the course and the road which is marked that takes you to the clubhouse. This is the other end of the cut off that you may of missed that takes you to the clubhouse from the south.
With the views from the course of Morro Rock, Morro Bay and the Pacific Ocean beyond the course has the nickname of "A Poor Man's Pebble Beach". Although the course is not directly situated on the ocean, it is easy to see why it has been called this. The views from the course are breathtaking, and each hole comes with different sort of vista. Golf and this kind of beauty, it just doesn't get any better.
The course is an old style course built on the side of a hill. The "Old Girl" never looks her age as the course is always in great shape given the amount of rounds played on her each year. Fairways are lined by huge eucalyptus and cypress trees and the greens are small. Speaking of the greens, they are quick and very hard to read. When you are reading the greens always remember where you are in relation to Black's Mountain--the volcanic peak towering behind the golf course--and the bay. Notice I didn't say ocean. The course is kind of on a peninsula so just remember that the greens generally break away from the mountain and toward the water, wherever you are in relationship to the water. I would highly suggest that you take note of where the green is as you are walking up to it to putt which will give you a better idea of the orientation of the green in relationship to the hill.. When you are on the green, don't trust your eyes. Remember where the mountain is and where the water is. By about the third hole I can almost guarantee that you will be talking to yourself. Don't worry about scoring though, just have fun and enjoy the views. If you do score well, that's a plus.
Don't worry too much about bunkers. I talked to a man who plays the course regularly and he said there are only six of them. There is a reason for this. The course was built in 1925 as a nine hole track and then was extended to eighteen at a later date. The course was tremendously busy, so in order to speed up play most of the original bunkers were removed. It was later discovered that this didn't speed up play and that it was the difficult to read greens that were slowing up play. The bunkers were not replaced, so when you played the course you just had to sit back and enjoy the experience. With the opening up of more courses in the San Lus Obispo County area, the play logjam has lightened up considerably and the pace of play has picked up. Expect a four and a half hour round when you play the course at a leisurely pace. But you don't want to rush so enjoy the course and the views.
I have been asked many time what my favorite hole is on the course. Honestly, I don't have a favorite. How could I? Each hole has just a bit of a different flavor and a different view. I will say that after battling the slopes and side hills of the front nine, I enjoy playing the back nine a bit more than the front nine. It's a bit more on the level side, but you still play up the hill the last few holes to get back to the clubhouse. If I am partial to a hole, I would have to say number 10 a downhill par three. This is because of the view and it is just a lot of fun to play.
Of all the courses that I have played, this course goes high on my list of favorites. It is always different and you never quite know what to expect. It is a fun course and will challenge your game. And the views--what can I say?
I enjoy going to the mountains occasionally, but I prefer the Coast. My roots are Greek and my grandfather was a merchant seaman so the ocean calls loudly to me. I am an ocean person, and that is where I go to escape when I need a change from the Central Valley weather extremes. San Luis Obispo County is my ocean place and I normally end up in the small town of Morro Bay, California. Of course, many time when I take the two and a half hour drive there I play golf at Morro Bay Golf Course.
Morro Bay Golf is located just south of town and is built on the side of a mountain within the boundaries of Morro Bay State Park. If you are driving to the course from the south, be careful because the road up the hill which takes you to the course is not marked and sort of sneaks up on you. That's OK because if you do miss the turn, you are in for a real treat. The road loops around the State Park and campground besides the bay and you get a delightful view of the course on the right with the bay and Morro Rock on your left. Finally, you come to the city side of the course and the road which is marked that takes you to the clubhouse. This is the other end of the cut off that you may of missed that takes you to the clubhouse from the south.
With the views from the course of Morro Rock, Morro Bay and the Pacific Ocean beyond the course has the nickname of "A Poor Man's Pebble Beach". Although the course is not directly situated on the ocean, it is easy to see why it has been called this. The views from the course are breathtaking, and each hole comes with different sort of vista. Golf and this kind of beauty, it just doesn't get any better.
The course is an old style course built on the side of a hill. The "Old Girl" never looks her age as the course is always in great shape given the amount of rounds played on her each year. Fairways are lined by huge eucalyptus and cypress trees and the greens are small. Speaking of the greens, they are quick and very hard to read. When you are reading the greens always remember where you are in relation to Black's Mountain--the volcanic peak towering behind the golf course--and the bay. Notice I didn't say ocean. The course is kind of on a peninsula so just remember that the greens generally break away from the mountain and toward the water, wherever you are in relationship to the water. I would highly suggest that you take note of where the green is as you are walking up to it to putt which will give you a better idea of the orientation of the green in relationship to the hill.. When you are on the green, don't trust your eyes. Remember where the mountain is and where the water is. By about the third hole I can almost guarantee that you will be talking to yourself. Don't worry about scoring though, just have fun and enjoy the views. If you do score well, that's a plus.
Don't worry too much about bunkers. I talked to a man who plays the course regularly and he said there are only six of them. There is a reason for this. The course was built in 1925 as a nine hole track and then was extended to eighteen at a later date. The course was tremendously busy, so in order to speed up play most of the original bunkers were removed. It was later discovered that this didn't speed up play and that it was the difficult to read greens that were slowing up play. The bunkers were not replaced, so when you played the course you just had to sit back and enjoy the experience. With the opening up of more courses in the San Lus Obispo County area, the play logjam has lightened up considerably and the pace of play has picked up. Expect a four and a half hour round when you play the course at a leisurely pace. But you don't want to rush so enjoy the course and the views.
I have been asked many time what my favorite hole is on the course. Honestly, I don't have a favorite. How could I? Each hole has just a bit of a different flavor and a different view. I will say that after battling the slopes and side hills of the front nine, I enjoy playing the back nine a bit more than the front nine. It's a bit more on the level side, but you still play up the hill the last few holes to get back to the clubhouse. If I am partial to a hole, I would have to say number 10 a downhill par three. This is because of the view and it is just a lot of fun to play.
Of all the courses that I have played, this course goes high on my list of favorites. It is always different and you never quite know what to expect. It is a fun course and will challenge your game. And the views--what can I say?
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| The tenth hole at Morro Bay |
Friday, January 30, 2015
Thursday, January 22, 2015
What's Old Has Become New Again--Paso Robles Golf Club
How many times have I traveled from Fresno in California's Central Valley to the Central Pacific Coast of California and passed through Paso Robles. The answer to that question almost scares me and I really don't think I can count that high. Each time I make the turn from California Highway 46 onto U.S. Highway 101, I think about Paso Robles Golf Club, and that I should play it some day when I come to the coast but I am always on my way somewhere to do something else. It is one of those courses that you put on your "I Gotta Play This Course" list, but never seem to stop to play. A couple of weeks ago, I got to cross it off that list and played it wondering why I had waited so long.
The course was designed by noted golf architect Bert Stamps and opened as a private country club, Paso Robles Country Club. In 1996, the course changed hands with the new owners not exactly taking the best care of the facility. This kind of acted as a double whammy as far as the number of rounds played at the course. Even though the course was opened to public play in 1996, it was still thought to be private and so the public never quite showed up as the old owners who took it public didn't get the word out. Most people thought you just couldn't get on the course because it was still private. Those who did play the course saw that the condition of the course just wasn't up to snuff. With the misconception that the course was still private and the fact that the new owners were not taking care of what could be a wonderful place to play golf, play all but dried up. I have to say that I was one of these people that really didn't have a burning desire to play Paso Robles.
Enter Mike Rawitser who also operates Santa Teresa and San Jose Municipal, both located in San Jose, California. He saw that this course and facility was truly a "diamond in the rough" and he purchased the course in 2011. He saw the course not for what it was at the time, but what it could be.
Changes were made almost immediately, bringing in a dynamic leadership team to run the course. The clubhouse was remodeled in 2012 to improve the restaurant and bar. The pro shop was brought from a dilapidated mobile home set on pillars above the first tee into a corner of the remodeled clubhouse. The old pro shop was torn down giving a better view of the course from the new pro shop and a wider selection of merchandise was made available. Another new building was built that would serve as a cart barn, club fitting facility and learning center. A lot of money was spent on improving fairways and greens, as well as relocating the number fourteen green. All of this done to bring an exceptional level of quality play to the golfing public. I have to say that it is working.
Paso Robles Golf Course is an "old style" golf course. Bert Stamps who was the architect took basically a flat piece of land and built the golf course using the terrain that he had to work with. The land had one big asset going for it though, and that was the number of huge oak trees that were on the property. He built the course around those huge trees and used them in a very strategic manner. Fairways are not lined by trees, but the big oaks come into play as do several lakes. The greens are small, well bunkered and putt true. I would describe the course as being "sneaky tough". First glaces and opinions can be deceiving as the course is a good test of your golf skills and is a lot of fun to play.
Two holes stood out in my mind. The fourth is an uphill par three at 150 yards from the white tees. The hole is built in an area off by itself and has a creek running through it at the bottom of the gully. The green is protected by a bunker in the left front and an oak. You want to stay right on this hole, but not too far right otherwise you will have more huge oaks to bother you that are to the right, especially that big one just off the green. This is a great par three and is very pleasing to the eye as well.
The fifth hole is a short par four of 317 yards off the white tees. The fairway doglegs to the right and is tucked away into a bit of a forest on the right side. You want to put your tee shot out to the left, because if you are on the right side you put the forest that is on the right in play and you have a couple of oaks to contend with to get to the green. I know, I was there and it wasn't any fun. Even though I didn't play it well it was a fun hole and a pretty one at that. Although these were the two most noteworthy holes, each hole had its own character and beauty.
I felt right at home at Paso Robles Golf Club from the minute I drove up to the course. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Should you be in the Paso Robles area and looking for a game of golf on a great course, stop by and play the course. It is time that you took Paso Robles Golf Club off your "I Gotta Play That Course Someday" list. Like me, you will be glad that you took the time to play it.
The course was designed by noted golf architect Bert Stamps and opened as a private country club, Paso Robles Country Club. In 1996, the course changed hands with the new owners not exactly taking the best care of the facility. This kind of acted as a double whammy as far as the number of rounds played at the course. Even though the course was opened to public play in 1996, it was still thought to be private and so the public never quite showed up as the old owners who took it public didn't get the word out. Most people thought you just couldn't get on the course because it was still private. Those who did play the course saw that the condition of the course just wasn't up to snuff. With the misconception that the course was still private and the fact that the new owners were not taking care of what could be a wonderful place to play golf, play all but dried up. I have to say that I was one of these people that really didn't have a burning desire to play Paso Robles.
Enter Mike Rawitser who also operates Santa Teresa and San Jose Municipal, both located in San Jose, California. He saw that this course and facility was truly a "diamond in the rough" and he purchased the course in 2011. He saw the course not for what it was at the time, but what it could be.
Changes were made almost immediately, bringing in a dynamic leadership team to run the course. The clubhouse was remodeled in 2012 to improve the restaurant and bar. The pro shop was brought from a dilapidated mobile home set on pillars above the first tee into a corner of the remodeled clubhouse. The old pro shop was torn down giving a better view of the course from the new pro shop and a wider selection of merchandise was made available. Another new building was built that would serve as a cart barn, club fitting facility and learning center. A lot of money was spent on improving fairways and greens, as well as relocating the number fourteen green. All of this done to bring an exceptional level of quality play to the golfing public. I have to say that it is working.
Paso Robles Golf Course is an "old style" golf course. Bert Stamps who was the architect took basically a flat piece of land and built the golf course using the terrain that he had to work with. The land had one big asset going for it though, and that was the number of huge oak trees that were on the property. He built the course around those huge trees and used them in a very strategic manner. Fairways are not lined by trees, but the big oaks come into play as do several lakes. The greens are small, well bunkered and putt true. I would describe the course as being "sneaky tough". First glaces and opinions can be deceiving as the course is a good test of your golf skills and is a lot of fun to play.
Two holes stood out in my mind. The fourth is an uphill par three at 150 yards from the white tees. The hole is built in an area off by itself and has a creek running through it at the bottom of the gully. The green is protected by a bunker in the left front and an oak. You want to stay right on this hole, but not too far right otherwise you will have more huge oaks to bother you that are to the right, especially that big one just off the green. This is a great par three and is very pleasing to the eye as well.
The fifth hole is a short par four of 317 yards off the white tees. The fairway doglegs to the right and is tucked away into a bit of a forest on the right side. You want to put your tee shot out to the left, because if you are on the right side you put the forest that is on the right in play and you have a couple of oaks to contend with to get to the green. I know, I was there and it wasn't any fun. Even though I didn't play it well it was a fun hole and a pretty one at that. Although these were the two most noteworthy holes, each hole had its own character and beauty.
I felt right at home at Paso Robles Golf Club from the minute I drove up to the course. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Should you be in the Paso Robles area and looking for a game of golf on a great course, stop by and play the course. It is time that you took Paso Robles Golf Club off your "I Gotta Play That Course Someday" list. Like me, you will be glad that you took the time to play it.
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| The par three fourth hole. |
Thursday, January 15, 2015
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