Junior Golf: Hide It, Keep It-Show It, Sell It

   That's kind of an odd title, isn't it? Before I began teaching and when I retired from teaching and began my writing career, I was a salesman and sold office equipment and wholesale food products to grocery stores. I had a sales manager share with me a very good idea as I was learning the sales industry. The saying was very profound and I will share it with you:  Show it, sell it--Hide it keep it.  After thinking about how we promote junior golf and even bringing kids into the game that is kind of what we are doing, aren't we.  We just are not giving junior golf the exposure that it should be getting as far as getting kids into the game.

      As I travel around town, I see all kinds of signs up (I live in Merced, California).  Signs such as "Atwater Little League Sign Ups" or "Merced Girl's League Softball Leagues Now Forming.  Sign up At...On Saturday March 4" or "Atwater Strikers Soccer League-signups October 4th". Sign like these are all over the place as I am sure they are in your town.  During the fall you see signs announcing sign ups for soccer leagues and basketball leagues as well as youth football. Signs for Little League and softball leagues are visible during the early spring. Most of these signs are put up around schools in order to get as many kids into the particular sports to sign up as they can.  I ask you though, Where are the signs announcing youth golf programs and signups for those programs?
      I can answer that question quite easily.  There are no signs that are put up.  One of the reasons is that golf programs for youth are not promoted except in the golf community.  Another reason is that there are not that many organized youth golf programs as you see in other sports.  I think that is a shame.  Why aren't there any programs out there?  How come we hide such programs as "First Tee" and "Golf Kids"?  Are we embarrassed?  Do we think that kids are not interested in golf?
     We need to be a bit more aggressive in bringing kids into the game of golf.  Yes, kids are coming to the game of golf.  We can just look at the growth in participation rates in youth golf tournaments and see that it is growing, but probably not as quickly or as much as it should be growing.  Let's take a hard look at what needs to be done to change this.
      I understand many of the challenges that are faced when you try to develop a youth golf program.  A major consideration is who is going to run the program.  Most golf facilities and their staff are totally overburdened with the tasks that are required to run their golf courses, let alone establishing a quality youth golf program.  It is hard to put together a youth program and takes a lot of resources in time and money.  In most cases, the courses and pros don't have that time and money to devote to a quality program.  I understand their logic and concerns that a youth program is another huge investment in the course's time and limited resources.  The decision is a tough one to make, even though the time and money spent is an investment in the future and many of these youth players turn into paying customers.
     Perhaps what is needed is for the men and women of golf look to the future and volunteer to supervise golf programs as in other sports. We need to establish more programs and advertise those programs.  The word needs to get out.  There are golf programs and many other programs can be created. We must go on the offensive and let communities know that these programs exist.  Let's get kids playing golf. Let's show parents and kids the wonderful benefits of the game of golf and how you can play golf for a lifetime.  Let's show it and not keep it.

On Life As A Golf Ball

   We all make sacrifices in our lives.  Some sacrifices are bigger than others and have a more dramatic effect on our lives. What about golf?  What can we say about sacrifices in the game of golf?  Who is it that pays the biggest price in sacrifices for the game of golf?  Have you ever taken a good look at the golf ball? That little dimpled orb pays the greatest price and in some cases gives up it's life so that we may enjoy the game we all love.

      Think about it for a moment.  The ball is created in a nice, growing environment--the golf ball factory. There they are coddled and inspected.  Remember, not all of them make it out of the factory to play on the first team.  Some are rejected and for the most minute of imperfection.  It is a brand of shame to have the Titlist brand--OK, I'm partial to Titlists although I can't always afford them and I don't play ProV's because I'm cheap--painted onto you and then not pass inspection for something as little as a spec.  Then you have to suffer the indignity of either having the word "PRACTICE" stamped on you or even worse the mark of the X painted on you.  This means you are not good enough and have been rejected. You don't even get a trophy for participating.
       Should you make the cut and pass inspection you get put into a paper sleeve with two other perfect dimpled orbs then grouped with three other paper sleeves to make a box of a dozen and sent out to do your job.  By the way, my wife bought an eighteen pack of Top Flites the other day and the balls were not placed in sleeves. That has nothing to do with where I am going with this post, I just though I would throw that in. They were Top Flites after all.  She likes Top Flites but now plays yellow PXG's and I am not going to argue with her, especially if I want to stay out of the dog house and sleep with Fido. Fido has it pretty comfortable in his dog house but when I have to sleep in there with him, he gets the doggy bed and I have to sleep on the hard floor. Back to the Titlists. So the balls go out to the place where they are going to be sold, unaware of the fate that  is to befall on them.
      Joe Average buys the dozen at a totally over inflated price.  I won't say where because I have too many golf pro friends and I don't want to offend anyone. By the way, there is a great sale going on over at Dick's right now on Top Flites and Maxfli's. Sorry, I got off the subject again. So, Joe Average takes the ProV's he paid too much for and and heads for the course.  He reaches into his bag and gets out a tee as well as a sleeve of the new ProV's.
       That wonderful ball is going to be smacked around many times by a stick.  It has to hurt.  Can you imagine the pain that ball has to endure?  How about the blow to the ball's pride. Does it really have to be this way?  You darn right it has to be this way.
      Joe Average is playing golf now.  He tees up the ball on a long par four with water to the right. The ball will be violently struck and fly down the middle of the fairway, missing the deep water hazard on the right hand side of the fairway. Joe must avoid that water at all costs.
      Joe takes a mighty swing with the stick and THWACK, hits the ball. It was a pretty ugly swing at that because Jack doesn't like to take lessons. If you want to improve your game, see your local pro for a lesson please. (That was for all my golf teaching buddies out there.) Guess where that poor ball flies because of Joe's wonderful swing.  Yes, it sadly flies into the middle of the water and hits a ten pound bass squarely on the head. That poor, brand new ball has sacrificed it's life so that others may have enjoyment in their lives.  I'm not too sure how happy the bass was either. Actually, I'm not sure how much enjoyment because Jack is back at the tee yelling words you wouldn't want your preacher or priest or rabbi to hear. I can't speak for a Budhist Monk or a Muslim Imam because I haven't met an Imam or a Monk.    
        Let's have a moment of silence for that new Titlist.  Let's not forget the sacrifices that golf balls all over the world are making, even now.  By the way, how many balls did you put into the lake today? Why don't they give golf balls swimming lessons before they go out to be sold?  

Water, Water everywhere. Why does it always have to be in front of me?

You're In The Jailhouse-Uh, Doghouse-Now

      So, what did I do wrong now?  Why is my wife mad at me?  If you are married or have been married, or have dealt with the female members of the human species you know what I am talking about.  I'm sorry but we males are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to goofing--I use goofing because I am a church going man and can't use the "F" word--up with your favorite female and not knowing why.  Guys, you know what I'm talking about don't you?

     I got up this morning in a pretty good mood.  The dishwasher needed to be emptied and dirty dishes needed to be put in the dishwasher.  The kitchen needed to be cleaned up, so I started it and took a bit of a coffee break, fully intending to get back and finish the job.
     My wife got up and went into the kitchen.  It was clearly apparent to me something was a bit amiss as her normally bubbly champagne personality was not that but could best be described as more of a rotten chardonnay. I had a decision to make, probably wrong but the incident needed a definite course of action.  Hmmm...do I take the coward's way out and go to the gym to work out for say eight hours, or ride out the storm at the house and try to make the situation better. I decided to take the courageous route and stay, after all maybe I could garnish some brownie points and help make the situation better. I can honestly say that was the wrong decision.
     Yes I stayed, silly me.  I like describing things with weather metaphors so here goes.  Her "partly cloudy with showers" disposition when she woke up quickly changed into category five hurricane Julia--the name has been changed as her name isn't Julia to protect the innocent, namely me.  Into the kitchen she went huffing and puffing.  No dishes were thrown, but there was a lot of dish noise and a "See this dishcloth?  Its red where you have spilled punch in the refrigerator." comment.  I know I have been had when the refrigerator comment comes out. I haven't spilled red punch in the refrigerator for a long time so I knew that wasn't it.
     I knew she was mad at something, basically mad at me in general. Stupid me, I asked the question, "Honey, are you mad at me?"  There was no answer, just a sort of audio sound of disdain. This is the upsetting "huf" that is sort of like the fingernails on a chalk board in its effect.
     What happened next is a mistake all of us guys make and I tried to stop it but it just came out.  Out of my mouth blurted, "What did I do wrong?"  After that came automatically out of my mouth I instantly heard The Death March--dum, dum, da dum, dum, da dum da dum da dum.
      "You know what you did." she answered.
    "Whatever I did wrong, I'm sorry for doing, but I really don't know exactly what I did wrong."  I said honestly.  At this point I was beginning to feel like a whipped cocker spaniel who had just chewed up their master's prized house slippers.
     "If you don't know what you did, I shouldn't have to tell you." she responded back.
     At that point, I went down my list in my head.  I took out the trash.  No, that isn't it.  I put the dishes away, including the silverware. That isn't it. I hung up my clothes.  No, that can't be it. Hey, I even wiped off the toilet seat and put the lid down.  I even sprayed air freshener.  I give up!  What is it?
     "Besides, if I had to tell you what you did wrong you don't love me."
     That's it, I quit. The battle has been lost.  Where are my car keys?  I'm off to the gym or at least to higher ground to let hurricane Julia pass.  I'll be back in about eight hours.

All I have to do is add electricity, heating and air conditioning.

I'm sorry that this post doesn't have to do with golf, but I thought I would give you a good laugh. We did just get home from golf and I am about to go out and grill some hamburgers.  Wish me luck.

 

 

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Which Golf Ball Should I play?

 

Which golf ball should I be playing is a question that I get quite often. My wife asks me this almost every time we play golf. There are a couple of important factors that come into this when I attempt to answer that question. It is not a "one size fits all" response.  

One of the first questions we need to explore is where are you in your journey with the game of golf?  Are you new to the game-we call this a newby-or are you a seasoned veteran? Do you fall somewhere in between these two categories. What is your swing like? Do you hit the ball straight and a country mile or do you struggle to get the ball airborne? Do you lose a lot of balls when you play golf?  I would add that if you were new to the game, but I know a lot of seasoned golfers who lose a lot of balls as well. 

You don't want the cost of a dozen golf balls to send you to the poor house if your balls disappear quite readily. Sometimes they do that on purpose, so you might consider using a less expensive ball and maybe ProV's don't fit your budgetary constraints. There are a good number of economically priced golf balls out there .  I would strongly recommend these less expensive, non-budgetary breaking balls for the newer golfer. There are still balls out there for under $20 a dozen and some even are 18 packs. Believe it or not, most of them are not that bad. I won't recommend a brand here, because there are so many, from Nitro (yuck) to Srixon, Callaway and Titleist. I am kind of partial to Dick's Sporting Goods as they have the Top Flite line and the Maxli line as well. 

OK boys and girls, are you ready for a bedtime story?  Well, it's really not a bedtime story and I am going to tell it to you anyway. How many of you have heard of the Precept ball?  Bridgestone Tire and Rubber Company wanted to get into the golf ball manufacturing business but didn't want to use Bridgestone for the name on their ball because they didn't want people to think that their ball was just a small tire. They came up with the name Precept, and it was a very good ball.

The rulers at Bridgestone/Precept wanted to offer women a lady's ball so they came out with what they called The Lady Precept. It was an exceptional ball and actually out performed their flagship ball. It went further and was very responsive around the greens. You could tell it was a lady's ball because the writing on it was a hot pink and it was sold in a pink box and the sleeves were pink.  After all, it was a lady's ball. 

An odd thing happened to the Lady Precept. Men discovered the ball and were buying it.  However, there was a bit of a thing in that men didn't want to be seen buying and playing a lady's ball. Sales of the ball went through the roof and it wasn't just women who were buying the ball. After a while, the ball became known as the "paper bag ball" because men would buy the ball and would insist that the ball be placed in a brown paper bag so that it would not be discovered that a guy was playing a lady's ball-after all, that could prove to be embarrassing to the average macho guy. 

So, what did Bridgestone/Precept do?  The solution was pretty simple.  They knew they had a great ball on their hands but had to come up with a creative solution to get the ball into the hands of guys and take away the stigma of playing a lady's ball. They changed the packaging and the name of the ball from "Lady Precept" to "Precept Laddie". They still made the Lady Precept and packaged it in its pink box with pink lettering, but the new "men's" ball, The Laddie, would be packaged in a new silver and green box and sleeves.  The printing on the ball was black and "Laddie" would be printed on the ball itself. This move was brilliant in that the ball was the same but now men were not hesitant to buy the ball. I used to play "The Laddie"  almost exclusively and it was a great ball.  They still make it, but I have switched to a different ball manufacturer because as Bridgestone transitioned to the Bridgestone name on its balls, they phased out the "Precept" name.

Let's move on here and talk about the seasoned player.  What ball should the experienced golfer play?  My answer to this is it depends o the individual golfer and what they like.  Let's not forget that golf balls are subject to the regulations of The USGA and Royal and Ancient Golf Association as far as the specifications of golf balls. Golf balls have to conform to the regulations set forth by these two organizations as far as ball statistics and performance. I can't hit their balls because of their Bridgestone logo on the balls.

There is not a whole lot of difference between premium balls. A ProV has certain subtle differences than say a Callaway or other premium ball but they all have to conform to golf ball specifications as set forth by the ruling bodies. The "Feel" of the ball is what most golfers go by.  How do you like the feel of the ball? Does it feel hard or does it compress and have a soft feel coming off the club?  How does it perform around the green?  What is the ball flight of a particular ball?  How does it feel coming off an iron shot?  Most golfers have personal preferences and choose a ball based upon those questions. 

Keep in mind that golf ball manufacturers spend a lot of money on the promotion of their golf balls. How much do you think they spend on sponsorships as far as the golf playing professional? What does Callaway pay Xander to endorse their balls? What about TV advertising. I would like to have 1000th of the money Titleist spends promoting ProVs.  It is a probably the finest ball out there and I have played the ball, but I cringe at the fact that I have to shell out over $50 for a dozen balls. Do I really have to help pay for Jordan to fill up his jet?  I have problem scraping up the cost of a fill up on my Hyundai Venue.

As I said, I don't play ProVs because of the price.  I also must admit that I am a bit of a golf ball prude.  When Nike came out with their ball, and it was a good ball, I couldn't play it because of the logo on the ball.  The same is true with Calaway balls.  I can't play Callaways and I have tried.  My eye just hates looking at that Callaway logo and how it is placed on the ball.  They make a great ball, I just can't hit it with that huge logo. I have the same problem as far as the logo on the ball as Taylormade and I have already mentioned Bridgestone. I have played Srixon, and I am not impressed as far as my game is concerned. All these brand name balls are great balls, I just don't like the looks of them as far as how  they set up for my eye.

Do I avoid Titleists? Actually, I don't.  Every now and then I will change up my routine and buy a dozen True Speed Titleists.  I was part of the developement program when Titleist brought out the prototypes and I was one of the first to buy one of those unmarked white boxes. I liked them and they performed well for me.  The feel was a little bit softer than a ProV and they did well around the greens in my short game. I do like ProV's as well, but at their price point I only buy them when I win on a huge lottery ticket or when I win big at the casino.

OK, it's time to do the great reveal.  What ball do I prefer to play?  I have always been a Maxfli man.  I played the ball that had the red dot on it and was a wound ball-I wonder how man of you know what I am talking about when I say wound ball? There is a history around Maxfli where Taylormade bought it and made it their low-end line and the balls didn't sell. The Maxfli line was sold off to Dick's Sporting Goods-as was Top Flite-and rescaled the ball to become an excellent high end, the Maxfli Tour X ball line that was economical and would compare quite closely to the ProV.  Testing has shown that the performance of the Maxfli Tour line can stand up to the ProV line.

PXG has entered the golf ball market.  I tried the original PXG ball and loved it.  The ball stops on a dime when hit on the green. I found that it was just a bit hard for my tastes and was not that much better than my Maxfli Tours.  I stayed with the Maxflis, although I played a couple of dozen PXGs. 

PXG has come out with a new ball, the PXG Tour X.  I fell in love with the ball immediately after hitting it. The ball was a noted improvement over the original PXG ball and the performance is a step above my Maxflis.  I will be playing this ball for a long time, but I still have a couple of dozen Maxflis to fall back on.

What is my advice as to which ball to play?  Try as many as you can and find one that fits your game and you like. 

 

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What Makes A Great Golf Course?

    Have you ever wondered what makes a great golf course? In my 55 years of playing the great game, I have played a lot of courses, some great and some not. Let's take a minute here and talk about what I think makes a great golf course.

     I have to confess that I am an "Old Style" golf course kind of guy.  A well designed course in among a grove of trees with small, fast greens is really what I love. You don't have to have forced carries and enough water to mimic the Pacific Ocean in order to make a wonderful layout. Greens don't have to be the size of Siberia in order to make up a great course and those greens don't have to be faster than the cars running at Daytona Speedway on the third weekend in February--I'm a NASCAR fan so I thought I would throw that in--just fast enough to get a good roll to the hole.
     What do I think make a "Great Course"?   Recently I stopped to think about that and maybe it is time to share those attributes to you.  Remember now, I am an eighteen handicap player so this is more from the point of view of an average player.  You also have to keep in mind that I am not a course designer and these are my opinions.  Please feel free to disagree with any of these points.  I give you that permission.

1.)  The course has to be enjoyable to a player who has never played the course before.  Let me explain this. I have played a lot of courses that have required a lot of local knowledge as far as where to place the ball on certain shots. Many times I have hit what I thought was a good shot, and the ball winds up somewhere that cost me a lot of strokes. It went there because of the course design and not how I hit the shot. Local knowledge is fine, but don't penalize a player who has never played the course.

2.)  I feel that forced carries are OK and add to the character of a course.  However, a great course allows the player to carry the "carry" and not have to pull off an impossible shot to get over the barranca or water hazard. I have played courses like that where there is no way I am going to get over the barranca or water hazard. Not all players like to "go for it" or do they have that ability.  There should be a safe landing area for laying up. You can have forced carries, but make them so there is a bailout area or they are at least "carryable" for the average golfer.

3.)  Greens should be fair and not punitive.  There should be break and they can be lightning fast but don't make them putt like the holes on the local miniature golf course.  Ant hills don't have any place on a real golf course.

4.)  The course should not be so "gimmicked" up that it is not enjoyable to play.  In other words, why have a hole that has a creek running through it where the average golfer cannot find the proper landing areas?  I can see double fairways, but don't punish the average golfer with an impossibly long shot into the green after hitting the shorter route fairway. The course should reward a good shot, not penalize the golfer with an impossible next shot.  And don't tell me to play the forward tees either, because you are still not going to make it over that barranca.

5.)  I like an "Old Style" golf course. Greens don't have to be fast, but they need to putt true and be well maintained.  I prefer courses that have tree lined fairways, but I enjoy "links style" golf as long as the course isn't "tricked up".  Undulations in the fairways are good and the course does not have to be flat. The course should basically say, "I'm an old school course.  I'm not going to throw anything funny at you.  Take your best shot and beat me if you can."  Riverside Golf Course in Fresno, California and Bayonet Golf Course in Seaside California come to mind when I say that.

6)  I'm going to show my West Coast bias here.  One of the things that make a course a "Great Course" is a course that is on, has views of or you can hear The Pacific Ocean.  That's all I'm going to say about that one. It kind of speaks for itself.

     That's my list.  Of course it is only my opinion.

What can I say?

It Is The Game of Golf-Darn

 Yes, golf is a game that can humble the heart.  It is also a game that can take you to new heights.  In my case, it can also take you to new lows as well.  These things are very true, especially if you have experienced "the wheels coming off" in a round.  We all know that golf is a game of a collection of shots and sometimes those shots are not our best.  We love the game, it is a challenge and is never the same each time we go out. No matter how great we play or on the other hand how bad we play, we always ask that age old question after our round, When is our next tee time.

I don't know how many of you experienced watching the end of the 2024 Byron Nelson Golf Classic?  It was certainly an exciting finish between the two top competitors in the tournament.  Tyler Pendraith won by one shot over Ben Knowles.  There are a couple of things I have to say about the finish of this tournament. 

First off, congratulations to Tyler Pendraith for winning what I believe was his first PGA tournament. This player from Canada was solid throughout the tournament.  However, I don't know at the end of the day that he didn't win the tournament so much as Knowles lost the tournament on the last hole.  Let me explain. 

Two questions have to be answered. The first question is why did Knowles try to go for the green with a hybrid on hole number 18 which is a short par 5 and supposedly the easiest hole on the course?  Why did you do that when you are leading the tournament by a stroke and all you had to do is lay up, take an easy pitch shot from off the green, make the putt for birdie and walk away with the trophy and  $1.7?  

And that my friend is not the end of it.  How could you chunk a wedge out of that thick rough? All he had to do is get the ball on the green and two putt for at least a par and a share of the lead leading to at least a playoff.  He could have put that wedge shot for a makeable birdie and a win.  For pitty sake, I could have taken out my 60 degree and blasted it out of that rough. I realize that the pressure was on, but come on. Such is the game of golf, I guess.  Disaster was snatched from the jaws of victory.  

I don't feel sorry for Ben Knowles.  That little missed pitch from out of the rough by the green cost him about $700,000.  Oh well, he still pocketed over a cool $1000000 so I don't feel sorry for him.  I have to publish a lot of blog posts and book for a million dollars.  One thing he did prove though.  It is truly a difficult and humbling game. But, we golfers already know that.       

  

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.

San Luis Obispo Downtown Plaza

The James Dean Memorial at Jack Ranch

   
   

   
   
   
   

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?

The tenth hole at Morro Bay

   
   

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 par three fourth hole. 

   
   




   
   

   

Ryder Cup Thoughts--Part 2

     Again, I will be honest with you.  I have not been following the Ryder Cup matches that closely. The conclusion that I think I am coming to is that the Europeans are handing the Americans another bitter defeat. This seems to be the rule these days in Ryder Cup competition.
    Last night I turned on the Golf Channel to see just what the score was and it wasn't pretty.  I didn't catch the score but what I did catch was that The Americans had to win 8 out of 12 matches in today's single matches. I must say that it is not impossible, but a miracle at best. I hate to be a skeptic, but that is WIN 8 matches.  A halve won't help. I do wish the American team luck and have them start thinking about two years from now when the Ryder Cup Matches return to the U.S.
     I do remember the time when we dominated the Europeans. Our string of Ryder Cup victories was long but so was the America's Cup string of victories which of course was broken. Dominance in sports, any sports is hard to achieve in our times. Eventually, the competition will swing the other way and we Americans will be enjoying a string of Ryder Cup victories.  If not a string of victories then at least achieve a balance of wins between The United States and The European Team.
     Got to run to church now. So, hit 'em long and straight. Don't leave that birdie putt short.

Go out and play golf today.  Good luck USA in the Ryder Cup.

A Hearty THANK YOU!

     This post will be extremely brief.  I want to thank all of you for reading this blog. We achieved a milestone today in a fairly short time. Today marked my 3,000th visitor and reader.  Again, Thank You very much and I want to say that the best is yet to come.

Thank You! Keep coming back, there's more to come.

Get Fit and Play Better Golf

     I know that I am the last person to preach fitness and its importance in golf.  It's really funny though that I don't take my own advice. You have to tune up your body in order to play good golf.  It is just that simple.  Do I do this, no. I have decided that it is time to return to the gym and work out, not only for my golf game but for my overall health.
     Three years ago I took up the banner and ran with it. It was time to loose weight and get more fit.  Not literally, I am allergic to running and always have been. I'm not built for speed, being a plow horse not a race horse.  My PE coach used to time me with a calendar in the mile. I am bulky and built low to the ground. I don't run. However, I don't mind walking on a treadmill for thirty or forty minutes. As a result of going to the gym and taking care of myself, I lost 60 pounds.
     I'll have more of this story in my next post. In the meantime, don't forget to go to my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and check out the site.  I am going to be playing Catalina Golf Course on Tuesday of next week and will have a video of it up for you to look at the following week. I am excited about playing there, as you know.
     That's it for today.  Remember, hit 'em long and straight. Please don't leave that birdie putt short.

Me at 300 pounds before I lost the 60 pounds. I felt great after the weight loss.

CATALINA!

  It is official! 

Twenty- six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me
Santa Catalina, the island of romance, romance, romance, romance

Actually, romance isn't waiting for me there and it is only 22 miles, but golf is waiting. I am finally going to play Catalina Golf Course.  Thank you Mark!
     You probably didn't know that Catalina Island had a golf course.  It does, and a good one at that.  It is a 9 hole track, 18 from a second set of tees, set in the canyons above Avalon the main town on Catalina. I have been told that it is the oldest golf course west of the Mississippi River that has been in continuous operation since it was opened as a three hole course.  I don't want to totally get into the history of the course, but I do want to let you know that I have been invited to play the course and do a You-Tube video and feature it on my website.  I will also let you know what the course was like here on my blog. 
     Catalina and I go back about 18 years to the first Carnival Cruise I took there in 1996 with my family.  Each time I have been there it has been on a cruise ship as a port of call. I have been there several times and have yet to totally explore the island. I'm told that there is a lot to see, especially the buffalo.  That's another story. Let's face it folks, I am a golfer, not a naturalist.  I tend to focus in on what golf options there are in a location. On this trip we took a golf cart tour and it stopped at the course. at the time I didn't stop in, but I did say, hmmm--I have to play this course some day. 
     I have been to the course several time and have chatted in depth with Mark the pro there.  He is a great guy to talk to. You can tell he really knows his course taking the time to talk about it at great leangth. Every time I go up there, he remembers me and always cordially invites me to experience his course. To this point I have been unable to play the course for a number of reasons while I'm there. I have decided it is time and so in a couple of weeks, again on a cruise I am going to play the course and take pictures.  I only hope that what I produce is as good as it can be. 
    I have some other stories that I will share with you as the time gets closer about my visits to Catalina Golf Course.  I have to run now.  Don't forget to visit my website, http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.  If you would also be so kind to take a look at my new video about The Golf Course Travel Bag and myself on You Tube, I would truly appreciate it.  don't make me beg. Here is the URL http://youtu.be/2VSgOYis-M8
 and I hope you will enjoy it as well as my other videos you can find on my website.  Just remember to hit 'em long and straight...don't leave that birdie putt short.  One last thing, it's only 22 miles.

Yes Virgina, there really is a golf course on Catalina Island. Move your finger when you take the picture, will you.  Sorry, I'm not used to taking pictures with a phone.  Isn't that what a camera is for?

New High Tech Clubs

     I finally gave in to the high tech club craze. The last time I played my old clubs, I knew it was time to change to something a little more modern that truly fit my game given my age and strength.  The search was on.
    I visited a lot of golf stores wanting to find the sticks that fit properly. All the well known brands were in the mix, Taylor Made, Callaway, Nike, Mizuno and I really liked the Adams clubs.  What I chose was the most high tech I could get.
    These clubs had some very interesting characteristics. They were made out of a new material that is beginning to show up in golf, a polymer that is supposed to help your game.  The price was right as well as they didn't cost an arm and a leg, $3.99 at Wal-mart including three brand new balls. Such a deal!  These clubs should really improve my game.
     I am thinking very seriously of putting together a group of golfers to play together on a trip to a location somewhere in California.  I haven't quite come up with the location, and wanted to get some input from you. It will probably happen sometime in the spring of 2015 and will be from three to five days. If you could give me some ideas of where we should go, that would be great.
    In the meantime, don't forget to visit my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and take a look at some great instructional videos as well as some videos of a few outstanding golf courses. Hit 'em long and straight--don't leave that birdie putt short.

The new sticks. They should slash strokes off my game.

 

Ten Reasons I Play Golf

     I was listening to a radio broadcast last night on my way home from a trip, and the subject was how this generation of children growing up never suffer from boredom.  With all digital virtual world that our children live in, there is very little time to just sit there and be bored. There is no "down time" for the brain, and creativity is not given time to grow because their brain is always on. It's an interesting idea, and I don't want to discuss or debate the full intricacies of the argument but the idea has merit.  The bottom line was the speakers son took up golf and loved it because it was natural and creative.
     This got me thinking. Why do I love golf so much?  Here are ten reasons:

1. Golf is natural. You are playing it and it is unfolding as you play. You are not playing a microchip, but experiencing a game that is real, not created in cyberspace. Besides, there is nothing like the natural sound of a club, any club, striking the ball on a good shot. One of the best natural sounds in the world is that of a golf ball dropping into the cup for a birdie. That lake is real, not cyberwater.

2.  Golf exercises your creativity and imagination, and in a real way. How do I hit that shot around the tree and get the ball to the green? Believe me, I have had to do that on several occasions. Do I carry out the shot every time, no.  I still have to create the shot in my mind. Whether I pull it off may be fantasy, but I still have to think it up.  Again, this is all real, not cyberspace.

3.  Golf is good exercise. Whether you walk and carry, walk and pull a cart or ride in a golf cart, golf is exercise.  There is a lot of physical activity involved in swinging that club. You still have to swing a club and hit a ball. Even if you ride a cart, you still have to get out of the cart and hit the ball and do't forget walking from the cart to the tee, or the cart up to the green and depending on some greens keepers and where they put the cart signs, that can be quite a hike.

4.   Golf is played in the real outdoors on some very beautiful pieces of land. This is true wherever the course is. The worst "goat track" still is much prettier than a city alley. It is real as opposed to created in cyberspace. If you have played The Club at Crazy Horse Ranch, Stevinson Ranch, DeLaveaga or Coronado, you know what I mean. Go to my You Tube Video page on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and see what I mean. These are real sights, sounds and smells.

5.  Staying along with #4 I give you this reason.  Golf courses are located in some very beautiful places.  Have you ever played Trump National Los Angeles or Pacific Grove Muni? You almost can forget your game and slip into the trance of the surroundings. All this beautiful scenery, and a golf course too. Life doesn't get any better.

6.  You can travel to the places where the golf courses are located. Yes, you can play your wonderful local golf course or you can go to other  places.  I can drive to Monterey and play a course there. Not only do I get to play golf, but I get to enjoy what the city of Monterey, or wherever has to offer.  How about a box of carmel corn from the pier or a seafood dinner with some exceptional clam chowder.  What does cyberchowder taste like anyway?

7.  You use real strategy when you play golf. You don't use a controller to hit the ball, you use a real stick to hit a real ball.  You get the true feeling of a stick impacting the ball. You get the true emotion of hitting a real shot, not a cyber shot. In this, it takes real skill to hit the ball where you want it to go. It takes real skill to drive, hit an iron, chip and putt. With this real skill comes the real emotion of playing the game that is real. What do I do to keep the ball out of the lake?  How do I shape the shot to go around the dog leg?  You get real feedback from the real world that is not possible in the cyber world.

8.  There is more to golf than just hitting a ball and putting in in the hole. There is the "emotion" of golf.  How do you feel after you hit a great shot?  What do you you do when you hit a bad shot? This emotion is real, not created in a cyber world. How many of you have lost a $5 ProV1 in a water hazzard because you shanked a shot?  You know what I'm talking about.

9.  You can get away from the world in a real way for five hours. There are no computers except GPS devices out here. The main computer is left in the pro shop. By the way, turn your cell phones off, please.
Golf can be a refuge from our busy digital world. That is one of the reasons that I think golf will come back. People are tired of the digital world and are searching for a real world.  Golf can provide that real world.

10.  Golf is meant to be played with friends. What did the first players do when they played?  The took a fifth of whiskey and shared it. That is where we get 18 holes, the time a fifth would last share among four golfers. There is nothing like sharing a round with a friend or even making new friends on the course. What about the 19th hole where you swap stories about the round?  "Tis a wonderful thing, laddie.

     That's about it. I guess that I didn't share how I like that golf is also mano-y-mano as well.  You are not playing against someone, you are playing the course.  After all this, I think it boils down to one thing as far as why I enjoy golf so much. It is a heck of a lot of fun.
     Don't forget to stop by my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and check out the videos. There will be more soon. In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight, don't leave that birdie putt short.

Need I say anything more?

        

     

Money, Money, Money--Part 3

     Yes, I am a couple of days late with this post.  I took my time and thought about what I was going to write.  Do you believe that?  Actually, I got caught with some personal business that took a bit more time than I thought.  If you can forgive me for that, I would appreciate that. Come on now, I came clean and told the truth.  I could have told you that I was abducted by aliens and was studied and operated on in their mother ship, but I was truthful with you so cut me some slack please. Enough fun for the day, let's cut to the chase.
     The decline in the number of golfers playing golf is simple economics.  Two things have happened.  First, supply had outpaced demand and secondly the economic situation throughout the world has changed. With a shortage of courses and demand high, green fees skyrocketed.  Put very simply, the boom times of a strong economy are over and they built too many golf courses. With demand high, supply low and a booming economy, people were willing to pay the price to play. The economy goes bust people make choices and golf was a luxury that they could cut out. The same is true for overpriced equipment.  To sum it up, not enough money and too many choices for the consumer as to places to play or spend their money on other things in many cases more important.
     Where do we go from here as to growing the game again? First, we have to realize that "water seeks its own level". There has been a downturn and I don't know if we have seen the bottom of it.  However, I am an optimist and it will come back and grow again. I see some changes being made in the industry that will stop the trend.
     Real estate was a problem.  Developers saw the growth of golf and the rosy projection as to how the game and economy were going to grow and built developments around golf courses. The bust of 2008 came and there was no money to invest in lands or upscale homes. Buyers for their homes evaporated because of not having the money to purchase. The courses were private and memberships were not sold to support the course and development. In many cases, the house of cards the developers built fell down and the courses closed. This is sad I have to admit, but it is necessary to return golf to health. Just like you prune a tree of limbs for the good of the tree, some courses that can't make it have to close.
     I am getting a bit wordy and long here so I think I will stop and continue this in my next post. We haven't explored green fees and the cost of equipment so I will leave that to the next post. I do have a lot to say about that.
     One of my favorite things to do is to travel. In most cases, golf is included in those travels. I would like to put together a golf trip to a location in California that is affordable. It won't be Pebble Beach, but it will be a great golf location.  I was thinking perhaps the San Diego area, The Monterey area to play a couple of the little known courses such as DeLaveaga or Crazy Horse. We could even include Bayonet/Blackhorse.  We could also do San Francisco or some other area.  I don't know, what are your thoughts. I would like to center this trip around courses that are not that well known, but are a treat to play. Costs will be kept down. PLEASE give me some feedback on this.  I should have more information on this on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.  Check out my You-Tube videos as well. They are on the site as well. I have launched a newsletter to go along with the website so watch out for that.
     Hit 'em long and straight and don't leave that birdie putt short.

The seventh hole at Stevinson Ranch. They have some great par threes.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Money, Money, Money--Part 1

     Why the unusual title for this post you may ask?  The reason is simple.  Golf is on the decline as far is play and there are several reasons as I have talked about before. One of the main reasons for this decline is the cost of participating in the sport. Is golf pricing itself out of the market? I kind of think so.
     Golf, as in other things in this world has pretty much forgotten basic economics.  What comes into play here is the basic law of supply and demand. As golfers we would like to think that generally the law of supply and demand do not apply to golf, but it does. When the supply of a product goes up and the demand for that product goes down, what do you do to that product. That product has costs associated with it which must be covered, but the product is not being sold. What you do is to lower the cost to the consumer for that product to stimulate purchase or usage of the product or service. It's just that simple. Sorry I'm bothering you with this.  I'm into this, I used to teach history.
     I used to be in sales. If we had something that wasn't selling, what would we do. Yes, we made a lot of money when we sold a high ticket item with a steep price, but those sales were few and far between. Dollars were not changing hands and we still had the investment of the high priced item. A business is based on cash flow.
     We would call this, "slow dime, fast nickel". What this means is you are making a lot of profit on the expensive item, but unless it sells it is a liability. Something that has less profit built into it makes you less money, but your money is being turned.  You are generating fast revenue or profit. In other words, you don't make money unless it sells. When something wouldn't sell or was priced to high, we would lower the price or put it on what? ON SALE! Stay with me on this one, there will be a prize at the end.
     How does this relate to golf? I will get into that tomorrow. Don't forget to check out my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. Hit 'em long and straight, don't leave that birdie putt short.

The first tee at Bayonet. This is a great course in the Monterey area and right now are offering some great specials on green fees. 

         

Goodbye Riverbend. I'm Glad I knew You

     I am in mourning today.  I didn't loose a close friend or relative, but I did loose something that was very special in my life for a very long time. Riverbend Golf Course has been sold and they have changed her name. She is no longer Riverbend but Dragonfly, and it is time to say goodbye to a good friend.  With that said I say goodbye Riverbend and may you prosper in your new life as Dragonfly. What more can I say?

Goodbye my friend.  I will miss you.

   

Another Favorite Course-Coronado

I just got finished producing a new U-Tube video of one of my favorite courses.  this course will go on another one of my favorite course posts, but I wanted to share the video with you.  Take a look at it.  I am also going to post it on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com, so you can see it there as well.  I'm proud of my videos. Here's the link:  http://youtu.be/hVoPtxKiQJ8

The Starter Shack on the first tee at Coronado.

My "Top Ten Favorite Courses I Have Played" List

     You really have backed me into a corner. Many of you have asked me to commit to writing about my favorite ten courses. Let me get one thing straight. All the courses I have played are my favorite. If they have green grass, good greens, a good layout that is fair and some good fairways and I am playing them at the moment, it is my favorite. I know that that is very noncommittal, but sorry I love golf and the courses I play. So, if you ask me what my favorite course is, I would say the one I am playing right now.
     I promised you a list of ten.  Now remember, these are not in any particular order. Please also keep in mind that these are the courses I am thinking about that come to mind off the top of my head. The list is not comprehensive either.  Here  is my list.

1.  Trump National Los Angeles:  The layout of the course and the views of the Pacific Ocean will truly take your breath away. You can see more of this beautiful course by going to my website and reading about it as well as viewing the video. I want to go back and play it, even though the green fee is over $200. Check it out on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.

2.  Pacific Grove, Pacific Grove, Ca.:  Yep, this really is a poor man't Pebble Beach. It is short, but can give you a headache if you can't make some shots. Views of the Pacific from the back nine will make you stop in mid round and take in all the beauty.  The Pacific Ocean is right across the street and you can literally see and hear the waves crashing on the rocks.  The course isn't anything to gripe about as well. It is a lot of fun and challenging.

3.  Bayonet/Blackhorse, Seaside, Ca. (Monterey Area):  It seems as though many of my favorite courses happen to be in Monterey.  I'm sorry for that, but if you have ever been to Monterey and played golf, you know what I'm talking about. These tow courses are located on the former Fort Ord Army Base in the hills above Monterey which has been closed for a long time. The courses are now owned by The City Of Seaside and are open to the public. Both courses have been renovated and offer some great vistas of Monterey Bay.  The courses aren't too shabby as well with some lush fairways which are lined by Monterey Cyprus trees and some great greens.

4.  Monterey Pines, Monterey, Ca.: Shhhhh!!!!!Don't tell anyone about this one. This course is very well known to golfers who live in Monterey. They know this great track as "The Navy Course" as it is owned by The U.S. Navy and is located above the fairgrounds on the grounds of The Naval Post Graduate School. It is a short course, but very well maintained and tricky.  The greens are always in great shape and the fairways are narrow. This course is truly Monterey's best kept golf secret.

5.  Moro Bay Golf Course, Morro Bay, Ca.:  I really love this course, not because of the beautiful views of Morro Bay and the fact that it is a kick to play but because I have decided that I am a very crazy person. With that said, if you are already crazy this case will not take you there because you already are crazy. It is a great layout, set in the pines above Morro Bay and Morro Bay State Park. I am not sure that there is a level lie on the course but the greens are what sets this course apart. You will be saying things like, "I swear that putt was uphill!" as you ball rolls ten feet past the hole on what was originally a two footer. How about, "Did that break right two feet?  There's no way, just look at that.  It has to break left.". Prepare for a lot of fun when you play Morro Bay.

6.  Metro West, Orlando, Florida: I got to play this course when I was on vacation in Florida.  The kids wanted to go to Disney World and I didn't because they wanted to go to a different kingdom than I did. I played golf here instead.  I found it by accident. The course had some great greens, which were Bermuda by the way. It is an adventure putting on Bermuda Grass. I enjoyed this course very much and found out that grass grows very quickly in Florida and 85 degrees isn't necessarily 85 degrees.

7.  Stevinson Ranch, Stevinson, Ca.: Out in what seems to be the middle of nowhere admidst the farmland, dairies and cattle ranches of the western Central Valley of California lies the little town of Stevinson.  Who would of thought one of the best public golf courses in the United States would be located here.  It is. Stevinson Ranch is a "links style" course which is a lot of fun to play. Although it is basically flat, there is a lot of areas you can get yourself into a ton of trouble. The greens here are large and undulating.  What a kick in the pants.  You can see more of Stevinson in pictures and work by going to my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com where you can watch the video I shot there.

8.  Ridge Creek, Dinuba, Ca.:  Many of you will ask where in the world is Dinuba, Ca? It is a few miles south of Reedley out in the peach orchards. Is there a golf course there?  Yes, there is and it is a good wone.  It is owned by the City of Dinuba and you just wouldn't think that a smalltown would have such a great course.  It does.  This is a "links style" course which has the feel of a course in Scotland. Keep the ball on the fairway, and don't get into any of the fairway or greenside bunkers Laddie, or your score will certainly soar. The pro shop staff is very friendly and helpful.  Hi Rosa, I'm going to come and take pictures of your course soon and do a video.

9.  Sherwood Forest, Reedley, Ca.:  Who would of thought that Reedley would have a course, let alone Dinuba. Whereas Ridge Creek is just out side of Dinuba, Sherwood Forest is out of town about 10 miles and set on the Kings River.  The River runs though this course which is one of the most picturesque courses in the Central Valley. They built this course in a grove of 100 plus year old oak trees with the river running through the course and in play on several holes. The fifteenth is my favorite.  What a beautiful and natural place for a golf course not on the ocean.

10.  Riverside Golf Course, Fresno, Ca.:  Home, what can I say. When E.T. says, "E.T. phone home." he means another planet.  When I phone home, I call Riverside for a tee time. That's not true Denise, but it sounded good. At any rate, Riverside has been my home course for a long time except when I had my membership at River Bend in Madera.  I grew up in golf on Riverside, and it is a great "Old Parkland Style Course".  You can see more of Riverside at my website in my U-Tube page.  Yes it was 108 degrees, but we loved every minute of playing this classic course.

     That's basically it for now. You know I can't boil down all the courses I have played to my ten favorite, that is impossible.  I haven't even scratched the surface.  Stay tuned.
     As I have mentioned, these courses are on my website. Some of the courses have videos, so go to my website and take a look.  Got to http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and take a look. Until next time, hit 'em long and straight.  Of course, don't you dare leave that birdie putt short.

The short par four  8th at Stevinson Ranch. And the hits just keep on comin'.