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.       

  

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?

        

     

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.

   

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'. 

    


















 

10 Things I Don't Like In Golf

     Yesterday, I wrote about the ten things I like in golf.  As I explained in the post, these were not the things I liked most or least, they were just ten things I like. They were not in any order as well and there are many more and I will share those with you later as I think about them. I hope you enjoyed the list.
     This is a polar world we live in.  The world has its North and South Poles. Good has its opposite, bad. Love has its opposite, hate.  So it is with me.  I have what I love about the game, and I have what I don't exactly like or what strikes me as not exactly good. Yesterday was what I liked about golf and today will be what I think is the negative aspect of the game, at least from my perspective.  Here goes.

1.  Golfers that play once a year can really make a round unbearable, especially if you are playing behind them. I'm not talking about the ones who only play once a year and come out because a good friend has asked them to play.  I'm talking about the "Once A Year, Let's Buy A Lot Of Beer And Tear Up The Place Because A Golf Course Is a Great Place To Get Drunk" group.  You know what I'm talking about. In most cases, they come out with no respect for the course and tear it up.

2.  I don't like idiots, sober or drunk who do not respect the course. These are the guys that don't respect the "Keep Carts On The Cart Path" sign.  Now granted, some of the greens keepers have a tendency to put the "No Carts"  signs a bit too far away from the green, but on a par 3 when it says no carts, that means no carts.  These are also guys that take a huge divot out of the fairway, and laugh about it without pouring sand in the divot.

4.  This one is a two for one, I guess. Speaking of not repairing your divots, that is a pet peeve of mine as well. Don't complain about a fairway or green that is like the surface of the moon and not repair your divots on the green and in the fairway. Courses should make sure that there is turf builder, or at least sand in the container on the cart and everyone should carry a divot repair tool for divots on the green.  I repair mine and one more.

5.  I don't like those people who complain about the condition of a course and do not repair their divots.  Most people when they play a "goat track" should expect "goat track" conditions. The same is true for a great course. Respect the course and help manage it and the course will be in good condition.


6. I hate fivesomes that don't play fast. You can visit and have a great time, but make sure you understand that there are others playing behind you.  I have played behind fivesomes that play faster than a lot of twosomes, but that is rare. The stories I could tell you about on this one. Let's just leave it at I don't like slow fivesomes.

7.  When I hook up with a couple of guys on the first tee, I want guys who will chat between shots.  I am a social kind of guy and like to chat about whatever, and especially about the great game we play. If I get hooked up with someone who is taking their round very seriously and not talking almost to the point of ignoring me, I don't like that.  Yes, you keep silent when someone is hitting but between shots is time to visit. I have to admit that when I do play in a tournament, I get very serious most of the time.  I can be guilty of getting in that zone and not being sociable, but that is a different story. Chatting and cracking jokes loosens me up most of the time.

8.  I don't like "hard" distance golf balls. I am not a distance player, but a finesse player.  I like a golf ball that "dances" around the green. The short game is my friend.  I can't do what I do around the green with a hard distance ball.

9.  I don't like "trash talk" in the game of golf.  This is a gentleman's game.  It is not football, basketball or baseball.  There is no place in the game for a trash mouth and trashing another player. Encouragement should be the rule, not tearing someone down. OK, maybe a little bit.

10.  I hate "lip outs" for whatever score, birdie or quadruple bogey.

     I guess that you could say that these are annoyances in the game of golf.  There are many, and most of them involve golfers themselves. With all the annoyances in the game, I love to play the game and won't let those annoyances bother me to the point that I will leave the game. It is a great game, and I love playing it.
     Don't forget to stop by and visit my website. All the courses that are in the course directory I have played personally. You will also find a lot of other great "golf stuff" there as well including course U-Tube videos and some great U-tube videos on instruction and tips. I didn't do the "Tips" videos of course.  Think about that one for a moment.  Would you really want a golfer like me to give you golf tips?  At any rate, check out the website, http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.
     Until next time, hit 'em long and straight.  Don't you dare leave that birdie putt short.

I would sure like to be playing here.  This is the Ninth Green at Sharp Park. Take a look at my video on Sharp Park.

    

Ten Things I Like In Golf

     I thought about something to write about today in my blog and It was very hard to come up with a subject. I thought and I thought--which as you know if you read my other blog is a very hard thing for me--an mind was blank.  Many of you think this is a common occurrence for me, but actually it isn't.  In fact my mind races all the time.  The problem is I have to focus all those thoughts. Maybe it is time to return to the subject at hand and that is golf. Needless to say, I was having a hard time coming up with something.
    I love the game of golf. What do I like, or should I say love, about the game. If I were to boil it down to ten things I love about the game, what would they be? There are so many things I love about the game, why just ten? I have decided on ten today, because I like that number and I only have limited time and space here to share these with you. In the coming months, you may see more posts about the things I love in golf but today it will be just ten. These are not in any particular order, either and here we go.

1.  I enjoy meeting new people. Many times I will go to the golf course by myself and take pot luck as far as getting up a game. On the first tee, generally I have never met the people I would be playing with. By about the third hole, it is like we have been friends forever. Yes, you do get some guys and galls who are not friendly and don't interact, but generally a good conversation strikes up during the round and by the 18th hole it is like you have known the people you are playing with forever. I like that and golf is the common denominator.

2.  Of course I would have to say the 19th hole. What a lot of people who don't play golf don't understand is that golf is a social game.  Yes, it is fun to play the game but it is also a lot of fun to interact with the people you have played with.  It is fun to hash out the round and to tell some tall golf tales over a soda or lunch at the coffee shop or bar after the round.

3. The sound of a club hitting the ball. There is nothing like it in any other sport.  Baseball has the crack of the bat, but golf has the clunk of the ball hitting the club. That sound, whether it is a good hit or bad miss is still one of the greatest sounds in sport.  It has changed over the years, especially with the woods no longer being made of wood but the sound is still music to my ears.

4.  Sinking a fifty footer on the putting green can make your heart sing. It doesn't matter if it is for birdie or triple bogey, it still is a thrill when it goes in from the cheap seats.

5.  How about taking out a new dozen golf balls and playing them.  It doesn't matter what brand they are and yes I do prefer Titleist but it doesn't matter the brand. When you take that dozen out and open the first sleeve, the newest of the balls and how shiny they are brings a warm and fuzzy feeling. It is too bad they won't stay new for long.

6.  I would have to say that if I did have a most favorite thing, and my mind would change often, is that my wife plays golf.  She is very competitive as well.  Plus, she knows how to play the game. I don't have to baby her around the course, and I wouldn't want too.  She played basketball, volleyball and softball in college as well as almost going pro in softball.  She know her way around sports.  I very much enjoy the time we spend together on the course.

7.  Along those same lines, I am glad that I have two of my children who play golf.  On is actually starting to give lessons and she is going to get her Class A pro degree.  My son plays as well and loves the game.

8.  I like to hit the green in regulation.  I don't very often right now because I am not playing as much.  When I have that six footer for birdie, which I used to make with regularity but since I don't play much I don't, makes me feel giddy.

9.  Which brings me to the next thing, which goes along with number eight. Believe me it is doesn't happen very often, especially now.  That is sinking that putt for birdie. YES!

10.  Taking pictures of golf courses. I really enjoy sharing those courses I have played in pictures and in words. There is nothing like the feeling of setting up a shot--picture--of a green when the sun is low in the sky. The lighting itself makes it all worth the while.

     That's about it for now. Don't forget to check out my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.  Remember to hit 'em long and straight.  Don't hit that birdie putt short.

What a great game!

Women Golfers

     I don't know if I like that term "Woman Golfer" or even "Lady Golfer".  Aren't we who play the sport just that, golfers?  I hope to think so. This should be an egalitarian sport, not one defined by a person's gender. In order to grow the sport, I think that attitudes have to change. Why am I kind of charged up about this?  I saw a U-tube video. Attitudes men have toward women playing the game have to change.
     I have to admit that the video was humorous. I did chuckle.  It shows three guys sitting down in the posh members lounge in an obviously posh English Country Club. They are watching two quite curvaceous, good looking women play golf.  Of course their golf outfits are quite brief, tight and low cut in the bodice. There were the natural snide remarks from the three gentlemen about the ladies, but then they hit some shots. The shots they hit were very good, one going into the cup from off the green.  It was clear that these ladies could play the game.
     My daughter plays golf, as does my wife. Both are very capable of playing from the men's tees and whipping anyone's butt. Both hit long and my daughter played on state championship teams in high school and junior college. My wife played competitive softball and can play any sport with the best of them. You ought to see her play poker. Believe me, they both don't mid beating up on lesser foes, be they male of female.
     I had a family membership at a local golf course and would play often with my daughter. We picked up another twosome one Saturday afternoon and were ready to tee off.  The twosome that joined us would play from the men's back tees and I would on occasion. I stepped up to the back tees as well, and the twosome teed off and then I teed off. My daughter kind of waited until we teed off and then I asked her which set of teed she would like to tee from. She said, "I'll go ahead and play the blues with you guys, if you don't mind."
     She proceeded to go to the back tees with us. One of the guys in the twosome saw this and said,"Are you sure you want to do that, little lady?"
     My daughter's response was, "Yes, I don't want to hold anything up."
     "Are you sure?" was the sort of patronizing reply from the male golfer.
     "I'll be OK." was my daughter's reply.
     These two guys were fairly big hitters who would hit their drives about 240 yards.  My daughter hit her drive and it sailed passed theirs about twenty yards. After she hit her drive, she just picked up her tee, smiled at them and returned to our cart.  I still remember the looks on their faces as the ball flew passed their drives. They could have caught a swarm of flies with the way their jaws dropped. Needless to say, she waxed their tails when the scores were finally tallied at the end of the round.
     Check out some of my U-tube videos on my website.  I am very proud of them. Watch them and enjoy the courses which I hope you get to play some day.  These are some great courses. Go to my website http:the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and take a look.  There is much more on the site as well.  In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight.  And please, don't leave that birdie putt short.

Ho-hum, another 250 yard drive.  I don't think I caught it all. My daughter, I'm proud of her.

The 15 Inch Cup Revisited

     What do I think of the fifteen inch cup as marketed to golf by Taylor Made?  My thoughts have changed on the subject after playing a round with them in a tournament at Stevinson Ranch on Fourth Of July. It was a lot of fun to play them.  I wouldn't want a steady diet of them, as I am a golf purist.
     Stevinson Ranch, I am told, is the first golf course in Northern California to have the fifteen inch cup. It seems as though they will put the fifteen inch holes out in addition to the regular holes and pins, giving golfers a choice of which pins they want to play. Stevinson is to be congratulated for their innovation and wanting to try new ideas for the good of the game.
     The idea is two-fold. The larger cup is supposed to make the game go faster.  Time on the green is lessened because with the larger hole you don't really need a degree in advanced trigonometry or advanced calculus to get the read on a putt. It doesn't take as long to read a putt.  However, the greens still do break and speed is critical.  You must get the ball to the hole, even though that hole is a LOT bigger. Believe me, you can still come up short on a birdie putt.  I know, I did three times.  How can you miss with a cup the size of a hub cap? It is possible.
     The second idea behind the larger cup is that it gets new golfers on the course sooner and gives them a sense of  success in the game, at least when they get on the green. Instead of taking six or seven putts on the green and having to card a 12 or thirteen because of a misread of the the speed or break of a putt, the ball gets into the hole quicker. This actually moves the game along for the beginner and gives them a sense of accomplishment.
     The concept behind the bigger cup is kind of like that in baseball. First when you are just starting out in the game you play tee-ball and then graduate up the steps and levels until you are able to play in the major leagues. Eventually, you graduate from the driving range to the par three course to the big course playing the 15 inch cup to the regulation cup. I think that this is a great idea. At first I didn't, but we have to get creative to get more people into the game, especially now.
     I don't think that the intention is for the fifteen inch cup replace the regulation four and a half inch cup. I'm sixty years old and still a purist. The game requires a lot of skill, and reading a green is a big part of that skill. The fifteen inch cup is there for the growth of the game.
     I have a video that is about the Fourth Of July Tournament at Stevinson.  Take a look at it, I think that you will enjoy it. Here's the link: http://youtu.be/_Kx3Qrv18IE, or you can go to my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and see it there. By the way, stop by and visit my website. I am always  updating it and listing new courses and such as well as new golf tips and places to play. Take a look.  In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight.  Don't leave that birdie putt short, even with a fifteen inch cup.

How can you leave a birdie putt short with a fifteen inch cup?  I did, three times. SNAP!

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The First Tee at Coronado.

     

Index And Handicap Part 3--Equitable Stroke Control

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

The leaderboard at the end of the tournament.

 
   

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

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

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