I'M GOING BACK!
On my journey down to Carlsbad, CA for a graphite shaft fitting from Fujikura (completely amazing) I made a side trip on my way back to the SF Bay Area. About 45 minutes off the I-5 was Rustic Canyon. Haven't heard of this one? I'm not surprised, but you should!
Why?
Best Valued golf course in America in 2010
Best New Public Affordable Golf Course in America in 2002
#63 Top Modern Golf Courses in America in 2005
#5 Public Access in California in 2010
Best Places to Play in 2004 by Golf Digest
Although I've only played the front 9 due to my 3 pm tee time (Thank You LA traffic...) I ran out of light and still have this as my favorite public course I've ever played. The overall design is kept very well in touch with the course condition, and the greens crew does a great job making sure course stays true to it's original design.
I won't call it a links course... because it's definitely not. It's in the middle of two mountain ranges, fairly flat, uber walkable, and left me thinking why can't all golf courses be THAT enjoyable. It was just a ton of fun, with so much versatility and amazing for golfers of all abilities. $79 as the MOST expensive rate (which does include the cart) during the prime hours of weekends and holidays??? 10 minute tee times intervals??? Sunshine of So Cal??? This is the course for you... The only way you won't like this course is if you don't enjoy golf. Every golfer enjoys a well maintained course with wide fairways and a great background... If you're planning a trip to the Los Angeles area this is the must stop course for you.
About Me
- GChest86
- This is all fun and can hardly call it work. I have a few different blogs about a few things that I enjoy writing about.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Pardon me as I write this time while still trying to wake up from one of my favorite dreams of all time. Golf Magazine does say that Bandon Dunes is a better public course... I look forward to my trip north to have the opportunity to compare the two, but I think the experience you get at Pebble must be one of the toughest to overcome.
Upon arriving we were greeted by two gentlemen, one of which, Juan, drove us to the driving range. He was such a nice and genuine good guy, hilarious too, he really made you feel like you were someplace special. At the driving range the balls were printed with "4:30" on the sides, with the intent of subliminal messages to the brain to finish your round in four and a half hours. I think more courses should try this, especially courses that visitors like to take pictures at, which is one of the major reasons the average round time is likely closer to five hours. Both practice greens, the chipping green and the putting green, were very well taken care of as it really did feel like they were the same speed as the the course. That is a feature that more courses should aim for.
The day really couldn't have been setup much better. The fog tried and tried to hover above the famed 17 Mile Drive, however the sun constantly beat it off with a stick. There were a few holes where I even became hot enough to have to take off all my layers but my first, and this from a guy where 80 is perfect weather. It was a day designed for a perfect day at one of the most amazing golf courses in the world.
The round begins with the starter letting you know out of the spirit of the game that there are no mulligans on the first hole, which if there isn't pressure on you on the first tee of any course, this just gives you a taste of the pressure you'll feel throughout the day. Side note... You do NOT need a driver off the first tee, and if you do, make sure you play from the right tee. Take that into consideration when selecting the tees you play from. They also inform you that the flags are not color coordinated with red/white/blue like so many courses do and there are no pin placement sheets. There are two reasons: 1) Pace of play. If you have a general number to the middle of the green, the less you try to act like a tour pro and slow play the entire course. 2) These are the smallest greens on the PGA TOUR, so if you hit the greens, your longest putt is probably around 30 feet. I do love their only actual RULE of the course, HAVE FUN! Don't get upset if you play bad, you're not alone. Don't be afraid to drop balls, it speeds up play. And don't be afraid to take pictures in a fast manner, and when it's already backed up is best. Make sure your friends are prepared to take pictures so it takes less time. Finally... Walk the course. If you can't walk 18 holes and carry your bag, get a caddie because it'll be worth it. Please trust me on that one.
Upon arriving we were greeted by two gentlemen, one of which, Juan, drove us to the driving range. He was such a nice and genuine good guy, hilarious too, he really made you feel like you were someplace special. At the driving range the balls were printed with "4:30" on the sides, with the intent of subliminal messages to the brain to finish your round in four and a half hours. I think more courses should try this, especially courses that visitors like to take pictures at, which is one of the major reasons the average round time is likely closer to five hours. Both practice greens, the chipping green and the putting green, were very well taken care of as it really did feel like they were the same speed as the the course. That is a feature that more courses should aim for.
The day really couldn't have been setup much better. The fog tried and tried to hover above the famed 17 Mile Drive, however the sun constantly beat it off with a stick. There were a few holes where I even became hot enough to have to take off all my layers but my first, and this from a guy where 80 is perfect weather. It was a day designed for a perfect day at one of the most amazing golf courses in the world.
The round begins with the starter letting you know out of the spirit of the game that there are no mulligans on the first hole, which if there isn't pressure on you on the first tee of any course, this just gives you a taste of the pressure you'll feel throughout the day. Side note... You do NOT need a driver off the first tee, and if you do, make sure you play from the right tee. Take that into consideration when selecting the tees you play from. They also inform you that the flags are not color coordinated with red/white/blue like so many courses do and there are no pin placement sheets. There are two reasons: 1) Pace of play. If you have a general number to the middle of the green, the less you try to act like a tour pro and slow play the entire course. 2) These are the smallest greens on the PGA TOUR, so if you hit the greens, your longest putt is probably around 30 feet. I do love their only actual RULE of the course, HAVE FUN! Don't get upset if you play bad, you're not alone. Don't be afraid to drop balls, it speeds up play. And don't be afraid to take pictures in a fast manner, and when it's already backed up is best. Make sure your friends are prepared to take pictures so it takes less time. Finally... Walk the course. If you can't walk 18 holes and carry your bag, get a caddie because it'll be worth it. Please trust me on that one.
The Par 5 2nd hole. Very fun, very reachable. But not fun if you happen to end up in the green side bunker.
Par 4 3rd hole. One of the very interesting holes in the 2010 US Open, as this is when the real collapse of Dustin Johnson happened. You can understand why. Getting greedy trying to cut the corner to have a wedge in can be worth it, as long as you don't miss the fairway. It's a difficult one to hit.
The view walking down the 4th hole. Being able to see the tree at 6 and 7 can get you pretty excited, just keep your cool the best you can. You still have a great task to take down.
The Par 5 6th hole allows you go get pretty adventurous off the tee. Keep in mind the fairway does kick fairly well left to right, and does flatten out a hint the closer to the ocean you get. Just don't get too close.
This is the view from the green of 6 back to the fairway. The second shot is the most crucial. When you get to your ball just look at the large hill you're going to have to hit over and think to yourself... "What's the longest and highest club I can get over that hill?" I took a club less just to make sure the ball wouldn't just get stuck in the hillside.
6 green. The tree is the aiming point from the fairway... If you can see it. When you walk up to your ball take a mental note of where the tree is in comparison to the rocks and the hill. The run up kicks hard left to right so if you aim for the left side of the tree you'll probably be okay.
Famous number 7. The Par 3. Depending on the wind I hear you can hit up to a 5 iron. On this picture perfect day everyone in the group was able to take a lob wedge. A soft lob wedge. The wind is the main feature on this hole because there really is nowhere to go.
Par 4 number 8 has a big rock in the middle of the hill that you can see from the tee box. This is the only aiming point that the course gives you. If you fly over that you'll be in the center of the fairway, all you have to do is read the sign that tells you how far until the end of the fairway. Keep in mind it's uphill, and watch the wind because you do not want to have to hit a wood for your second shot. The intimidation factor from this view is more than every second shot on the course.
The last of the front 9 has a wicked hole. From the tee box it looks like it combines with number 10 for the longest hole in the world. The fairway may not be wide, and kicks harder than Pele left to right, but there is a ton of room to the right of the fairway with ankle high rough. This hole is definitely a thinkers hole, you want to make sure you don't take yourself out of the hole.
We finally made it! With about 10 minutes of pure sunlight, we are teeing off the famed 18th hole. All I can say is walking up to this tee box, I had just enough gas left in the tank to hit the fairway one more time.
The trees you see to the right are in the middle of the fairway, and for most right handers is a good aiming point because worst comes to worst if you cut the ball you'll make sure your ball stays dry. Play the last hole smart and you'll be able to walk away with a birdie or par to end one heck of a day.
Pebble Beach is one of the finest golf resorts you can ever visit, their Pebble Beach Golf Links is absolutely the best golf experience that I have had, and would encourage anyone that is able to save $1000 to stay and play the course to do so. If you love, or even just like golf, you have put this on your bucket list.
I'll let you know once I play all the courses here AND play up at Bandon which resort is my favorite and why... which has the overall best course in the battle Pebble Beach v. Bandon Dunes... and which has the best compilation of courses as each resort has 4 full 18 holes courses. I'll tell you one thing. I can't wait!
Cordevalle Golf Club
Right when you drive up to the gates of this small golf retreat you feel as though you're in a special place. This beautiful valley was a hidden gem, even to locals, until it poked it's head out as one of the top resort courses in America. As a host to a PGA Cup, PGA Tour event, and a collegiate event in the same year, Cordevalle's maintenance staff proves they are an elite crew. Although this near 7350 yard course is fairly open, they fairways aren't the widest you will see on most resort courses. Open year round with 46 rooms and villas, this get away is perfect for couples as the spa can distract the ladies as the golf course often distracts the men.
The opening hole is a fun dog leg right, and you learn off the first tee that the "fingers" in the bunkers are the RTJ II design feature that assists in aiming for the player. They switch the front and back nines for the Frys.Com Open during the fall series, so you can see the front nine quite a lot. If you elect to play the black tees get ready for a ride. The second hole gets your juices flowing as a par 3 that can stretch up to 245 yards makes you get aggressive if you intend on getting close to the pin. Lateral hazard and bunkers along the right, and grassy hallows on the left make this subtle looking green quite small.
If the second hole wasn't enough, this 605 yard par 5 will get you thinking. One stream flows twice through this hole, which nearly takes away a chance to be on in two (It happened twice during the 2010 Frys.Com Open, both of which by the same player). With trees narrowing your second shot, hitting the fairway is a premium on this hole, as is a good second shot to the fairway as you will need as much control as possible to this wicked green. Three tiers on the front right, rear, and left sides of this green make attention to the pin location just one more thought on this difficult hole.
The Par 5 3rd hole. The fairway is just wider than the gap in the trees, so even hitting the fairway doesn't guarantee an easy second shot.
Now that you're on to the fourth hole, you're only in the middle of the hardest three hole stretch I've played. Four is, none the less, a fun golf hole. Bunkers defining the fairway, giving you proper aiming points, and an elevated green with a swail to it's right to catch errant golf balls. And five is long, near 500 yards for the big boys on tour, with what feels like a narrow landing spot, is just one big visual intimidation. Favorably, after the fifth hole the course opens up quite nicely. A par 5 hole with birdie opportunities (Eagle if you're Rocco in 2010) is next on the list. More aiming bunkers guard the left side of the fairway, as anything right and likely you're grabbing another ball. The seventh is a kind distance, downhill, but with a difficult green. And of course the eighth hole is a beautiful, short par 4 with a short greenside lake. If you are long, and have wind, going for it will be in the back of your head! If you'd prefer the conservative route like Rocco Mediate, lay up with a hybrid in the fairway, and then hole out from the fairway! Nothing too it!
The Par 4 8th holes. Aim for the green and LET IT RIP!!!
And nine is just as memorable as any of the holes on the course as a downhill par 4 with a stream splitting the fairway. Now you can breathe at the turn. All the thinking, the excitement, the stunning views all can take a short break at the turn as you are driven from the ninth green to the Lion's Peak Grill next to the golf shop. A quick bite and a good drink and you're prepared for the back!
The tee box on 9 sits on top of a hill. A creek splits the fairways, so the option to go left is plenty safe with a tree slightly guarding the green. Going right of the stream requires a decent carry, and the more on line with the bunker, the bolder the carry is.
12 green looks terrifying. The two right bunkers are 100 yards short of the green, leaving that room to run the ball up the hill on the right and on to the green.
Hole 17, the downhill par 4 offers more challenge than most downhill holes. The bunkers go from aiming bunkers, to distracting bunkers, and then "please don't go in" bunkers... sometimes all during the same stroke.
Pasatiempo Golf Club
When I asked my friends if they want to play an Alister MacKenzie design, they basically made fun of me for even asking the question. The man who created some of the best golf courses in the world has a handful of courses in the San Francisco Bay Area from Fairfax down to Monterey, and today we are somewhere in the middle at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, CA. It was what any Santa Cruz native could call a "Picture Perfect Day". Typically a town with fog (being right on the ocean), this was a day for us to shed the extra layers and enjoy the sun.
Down the first hole, an almost long par 4 is down hill, with views of Monterey and the ocean, which is more than a little distracting if you're not used to it. As we tee off the starter informs us that some people that have had the honor of playing Augusta told them that the undulation of the greens are strangely similar to those of Augusta National, and to keep up pace but be careful reading them.
We tried to be careful... we failed. The greens are the most difficult green complexes I've played yet. The course going through the roaming hills also was reminiscent of MacKenzie's famed course on the east coast, which really made it a special day. The bunkering was updated from years past as it steadily became more and more bland. The club got the bunkers and greens back to it's glory throughout the past years to make it look as close to how it did when it was first opened.
Overall, this course is definitely up there as one of my favorites of all time. It's early in my quest... but I can't remember the last time I had this much fun on a golf course. This place is something special.
We tried to be careful... we failed. The greens are the most difficult green complexes I've played yet. The course going through the roaming hills also was reminiscent of MacKenzie's famed course on the east coast, which really made it a special day. The bunkering was updated from years past as it steadily became more and more bland. The club got the bunkers and greens back to it's glory throughout the past years to make it look as close to how it did when it was first opened.
Third Hole Par 3 has bunkers nearly everywhere, except where you can run it it. But be careful... It's actually a false front.
Hole 4 green in the foreground is short hole, but allows you to play it many ways. Hole 5 in the background is another par 3 with bunkers everywhere you can imagine. Iron striking is at a premium.
As you go through the course there is one piece of property OFF the golf course that you must see and thank. Off the 6 fairway at 100 yards out from the green is the house of Dr. Alister MacKenzie. There are rumors that Pasatiempo was his favorite course because he spent his final years right here.
Known for using natural terrain, you wouldn't think that there are gorges you would have to fly over at any MacKenzie course, but Pasatiempo is one exception. He used the natural terrain and used them as one does a wide stream or river. On hole 12 it gives you the decision to be bold, or accept a long approach into the green. You Decide.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)