Roll Call: Bay Area Golfers

Good to know. I’ve had good experiences at Golf Mart but hoping for a small shop to get dialed in. Cause evidently it’s good to support a small shop. Shoutout to @MerchCzar.

Peninsula golf in San Mateo is great!

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Anyone have any insight on blue rock springs? Which course should I play?

They are both fun. I think the West is much better, neither is truly SPECIAL but they are really good deals for the value. East has a few fairways that run up and down next to each other so it can feel a bit “samey” which is why I favor the West course.

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Hey Bay area golfers - I’m new to the area as I just relocated to the east bay burbs (San Ramon) from the frozen tundra of Minnesota and could use some recommendations for local courses. My game is a bit rusty and I’m not that good (typically shoot in the mid 90s). I prefer walking as a proud member of the #pushcartmafia - and I’d welcome some company or an invite to join a local group of golfing degenerates. FWIW - also a Peloton member, tread and bike, but prefer to run outdoors. Thanks!

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Welcome to the fray, phil! lots of good option in the east bay. One of my personal favs for regular rounds, especially forgiving if the wind is down is Monarch Bay, Tony Lema course. Generous off the tee and extremely walkable. You won’t get beat up unless it’s really blowing.

Corica Park in Alameda. More challenging but, awesome. It’s where we’re hosting the Norcal NIT qualifier in 2 weeks.

Lot’s to choose from all over. Wente Vinyards (not walkable but dope) and Poppy Ridge (NCGA course). More East bay guis can chime in.

I moved from snowy Northeast 6 yrs and I still pinch myself teeing it up year round. Cheers.

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Let me be the first to warn you off the Bridges. I mean maybe go play it once so you can arrive and see how well its maintained and then experience one of the worse designed courses out there. It’s truly awful.

You should play Canyon Lakes. Its pretty cheap and is good in a strapped kind of way. Not the best course, not kept in the best shape, but i always enjoy my experience there.

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What he said. You may be tempted by The Bridges, but unless you are a member of Opus Dei and enjoy emotional pain, stay away. Already mentioned are Wente Vineyards and Poppy Ridge but don’t sleep on a cheaper, and personal favorite of mine, Callippe Preserve.

Also, don’t play The Bridges. Not sure if that’s been stated clearly enough.

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+1 for Callippe. Solid track and always in good shape. I used to work around the corner from Monarch Bay, course can be tough when the wind is up but is always in decent shape and a fun walk. They do a “membership” type thing there that included range balls and 18 after 3pm was like $10 with a free beer. I think it was like $30 a month.

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Welcome @philmcMN ! In addition to everyone else’s recos, also really like Boundary Oak. Very walkable, but definitely hilly. Metro by the airport is always enjoyable, too if you want to make it out to Oakland.

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good call. Boundary is solid.

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I’ve played Bridges about a dozen times and I think I’ve finally figured it out. The secret is to not miss fairways. If you miss fairways you will have a bad time. Seriously though, the last time I played it (maybe 2 months ago) they had really cut down the tall grass on the hills so if you did miss the fairway (like on #2) it was playable.

That said, fuck Johnny Miller.

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Minor correction - don’t miss the center of the fairways. I landed a ton of drives on the left or right side of the fairway and while I can live with them rolling into the rough, when you do that and it rolls into a canyon OB, I’m a bit … put out.

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I’ve played Bridges once and somehow shot 78 as an 8 cap that usually drives the ball like hot garbage. I’ll never play it again because with all the lucky breaks I got the first time I know the Golf Gods have a 90+ waiting for me.

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the bridges is an easy course if you never hit a bad shot

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Hey guys - last call on my Titleist Performance institute workshop this Saturday 8a-1p outside at Spark social in Mission Bay. Offering a flash coupon code for 25% off. “flash25off
DM me with questions!

Details:

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Hey BA Golfers - Anyone playing Corica, Crystal Springs, Poppy or HMB next Mon-Wed (22nd-24th) and need a extra?

I found myself with a week between projects so I’m headed to the Bay to check-in on my parents - been a year since I’ve seen them and it’s that time of year to get our of the PNW dark.

Let me know, would enjoy teeing it up with some 'fugees.

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I have two spots open tomorrow at Windsor, 8:20, let me know if you are interested.

Haven’t swung a club in months and with upcoming NIT and match play coming up I thought I better see if I remember how to play. I am going with the reverse-sandbagging prep - so of course I got out for an early round at Baylands. Course report - they sanded the heck out of the practice green which had me worried but the greens on course were running so fast and true. It was the first time I have ever played where the penalty area is actually penal as it is filled with water and mud (actually had to take a drop which is rare for Baylands!). Course is otherwise in great shape and I think I like the current fairway conditions even better than summer - the lies are still tight but the clumpy grass is a bit more spongy. Prices are another story and I probably wouldnt have played if I didnt already have golfcash loaded in the app. I also learned that they retroactively got rid of the free round of golf you were supposed to get with the 2020 Links card membership - love when a company decides to sell you one thing and then take it away later. For the whole year they kept saying “you wont lose it” we just cant apply the free rounds in the system yet…contemplating whether to give them my business in 2021 or go elsewhere.

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I have a tee time Friday morning and when I booked it it was wide open. I was worried that they punched the greens or something. Glad to hear that is not the case. Thanks for the course report. Love Baylands!

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