Holy shit. Yeah, that’s probably accurate, you are going to be in regular commuter traffic for a majority of it. Once you get around San Jose/South Bay, it should get better. If there is a bright side, the last bit on 17 will be smooth sailing because it’s typically dead on the weekdays and you are going against traffic.
I drove up there from San Jose on a Friday morning last week and it was an easy drive. If you can manage to hit the road well before rush hour, it will be much more enjoyable. Maybe get up really early, drive to Santa Cruz, have a relaxing breakfast, enjoy the ocean and watch the surfers from the point to kill time, then head to Pasa. Would be better than sitting in traffic the whole time, imo.
EDIT: Forgot to mention, but worth reminding, if you are trying to get back to Oakland around 3p after you play, you are going to run into the same traffic problem again, possibly worse. Might be a long day but you can find stuff to do.
Also, staying in Oakland when you are playing in Monterey?
yeah, get to Santa Cruz really easy and bum around until your time. Traffic blows in all of SFO, but early or late it’s not bad.
If this is a bucket list trip, make the call to Cal Club, or Meadow, or SF Golf, or your private club of choice and tell them what you you’re doing. Maybe they’ll find a way to get you on. Cal is amazeballs, Meadow is too…I think you’d get stonewalled at SF golf tho.
I really enjoyed Poppy Hills, which has a sort of Pinehurst vibe with one cute running out to waste areas and pine straw, lots of ground game and fast and firm fairways and greens. Quite different from how the other courses in the area play.
Unless you are a member of a private club with some real juice, I’m doubtful you can get on Cal, Meadow or (especially) SF.
I’d seriously consider Corica Park, which is right there in Alameda. https://coricapark.com/
I haven’t played it yet, but I’m hearing great reviews. A good buddy of mine whom I respect on golf course architecture (and who’s basically played every top U.S. course except Augusta) just played this past weekend and raved about it.
How many in your group?
You could also think about playing at Winchester CC in Auburn. Like Monterey, that’s 2 hours from Oakland but could be hot in late July. One last idea would be to go to the Truckee area (about 3 hours). You could play Whitehawk Ranch, Gray’s Crossing, Old Greenwood, Schaffer’s Mill, etc.
I just changed by tee-time to 8:30. I will plan on getting there at 7:30, which should get me through San Jose before the traffic gets too bad. It should also make the return commute less awful.
I have a free place to stay in Oakland. I sometimes fantasize about having a free place to stay in Monterrey, but so far no dice.
Thank you for your advice!
I’m not.
One day of my trip I have to be somewhere at 3:00 pm. Maybe I will play at Corica Park that morning.
Just me.
Please…I live in Miami Beach.
@Shankadelic, of the three courses I listed in my original post, do you have a preference?
Can’t really help. Sadly, I’ve only played HMB of the three. I like the Ocean course better than the Old Course, but there are a few holes where you will want to wear a hard hat.
Send me a PM if you want to play Fountaingrove in Santa Rosa.
That is very kind of you and I might like to do that. However, I don’t believe I’m capable of sending a PM yet. When I unlock that capability, I will follow up.
I am not playing them on the same day, and I will be driving between Oakland and Monterrey multiple times…which will give me an opportunity to explore some restaurants that have been featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.
Ok. Do you want to play along the ocean? If so Poppy Hills is out as it isn’t on the ocean vs Half Moon Bay Ocean and Spanish Bay. I don’t know if either of those courses are considered “bucket list” to most people but they will give you plenty of views. Half Moon Bay is much more on the cliffs/bluffs vs Spanish Bay being more on beach level. Either place plan on hanging around around sunset to have a drink and listen to the bag piper play. Neither is close to Oakland but Half Moon Bay is the closer of the two. That said, the road to Half Moon Bay is one lane each direction and it there is an accident traffic is hosed as there is no way to get around it.
If being right on the ocean isn’t a big deal I’ve heard people seem to like Poppy Hills much better since its renovation.
I don’t necessarily care about playing right along the ocean, I just want to play a great, memorable course…and I wanted the locals opinion as to which of those three was the greatest and most memorable.
None of the three are “great”…Poppy Hills is significantly improved since its renovation 5+ years ago. Spanish Bay is expensive and is awkward in spots because of environmental areas. HMB Ocean is a fun course to play…pretty wide open so you can grip and rip if you like that, and the Ritz Carlton is as good as it gets. But it isn’t a great course either, just a fun course.
Great that you could change your tee time at Pasatiempo.
Yesterday I did something pretty fun that I have been wanting to do for awhile:
Got up super early, packed my persimmons and old MacGregor blade and headed north from the Central Valley:
Northwood GC early morning
Got in the car and headed south into the City and played Golden Gate Park around noon
Then made the short drive to Sharp Park for some afternoon golf.
36 holes total but I definitely could’ve gotten in a final 9 at Gleneagles at twilight
Let me know if anyone ever wants to play in the Bay!
Team - Penninsula golfer here, about a 2 hdcp. Just found this topic room and always looking for a game on the weekend, or to accrue more golf buddes. Any takers?
