Pacific Grove/Poppy Hills for me Monday/Tuesday. I’m drooling just thinking of the 60 degree weather and fog.
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Pretty overcast, blustery afternoon at the Links at Spanish Bay. Great views on most holes. Generally I thought the course was just pretty darn tough. Most notably some extreme green tiers, valleys, run offs and spines. There’s a premium on being able to flight your ball and find the proper section of the green. I shot 89 off 10. My bud did not have much fun as a 19. One of the randoms we were paired with who could hit it a ton but lacked tight dispersion, was just beaten down by about the 13th.
What I’m saying is I think high handicaps might want to skip it unless you’re happy to not worry about losing a lot of balls or keeping score.
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Hmm. Playing it in late July on an NCGA discount ($170) and play to a 13.7 right now. Assume it will be tough but also assume there are some tees that will be a bit easier for mid handicaps
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Yeah for sure. I don’t mean to scare anybody off. Just more of a heads up. There are 4 tees, red white gold blue. We played gold at 6422, 72.1 / 136. Not so much the yardage…but the slope.
Kind of like humidity, not heat that gets you haha
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Yeah that’s a perfect example of where me and or my friends would see the yardage and think Gold made sense but it’s white tees for us, for sure
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Now that I played it, I can understand the love/hate. I think I agree with everything you wrote here. I don’t have much to add actually. I will say that I don’t usually have this much of struggle with hilly courses. They are quite common out here after all. But I shot 85 (playing off a 9.5 for context). It’s not like 85 is uncommon for me but I actually hit the ball really well. I just couldn’t get comfortable out there. The side hill/uphill/downhill lies just drove me crazy.
Anyway, glad I played it, checked the box. Doubt I will be back. As many others have said, for the money I’ll stick with Harding or any other number of courses at that price point.
Cheers
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Sounds about right.
We are basically the same (I’m 9.6) and I can tell you of the 15 or so times I’ve played there I’ve only once shot better than my index. I know the joke about “hard to separate how you feel about a course and your score” is fairly true…but yeah. It’s weird bc I don’t feel like it’s that hard. But it does seem hard to score well. Wonder if others feel that way…
I just had a last minute cancellation tonight for 4:54 at Baylands, if anyone wants to join.
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Hey giles. Would love to play. Spot still open?
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Awesome! Yes, still open. I’ll be the guy in the bucket hat, and potentially with a dog. See you there.
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Ok great see you there.
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oh shoot i would have jumped in too! have fun guys!!!
Played northwood this weekend - looped 18. Whites the first 9, reds the second nine.
That was one of the most fun rounds I’ve ever had. The whites are just far enough for some holes to make it challenging, and the reds were a blast to shoot from. Course is in fairly good condition, pace was fine (3:45 for 18), and the corned beef hash afterwards on the patio was chefs kiss
Can’t wait to go back.
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I just played Baylands this morning, greens are rolling very smooth and true…firmer than I am used to, less spin on my approach shots.
Today was one of those rounds that leaves me scratching my head…also why I love the game. I’m a 9+ HC and putting some good streaks together lately, but havent been able to play a round where it all comes together. I have new (to me) irons in the bag for the first time and the modern lofts lead to a weird gap in the wedge area.
Proceeded to miss 3ft putts on the first two holes, then duff my driver and take a drop on hole 3…not the best start on three easy holes. Limp through a few more then top my tee shot on 7 and take another penalty stroke and double bogey, bogey 8 and when it looks like I am ready to bounce back (driver+4i just short of green), I shank a chip, chunk a putt from the fringe and take bogey. Ok front nine +7 (44) is not where I want to be.
Back nine I make 5 straight pars, 4 of them 1 putts including a topped drive on 14 with a 240yd 4i to greenside w/up and down; I stick it to 4 feet on hole 7 and make birdie 2 so I’m sitting at -1 on the back. 16 I hit driver almost pin high, flop checks on top of a hill instead of running down to the green (miss another GIR), chip to 2feet for another par save. Par 3 17 I miss the green and bogey, back to even par on the back. 18 driver over the middle bunker to fairway center, I have 175 to the green and hit my 8i left side of the green (modern lofts + tail wind). I am near the green in two with a chance to shoot one of my best rounds and best back nine ever…but it is 11am and I have not planned well enough for the speed of our round. I have to start a conference call with my boss! Rushing and preoccupied wearing headphones I put my pitch into the sand and plug, blade it over the green, chip on and two putt for double bogey. Still an 81 is great for me and lots of fun; (though topping these drives 3 times in a round is pretty embarrassing)
Cliff notes: 44 - 37 with three topped drives (2 penalty strokes) and a double on the last hole. Will never start another conference call on the course.
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Brutal. That’s where you need to pull the classic “hello? hello? I guess you all can’t hear me. I’m gonna hang up and dial back in in a minute.”
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Spoke to Northwood this morning and they said they are open to the public and to come on down. Got an early afternoon time, really looking forward to getting the hell out of Mendocino for an afternoon.
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played Santa Rosa CC the other day great track great shape.
I forgot to cancel my tee time for tomorrow morning. 8:30 am single at Baylands, $63. Anyone want it? Will give it at a discount if it moves the needle since I’m going to be out.
Big ups to @catshannon and @leric90 for having some of us out at TPC Stonebrae … much fun even if I got my ass thoroughly handed to me by the excellent course.
Here’s half of me, @catshannon, @BeenMacKenzied and @fullbodyfix enjoying a socially distant selfie.
Good way to spend a Friday!
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New to the Bay Area right as Covid hit. Haven’t had much else to do except play golf so I got my resident card/NCGA membership. Here is what I’ve played so far, any recommendations?
-Presidio, Lincoln Park, Sharp Park, Harding Park, Half Moon Bay (Old Course), Poppy Hills, Links at Spanish Bay
Are there any reasonably priced private courses for a 28 year old close to the city? I wouldn’t mind exploring those options.
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