photos of Monterey Peninsula CC (Shore)

[THuckaby2]

Understood.  I was just trying to ID the photo.
I should have said "in Scott's picture."

In any case, poor, poor Mr. Benham lost a
HUGE lead on this hole.  Going solo in a game involving
King Wolf I is usually not a good strategy.

[PThomas]

it's a fabulous place!  I hope I can experience it again someday...the day I was there the wind was HOWLING ..probably 40 mph or more...the flagsticks were being blown out of the holes, which I had never seen before, even when playing in 47mph winds at the old Desert inn in Vegas (now RIP)

[Forrest Richardson]

Strantz did a great job. I had the great fortune to play the course with Forrest Fezler...this made for some awkward monents:

"Wow...great shot, Forrest..." — to which I would turn around, only to discover...time after time...that the accolade was to the other Forrest and not me.

I agree with Ian, the disappointment was 17 and 18. Two holes that were not as good as the rest. They are uphill battles with 18 ending remote from the clubhouse. I beleive Forrest was doing some work on 18. I am looking forward to seeing it in a few years.

While I do not know if he got my letter before his final day, I sent Mike a letter explaining how much I enjoyed the course and what a great job he had done transforming the much-declining layout which had existed there. He truly gave the place a re-birth.

[Bob_Huntley]

Scott,

Thank you for the wonderful photographs and a reminder of a delightful day with your Mother and her husband. She was a fierce competitor and it was a joy to see her having so much fun.

I can honestly say that from start to finish, Mike Strantz created an entirely new golf course. I believe we have sixteen very good holes, one through sixteen, a decent hole at seventeen and a very disappointing eighteenth hole al la CPC.

The old Shore course was a delight. Nothing extraordinary from a classical point of view but it had as good a set of greens on the Peninsula, including CPC. The par three holes had green complexes that could make you sweat on a two footer. The course was built by Bob Baldock in 1960 for $151,000.00 and had hardly anything spent on drainage. For the cost it was one of the most enjoyable courses I have ever played.

Any GCA'er that is in the area is welcome to call me to play the Strantz course and if I am able, will take you out... not gratis of course.

[Forrest Richardson]

As far as I know, Strantz, Baldock and your's truly are among the only golf architects to have made the move from graphic arts — any others?

[Scott_Burroughs]

Strantz did a great job. I had the great fortune to play the
course with Forrest Fezler...this made for some awkward monents:

"Wow...great shot, Forrest..." — to which I would turn
around, only to discover...time after time...that the accolade
was to the other Forrest and not me.

Just think if Art Hills' partner Steve Forrest was with you!  
Make it a celebrity pro-am with Tom Hanks, and watch the
hijinks ensue....

As for #17, it's not that bad...what you can't see in the pic is
the creek hard right of the green, puttiing a little pucker in
the approach shot.

#18 has a semi-wild green.... ...bring back the old #18.

Bob explained why the lady and lefty appear semi-frequently
(several in action) in my pics ....I had to leave a few out.

[Andy Doyle]

As far as I know, Strantz, Baldock and your's truly are among the only golf architects to have made the move from graphic arts — any others?

Bob Cupp?

[Forrest Richardson]

I had not known that Bob Cupp used to be in graphic design. Is this a fact?

[Andy Doyle]

I thought I remembered reading something about this so I went back and reread the Feature Interview here:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/interviewcupp.html

Apparently he has a degree in Illustration and Graphics and an MA in Fine Arts.

AD

[Forrest Richardson]

I recall reading the interview...but somehow that never registered. Thanks.

[Marty Bonnar]

Forrest,
9 years as a self-employed Graphic Designer.
Of course, my Golf Course Architecture career was/is/has been somewhat shorter!!!

FBD.

[scott anderson]

Had the pleasure of playing the shore in July.  What a great and fun course to play.

A dunes/shore 36 hole day is as good as it gets for a guy from MN!!

[David Druzisky]

Yep, having worked for Bob Cupp, I can confirm his background in art.  Also was in the military.

Great looking stuff!

[Norbert P]

 I rubbernecked my way up "The Drive" this past June and I was quite impressed with MPCC (albeit as a voyeur), and I nearly took a plunge into Davy Jones Locker when I saw the magnificent and rare aged specimen of Golden Monterey Cypress on the 11th.  That camera shot is a terrific view of the hole -- thanks.   It's my new desktop background.

  The day before I was there, I was told of Mike's demise.  I sure would have liked to have raised a glass of whisky, with cap in hand, and given a hailing salute to him on that 11th tee. (Perhaps now is as good a time as any, eh?)








 
 

[James Bennett]

Following Norbert's post, I reviewed the picture of #11.  Delightful indeed.  Nature's full palette of colours is on display here.

I was intrigued by the condition of the path around the tee.  Given the use of the battery-powered pull/push buggies (encouraging walkers to continue as walkers and not riders ), how do these contraptions deal with the rough ground surrounding #11 tee?  Do the golfers complain?

If these path conditions are difficult but acceptable to the golfers (I can't tell from the photo if they do really pose a problem), then why do so many other courses spend their limited resources to provide a pristine walkway for the powered bag-buggy?

[Bob_Huntley]

James,


The back tee is up in the rocks adjacent and slightly to the right of the 10th green.

The forward tees have a path which is easily navigable by trolleys.

Bob

[Jeff Goldman]

I recall my day there as well, with, however, and amazingly, a slight thickening of wallet!    

To show how good it is, we played Cypress in the morning, and I still remember the holes from MPCC, even while we nearly did the Mary Poppins in the wind.  

Jeff Goldman

[James Bennett]

Bob

thanks for the response about the path on #11.

From the photo's, it looks like most (not all) enjoy walking at Monterey Peninsula with their clubs on a buggy.  Thats my ideal version of golf (sorry, I can't deal with carrying my own clubs).

Some clubs would have spent money to make a cart path all of the way back to the back #11 tee, to the detriment of the surrounding terrain.