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Evan_Green

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:SF golf
« Reply #25 on: November 02, 2006, 11:26:44 PM »
Didn't know there is a back nine at Mare Island - it was an outstanding nine holer back in the day, with two sets of tees that made it play like eighteen holes.  The tees were widely separated both in distance and angle, made it lots of fun.  My dad did his weekend Naval Reserve meetings over there in Vallejo and it was easy to be dropped off at Mare Island and play a couple of nines until he could catch up.

Another fairly decent course there in Vallejo was Blue Rock Springs.  Is that one still around?  I stuck a transistor radio in my bag one Saturday and listened to the Giants when Willie Mays hit four home runs!  ;D

Bill

They added the second nine at Mare Island a few years ago. You wouldn't believe how hilly the new nine is - but its lots of fun.

Evan

Kyle Henderson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:SF golf
« Reply #26 on: November 03, 2006, 12:37:43 AM »
My top recommendations:

1. Cinnabar Hills- 27 Holes (San Jose)
2. Roddy Ranch (Antioch)
3. Wente (Livermore)
4. Callippe Preserve (Pleasanton)

They're all relatively new courses, but they each display character, memorable holes, and good conditioning.

*They all have decent websites for checking out the pricing, previewing the course, ect.
"I always knew terrorists hated us for our freedom. Now they love us for our bondage." -- Stephen T. Colbert discusses the popularity of '50 Shades of Grey' at Gitmo

Joshua Pettit

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:SF golf
« Reply #27 on: November 03, 2006, 01:35:02 PM »
David T-

By any chance are you high school teacher?  I went to Sir Fancis Drake High School and we had a math teacher with your same name.  Just Curious.
"The greatest and fairest of things are done by nature, and the lesser by art."

Tom Huckaby

Re:SF golf
« Reply #28 on: November 03, 2006, 01:42:12 PM »
Concur with the thoughts on Mare Island - if you want quirk, that's the place to go.  Back nine is funky-delic.   ;D

And Bill - Blue Rock Springs is still there - 36 holes - both pretty fun, no great shakes, good bang for the buck.

Kyle's listings are all good to - just note Cinnabar Hills and Wente are in the $100 range; CH, Wente and Roddy Ranch are pretty much cartball.  Callippe is a decent walk at a better price... but likely the least interesting course of the group.  Not that price or walking need to matter per se, but well....

TH

Kyle Henderson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:SF golf
« Reply #29 on: November 03, 2006, 03:43:12 PM »
Kyle's listings are all good to - just note Cinnabar Hills and Wente are in the $100 range; CH, Wente and Roddy Ranch are pretty much cartball.  Callippe is a decent walk at a better price... but likely the least interesting course of the group.  Not that price or walking need to matter per se, but well....

TH

You can actually get on Roddy Ranch for $25-45 with cart during the week and they have a lot of 2 for 1 coupons floating around if you can drum up a playing partner. Cinnabar Hills usually has a $57 rate with cart 9 on weekedays. Wente will run around $65 during the week once they implement their winter rates. On  the weekends, Tom's price scale is more in play.
"I always knew terrorists hated us for our freedom. Now they love us for our bondage." -- Stephen T. Colbert discusses the popularity of '50 Shades of Grey' at Gitmo

Tom Huckaby

Re:SF golf
« Reply #30 on: November 03, 2006, 03:51:29 PM »
Kyle - understood - and note I didn't put Roddy in the pricey category.  But yes, my reference was for normal weekends - deals can be found at each of these places, as you note.

I live pretty near Cinnabar Hills... love it.  But it's still too much for me to pay very often, sadly.

TH

Steve_Lovett

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:SF golf
« Reply #31 on: November 03, 2006, 05:20:47 PM »
It hasn't been discussed - but what about Crystal Springs...?

It is heavy on quirk, in a gorgeous natural setting, probably as fast and firm as anything in the Bay Area will be at that time of year, and is easily accessible and is reasonably affordable by comparison.

What are the thoughts - in general - about Crystal Springs?

Tom Huckaby

Re:SF golf
« Reply #32 on: November 03, 2006, 05:29:20 PM »
Crystal Springs historically has a very tough time with conditions - it's in the watershed - so the next time it plays firm and fast will be the first.  Seriously - it is generally a quagmire from November through May, and even in the summer it plays very soft.

It's also really overpriced... or at least I think so.
[LATE EDIT - I CAN'T BELIEVE IT - THE FIRST COURSE IN CA THAT HAS LOWERED ITS PRICES!  They are a lot lower than they were a few years ago... and now are a pretty good deal.
http://www.playcrystalsprings.com/page/327-16011.htm ]

But that being said, you won't find greater scenic beauty outside of Monterey anywhere near us.  And there are some very fun shots to be played, down and up the hills.  I'd say it is fun enough, but given condition and price issues, I wouldn't put it at the top of a places to seek out list.

TH
(used to live near there, play there all the time)
« Last Edit: November 03, 2006, 05:31:48 PM by Tom Huckaby »

Tim Leahy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:SF golf
« Reply #33 on: November 03, 2006, 05:56:49 PM »
I have played most of the courses within 50 miles of SF and if I had a friend visiting and wanted to show him the essence of bay area public golf(not counting Monterey or Pasatiempo) I would take him to the following:
1. Harding Park-muni Olympic Club, big trees make it unique for California public courses. Challenging from the back tees.
2. Lincoln Park-fun little course with postcard views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
3. Presidio-challenging with rolling holes and pine trees.
4. Glenneagles-best nine hole I have ever played, great tree lined holes. Tough challenge from the back tees.

Unfortunately I can't vouch for conditions or pace of play which varies and can be slow on weekends.
I love golf, the fightin irish, and beautiful women depending on the season and availability.

ed_getka

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:SF golf
« Reply #34 on: November 03, 2006, 08:34:26 PM »
Mare Island on Tuesdays is $100 for a foursome with cart. A great deal. I preferred the old holes on the front nine much more than the new stuff on the back. The cart rides on the back are like Magic Mountain though. ;D
    Not great architecture, but better than you will expect for a course you have never heard of.

Do NOT even think about Tilden Park, went out there last week when most courses had punched and the green fee deal was $29 with cart. That was the good part.
   They spent $5 million there in recent years, but NONE of it went into the golf course as far as I could tell. I couldn't believe how wet the course and greens were for this time of year when it hasn't rained in forever. When I used to play there 12 years ago the conditions were so-so. If anything it is worse now.
« Last Edit: November 03, 2006, 08:35:08 PM by ed_getka »
"Perimeter-weighted fairways", The best euphemism for containment mounding I've ever heard.

Patrick Kiser

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:SF golf
« Reply #35 on: November 06, 2006, 02:41:19 AM »
Callippee Preserve and Dublin Ranch are also good options that I haven't seen mentioned.

“One natural hazard, however, which is more
or less of a nuisance, is water. Water hazards
absolutely prohibit the recovery shot, perhaps
the best shot in the game.” —William Flynn, golf
course architect

Mitch St. Peter

Re:SF golf
« Reply #36 on: December 01, 2006, 01:00:30 AM »
Bradford -

My vote would go to Presidio.  Played it this past week...the greens are awfully slow but its a beautiful course that I think is a renovation away from being as good as Harding.  There still exists a lot of great, fun old holes there.  It has also hosted a Western Open too...


Jon Spaulding

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:SF golf
« Reply #37 on: December 01, 2006, 01:07:50 AM »
Other than the "city" courses already mentioned, check out DelaVeaga in Santa Cruz...."the poor man's pasatiempo". I would also recommend GlenEagles.....one of the best kept secrets!
You'd make a fine little helper. What's your name?

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