[Scott Weersing]

I played out at Rustic Canyon, today, May 31 and saw an important notice. The driving range will be closed for the month of June so they can add a large putting green and practice area. They are also going to take out the five year old artifical turf, put in some real target greens, and replace the netting.

I always wished that the Rustic Canyon had a place to practice 30 yards putts but the two practice greens were only 20 yards in diameter. It will take several more months for the new practice green to grow in.

The areas around the green are still watered more than the greens. I did my part by fixing 10 ball marks off of each green. There are very few ballmarks on the greens, which means that the golfers are missing the greens. But the course still forces you to play short and roll the ball on to the green.

[Pete Lavallee]

Scott,

Very interesting; I always thought the only thing wrong with the Rustc design was there was no practice green with the extended collar to pratice the shots that you will encounter on the course. Does this mean the driving range will loose half its' hitting bays in order to get the new green?

[Scott Weersing]

No, I think they might just build the new practice green where the teeing area is now. The range is long enough already that they could make it 20 yards deep and the entire width of the range.

I love going out to Rustic but I doubt I will be out there in June as I already have golf planned for Ojai Valley Inn, La Purisima, Olivas Links as well as trying out the four new holes at River Ridge, which open June 13.

[Ryan Farrow]

I think they need to just tear down that netting and let everyone sign a waiver. It is nice to see that they will have a practice green larger than a blow up swimming pool.

[ed_getka]

Scott,
    What time of day did you play at Rustic?

[Scott Weersing]

I teed off a 3 pm (start of twilight for a nice $22 price) and finished at 6:50 pm. Of course, I walked. I played with another pair of players who rode. We would have finished earlier but there was a twosome who was going slower than us. I know, how could a twosome play slower than three players?

[Tony Ristola]

Look forward to returning. To see all the changes...those listed and the others due to Acts of God.  Was thinking, if I had to chose between playing Riviera and Rustic everyday, I think I'd choose Rustic. It's simply more fun. I think there are more shots at Rustic, much of it due to the way the course is maintained. Lose that firm, fast maintenance, and I'd probably switch, and head towards the beach.

[ed_getka]

Tony,
  Unfortunately, they are slowly but surely losing it.

[Scott Weersing]

As has been discussed here many times, you need the right kind of grass to have fast and firm for the majority of the year. Rustic Canyon does not have fescue, rather rye.
YetRustic Canyon does have firm fairways and firm greens. Unfortunately, the aprons around the greens are not consistent. Some are firm, like the greens, and others are soft and full of ballmarks.

The good news is that I can play Rustic Canyon once or twice a month, and then save my money for a trip to Bandon Dunes.

Olivas Links has fast and firm right now if you want to try out a new links course in Ventura County.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()