The California Golf Club recently reopened after an extensive renovation by Kyle Philips. The course was already fantastic... however, issues with putting surfaces dictated that the greens would need to be redone and, after extensive discussions, the club went full-bore. The result is spectacular (for me anyway). Greens are bent and the course is bent on keeping them poa-free. Fairways are a mix of fescue and bent and you can already see the potential for a fast course, ideal for the windy location.
The first thing you notice on the course is the width -- fairways are wide. While some of the old trees remain, they frame holes rather than impact play -- much like San Francisco Golf Club. The second thing you notice are the bunkers -- wild, jagged affairs that frame every hole and force the golfer to carefully think about angles. The two lakes that were added in the 1960's are gone and the routing has been reworked to include a golf hole (number 7) on a hillside that was previously unused. The driving range was also moved away from the clubhouse to the location of the old 8th hole (I think) to allow the aforementioned width back into the golf course on the first and second holes.
The most striking element of the course is the open-feel. For example, the area near clubhouse that houses the 10th tee, 11th green, 12th tee and 18th green appears as one seamlessly mowed section of firm turf. It's really cool. Pictures (I started on the back nine). Sorry if I get any hole numbers wrong...
View from 10th tee of 11 green (right), entire 12th hole (the par 3 in the middle) and 18 green (left)
Another view of 11 and 18 from 13 tee
Approach to 10 green (putting surface falls away)
11th green (with 18th green in background)
12th hole (long uphill par 3)
Approach to 13th
14th hole from in front of the tee (note the carry bunker and cross bunker... cool)
Tee shot on par 5 15th
The awesome 15th green with some of the most movement on the course
Short par 3 16th
Downhill approach to the par 5 17th (carry the left bunker for a kick toward the green)
Approach to 18
On to the front nine...
Approach to the reachable par 5 opener (the two mounds in front of the green send balls in all directions)
Tee shot on 2 (did I say width?)
Approach to 2
Tee shot on 3 (this used to be where a silly par 3 over water existed... now it's a hard par 4)
Three green with long par 5 4th in the distance
Tee shot on 4 (the bunker draped in the hilsside on the left is very cool)
Tee shot on the short, uphill par 4 5th
The exposed par 3 6th hole -- green is very difficult to hold
Bunkers left of 6 green
The all new 7th hole -- a cape-style par 4 on a ridge that used to be covered with brush and trees
The par 3 8th hole viewed from the walking path above the tee
Uphill tee shot on the tough 9th hole
Approach to 9 green
