The New & Improved Bodega Harbour?

[Patrick Kiser]

What's the skinny on the so called "New & Improved Links at Bodega Harbour" just north of San Francisco?

Anything besides bunker renovations, better drainage, and new grass?

Need the info.

[Kalen Braley]

http://www.golftodaymagazine.com/catalog/catalog.php?catalog_id=19

[Joel_Stewart]

They spent a lot of money to rebuild those greens in a bad economy and a location which most people, even in Marin won't drive to.  For some reason, this course is just off the radar for people in the Bay Area.

[Patrick Kiser]

http://www.golftodaymagazine.com/catalog/catalog.php?catalog_id=19

Kalen,

That's exactly what prompted me to start the thread.  Picked that mag up, but there's no meat to the article.  My thought was maybe someone knows a little more.

Might just have to turn that into a day trip soon. 

[Tim Leahy]

For some reason, this course is just off the radar for people in the Bay Area.

Wind is the reason, unplayable conditions with the wind in this area.

[Dan Herrmann]

Are the birds still a problem?

[Kyle Henderson]

Are the birds still a problem?

No. Birdies are quite scarce.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Joel Stewart,

I played the golf course about a dozen times some years ago.
I played 16 (?) from the top tee several times.
I thought it was a terrific hole from up top.

The golf course had some quirk, but, it also had a lot going for it.

For the Hucabyites, I believe that every hole has a view of the Pacific to the West and mountains to the East, with the Coastline visible, north and south.

I liked the golf course and am surprised to hear that golfers won't travel to it as a golf destination.

On the times I was there a good number of Bay Area residents rented homes along the golf course for the weekend/week.

At the time I played it, there weren't many golfing alternatives between San Francisco, Santa Rosa and Bodega Harbor.

Where do most golfers in that triangle play ?

[JMEvensky]

Are the birds still a problem?

Thanks.I wondered if Bodega Bay was nearby.

[Tom Huckaby]

Patrick:  at least get the term correct.  It's HUCKABIANS.

 

As for Bodega Harbour, when was it that you played it that dozen times?  Was it surrounded by houses?

It is now, and has been for a decade plus.  That takes a lot away from the experience.

That being said, 16 from the upper tee is a very fun golf hole.  17-18 are pretty darn good too.

It's the front nine that remains quite poblematic.  That, combined with Bodega being relatively difficult to get to and "gifted" with generally lousy weather, keeps it from being much of a destination.  There are now quite a few other alternatives in SF going north, also.

TH

[Patrick Kiser]

Where do most golfers in that triangle play ?

I'll play Foxtail on occasion.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Patrick:  at least get the term correct.  It's HUCKABIANS.

 

As for Bodega Harbour, when was it that you played it that dozen times?  Was it surrounded by houses?

There were a good number of homes bordering the golf course, but, one could say that about Pebble Beach and Riviera as well.

It is now, and has been for a decade plus.  That takes a lot away from the experience.

That being said, 16 from the upper tee is a very fun golf hole.  17-18 are pretty darn good too.

Agreed

It's the front nine that remains quite poblematic.  


That's why I was interested to learn about the "New & Improved" version.


That, combined with Bodega being relatively difficult to get to


It's on the coast.
And, an hour or so shouldn't discourage "quality course" seekers from the ride

and "gifted" with generally lousy weather, keeps it from being much of a destination.  

That was one of the things I liked about the course.
It could be 95 degrees 5 miles inland, and cool and foggy at Bodega.
You could smell the wood burning in the fireplaces early in the morning and later in the afternoon.  It had that mystique about it.

There are now quite a few other alternatives in SF going north, also.

That's what I was curious about.
Have newer courses hurt the play at BH ?
If so, which ones ?

I can see a bunch of guys renting a house for a long weekend and playing 36 a day.  That seemed like a close, "destination resort" to me.

Going further south, I also liked Sandpiper and wonder if that course has held its own ?

[Tom Huckaby]

Patrick:

You're covering a lot of ground if you want to talk Bodega in the north and Sandpiper in the south.

So let's stick to Bodega.

My feeling is that it's a bit overpriced for what one gets... and the competition in high-priced seaside golf is rather steep.  Given it's not really a seaside course anyway (but one pays prices like it is), it's just simpler and easier to go to other places.  Bodega is basically an hour plus from anywhere... it's tough to go for a day, too expensive to stay, more or less.

I guess in the end it's just as simple as this: the course is good, but not great... not worth seeking out all that much.  I too have always enjoyed it.  But this is my guess as to why it is not more highly-praised.

The only thing that could help it in terms of being "New and Improved" would be to re-do the whole front nine, including removal of the very obtrusive houses.  One doesn't cross streets at Pebble or Riviera... one does several times at Bodega.  Bodega also has several holes with houses on both sides, something also not present at those other two.

Now if that has been done, we'd be talking... hard to believe that's what they mean by new and improved, though.

There are quite a few relatively new public courses north of the Bridge, btw...

Adobe Creek (Petaluma)
Foxtail (Rohnert Park) (re-done)
Stonetree (Novato)
Windsor GC (Windsor)
Rooster Run (Petaluma)
Peacock Gap (San Rafael)
Sea Ranch (much farther north, but now 18 holes and a much better overall course)

I'd guess all of these take attention away from Bodega.

TH

[Aidan Bradley]

[Tom Huckaby]

Aidan's pictures also tend to illustrate why this course doesn't get as much love as it might (I think).

One sees these - which are what the normal marketing gives, of course - and expects Pebble Beach or the like.

The reality on most holes is a LOT different... it's more like the Half Moon Bay Old course (winding in and out of houses) than it is Pebble Beach.  And thus disappointment ensues.

TH

[Patrick_Mucci]

Tom Huckaby,

How does one get from # 2 green to # 3 tee at Pebble Beach ?

Don't you have to cross a road, or, did they build a tunnel ?

Isn't there another road behind the forward tee and in front of the back tee on # 17 ?

I thought # 16, 17 and 18 were a terrific stretch of golf holes and a GREAT finish.

[Tom Huckaby]

Patrick:

You got me.  One does cross a road at those holes at Pebble.   But that changes nothing regarding Bodega Harbour, which is only comparable to Pebble Beach in that one crosses more roads.  But far more important than the presence of street crossings are the many other factors I cited.

16-17-18 at Bodega is a wonderful finish, agreed.  And I don't dislike the rest of the course as much as many others do.  As I say, I have enjoyed it each time I played it.

But the reasons it doesn't get as much attention or praise remain as I have stated in the last few posts.

TH

[David_Tepper]

Tom H. -

San Geronimo (west of Fairfax) is another public Marin/Sonoma County course that competes with Bodega for public play. I think it is a better course. It is cheaper than Bodega and probably 1/2 to 2/3 the drive time from SF.

DT

[Patrick_Mucci]

Aidan,

Thanks for the photos.

Do you have any others ?

[Scott Stambaugh]

16-17-18 at Bodega is a wonderful finish, agreed.  And I don't dislike the rest of the course as much as many others do.

TH

I always felt about Bodega the same way I feel about Half Moon Bay Ocean Course- 3 1/2 to 4 hours of mediocrity to get to a great three-hole finish.  It just never felt worth it to me.

[Kevin_Reilly]

It has been 10+ years since I played Bodega, but I'll remember one thing from that day.  I played with about 15-20 college friends, with a wide range of golf ability.  One of the guys hit a snaphook off the first tee and broke a window in one of the houses on the left.  Almost immediately someone came out of the pro-shop and asked him for a credit card number to pay for the damage.  I'd never seen that before, or since!  I guess those windows were a frequent target!

[Jed Peters]

I went here one time--when my wife and I were in college, we stayed in the nice lodge there and I played a round.

Ah, those were the days.....the libido was flowin' that weekend.....

[Tom Huckaby]

Tom H. -

San Geronimo (west of Fairfax) is another public Marin/Sonoma County course that competes with Bodega for public play. I think it is a better course. It is cheaper than Bodega and probably 1/2 to 2/3 the drive time from SF.

DT

Correct - but Patrick asked for NEW courses that might have taken away attention from Bodega.  San Geronimo isn't new, not in this sense (although one nine is newer than the other).  If we want to include all courses north of the Bridge there are of course at least a few others.

And Aidan gives more proof of his skill, and of the misleading marketing about this golf course.  Aidan, did you have any pictures of the at many holes surrounded by houses?  Didn't think so.   

Scott - I am pretty much with you on this.  Great finish, quirky odd rest of the course, not worth seeking out all that much... Though I have never regretted going up there... I never have pined away to return, if that makes sense.

[Scott Weersing]

Well, my first thoughts are, 1. it does have lots of ocean views. 2. it has a great finishing set of holes, 3. the two nines are way too different as they were designed by different people. It is not fast and firm. But it is the best course on the Pacific between the Meadows and Bandon Dunes.

It does not sound that they really did much to improve the course except regrass greens and new sand in the traps.

I wouldn't go out of my way to play it but there are some other good courses in the area with Windsor GC, and MacKenzie's Northwood Golf Club, and Mayacama, http://www.mayacama.com/golf.htm

[Kalen Braley]

Here is an aerial view that perhaps gives better insight on how much housing does indeed exists around the course.