Attention Nor Cal: Pasatiempo GCA Day!!!

[Kyle Henderson]

List updated

Any more takers?

[JLahrman]

I will buy one (1) post-round drink for whomever fills out the last group.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Surely Benham must be playing.

[Tom Huckaby]

I'm sure Benham will be there if he can - note his presence on the "maybe" list.  In any case, that 12th spot is reserved for Rob Chestnut if he wants it... and while we're at it, quit calling us Shirley.

 

[rchesnut]

Guys, keep me down as "probable" for the 12th.  I'll be able to make it definite as we get closer....working life is tough.   

[JLahrman]

Come on now Rob.  I work.  Kevin works.  I even think Kyle works.

Kyle, I went to public school.  What is a cognoscenti?

[Kyle Henderson]

Kyle, I went to public school.  What is a cognoscenti?

An alliterative expert.

[Kyle Henderson]

Booking of this event will take place immenently. Anyone that wishes to change their status should do so pronto.

I'm sure Mr. Colton will be happy to sign copies of his book for all in attendance (that bring a copy to be signed). That should fetch a pretty penny or dime on ebay! And, if you're paired with him, you're bound to show up in volume 2.

[Tom Huckaby]

BAD NEWS
Went to make the tees times for this event, was told that they are aerating on March 8... and it's the large hole, lots of sand type of aerating... the greens won't be very puttable on March 12.

SO... unless you REALLY want to study and not play, I'd say this is not a good time to go to Pasatiempo.

This is a very big drag for the visiting dignitary Colton... but I'm sure he'll find somewhere else to play.  But I'd say we bag a large GCA event this day.

TH

[Mike Benham]

BAD NEWS
Went to make the tees times for this event, was told that they are aerating on March 8... and it's the large hole, lots of sand type of aerating... the greens won't be very puttable on March 12.

Did the folks at Pasa admit that the greens wouldn't be very puttable?

[Jed Peters]

Out.....

I love you guys, but not enough to spend that much on punched greens.....

[Brent Hutto]

If it's the same type of aeration (and heavy sand application) as was done immediately before the Stevenson Ranch KP event then verily the greens will not be worth putting on. We went around the course twice and I enjoyed hitting the shots but out of 36 holes I think I only bothered to putt half a dozen times, total. We're talking no grass visible under the layer of wet sand and the big 3/4" diameter holes not fully filled in.

P.S. And because of the punched greens we paid on the order of 100 bucks for the 36-hole day. Don't remember the exact amount but even at that rate I thought it a lot to pay to experience the tee-to-green portion of the course only.

[Tom Huckaby]

The folks at Pasa explained to me the type of aeration being done... I did not ask them if they thought the greens would be puttable.  But methinks one can make a judgment call here, based on how they described it, and how it works at other courses (like how Brent described).  In any case, they did offer half-price green fees... so again, judge for yourself.

As for moi... OUT. 

[Kevin_Reilly]

Bummer x 1,000,000.  For me, a big part of the fun of Pasatiempo is navigating the greens. 

With regret, I'd have to agree with Tom.

[Kalen Braley]

The greens really are a star attraction at Pasa...that'd be a tough one to swallow. It'd be Kinda like getting an invite to CPC and deciding to call it quits after the 14th hole!!    

[JLahrman]

Well this would be lousy, I was really looking forward to playing the course for the first time and meeting a bunch of GCAers for the first time.  I'll go with the majority but it looks pretty clear which way the majority is going.  Hell I even played 9 holes at Monarch Bay Saturday afternoon as a warmup, which was enough to get my game back into its typical crappy shape.

[Tim Leahy]

I am still out but you might consider Bayonet/ Blackhorse down the road. They are having a great deal for a foursome for $300 including lunch, carts and balls thru 3-24 seven days a week:

http://bayonetblackhorse.com/specials.php

I am not sure about the aeration schedule.

[JLahrman]

That's the spirit, let's come up with some other options.  I already have the day off of work, I would be willing to play someplace else.

[Patrick Kiser]

Either way for me.  Be good to just get out at this point.  Sick of the rain already.

[rchesnut]

As a Pasatiempo regular, I'll give you my perspective.  We do a couple of types of aeration, one is really minimal and the greens are close to normal just a few days later.  But this one is the more traditional, large hole with sand aeration.  The crew works hard to make them puttable, but it's just not the same, and you'll be disappointed.  Love to have you out, but it's not going to be the real Pasatiempo experience.  

The club is also in the middle of transitioning a number of "out of play" areas to natural grass...all part of an effort to conserve water and return the course to its roots as a four season course, with firmer and faster playing conditions most of the year.  Pretty exciting transition...the club is reducing the number of irrigated acres from 90+ to around 75, in conjunction with a new irrigation system that's going in.  It takes several years for the natural grasses to take hold, so these areas look pretty bare right now, but it's going to be great to see the look of the course evolve....thanks to Jim Urbina for coming out to the club and working on the grassing plan with us.  

[Kevin_Reilly]

Thanks Rob for the update and member perspective.  Sounds like the course is continuing to improve.   

[Pete_Pittock]

It would be better than my current situation, playing on thirty-six temporary greens, but I need to pass.

[JLahrman]

To bring this back up...I'm assuming that this is officially CANCELLED.

Since I've already got the day off of work, if anyone is interested in playing that day either send me a message or add a post here.  I live in Berkeley, would be willing to come down to the Pasa area to play but if another triangulates better that's fine with me too.

[Tom Huckaby]

Well... the deal was that we wanted to set something up because Jim Colton was coming from out of town and wanted to play Pasatiempo... so it seemed fun to see how many GCAers wanted to join him.  I asked Kyle to do the gathering of names legwork, then I was going to make the tee times.  In so doing, I found out about the areation.. thus my post here.  So it seems to me that the official large event at Pasatiempo is indeed cancelled.  If Jim himself wants to still play on those recently aerated greens, he may... but I am not setting up multiple tee times.

As for playing somewhere else, best for me to go to work that day given this change.  But perhaps others will contact you.  Or maybe someone comes up with some other group idea.  We shall see.

Tom H.