American Pie course?

[John_McMillan]

Just got back from watching the movie "American Wedding."  Jim Levenstein finally gets married, with the wedding held at a golf resort.  While the plot of the movie places the wedding location in Michigan's Grand Traverse County, I am certain that the filming location is nowhere in Michigan.  Does anyone recognize the location at which the wedding and reception are filmed?

[Tommy_Naccarato]

John,
I have not seen the movie, but according to the Internet Movie Database, it says Half Moon Bay. The entire movie looks to have been shot in California, including Chapman College and City of Orange, which is about 15 minutes away from me. The Coen Brothers movie, "The Man Who Wasn't There" was also filmed in Orange Circle--the big roundabout that is in the center of town.

[Scott_Burroughs]

That's Chapman University, not College, as it once was.    How do I know and why would this east coast guy care?  My wife and her sister went to Chapman, which was College when they were there, and now is University.

Sorry we missed each other, Tommy.  I very much enjoyed SoCal's two best public courses.  Whoops, does PGA West -(Stadium) get in there?

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Thanks for the correction Scott! I'm still stuck in 1977.
Glad you had a good time, and sorry for the quick drop-out.

Scott, email me if you get this.

[Scott_Burroughs]

In the morning, I'll e-mail you.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm occasionally pretty good at figuring out courses on screen/print.  I correctly guessed the course in the Lincoln ad from 2 years ago (Rancho San Marcos - never been there) and the course where your infamous "Emperor" pic was taken for Links in Jan 2002 (Lost Canyons).

Here's a related question for you, Tommy.  What SoCal course was used for the scenes in "Rising Sun".  I've never been able to figure it out, even through internet searches.

The course used in "Bringing Down the House", with Steve Martin and Queen Latifah, was Friendly Hills CC near you in Whittier.

I once knew but forgot the club where "Falling Down" scenes were shot (Get off my golf course!")

[Dan Grossman]

I've seen the movie and played the course, which is Half Moon Bay.  The "reception" takes place at the newly built Ritz Carlton.  The one hole that you get a look at is the 18th on the old course, the Gary Player one.  Its north of the club house, so the water is on the right as it returns.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Guys, I haven't seen Bringing Down the House, and I didn't know it was filmed at my old club, Friendly Hills CC, which should be named really be named Unfriendly Hills! It is one of the most superficial memberships I have ever bared-witness too! The course is even worse!

Dan, the other HMB course was Arnold Palmer/Frank Duane.

Scott, Falling Down was shot at Industry Hills Ike #10 and I forgot to add that to the list the other day. Thanks! Also, it is no joke that a golf cart could roll down that hill and not stop until it hit the water, just like the movie! I don't miss many movies, but unfortunately I missed Rising Sun, but where was it flmed?  Here's another one for you: There is a scene in the Bruce Lee classic, "Enter The Dragon" where John Saxon is losing in a big match against some mobster. What course was it on?

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Scott, Just went to the Bringing Down The house website and saw the trailer, and that's definitely Friendly Hills CC. The scene is taken in the Upstairs dining area--lower level, and the area your looking at is where the table was set when I met the Club President and his wife for cocktails for my "check'em out/member candidate meeting" where ceremoniously, his wife, a pretty good looking gal would eventually start playing legsy with me under the table. I was pretty shocked, and didn't know how to react at the time because I figured that it could ruin my chances getting in, plus...she was married! What was worse was that they lived across the street fom my ex-girlfriend of 5 1/2 years, and she started to make wisecracks about seeing me sneak outof my ex-girlfriends house early in the morning, and run-up the street to my car! All the while husband conversed with another member candidate and his wife!  I would find out later on that both her and her husband led an alternative lifestyles! She would eventually tell me this later in the night when she cornered me on the way to the bathroom!

Sounds like a TE Paul story doesn't it!

The island in the foreground of the scene is the 1st tee, and the 1st fairway can be seen running uphill on th other side of the lake, and into the canyon in the back ground.

[David Wigler]

In the category of truly useless trivia, the executive producer of the entire American Pie series (Warren Zide) grew up on the same street as me and was one year older.  He has placed the names of several of the kids we grew up with in the movie and placed the movie in Michigan (Although filmed in California).  I haven't seen 3 yet but I have played Half Moon and Grand Traverse.  Last I checked, Grand Traverse was not on the water and Stevie Wonder would not confuse the Grand Traverse Inn with The Ritz at Half Moon Bay!  That written, I laughed my tail off at the first two and probably will do so on the third.  

[Scott_Burroughs]

Tommy,

Good story on Friendly Hills.

As I said above, I never figured out where the scenes in Rising Sun were shot.  It's a Crichton book turned movie (as usual, not as good as book, though interesting nonetheless) about the rising power of Japanese business/power in L.A. (took place ~15 years ago) and showed a posh CC in L.A. area seemingly crawling with Japanese businessmen.  Sean Connery co-stars and was at home for golf course scenes.  Even mentioned initiation fee of $100K at fictional club.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

David, So, being that your persona is in the movie, I would suspect your character is the one that has an affinity for apple pie?  

That is cool! Now you have to introduce me to Shannon Elizabeth!

Scott,
If the scene is at a club with a really elaborate looking Spanish clubhouse, it's in all likelyhood Spanish Hills, another Bob Cupp monstrosity in Camarillo. There have been a lot of movie and tv show filmed there. Two that come to mind are My Fellow American's starring Jack Lemmon and James Garner, as well as "Bye Bye Love" with Randy Quaid, Matthew Modine, Amy Brennamen and Paul Reiser.

[Scott_Burroughs]

I don't think it was Spanish Hills.  SH was built in 1994 and Rising Sun came out in 1993, probably filmed in 1992, and the course was not under construction in the movie.  Also, the aerial doesn't jibe with the scenes.

[John_McMillan]

My guess at the course was Half Moon Bay, because the location looks most like California, and there are a short list of Ocean front courses in CA.  I wasn't aware that the resort there was as high-end as shown in the movie.

David Wigler -

So there's a real Steve Stiffler?  

[David Wigler]

John,

The main characters names were made up (Licensing and copyright issues) but the references to unplayed characters were all guys I grew up with (Example - The guy the band geek girl kissed and then told the story about what a bad kisser he was, was named Mark Wander).  The releases that these guys had to sign were really funny, so that none of them could sue since their names were in the movie.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Oh, and Tommy, I've never seen more than 5 minutes of any old kung fu/martial arts flicks.  All it was good for was a few laughs at the bad dubbing jobs and even the movie fight scene cliche in all movies with fight scenes:  many bad guys against one good guy - bad guys fight one at a time instead of all at once.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

David, I still think you really like Apple Pie!

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Enter The Dragon is one of those as you describe. BUT it is a pretty good movie in terms of seeing the Grand Master himself.

The scene was taken across the street from the Greek Theater, at the Roosevelt Course' downhill 6th.

Another one is the movie "Swingers" with Vince Vaughn and John Favaro. The golf couse is the small but loveable Los Feliz Par 3 course near the entrance of Griffith Park. My Grandfather usedto play there on Sundays. The place brings a tear to my eye! Tom H. will know about that one! Its a local fav, as is the Studio City Par 3 which is trying to be saved by many celebrities. I just saw a picture taken last week of Sharon Stone hitting a bucket of balls there, and she looks to have a really good follow through! This is like a few days after anoucning her divorce! I can only imagine whose face it was n the small white pellet. I wonder if she would like to play Rustic Canyon now that she is single?

Andy, WHERE ARE YOU ON THIS THREAD??

[THuckaby2]

Oh Los Felix causes a tear, but Studio City causes buckets.  'Tis where I learned to play the game.  I must have played that course hundreds of times. We lived about 5 miles up the street (Whitsett), it was the closest course to us.   GREAT action on the putting green.. man do I have stories of scrawny ass kid me taking dough from old men (guys in their 30s, seeming ancient to me then) there... The fact celebrities use the place for practice never dawned on me 'till recent years but yeah, we sure did see a bunch... but living where we did that was just kinda normal.

It's also now my Dad's home course, he plays there twice a week with his neighbor and treats it like his country club.  Screw the celebs, go there to see my Dad!

Oh yeah, Studio City has just a little meaning in the Huckaby household...

TH

[Scott_Burroughs]

Studio City GC, tennis haven:

[THuckaby2]

WAAAAHHHHH!
 

That's it!  The street to the right of the tennis courts is Whitsett... go north on that a few more miles outside the pic, make a left on Sherman Way, a couple more turns, and there you have the house I grew up in, where my parents still reside.

There's no doubt why the name is "Studio City Golf and TENNIS" though, is there?

Sad thing is, when they added those tennis courts, they demolished the two coolest holes on the course... this goes back to when I was about 6 years old, but I sure remember a two cool par 4's going into that corner of the property and back.

As it is today and has been for many years, it's a 9-hole par3 course with the longest hole being about 140.  Mats for tees, but damn fine greens with contours that would make some here weep with joy.  Just a very neat little course.

Site of many firsts for the kid here, most of which have to do with golf... but such stories are not for this forum.  

TH

[David Wigler]

Tommy,

I passed the first time and the second but a third cheap shot will require a response!

[Scott_Burroughs]

Huck,

Does this describe those firsts?

"we have received two dozen reports of individual acts of perversion, SO profound and disgusting, that decorum prohibits listing them here."

[THuckaby2]

You are most definitely on the right track, Dean Wormer.  

Woodland Hills CC and Braemar CC were also sites for such hijinx.

God I hope my kids don't grow up like I did.  Payback really is a bitch.

TH

[Tommy_Naccarato]

David,
See, I would fight fire with fire--bring up something like Fat Albert Golf Course or something about Oliver Hardy or Meatloaf. Thats the way to get back at me!

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Tom,
You also forgot to add about all of your experiences at nearby Carney's Hot Dogs.