[Jason Thurman]

I have a friend who will be heading to Monterey for the first time in a month or so. He's currently determining which courses he'll be playing. He's a strong player and former greenskeeper who just loves golf. He loves firm and fast as much as any of us, but he's not necessarily an architecture nut. He's also traveling with his wife and two friends, all of whom will be playing.

He already plans to play Pebble Beach, but the rest of his schedule is wide open. He'll probably play 5 or 6 courses while out there. He'll probably be focusing on public options, though the friend he'll be traveling with during the Monterey portion of the trip is a Class A pro so he might have some pull. He's staying in a house inside 17 Mile Drive for a few nights, and he's also spending a few nights in San Francisco.

Here's what I'm looking for:

1. Give your recommendations of the top 5-10 courses he should try to see while out there, keeping in mind that he'll spend half his time in San Francisco and half in Monterey.

2. Include links to any photo tours or other useful websites he might want to take a look at.

The goal is to compile a solid travel guide to help him make decisions about where to play. There's so much golf in the area and I've seen such a limited sampling that I don't think I can put together a comprehensive overview by myself, but the knowledge in this community is vast enough to cover almost every base. I'd like to be able to give him a link to this thread in a few days and let him use it to help plan the trip.

Thanks guys.

[Rob Curtiss]

Without stating the obvious- MPCC and Cypress Point

In Monterey I would strongly suggest Bayonet and Black Horse- great tracks- Bayonet is pretty tough - but both Public and not too expensive.
Dont have pictures but the website should give you a good idea

[Jim Hoak]

Jason, I just started a thread on Poppy Hills.  If they are looking for a fill-in, it might be worth it.

[Jon McSweeny]

If he's traveling from SF to Monterey, Pasatiempo is a pretty obvious stop.

The Half Moon Bay courses also fit the route he is traveling- but I haven't played either and have heard some mixed reviews.

[DMoriarty]

Here's what I'm looking for:

1. Give your recommendations of the top 5-10 courses he should try to see while out there, keeping in mind that he'll spend half his time in San Francisco and half in Monterey.

2. Include links to any photo tours or other useful websites he might want to take a look at.

The goal is to compile a solid travel guide to help him make decisions about where to play. There's so much golf in the area and I've seen such a limited sampling that I don't think I can put together a comprehensive overview by myself, but the knowledge in this community is vast enough to cover almost every base. I'd like to be able to give him a link to this thread in a few days and let him use it to help plan the trip.

Thanks guys.

Perhaps it might be more efficient to acquaint your friend with the search function.    

[Bill_McBride]

Not sure how well connected his golf professional buddy is, but Cypress Point is the highlight.  Pasatiempo in Santa Cruz is mandatory, it's accessible but a bit pricey.  Pair it with Pajaro Valley closer to Monterey and the average cost is okay.  Pajaro Dunes is lots of fun.  In San Francisco it's all about access to privates, but Harding Park and Lincoln Park are good public options.   Lincoln is sort of the Painswick of California.  

[Adam Clayman]

Pacific Grove, especially if the wife and kids are golfing too. Multiple rounds here are recommended.

Cal Club, SFGC are both worth your buddy using his class A status to access. A letter to the pro is proper protocol at sfgc. (At least it was a few years back)

Other publics; Laguna Seca in Carmel Valley is a decent RTJ representation. Carmel Valley ranch has the distinction of being one of Pete Dye's worst. It was so bad he came back to fix it for free.

De la veaga  in Santa Cruz makes for a great juxtaposition to Pasatiempo.

Watsonville has a course that's quirk personified, but the name escapes me. And there's Marion Hollin's Seascape in Aptos.

If you friend fancies a challenge, Stevinson Ranch is well worth the drive out to the boonies of the central valley.

[Jordan Caron]

I did this trip a few years back and there are already plenty of threads on the Bay Area and Monetary.

[John Cowden]

Don't mean to go far off-thread but... Marion Hollins and Seascape?  Details, please.  Seascape was Aptos GC decades ago, and to my knowledge Ms. Hollins had nothing to do with it.   As for the Watsonville course mentioned, I suspect it's Pajaro, just a mile or so off Hwy 1 on the Monterey side of Watsonville, much like Seascape née Aptos.  Fun, firm and lots of eucalyptus leaves, bark and seeds around.  Some Monterey Cypress, too.  Then there's Pasatiempo, Ms. Hollins dream...

[Joel_Stewart]

.

Perhaps it might be more efficient to acquaint your friend with the search function.    

Thanks Dave.  There have been literally 50 requests for the same thing on this web site over the last 5 years.  There is no location more discussed then this section of the world. 

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,23687.0.html

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,2591.0.html

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,42461.0.html

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,38574.0.html

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,25810.0.html

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,56975.0.html

[Nigel Islam]

Cal Club and Pasatiempo would be mine right after Pebble. MPCC is great as is Olympic Club, but I'd put them just a tad below. Really if he has a car the logistics are not bad.

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()