Saticoy - north of LA

[mark chalfant]

Is this  Bell course worth a look ?

nice routing  ? ?

strategic holes ?

interesting green complexes ?

best holes...................... good variety ?

thanks.  

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Mark, My old high school football coach and english teacher is a member there, and he has been begging me for years to come up and take a look. I'll try to get around to it soon and post some pictures.

I hear that Harbottle is going to be remodeling the course.

[Ben Cowan-Dewar]

Saticoy has some interesting holes along the back, but the front has some porblems with both trees and work that has been done.

The stretch along the back beginning at 12 occupies the most interesting land on the course - running alongside a ravine. Clever use of the land, though little imagination was used with the tight property on the front, giving the impression that Bell was anxious to simply get to the 'cliff holes'.

Green complexes are ok.

Worth a look, because it must rank among the best courses north of L.A., just behind the Sky course and just ahead of Rustic....

Tommy,
Any ideas of what Harbottle has planed? I believe the ninth was changed recent, to the chagrin of the member I played with.

[Jeff Fortson]

I won a junior college tournament here in 1997.  It is a totally overlooked golf course.  I personally like it a lot.  Yes, the tree lines could use some removal but I just thought it had a lot of character.  I thought the green complexes offered a lot of good hole locations.  

Overall, my opinion is high on this course.

Jeff F.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

My thoughts on this course designed by William F. Bell, not the father William P. Bell:

Regarded highly because by comparsion to the boring courses in the area this has some interest.
Well maintained and in the nice quiet setting of Ventura County.
Can play very long, which adds to its reputation.
Need to remove at least 10 trees on each hole.  I mentioned this to a member once and he gave me a blank stare.
There isn't much Harbottle can do to enhance or weaken this course.
What can you say, William F. Bell designed like many in the 1950's, a bit blah.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Ben,
I have heard just the opposite if anything at all. The only people that seem to rave about Saticoy that I know of are either the members or friends of members. Not that is bad or good, but when a faction of members are instilling in their fellow members that this is a BB Sr. course, well................ (and as Lynn has correctly pointed out.)

The George Thomas/Billy Bell course is up the way from it, and there isn't much left of it. Another one that got away!

I'll get up there to see it soon. Lynn, How many times have I asked you if you wanted to go up there?

[Bill_McBride]

Tommy, that Thomas/Bell Sr I guess would be Ojai?  And what's that pretty good public course in Ojai, Soule?  Any idea who was the architect?  That's been around for years, I played there in college days (early 60's).

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Bill, Right down the way from Saticoy is Saticoy Golf Course which is the original GCT/Bell Saticoy CC that had 9 holes contracted by emminent domain some years back, I think it was in the late 50's early 60's, for the enlargening of a park.

In turn, they got BB Jr. (Franics/Jr., not Park/Sr.) to build a new club down the street.

Soule Park, near Ojai is BB Sr. (Park) with revisions many times by BB Jr.(Francis)

[Bill_McBride]

Tommy,

So Soule Park has a pretty distinguished lineage (BB Sr out of GT).  I recall it as very interesting and sporty with smallish greens and maybe too many parallel holes to be considered a good routing. Nice terrain. It's probably changed a lot since 1962 when I think I played it last.

Have you played Santa Barbara Muni since they did a lot of work in the recent past and renamed it "Santa Barbara GC?"  Played there in August and it was okay, still a few really weird holes (#5, #12, #17 which I hit in two with 3wood, 5 iron for maybe the 1st time in many rounds there).  But better maintenance than ever in the past, and greens were good.

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Bill, I'm to be corrected. Soule Park was a product of BB Jr. (Francis) for nine holes and Bob Baldock, the second nine. Sorry for the mis-information.

Never played Santa Barbra Community Golf Course.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I idi not find Saticoy particularly long or noteworthy when I played it last year.  It has some good holes on the backside that are quite impressive.  The land lends itself weel to a golf course,  though there is one big hilll to negotiate on ten.  The course was not in very good shape when I played it. I like the way some of the holes turned and the greens were interesting, though I thought the bunkering could use some work.  There were way too many trees on the front nine and I felt cramped.