Lorne Rubenstein Likes Baylands (East Palo Alto, CA)

[David_Tepper]

https://scoregolf.com/blog/lorne-rubenstein/having-a-blast-at-baylands/

[Mike Schott]

Nice article, he's a terrific writer. My sister lives near Palo Alto and I've played a fair amount of golf in the area with my BIL and nephew but have missed the previous iteration. if I ever repair my faulty swing and play more golf, I'll definitely look up this course.


Lorne's article about Pasatiempo linked in the story is quite lovely as well.

[John Kirk]

Thanks for posting this.  I grew up (7th grade through 12th grade, plus college summers at home) about a mile from the Baylands course.  I worked there one summer with the grounds crew.  While working as an engineer in Sunnyvale in the 80s and early 90s, I played in an after work summer golf league there for a few years.

The course has been significantly modified at least twice since I played there.  By the pictures it appears to have far more interesting features around the greens and elsewhere.  It was always very popular.  I would guess they hosted 60-80k rounds per year when I lived there.

The land is out close to the Bay, and is  mostly unprotected from the wind.  It has a very good afternoon wind for golf, reliably 15-20 mph from the northwest in the spring and summer, crossing the property on a diagonal.  Together with temperatures in the mid-60s to mid-80s, it is both pleasant and challenging.

Congratulations to Forrest Richardson for this fine endorsement.  I will try to make my way back to see and play the new course.

[Gib_Papazian]

Since Forrest was kind enough to invite me to the opening, I have been back (paying customer) at least five times and love it. Even in a stiff breeze, the "fun factor" is there - but believe me, Baylands is hardly a pushover.


For a public course, one of the criteria I hold dear (when judging whether I like it) is whether I have enjoyed the round, even when clanking my irons and struggling off the tee. No mater what, each hole out there has some feature or geometry that keeps your attention . . . so you'll never get bored and play it by rote.


I also love what Forrest did at my cousin's track - now called Berkeley CC. Tough piece of land, but a hoot to play every day.


Great work Forrest, sincerely.   

[Forrest Richardson]

So great to meet Lorne. We had fun

Thanks Gib — I recall the day we ‘christened’ Baylands. I strove for each hole to have a personality. It was a joy to design and create.

[Niall Hay]

So great to meet Lorne. We had fun

Thanks Gib — I recall the day we ‘christened’ Baylands. I strove for each hole to have a personality. It was a joy to design and create.

Congrats Forrest!

[Ian_L]

Baylands is now my de facto home course, and I am approaching 40 rounds at the course. Baylands is an oasis in a desert of quality public golf on the SF peninsula. The course is playable in strong winds yet provides intrigue when conditions are calm. Nearly every tee shot is thought-provoking in some way, with an advantage to playing down a certain side of the fairway.

A few favorite holes:

#2 - toughest green on the course if pin is back left or back right
#4 - par 3 with the green sloping away
#7 - drivable par 4 where a lot of thought is needed on placement if laying up
#8 - toughest hole on the course for me, long par 3 to a challenging green. Back pin is fun and challenging
#12 - drop shot par 3 encouraging a low short iron in windy conditions
#14 - par 4 with alternate greens that make the hole play quite differently
#16 - one of my favorite holes, all day to drive it left but leaving a pitch over large mounds. A drive over or short of the right fairway bunkers is more exacting but leaves a much better angle
#17 - at 200-230 yards uphill, the toughest punch bowl par 3 I have played!

I haven’t mentioned any of the par 5s, but I would just say all except #1 provide some really interesting choices off the tee.

Well done, Forrest!

[Forrest Richardson]

Thanks Ian. My original plan for No. 1 was as a par-4. We got a request, so added a few tees and — Viola! — they made it a par-5. I was not a fan.

My suggestion: Before 12:00 noon it is a par-4 when the wind is typically calm. At exactly 12:00 noon it turns into a par-5 when the wind picks up in your face! Only the Northern Calif. Golf Assoc. had smoke coming out their heads trying to reconcile that idea. Still, I think it workable. Imagine the foursome with an 11:58am tee time...I think they might play slow.....

[Ian_L]

Thanks Forrest, I had a feeling that hole was designed as a par-4. That said, I don't mind the easy par-5 to start the round off on the right foot. Anywhere else in the round at it would feel a bit too easy.


In case you're curious, over 39 rounds played the toughest holes for me (a 7 handicap) are 6, 8, and 10, all tied at just over bogey average.


The three easiest holes for me are 1, 7, and 18 (between -0.08 and +0.18 average per hole).

[BCrosby]

Congrats Forrest. Looking forward to getting to California and playing Baylands.


Bob