Work at Poppy Ridge (Livermore,CA)

[David_Tepper]

Just learned that Jay Blasi will begin work this year at the NCGA-owned Poppy Ridge course. Sounds like the project will reroute the 27-hole complex with the aim of turning 2 of the nines into an 18-hole "feature" course. A nice opportunity for JB.

[JLahrman]

Thanks for the update David. I played Poppy Ridge once while I was living in the Bay Area...and I couldn't remember a thing about the course a month later. Not sure if I liked it or if I didn't. The only word that fits would be "unmemorable". So it definitely seems like a great opportunity.

[Stewart Abramson]

I played there once about seven years ago and can still remember many of the holes. There is a lot of elevation change. Both uphill and downhill holes, just a few ponds in play and lots of sand bunkers. It's in a very scenic setting. I enjoyed my day there playing 27 holes. There weren't many people on the course. Here are links to photos.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/albums/72157668053938216/  Poppy Ridge Chardonnay nine


https://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/albums/72157668166586391/  Poppy Ridge Merlot nine


https://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/albums/72157667998236571/ Poppy Ridge Zinfandel nine

[Jeff Schley]

Had a single play there in 2010. I remember the tall trees and forgetting my brand new vokey wedges at home and having to buy 3 new ones in the pro shop. 
Also this project doesn't sound cheap and couldn't find any details online.  How are they funding this?

[David_Tepper]

"I remember the tall trees"

Jeff -

Are you sure about that? Are you sure you played Poppy Ridge in Livermore and not Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach? Almost no tall trees at the former. Many more tall trees at the later.

DT

[Jeff Schley]

"I remember the tall trees"

Jeff -

Are you sure about that? Are you sure you played Poppy Hills in Livermore and not Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach? Almost no tall trees at the former. Many more tall trees at the later.

DT

HA..... funny sorry I thought it was Poppy Hills, not Poppy RIDGE.  My fault.

[Matt_Cohn]

I know some things about this. There will be an entirely new 18 hole championship course basically north and east of the clubhouse, mostly on the site of the current Chardonnay and Zinfandel nines as well as the last few holes of the Merlot nine. This course will have virtually nothing in common with the current golf course in any way. It will be constructed almost as if the current course never existed.


There will also be a 9 hole shorter nine (par 32-ish). If you're looking from the driving range tee, it will be the site of the holes currently around the driving range and up to the right where a few of the Merlot holes are.


It's expensive. The NCGA is in good shape financially, and I don't know the exact financial mechanisms involved. They are quite dedicated to not cutting any corners on the championship course—sandcapping and all that. Work on the practice facilities and short course might be done in-house.


The plans look great, but of course the details matter, so we shall see. But it's exciting and I think they have great people involved. It would be wonderful to have another high-level championship course for NCGA events, and a more fun golf course on that property overall.

[David_Tepper]

Matt -

Thanks for that info. I played out there maybe 10-12 times 20-25 years ago, so my recall is a little hazy.

I will be interested to see how the playing corridors in the valleys between the ridges are dealt with and how much dirt gets pushed around.

DT   

[Michael Dugger]

Plowing under and completely re-doing a Rees Jones course?  I'm outraged.

[JLahrman]

Ah yes, the nines were named after wines. It's coming back to me a bit.


And even the name Poppy Ridge is not memorable when it keeps getting confused with Poppy Hills. Not the first time that's happened.

[David_Tepper]

From the ncga.org website report on the NCGA Annual Meeting held a month ago:

In other meeting news, the NCGA reaffirmed plans for a renovation of Poppy Ridge Golf Course to be performed by architect Jay Blasi. Currently a 27-hole facility with three separate nine-hole courses (Chardonnay, Merlot and Zinfandel), the renovation would result in a single 18-hole championship course and a nine-hole "flex" course that could play long or short. The changes, which will result in a more walkable layout, would also include more practice areas for beginners and juniors.
Blasi, previously a member of the Robert Trent Jones Jr. team that developed Poppy Hills, has an extensive resume' that includes 2015 U.S. Open site Chambers Bay in Washington and Sentry World in Wisconsin, site of the 2023 U.S. Senior Open.

[Matt_Cohn]

I was happy to attending the groundbreaking ceremony and play-day today. It's happening! Here's the plan from Jay Blasi and some notes after:





Some random notes:

• There will be a championship 18 hole course and a player-friendly, simpler 9 hole course.
• The course will be surfaced in bermuda (other than greens).
• USGA analysis indicated that, as long as they're committed to a specific topdressing program, sandcapping was not necessary. This saves a lot of money in the construction process, but was not the reason for the decision.
• The course is par 70 for championship play and par 72 otherwise. Looking at the card, there are three par-5's converted into par-4's, and one par-4 converted into a par-5.
• There is not even one hole that plays entirely in the same location as a current hole. A few are close and the vast majority are very different. At least 4 of the new holes play in a current corridor—but backwards!
• Expected opening is fall 2025.
• From the middle tees, compared to the current course, the new course will be about the same length, 2000 yards less walking(!), and 400 feet less vertical change.

[DFarron]

Played there a few times when I lived in Danville, liked the courses fine but they always seemed to be wet.


Poppy and Wente both had the issue that even though they were close in miles it always took a long time to get there.

[Jeff Segol]

I will be interested to see if they are at all able to make the course more walkable than it was before. I hate taking a cart, but the elevation changes at Poppy Ridge basically made it impossible not to, particularly the changes and distances between greens and tees.

[Matt_Cohn]

I will be interested to see if they are at all able to make the course more walkable than it was before. I hate taking a cart, but the elevation changes at Poppy Ridge basically made it impossible not to, particularly the changes and distances between greens and tees.

Jeff, did you see the last bullet point in my post?