[Matt_Cohn]

I spoke for the first time today with a GCA lurker/casual observer named Jed Peters who lives in the Sacramento area.

Jed read the Callippe get-together thread and talked with me about possibly organizing a GCA group at his home club, Morgan Creek Golf and Country Club in Roseville.

Morgan Creek is a Kyle Phillips course that opened in 2004 and ranked #17 in Golfweek's Best New Course.

We're trying to gauge interest for a day at Morgan Creek on Saturday October 20. Assume that green fees would be $50-$70 walking, and that tee times would allow for a comfortable drive from the Bay Area that morning.

There are two questions really - who's interested in visiting Morgan Creek, and who could make it on October 20?

morgancreekclub.com

[David_Tepper]

Matt -

Do you have an idea of what the drive time from SF to Morgan Creek is likely to be? Driving on Highway 80 thru Davis and Sacramento can be a hassle, even with 3 or 4 lanes in each direction.

DT

[AndrewB]

I am interested and I don't see anything on my calendar that day already.

[Mike Benham]

Come on David, he is asking you if you want to play that day, don't throw water on his idea.    But since you asked, if you leave San Francisco by 7 AM, you can be in Auburn by 9 AM ...

Saturdays in the fall are no good for me ...

Mike

[David_Tepper]

Mike -

Sorry, my age must be showing!

DT

[Kevin_Reilly]

Saturdays in the fall are no good for me ...

Same here.  Three soccer games each Saturday.  

On that particular day, I'll also be watching the Bears on TV as they visit Lynn S's neck of the woods.

[Tom Huckaby]

Kevin's Bears are scary fast.  I bet Mike Hendren is still having yellow and blue nightmares.  Long way to go of course, but November could get very interesting once again.

As for this outing, my issues are the same as Kevin's - fall is soccer season - so no weekend golf for me until after Thanksgiving.

TH

[Matt_Cohn]

Kevin/Mike/Others,

I assume that Sundays bring a separate set of issues?

[Kevin_Reilly]

Matt, after a Saturday spent outdoors watching/coaching soccer, Sundays are a day of rest for this guy.  Not sure about the others.  Thanks for organizing this.

[Patrick Kiser]

Bummer.  Playing Pasa that day.

Been wanting to try Morgan Creek after hearing good things about it during a round at Darkhorse.

Next time.

[Kyle Henderson]

I would definitely be up for it. I played Morgan Creek around 2004ish. Great set of varied and interesting par 5s. Lots of old oaks to give it a mature feel for such a relatively new course.

[Mike Benham]

Saturdays in the fall are no good for me ...

Same here.  Three soccer games each Saturday.  

On that particular day, I'll also be watching the Bears on TV as they visit Lynn S's neck of the woods.

Cal / UCLA is that weekend?  I was thinking of a weekend jaunt to see the Bruins v. Golden Domers (10/6), or the Big Bear Battle  (10/20) ... Rustic Canyon on Saturday morning, college football at the Rose Bowl in the late afternoon/evening ...

 

[Tom Huckaby]

Saturdays in the fall are no good for me ...

Same here.  Three soccer games each Saturday.  

On that particular day, I'll also be watching the Bears on TV as they visit Lynn S's neck of the woods.

Cal / UCLA is that weekend?  I was thinking of a weekend jaunt to see the Bruins v. Golden Domers (10/6), or the Big Bear Battle  (10/20) ... Rustic Canyon on Saturday morning, college football at the Rose Bowl in the late afternoon/evening ...

 

I guess some Saturdays in the fall are better than others, huh?
 
As for moi, if I am going to abandon my coaching duties, it would be for REAL football.... although golf at Rustic Canyon is tempting.... and watching Notre Dame get slaughtered is always great fun....

[Kalen Braley]

I don't know about that Huck...

I mean did you see that impressive showing they put on for Gerogia Tech....at home on thier own field...on opening day.    

Looks like the Golden Domers have got a real quality team this year..  

[Jed Peters]

Alright, it seems like there's a bunch of people not in for October. I'm thinking the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend then? Or some other November weekend?

I know there's quite a few people who are going to be wishy-washy, or not be able to commit or what have you, but I'd like to at least get 2 groups, preferably 3.

I'm going to attempt to get a deal for everyone involved, with the caveat that we'll have to do some sort of photo deal/write-up on the course--I'm going to try to get the marketing people involved.

I'm curious as to whether or not members of this site think that hte course lives up to its #17 billing in Golfweek's best new. I know the thoughts about golfweek's reviews and all that jazz--so their credibility doesn't need to be involved here.

Also, I'd like to lock this down, as it'd be nice to try to get Kyle Phillips to join  us for a Q&A, along with our superintendent (formerly of Sherwood Country Club) as well.

If people could keep this going and throw some dates out there, that'd be awesome.

Thanks!

[Tom Huckaby]

Jed - welcome!  And you're a good egg for doing this.  That's a compliment, btw.

As for dates, from experience planning these things I've found it really works best to just pick one, set it, and those who can make it will, those who can't won't.  You're NEVER going to get a date that pleases everyone.

So please do pick a date and make it happen!

TH

ps - as for moi, I can't do any weekends likely until 2008, if then.  I have a rather crazy life.  But I know many others will take you up on this.

[John Kavanaugh]

I'm going to attempt to get a deal for everyone involved, with the caveat that we'll have to do some sort of photo deal/write-up on the course--I'm going to try to get the marketing people involved.

This is the single most dangerous statement I have ever read on this site.  When did we become for hire?

[Jed Peters]

Has nothing to do with being for "hire" John.

AT ALL. The conspiracy theories (I'm sure) are running rampant through that head of yours...but I can assure you there's nothing "expected" but perhaps a writeup on the day and some photos, which will happen regardless.

As for calling the course good, bad, or indifferent, a true "review" is honest and open...gives the real "scoop".

[John Kavanaugh]

Jed,

I leafed through the Morgan Creek website and took particular comfort in the pictures of beautiful people gracing the pages.  Have you met any of us or seen our pictures?  I do not believe that our images fit with your current marketing plan.

[Dan King]

I play almost no golf anymore, but count me in for any group outing. Just make sure we are playing a game where I don't have to hole out 18 times. I find that way to tedious.

Cheers,
Dan King

The reason I don't play golf is because i was a caddie when I was 13. Women never gave up a golf ball that was lost somewhere in the trees and thicket and down through the poison ivy. It was during one of these searches that I vowed to the Lord above that if I ever earned enough money I would never set foot on a course again.
 --Art Buckwald[/quote[

[Norbert P]

Just make sure we are playing a game where I don't have to hole out 18 times. I find that way to tedious.

Cheers,
Dan King

Dan, as usual, your statement outshines your celeb quote (though always appreciated).  

I like the idea but I'd probably just skip the tedium of the roulette wheel of my success (low odds) from the tee. Maybe I'll just drop the ball somewhere interesting to punch into the greens.

"Forget all about that macho s#*& and learn how to play guitar." JM

[ed_getka]

Jed,
  I would love to join you guys if you move to a November date. My work schedule as a nurse is already locked in for October (patients don't take the weekend off).
   

[JSPayne]

Greetings from a another lurker/newbie....

Just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in since I live and work (at another golf course) just down the road from Morgan Creek and have played there a few times. I'm sure Jed can attest to or improve upon my knowledge of the course but just a wee bit of information for those of you considering playing...

One, I would highly recommend it. I enjoy playing the course though I believe it plays rather difficult (then again I'm a lower handicap and played from the back tees in an attempt to get the FULL (read: 7000+ yard) experience and views). There are a variety of tees suitable for every level of golfer though.

Two, for those of you checking out the pictures on their website....for whatever it's worth, the nines have been switched now, so that #18 instead of #9 finishes at the clubhouse. Also, the pictures do appear to be from very near to the course opening. My first opportunity at playing this course was almost exactly how you see it in the pictures, original order of the holes and all. One of the elements that captured me was the defintion of the lines and levels throughout the course, giving it a links layout sort of feel in contouring, but in a different way, in a much more ANGULAR way. Not bad, just different. However, being in the golf course maintenance industry, I immediately began to wonder how maintenance of such abrupt linear and angular levels was. My questions were answered when I recently played the course again, as it definetely seems that the contours are significantly less defined and in some cases softened completely to more subtle and rolling level changes, much more manageable for golf course equipment. That being said, the changes are not all that bad, but I did enjoy the course more in its original state (I was just glad I wasn't the one faced with the challenge of maintaining it!).

Once again, it's worth a play. It's definetely a different feel than any other course I've played, and Jed should be proud to be a member there. It's a beautiful course and a definete challange.

[Jed Peters]

Yes, John, I've seen some pictures of how ugly some of you are. And yes, there are a lot of beautiful people out there. I rather enjoy those "member bbqs" which turn out to be more of a fashion show for the gals.

As for the contours, they've been significantly lightened up since opening in 2004/05. Reason, yes... maintenance. HOWEVER, there are a lot of nice lines still laid out and I think most/all will enjoy themselves.

About the "challenge", unfortunately I still think that it's too hard from the forward (white) tees for senior members (which we don't have many of, thankfully) and they need to rate the courses from the green tees as well.

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