Pajaro Valley or Coyote Creek?

[Bill Brightly]

Quick help needed! (My other oiption fell through.) Need a course for Wed afternoon on my drive in from San Jose to Pebble. Parjaro Valley, Coyote Creek Tournament ot CC Valley?

Thanks!

[Adam Clayman]

Depends on what you want Bill. I'm partial to Pajaro for it's unique brand of fun and excellent firm conditions.

[Tom Huckaby]

Bill:

How important are logistics (ease to get to), cost, and quality?

There are other options, also - lots of courses between SJ and Pebble.  Are you limited to just these choices?

Coyote Creek - both courses are OK, nothing great, nothing bad.  Both are quite expensive, representative of our area.  But each are right there off of 101 so logistics are perfect.

Pajaro Valley is VERY fun, with damn well the best greens in terms of combination of contour and speed anywhere in the greater Bay Area - I am not kidding.  But the course is kinda "raw" in terms of service... that is it is comfortable and down-home, but don't expect bag boys or the like.  To that end it is pretty darn cheap - great bang for the buck.  But it is way over in Royal Oaks (Watsonville) and will require a little detour to reach... if time is an issue, it could be problematic.

There are others... want other suggestions?

TH

[John_Conley]

I don't know Coyote Creek, but I did see the Pajaro course with Pete Galea (a great guy that occasionally posts here) and think you can't go wrong there.  Did anything ever happen to move to 27 holes with housing?

[Kalen Braley]

If your considering Coyote Creek, then you should consider Cinnabar as an alternative.  Its cheaper than CC IIRC and a much more interesting course.

[Tom Huckaby]

Agreed with Kalen there about Cinnabar; three nines, all good, but generally cart-ball as well.  If you are a militant walker, stick to one of the others.  Note also Cinnabar ain't exactly cheap either.

Other choices would be Pasatiempo, San Juan Oaks, Bayonet/Blackhorse, Spring Hills (quirk to the max), Pacific Grove Muni, a few others... and then even more if you can access private clubs. 

TH

[Bill Brightly]

Pasatiempo was my first choice but I heard they aerated the greens last week. (Because we fly in the AM, we'll get twilight rates, so Coyote Creek wasn't that bad. )Think I'll try Pajaro Valley. I am playing Pebble-Spyglass-Spanish Bay Thur-Fri-Sat, so I will have plenty of fun golf this weekend!

Thanks guys!

[TX Golf]

Bayonet/Blackhorse might have been your best best but I think currently there is only 9 from each course open due to the controversial renovation.

[Tom Huckaby]

Bill - if you go with the right attitude, you will definitely enjoy Pajaro.  And I'd agree that passing up Pasatiempo with aerated greens is a good call.  But what I mean is that well.... all of the other courses you are playing are most definitely high-end.  In this respect, Pajaro will stand out like a sore thumb as it is definitely a mom and pop operation... but the good news is the "pop" is indeed Pete Galea, one of golf's good guys and overall saints, sometime contributor here.  And I am not kidding about the greens - I feel confident that unless Pete had some difficulties since I was there a few months ago, they will be the best you see on your trip.

Keep expectations low re amenities, but allow them to go wild re greens.

I'd also advise getting good directions and allowing a lot of time to get there.

TH

[Tom Huckaby]

Pasatiempo was my first choice but I heard they aerated the greens last week. (Because we fly in the AM, we'll get twilight rates, so Coyote Creek wasn't that bad. )Think I'll try Pajaro Valley. I am playing Pebble-Spyglass-Spanish Bay Thur-Fri-Sat, so I will have plenty of fun golf this weekend!

Thanks guys!

I say blow off golf that day, go to Hola!, get hammered on tequila and go play the lighted 9-hole by the driving range just south of SFO.  That's a hoot.

That is one HELL of a great idea also.

The place is Mariner's Point - an old haunt of mine when I lived closer there.

Very, very, very fun - especially under the shivas plan.

TH

[Kalen Braley]

Pasatiempo was my first choice but I heard they aerated the greens last week. (Because we fly in the AM, we'll get twilight rates, so Coyote Creek wasn't that bad. )Think I'll try Pajaro Valley. I am playing Pebble-Spyglass-Spanish Bay Thur-Fri-Sat, so I will have plenty of fun golf this weekend!

Thanks guys!

I say blow off golf that day, go to Hola!, get hammered on tequila and go play the lighted 9-hole by the driving range just south of SFO.  That's a hoot.

That is one HELL of a great idea also.

The place is Mariner's Point - an old haunt of mine when I lived closer there.

Very, very, very fun - especially under the shivas plan.

TH

And also includes some of the best views in the entire bay area.  I used to live in Foster City and loved playing there in the evening or going for walks by the bay.

[Mike Benham]

Bayonet/Blackhorse might have been your best best but I think currently there is only 9 from each course open due to the controversial renovation.

WARNING:  THREADJACK IN PROCESS, PROCEED WITH CAUTION !!!


Robert -

In what way is it controversial?

Are the residents of Seaside upset?  Is there financial risk with the project?  Is it the redesign of the courses?

Curious as to what you have heard ...

- mb

[TX Golf]

Mike,

I actually recently played the course... just over a month ago and really enjoyed it. I found that the bunkering on the Blackhorse Course was quite fabricated as they were all very shallow and looked like cookie cutters. I don't have a problem with either, but I have heard many people state that it took away from the originality of the course. There was a previous thread in which many people weren't exactly thrilled with the redo. I would personally be happy to play Bayonet at any time, not so much Blackhorse for the price. When was the last time you played down there??

Robert

[Bill Brightly]

TH,

Thanks for the info on Paraja. I will go in with a GREAT attitude because all three rounds are Pebble/Spyglass/Spanish Bay, plus lodging and meals, are on the company that is hosting the event! It was a couples invite, and my wife chose parents weekend at a college, so I get to bring my brother in from Florida who would probably never get to play on those courses.

He will be pleased with Paraja because my other option to Pasa was MPCC on a reciprocal for a bigger $ #, but they have a practice round for their big invitational. Too bad, I would have loved to play there!

Shivas,

Thanks for the idea. Rather than blow off a round of golf, I am leaning towards playing Pebble at 8 AM, blowing off the fancy dinner I am supposed to attend, and heading up to Hola and the nine holer!!!

[TX Golf]

Never had the chance to play Hola... but I might have to check it out after hearing Shivas rave about it. However, I can attest to a few crazy nights at Mariner's point under the lights. Good times!!!

[Matt_Cohn]

In this context, Coyote would only be worth it if you really like Nicklaus. Generally, it's pleasant but not special.

[scott_wood]

Thoroughly recommend PAJARO.....for a person who isn't name hunting but  appreciates/loves the game, Pajaro is a good pick.....played  Pajero with gracious host/super Pete Galea in early spring  and Pajaro exceeded all expectations.....FUN is the operative word....challenging greens/complexes....good naturalized setting...excelant conditioning...as of April the proposed expansion to 27 holes was nearing the finish of teh " permitting process"... 11 YEARS AFTER IT FIRST WAS PROPOSED!!!!

status Pete?.

[Peter Galea]

Bill, Check your IM and call me re: golf at Pajaro.

Hi Scott, plans for the redo and addition are still ongoing and ongoing and ongoing.
See you upstate in November.

[Bill Brightly]

Pete,

I replied to your IM. Hope to see you there!

[rchesnut]

I'd go with San Juan Oaks or Pajaro.  Pasa punched their greens and fairways a week ago, and they're obviously not back yet, and they're also redoing the third tee now.  Coyote Creek would be at the bottom of my list...it's overpriced and not very interesting.  Great views of Hwy 101 from most holes.  I'd avoid it.  I wouldn't go as far as Huck and call Pajaro's greens the best in the area (if MacKenzie weren't already dead, Huck's claim would send him to his grave), but they are interesting, and I think Pajaro is an excellent value for your golfing dollar.  SJO is a good, solid upscale daily fee course.  Rob

[Tom Huckaby]

Rob:

Obviously I had your club in mind when I made that claim re Pajaro.

And you know my love for Pasatiempo.  God help me I do love it so.  I also surely do not want to cause any grave rolling.

But I shall sit here in good faith and state this:  when Pajaro's greens are at their best - as they were when I was last there - I will call them superior to Pasatiempo's in terms of conditions and how they play.

Now if you succeed on that quest to keep Pasatiempo's under 10 stimp, the roles will reverse.  In terms of DESIGN, oh yes, the good Doctor wins out - by far.

But in terms of how they play?

Too fast at Pasatiempo still does equal absurd.  And although they were getting there the last time I played the course (with you), well... unfortunately it was right after the big member tournament or whatever, so absurd and too fast was still a bit of the order of the day.  I trust that next time there it will be more the perfection that Pasatiempo's greens CAN be (like on a wet winter day in the past when they necessarily slowed down, bringing out all the cool pin placements and wacky contoured putts without the absurdity of balls rolling back to your feet).

In the meantime Pete tends to have his rolling, wacky greens seemingly always the perfect speed, allowing for terror but not absurdity.

So yes, I call them the best greens in the Bay Area.

TH

[Mike Benham]

Mike,

When was the last time you played down there??

Robert

Robert -

I last played Bayonet in the King's Putter last year.  We played a combo of the new front 9 and old back 9 at Bayonet and if anyone asks, I out drove Jordan on the first hole.

Not many, including me, responded favorably to the new front 9.  We could see some of the completed holes of Blackhorse and they did look interesting but your take is not so.

I was curious if you had heard any grumblings about the overall project itself, as there were rumors that it might be in trouble last year.  With recent events in the housing and financial markets, a hotel and residential development that will require visitors with deep pockets, I wonder if they are still plugging along on the construction front.

Seaside is no Pebble Beach ...

- mb

[TX Golf]

Mike,

I hadn't heard anything regarding the actual construction and finances of the operation. When I was there they were still plugging along on the construction of the other nines. However, I can't imagine that it is a good situation down there. I think the plan was for a 300-400 room luxury hotel as well as time shares. And like you said, seaside isn't quite Pebble Beach. When is the King's Putter normally held. Is it a Nor-Cal vs. So-Cal format??

[Tom Huckaby]

Robert:

THE KING'S PUTTER is an almost (we missed one year) annual competition between teams of regulars here (and some irregulars and friends), loosely based on the NorCal v. SoCal format, but more whimsical in its presentation and execution.

OK, what the hell did that mean?

Basically it's a get together we've been doing for a few years now... usually held in spring... team matches, match play, think Ryder Cup.  Next year's event is to be played somewhere in SoCal - watch this site for details.

TH

[TX Golf]

I will keep an eye out. Sounds like a blast.