There has been a great deal of discussion about the Olympic Club Lake Course the last month of so. Much of it got away from what is great about this club and course. I will never know this course like Gib or several of the other members who have spent their entire life time there. I have played there for over 13 years but have only been a Member for 7. I have not been there in over a year due to this health issue. Yet, the members, staff and course never leave my mind. It is one of the great Athletic Clubs in the world. The members and many ou know on here are part of this greatness. Many stay in tough with me through this illness with emails calls and support on a regular basis. As a son of the south it make sit indeed special to have friends from the west coast take the time to root me on and to get back out there playing asap. It is a special place that is its own man so to speak. The first impression I got was just how beautiful the place was. The architecture of the clubhouse and the natural beauty of the course. I mentioned in an earlier post about great drives to a club and entrances. The Olympic club takes your breath away when you turn onto the Skyline Highway overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Gib took me over to the par 3 course to warm up. I was blown away watching the hang glider soaring down the coast as I hit a 4 iron to the first hole. It was so fun to play challenging and fun holes on a bluff over the ocean. The members have always impressed me. I have become good friends with many of them, some in the loop big time and others who are just good guys who enjoy their free time there. It seems even when playing alone I meet a golfer who has an interesting story or life. I guess I have played with 5 or 6 Presidents of the club just showing up looking for a game. I had the privilege of representing the Club in the Carr Mara Invitational which we won. I have only gotten to play in 3 other competitions. That is the lone regret. It is a great club for those who like to compete. The course is what matters and not my experiences there. The first hole is a good warm up hole on its face. One needs to do nothing more than hit it in the fairway off the tee and then hit a rescue club to in front of the cross bunkers 80 ish yards in front of the green. Then wedge ones way in. The problem is the 3rd shot. The wind is very tricky and it is amazingly hard to get close. The green is hard to putt too.It appear benign but it is not. I have 3 putted it as often as one or two putted. The USGA is making it a par 4 which makes it a heck of a tough hole and frankly imho one with too small a green for for a par 4. It now joins the next 5 holes as bruts. The view of the golden gate bridge half way down the first hole reminds one of where you are and what an incredibly cool place it is. The 2nd hole is a great great hole. For me it is hard call as to whether to hit a 3 wood or driver off the tee. You cannot make par from the rough and the fairway really moves the ball from right to left. Naturally the hole is a dog leg right and one and half clubs uphill to another small green. You must stay below the hole as well. The driver gives me a 6 or 7 iron to the green where as the 3 wood gives a rescue to 4 iron. It is hard to hold the long iron, so it is a hard call early in the round. The fairway gives one a view of 3rd, 5th and 8th greens. You just smile as to what lies ahead. I might add I hit a 7 150 a 6 160 4 180 etc. or at least I did till now. but my roundsa t OLy Club were those distances.