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Jordan Wall

  • Karma: +0/-0
Menlo Country Club
« on: December 25, 2012, 12:23:45 PM »
Whose played it?

Thoughts?

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #1 on: December 25, 2012, 01:04:43 PM »
Jordan -

I have lived in the SF Bay Area for 40 years. Menlo CC has to be the most low-profile golf club around here. I have almost never heard any mention of the course or the club at all.

DT
« Last Edit: December 25, 2012, 05:03:55 PM by David_Tepper »

Steve_ Shaffer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2012, 01:43:45 PM »
"Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses ... "  Adlai Stevenson
Hyman Roth to Michael Corleone: "We're bigger than US Steel."
Ben Hogan “The most important shot in golf is the next one”

Jordan Wall

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2012, 05:08:35 PM »
Nothing?

I'm teeing it up here a few times this upcoming week and would love to hear a bit about the course or see from pictures from those who've played.


Jordan Wall

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #4 on: December 25, 2012, 05:28:15 PM »
If they allow photos and the girl lets me use her camera I certainly will!

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2012, 06:15:24 PM »
"The girl?"   Inquiring minds demand details! 

Jordan Wall

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #6 on: December 25, 2012, 09:03:43 PM »
What about info on Sharon Heights CC?

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #7 on: December 25, 2012, 10:40:43 PM »
Jordan -

If Gib P. sees this thread, I imagine he will respond. He is our resident authority on Bay Area golf and the SF Peninsula is his golfing back yard. He is rarely shy about sharing his thoughts and opinions with us! ;)

I have never played Sharon Heights, but it has a much, much higher profile than Menlo CC. Sharon Heights has hosted many USGA and NCGA qualifying events and has been the home club for a number of the highly ranked NCGA amateurs.

DT 

Jon Spaulding

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #8 on: December 26, 2012, 12:54:41 AM »
I've played it a decent amount.

Some quirk, short, well kept, tight property. I believe it's a Tom Nicoll layout, with Jones rework downstream. Same idea as San Jose CC.

Would rate it a 4 when all is said & done.....couple of nice holes but never felt it was worth the time for a tour.

I believe Phillips was hired to do some meaningful work there, thought it was underway by now.

Sharon heights is OK as well, Fleming layout. Hard from men's tees. Big trees, lots of VC $$$ nearby.

If you're hanging out in the area, be sure to play Stanford GC.
You'd make a fine little helper. What's your name?

Jordan Wall

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #9 on: December 26, 2012, 12:51:58 PM »
I've played it a decent amount.

Some quirk, short, well kept, tight property. I believe it's a Tom Nicoll layout, with Jones rework downstream. Same idea as San Jose CC.

Would rate it a 4 when all is said & done.....couple of nice holes but never felt it was worth the time for a tour.

I believe Phillips was hired to do some meaningful work there, thought it was underway by now.

Sharon heights is OK as well, Fleming layout. Hard from men's tees. Big trees, lots of VC $$$ nearby.

If you're hanging out in the area, be sure to play Stanford GC.

Unfortunately Stanford GC won't be happening this trip.  I'll be back in the area many times and will surely get it in at some point.

Maybe one of these times I'll bring Ball down with me and we could get a game....call Menlo CC, "El Nig Dos" or something. 

Keith Doleshel

Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #10 on: December 26, 2012, 01:16:26 PM »
Sharon Heights is the Peninsula's big money club.  As Jon said, it is tough from the back tees.  Very tree lined, lots of difficult driving holes.  Quite a bit of elevation change, plays longer than the yardage on scorecard (around 6,700 yards from back tees) Usually in very good shape, although if plays soft year round.  Definitely a course where the members seem to want it lush and green all the time.  Could use some tree removal, but all in all a good, solid test.  Worth playing if in the area and get access to play it.

Tim Leahy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #11 on: December 26, 2012, 02:14:44 PM »
Sharon Heights used to have the best fastest greens I have ever played next to LACC North, but I have not played there in 25 years.
I love golf, the fightin irish, and beautiful women depending on the season and availability.

Jon Spaulding

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #12 on: December 26, 2012, 02:44:36 PM »
I've played it a decent amount.

Some quirk, short, well kept, tight property. I believe it's a Tom Nicoll layout, with Jones rework downstream. Same idea as San Jose CC.

Would rate it a 4 when all is said & done.....couple of nice holes but never felt it was worth the time for a tour.

I believe Phillips was hired to do some meaningful work there, thought it was underway by now.

Sharon heights is OK as well, Fleming layout. Hard from men's tees. Big trees, lots of VC $$$ nearby.

If you're hanging out in the area, be sure to play Stanford GC.

Unfortunately Stanford GC won't be happening this trip.  I'll be back in the area many times and will surely get it in at some point.

Maybe one of these times I'll bring Ball down with me and we could get a game....call Menlo CC, "El Nig Dos" or something. 

Strike the word maybe, replace Ball with Leary, I'll sign up for that deal.

If you bark like a dog, I'll load some photos of Menlo up to the interweb.
You'd make a fine little helper. What's your name?

Jordan Wall

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #13 on: December 26, 2012, 02:50:18 PM »
I've played it a decent amount.

Some quirk, short, well kept, tight property. I believe it's a Tom Nicoll layout, with Jones rework downstream. Same idea as San Jose CC.

Would rate it a 4 when all is said & done.....couple of nice holes but never felt it was worth the time for a tour.

I believe Phillips was hired to do some meaningful work there, thought it was underway by now.

Sharon heights is OK as well, Fleming layout. Hard from men's tees. Big trees, lots of VC $$$ nearby.

If you're hanging out in the area, be sure to play Stanford GC.

Unfortunately Stanford GC won't be happening this trip.  I'll be back in the area many times and will surely get it in at some point.

Maybe one of these times I'll bring Ball down with me and we could get a game....call Menlo CC, "El Nig Dos" or something. 

Strike the word maybe, replace Ball with Leary, I'll sign up for that deal.

If you bark like a dog, I'll load some photos of Menlo up to the interweb.

How about you do the barking and upload them anyways?

And I like where your heads at.  I'd assume just invite them both and make four. 

Jon Spaulding

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #14 on: December 26, 2012, 02:57:51 PM »
Let's not get crazy here; major imbalance when more than 50% of the foursome is grunge.

Your request constitutes a woof. I'll load a few up tomorrow when time permits.
You'd make a fine little helper. What's your name?

Mike Benham

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #15 on: December 27, 2012, 01:01:55 PM »

I believe Phillips was hired to do some meaningful work there, thought it was underway by now.



The planned work will begin shortly, in a few months.
"... and I liked the guy ..."

Gib_Papazian

Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #16 on: December 29, 2012, 03:09:00 PM »
In the same vein as Burlingame CC (where I caddied as a snot-nosed kid), Menlo is an extremely low-profile club, hidden behind a nondescript gate along Woodside road in Redwood City. The two are socially and architecturally similar with low-key, wealthy memberships that eschew any nouveau riche showboating; you'll not hear any Turbo 911's thundering up the drive. Everyone tip-toes in and tip-toes out, making nary a ripple, even in the clubhouse bar.

The golf course is a bit short and cramped, but elegant and a relaxing round for every skill level. Aside from a handful of true gunners, the membership seems to view the golf course as a form of recreation not to be taken too seriously. My impression was that - like BCC - Menlo acts as a sort of annex to a number of the members, who also belong at SFGC and perhaps Cypress or MPCC. It has been a few years and things change of course.

Some of the redesign work over the years - the par-4 #11th comes to mind - are hopeless architectural non-sequiteurs. It looked a bit like Ron Freem's work at Peninsula CC and Richmond - which was not his fault. Memberships who play a game of musical architects inevitably spend money recklessly and are eventually forced to finally erase all the new work. In these cases, the remodel went to Ron Forse at Peninsula and Neal at Richmond, although at Richmond they still have no vision of what they are trying to achieve. Maybe the members at Menlo learn from such cautionary tales.

Burlingame CC and Menlo are also very similar golfing experiences: With par-4s routed with short turns on the doglegs that give a choice of a 3-wood layup or driver with some movement on the ball. I recall several holes presenting little more than an alley of trees, with branches hanging over fairway bunkers like waiting vultures.

After the transformation of Cal Club, it is difficult to argue with handing Kyle the chainsaw and pencil, but several years ago, I had several G&T's with Bobby Jones in the bar. He has been a member for quite some time and we talked over some improvements he had in mind for his home track. I cannot understand why the club would choose Kyle - who I believe worked for Jones II - instead of the head man, who likely would have done the work for cheap or free.

I've never been a big fan of Jones Sr.'s work - even Spyglass could have been better by building the clubhouse at the bottom of the hill - but Bobby's stuff (whether his or the staff) is generally terrific. This statement might put me in the penalty box or land me a seat in the Argument Clinic (Monty Python), but with one exception, I go out of my way to play courses from his stable.

No doubt Kyle will work his magic though and I'm inclined to agree that the golf course is a "4" now; however, the bones of the property do not strike me as particularly promising, so if it reaches a "6" on the Doak scale I'll consider it an astounding transformation.           
« Last Edit: December 29, 2012, 04:01:06 PM by Gib Papazian »

Jordan Wall

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #17 on: December 29, 2012, 03:54:52 PM »
Let's not get crazy here; major imbalance when more than 50% of the foursome is grunge.

Your request constitutes a woof. I'll load a few up tomorrow when time permits.

Hey!....

Gib_Papazian

Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #18 on: December 29, 2012, 06:52:27 PM »
I'm having a difficult time grasping the significance of "woof," so if somebody would kindly let me in on the joke, that would be nice.

Keith,

Aside from quiet billions at BCC and Menlo, Los Altos is the winner of the S.F. Peninsula's "mo dollars than sense" award - but only during the cyclical Internet booms. The busts are uglier than Janet Reno in a thong.

At one point, Los Altos was asking (and getting) $450K for a membership, plus an insane monthly rip-job. Once retail investors (read: suckers victimized by a pyramid scheme) put down their champagne glasses and took a hard look at the PE ratios of all the tech start-ups, the roof caved in - leaving all the geniuses and their plastic titted, funny-money-honeys pawning their Tiffany drawer.

Every club between (and including) Sharon Heights to La Rinconada profited handsomely from the mad scramble for status memberships. Cal Club got some of the overflow, but their membership has remained low-key and committed to golf, not social lubrication with cases of Screaming Eagle Cabernet. There is a gentleman named Al Jamieson who watches over Cal Club like Clifford Roberts; hence, the membership never whores itself to fad or fashion.

I'll throw CordeValle in the category of courses that came over to the dark side, but the stories I've heard from inside the clubhouse sound like everybody had a rippin' good time before the spigot shut off. A quiet corner devoted to the pursuit of hot chicks and hard liquor is tough to argue with . . . . . word is that the fun was curtailed in favor of more decorous behavior.       

   
« Last Edit: December 29, 2012, 11:01:07 PM by Gib Papazian »

Mike Benham

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #19 on: March 01, 2013, 11:58:32 AM »
Work on Menlo CC began in February 2013.

The course is brown, equipment is on property, piping is on property, stakes with streamers are all about.

18-months is the timeframe for completion.
"... and I liked the guy ..."

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #20 on: March 01, 2013, 12:10:39 PM »
This statement might put me in the penalty box or land me a seat in the Argument Clinic (Monty Python),

(GCA) Argument Clinic, great call Gib!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdoGVgj1MtY

Joel_Stewart

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #21 on: March 01, 2013, 03:37:43 PM »
Finally.  18 months seems like a long time but I don't know the extent of the work?

Kyle is a really smart guy and I suspect (I could be wrong) he will seek Bobbys thoughts on certain issues.  If he doesn't he opens himself up to a sabotage effort. 

Wayne Wiggins, Jr.

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #22 on: July 19, 2013, 06:15:18 PM »
bump.

Has anyone seen any of the work being done at Menlo?  Who here can hop the wall and snap some pictures?

W

Wayne Wiggins, Jr.

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #23 on: November 20, 2013, 01:22:03 PM »
Drove past Menlo CC yesterday... looks like lots of work still going on.  Does anyone have status on this?  Joel, Kevin, Mike B., Gib, and other Bay Area guys any insight to when this opens?

Kevin_Reilly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Menlo Country Club
« Reply #24 on: November 20, 2013, 02:03:22 PM »
No help from me.  Menlo is probably the only Bay Area course that I have never played.  Joel posted a positive comment about Kyle Phillips's work there in a thread about the Top 4 architects, so maybe he has seen something recently.
"GOLF COURSES SHOULD BE ENJOYED RATHER THAN RATED" - Tom Watson

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