2015 King's Putter venue suggestions?

[Pete Lavallee]

Is it possible to get a group on Coronado?   I like that Pow Wow suggestion, San Diego's always a cool town.  Drinks at Jim Croce's. 

The Coronado group is possible, but it would have to after 10:00 am, we don't  have enough players to lock up the course.

Croce's, where my wife worked for 3 years has closed in the Gaslamp due to a lease dispute. They have opened a new place in Banker's Hill; haven't tried it yet.

[Pete_Pittock]

Do we have the cart before the horse? Where ever the venues, the event is always organizer driven.

[Bill_McBride]

Do we have the cart before the horse? Where ever the venues, the event is always organizer driven.

"If you build it, they will come."

[John Kavanaugh]

Do we have the cart before the horse? Where ever the venues, the event is always organizer driven.

"If you build it, they will come."

Yes, all eight of em.  Maybe if you had a Max's vs GCA you could get a better turnout.  I am interested in why the KP series has failed while others have flourished.

[Kyle Casella]

How about Clear Creek Tahoe?  It's across the California border in Nevada.  Tom Ferrell the membership director there has invited the GCA before.  

Montreux is also in the area and quite a good Nicklaus track.

Also, love the Poppy + Pasa idea.

[Mike Hendren]

Never mind.

[Lou_Duran]

Pete L,

Book Barona and Coronado with an optional warm-up round at Maderas or Torrey Pines and call it the KP I Reunion.  It will be impossible to replicate the magic of the original, but with some help, maybe a good number of the alumni could be persuaded to return.  It is probably harsh to say, but the composition of the field is probably more important than the venues, and an easy location such as SD would help in this regard.  The Rustic Canyon/LA  and the Carmel/PB options could work, but a return to where it all began is probably best.  Besides, 13+ years later, you're probably in a good place on the home brewery learning curve and are definitely the man to get this rolling.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

I attended the first gathering at Barona and several others.  It seemed a good idea at the time, like minded guys who like to discuss architecture, playing a course(s) with some architectural merit and discussing it at night.  Naturally testosterone was never far away and so the North/South match play was fun.  The North seemed to think the South was no match for the Northern guns of Benham and others.  Perhaps that had some merit.

Then the North/South of California thingy was done away with to allow others to play.  Fine.  Then, with California's limitations architecturally, sites were played that had little architectural merit.  Okay so now, no competition geographically, and nothing to examine and learn from design wise.  That was it for me.

I think I can be a bit blunt because I no longer live in that part of the country and am not a candidate to play Coronado, where trees keep the balls from going into the bay and blocking some otherwise nice views.

[Tim Leahy]

Maybe if all GCA attendees put in change of address notices to Pete L's then we could play Torrey Pines North & South for the resident's rate.
Actually I would be happy to play anywhere in SD, Palm Springs or AZ in Feb. or March.

[Brad Wilbur]

It wouldn't be hard to put together a Las Vegas outing with Southern Highlands, DragonRidge, and South Shore. Pacific Links owns all three, and has put significant money in getting South Shore back in very good shape. I've lived here in the area for over 30 years; post game entertainment is quite diverse. 

[Carlyle Rood]

It's been a while since I've been on this discussion group. I can hardly believe that I eventually remembered my password.

But, if the tournament returned to Pasatiempo, that would be tantalizing.

Carlyle

[Tim Leahy]

It wouldn't be hard to put together a Las Vegas outing with Southern Highlands, DragonRidge, and South Shore. Pacific Links owns all three, and has put significant money in getting South Shore back in very good shape. I've lived here in the area for over 30 years; post game entertainment is quite diverse. 

How is the weather in Vegas in Feb/March?  KP in Vegas baby, you are so money!

[Bill_McBride]

It's been a while since I've been on this discussion group. I can hardly believe that I eventually remembered my password.

But, if the tournament returned to Pasatiempo, that would be tantalizing.

Carlyle

Carlyle, I have no idea where it is, but you are in the 2004 team photo.  Those were the days!

[Tim Leahy]

It wouldn't be hard to put together a Las Vegas outing with Southern Highlands, DragonRidge, and South Shore. Pacific Links owns all three, and has put significant money in getting South Shore back in very good shape. I've lived here in the area for over 30 years; post game entertainment is quite diverse. 

How is the weather in Vegas in Feb/March?  KP in Vegas baby, you are so money!

Anybody else interested in the Vegas KP? Maybe splurge and throw in a round at Shadow Creek before or after.

[Brad Wilbur]

Tim,

Here is info to address your earlier question about Vegas temperatures:

Average high/low temps for the months are

     February    63/34
     March        69/39
     April          78/44

March is a huge month because of March Madness.  On the first two weekends of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, courses are very busy.  April is a great month---warmer temps and less potential for high winds.

[Pete_Pittock]

any planning activity since early June?

[Jay Flemma]

What about Wine Valley? We could also play Gamble Sands or Palouse Ridge?

[Pete_Pittock]

What about Wine Valley? We could also play Gamble Sands or Palouse Ridge?

we are trying to take it back to California. I was asking if anyone there has accepted planning.






Anyway Gamble Sands is nearly four hours from Wine Valley by car.

[Pete Lavallee]

The bottom line is that there doesn't seem to be any new venues which would stimulate significant participation in So Cal. We could return to a previous venue, but again that would stiffle participation. Now if our GCA'ers from LACC would offer their humble courses as a possibility, I'm sure we would be turning participants away!

[Tim Leahy]

I still like the Vegas idea. Torrey Pines would be great or La Costa. Any connections to LACC or Riviera would be off the charts.

[David Stamm]

Pete, believe it or not, Marine Memorial might be a good supplemental course if San Diego is the settled upon destination. The course has been in great shape as of late. New irrigation and the greens have been running around 11 recently.

[Lou_Duran]

I need a good reason to return to SoCal.  San Diego or L.A. would do.  Get Huck and Gib to round up the NoCal crew- make Mr. Huntley captain with whatever playing duties he wishes to assume- and I'd bet we get a good attendance.  The inaugural KP was fantastic, perhaps setting expectations too unreasonably high for those that followed.

[Tom Yost]

The original idea of the KP was NorCal vs. SoCal with alternating host locales.  The past several events have been kind of scattered and the regionality of it has been lost.  That's not a bad thing at all because major props to anyone volunteering to take charge and set something up. Not complaining.

But strictly from the calendar view, it is SoCal's turn.   

I've often pondered the idea of doing it in AZ.  Problem is that the March-April timeframe is dead in the middle of high tourist season where golf and hotel rates are at a peak.  Pushing it into May gets better rates but increasingly high temperatures.

[Pete Lavallee]

We do have a very interesting option here in SD, play Torrey Pines North before Phil blows it up the day after the Farmers. The redesign is scheduled to start the day after the Tournament. On the plus side:

We play what may be William Francis Bell's best remaining work before it goes under the knife.
We can return in few years when the redesign is properly grown in; spirited discussion could break out amongst those who have played both iterations.

On the negative side:

We can schedule Tournaments 4 months in advance for a group as small a 16 players. We can't back down the number of players once we commit, that could be tough with this group as last minute cancellations are commonplace.
The out of town rate on the North is $100 on the weekend, so that would be the minimum fee.
The Farmers is Feb. 5-8 this year. The courses close two weeks in advance so we would need to play there mid Jan.
The rough will be up for the Tournament, so you better be able to hit a 22 yard wide fairway or things could get ugly!
 
This could be combined this with rounds at Barona Creek and Marine Memorial or possibly Coronado or Balboa.

This would be more geared towards architectural interest rather than belt notching; beard pullers unite!

Any interest in this format?

[Bill_McBride]

Pete, I played the Navy's Admiral Baker course in the '60's when I was on active duty there.  I remember, quite vaguely, some interesting holes.  What's it like, is it accessible?   I love the idea of playing Balboa which I never have. 

What about the Singing Hills courses?   Pretty far away from the ocean.   Is LaJolla not an option?   I know you have great clout in San Diego!