[Patrick_Mucci]

Tommy,

I think the drone photos provide a more comprehensive presentation, and, being able to get above the ground provides a perspective not previously available from most photos.

If you get the chance, it would be neat if you could follow the stream from where it enters the property to where it leaves the property.

Happy New Year

[Peter Kelly]

Jordan:

I am the wrong person to ask and have no knowledge of the details at Wilshire.

I have heard different rumors, one being that corp of engineers does have a problem with a renovation plan of the barranca as it is crucial to the drainage of storm water in the neighborhood.  To me it doesn't make sense since restoring it will enlarge the area and allow for greater runoff?

The other aspect is that this entire project has been done in phases due to budgeting.  The last phase is a restoration is the 16th and 18th
greens and will move forward when the club has the means to do so.  As you mentioned, to properly restore it, the barranca will need to be stabilized so it doesn't deteriorate. 

First, thanks everyone for the kind words regarding Wilshire and especially the restoration.

The restoration of the 16th and 18th barranca & greens  is technically feasible, but needs the cooperation of several agencies as well as sufficient funds to do it right. We've had preliminary discussions with the flood control district which wants to re-route the runoff from the barranca to a large pipe system that may run under part of the course. That would relieve the burden on the barranca, thus making it more feasible for the restoration to proceed.

In an interim phase, this winter we begin a turf reduction in January that will convert about 22 acres into drought tolerant materials. Most of that acreage is around the perimeter of the course as well as some of the tee-green carries. It will require that we close the front 9 in January/February and then the back 9 for the months of March and April. During the closures, there will be other improvements including new bunker sand/liners, more tree removal and other infrastructure. Kyle's firm is consulting on this project to ensure the integrity of the architecture with a somewhat updated look. In the summer, the same bermuda hybrid that we have on the fairways will be soddedi onto the remaining grassy areas of rough and carries so by summer's end there will be only one grass on the entire course.

Seems the work is never done, but we are getting there! I hope more of you are able to enjoy playing Wilshire in the years ahead.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Peter,

Congratulations on the completed work and good luck on the future projects.

I'm a huge fan of Wilshire.
It's a course that presents a diverse and enjoyable challenge, one that doesn't diminish with repeat play.
There's something really "sporty" about Wilshire.

However, I'm more than leary of governmental agencies, especially California governmental agencies.

All too often, after tentative and final approvals have been granted, agencies alter or add to the requirements, leaving the project managers hanging in the wind with little in the way of attractive options.

Good Luck

[Peter Kelly]

I share your skepticism over the agencies, but we have no choice but to work with them. The turf reduction program will be reimbursed to us by L.A. DWP after completion of the work this spring. The flood district also has funds to pay for the re-routing, etc. so it is worth the effort. It will be an interesting process for sure.

[Bill_McBride]

Peter, I'm so glad you've kept the sandy bottom barrancas versus the velcro carpeted barrancas at Riviera.  Have you kept the kikuyu out of the fairways and surrounds?

[Peter Kelly]

No kikuyu of which I'm aware. (I dont even like talking about that stuff!)

[Pat Burke]

I've had the great fortune to play a few rounds at Wilshire.  A very fun course.  I was last out there shortly after
many of the bunkers had been redone.  They were new and very severe.  Will be interesting to see how they have "aged".

As in an earlier post, I want to give a shout out to Mr Reilly.  IMO on top of the pyramid for Club Professionals in Southern Cal.

Great club.

[Bill_McBride]

No kikuyu of which I'm aware. (I dont even like talking about that stuff!)

The Valley Club has a crew out every day looking for that stuff.

LaCumbre has it wall to wall and I hate it.  I played college golf there 50 years ago and it was fast and firm in those days.

[Peter Kelly]

I've had the great fortune to play a few rounds at Wilshire.  A very fun course.  I was last out there shortly after
many of the bunkers had been redone.  They were new and very severe.  Will be interesting to see how they have "aged".

As in an earlier post, I want to give a shout out to Mr Reilly.  IMO on top of the pyramid for Club Professionals in Southern Cal.
Great club.

I think you would find that the bunkers have aged well. After a couple of years of play, it was clear that a few of them were too severe. It was too difficult to get a playable lie. Kyle came back and removed a few of the new bunkers and tweaked a few others to make them less penal. Come back and check them out!

[David Ober]

I've played in Wilshire's invitational, "The Macbeth" every year for the last few years and can tell you from first-hand tournament experience that it is an absolute delight to play: Interesting, challenging, and fun in equal amounts, with generally fantastic putting surfaces and always a bit of afternoon wind to elevate the challenge. Lots of variety and just a blast to play.

[Stephen Davis]

I will add my voice to the others here. I absolutely love Wilshire! Being from Los Angeles, it was over shadowed in the past, but thanks to the most recent work, the course truly shines. As others have said, the arroyo is used masterfully. Nowhere on the property is this more evident than the 12th hole. The tree clearing on that hole really allows a pulled shot to move along the ground and flirt with the arroyo, where as before it would have gone into rough and trees.

[Mac Plumart]

Incredible "sense of place" at Wilshire.  This is highlighted by the "Hollywood" sign that looms in the background. 

[Terry Lavin]

Incredible "sense of place" at Wilshire.  This is highlighted by the "Hollywood" sign that looms in the background.  

And the El Royale Hotel sign which is visible from the 9th tee.  Legend has it that Hogan asked for his target and was told to aim at the sign. "Which letter," was his rejoinder.

[Lynn_Shackelford]

A few thoughts on this facility which I first played about 40 years ago.

1.  It has always been a sleeper, a fine walk, not a long one and always sitting there waiting for a good restoration.

2.  In his review I don't think Ran gave the 10th its due.  When you warm-up, when you are in the clubhouse, the 10th is always visible and a waiting delight to play knowing that your iron must be very accurate or a 4 or worse awaits you.

3.  One of the issues with the barranca is that the north part of the course absorbs all the neighborhood street runoff above the course, and when it rains hard, that part of the neighborhood collects huge amounts of runoff.

4.  My old announcing partner, Chick Hearn, was an avid golfer and member in the 1950s and 60s.  As an NBC announcer, he hosted Arnold Palmer there and said Arnie had to lay-up on the 16th(555 yards).  He also hosted the young NBA star Jerry West who only used a two wood.  Jerry hit two wood, two wood onto the green on the 16th in the early 1960s.

5.  I am glad to hear some bunkers have been removed, for my eye there are far too many installed in this "restoration."  It appears that the tree removal and hybrid bermuda alone have greatly benefitted the property.  The old common bermuda gave the place a poorly maintained feel.

6.  As mentioned above, the afternoon sea breeze is just about right for keeping the temperature down and providing interest in playing some holes.  Ran discreetly passes over what are pretty mundane holes, 8th, 13th(affected by condo construction), 14th, and 17th.

7.  I hope the mound on #2 has not been changed.  It appears so in the photos.  It was a unique aspect of the course and playing of the hole.

8.  Not sure who the male is, but I think Tommy was referring to Mae West who resided in the Royale.  Which reminds me that one of the fun aspects of the place is playing golf in the inner city.  It is pretty cool knowing that Hollywood is only a few blocks away.

9.  Ditto that on their good fortune to have Mr. Reilly as pro.  Does the superintendent still reside on the premises.  I thought it was always pretty cool that he resided there in this once very upscale neighborhood of Hancock Park.

[David Ober]

A few thoughts on this facility which I first played about 40 years ago.

1.  It has always been a sleeper, a fine walk, not a long one and always sitting there waiting for a good restoration.

2.  In his review I don't think Ran gave the 10th its due.  When you warm-up, when you are in the clubhouse, the 10th is always visible and a waiting delight to play knowing that your iron must be very accurate or a 4 or worse awaits you.

Lynn,

The 10th is truly a stand-out hole -- especially during tournament time. It can play as little as a PW to the front left, and as long as a 5-iron to the back right, and when there are several dozen people milling about who then stop to watch as you tee off, the "sphincter-factor" goes up to 11 as you address your shot! LOL

[William_G]

Enjoyed Wilshire 2 days ago with some fellow GCAers on my trip to the first Championship game of college football, the Rose Bowl.

The tree rermovals have been fantastic and the sod removal will also be fantastic in many ways.

To associate golf with Hollywood at this special club, designed and built by Macbeth long before LA became LaLaLand...is a story in itself.

Go Ducks

[Patrick_Mucci]

David & Lynn,

The diversity in play found on # 10 is fantastic.

And, it's not confined to distance and club selection, but, ball flight as well.

That well protected angled green presents a difficult target and when you add any kind of breeze/wind, the hole becomes exponentially more challenging.

It's a fabulous hole, one that you'll never tire of.

By the way, # 4 is also a terrific par 3 with tons of diversity centered around hole location.

[William_G]

yes #10 is a great hole with a classic narrow angled green and with a little wind in your face you really need the right yardage, trajectory and the right line

the wind may swirl there as well

great setting next to 18 and the clubhouse!!!!

[Tommy Naccarato]

Lynn, Marilyn Monroe and Jack... (I don't mean Nicholson! )

[Pete_Pittock]

LPGA there this week. Fantastic.

[V_Halyard]

There are few things as festive in SoCal as the reverie of a round at Wilshire with Tommy and the Wilshire Friends of Tommy Nacc Society. It’s a place that has fun, having fun playing golf. Great restoration and update work continues on this great urban-locked tract of history.
Club has continued with corridor updates and essential tree management. 
(2017-2019).
Have a watch this week. Good course views to be had thanks to the LPGA.

[Peter Kelly]

The split screen dual “coverage” on Golf Channel is infuriating. I was there Saturday first marshaling then spectating. Came home to fire up the dvr and watch everything I misssd only to find GC covering the alligator infested Zurich member-member splitting (dominating) screen time with the LA Open. I know there are contract issues that GC is stuck with but terribly frustrating to be force fed the inane chatter of the PGA broadcast crew on a boring course while only getting snippets of full screen coverage of Wilshire. It highlighted the much slower pace of play at the Zurich compared to the women. This week the women have a better product on a more interesting, historic venue (yes I’m biased but...). Yet they are given short shrift in coverage. There must be a better way.

[Jeff Schley]

The split screen dual “coverage” on Golf Channel is infuriating. I was there Saturday first marshaling then spectating. Came home to fire up the dvr and watch everything I misssd only to find GC covering the alligator infested Zurich member-member splitting (dominating) screen time with the LA Open. I know there are contract issues that GC is stuck with but terribly frustrating to be force fed the inane chatter of the PGA broadcast crew on a boring course while only getting snippets of full screen coverage of Wilshire. It highlighted the much slower pace of play at the Zurich compared to the women. This week the women have a better product on a more interesting, historic venue (yes I’m biased but...). Yet they are given short shrift in coverage. There must be a better way.

Totally agree Peter, I wished the GC would possibly go to 2 stations like ESPN and other sports networks have as there is too much golf to broadcast, especially early round coverage.

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