Pasatiempo or MPCC

[Lance Rieber]

Going to Santa Cruz in a couple of weeks. Played Pasatiempo 2 or 3 times, it’s been at least 10 years. I have never played MPCC.  What do you think would be the play. Love playing on the peninsula, haven’t played either course vs played it, but love it and less of a drive.  Thanks


Lance

[Cal Seifert]

If it was me I would play Pasatiempo.  If you have access to MPCC already under the works its hard to say no to that as well, considering you have never played.

[David_Tepper]

Assuming you have access, the Shore course at MPCC is very, very good and well worth playing (assuming it is not fogged in!).

[Mark Saltzman]

Assuming you have access, the Shore course at MPCC is very, very good and well worth playing (assuming it is not fogged in!).

It is very good, but imo the second best course on property... by a fair margin!

[Tommy Williamsen]

I really like Pasatiempo but I'd play both courses at MPCC. Hands down.

[Lance Rieber]

I really like Pasatiempo but I'd play both courses at MPCC. Hands down.

Tommy, curious on your comment. Are they both the equal or better than Pasatiempo or just that it’s a better overall day to play both! Thanks Lance

[Daryl David]

I would concentrate on MPCC. Probably one of the best 36 hole facilities around now that the Dunes has been remodeled.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I really like Pasatiempo but I'd play both courses at MPCC. Hands down.

Tommy, curious on your comment. Are they both the equal or better than Pasatiempo or just that it’s a better overall day to play both! Thanks Lance

Pasatiempo is probably the better golf. But the experience at MPCC is awesome. The courses are also excellent.

[David_Tepper]

"It is very good, but imo the second best course on property... by a fair margin!"
Mark S. -
Do you really think the new Dunes is better than the Shore? I have a friend who is a member there. He certainly doesn't think so. I have played both course and agree with him.
But both courses are certainly well worth playing.
DT 

[Michael Wolf]

My ten rounds in that part of the world would be Cypress 6 Pebble 2 Pasatiempo 2


Just Pasatiempo/MPCC would be Pasatiempo 7, Dunes 2, Shore 1

[Mark Saltzman]

"It is very good, but imo the second best course on property... by a fair margin!"
Mark S. -
Do you really think the new Dunes is better than the Shore? I have a friend who is a member there. He certainly doesn't think so. I have played both course and agree with him.
But both courses are certainly well worth playing.
DT

Hi David,


With only limited experience (1 round on each), I do think Dunes is considerably more interesting.

[David_Tepper]

Mark -

Out of curiosity, did you ever play the Dunes before the most recent renovation?

DT

[David Davis]

Mark -

Out of curiosity, did you ever play the Dunes before the most recent renovation?

DT

David,


You of course didn't ask me but like Mark I love the new reno at MPCC Dunes and also agree it's much better than the Shore course. I did play it before the renovation as well, huge improvement.


Lance,


If you can get on MPCC it would make a brilliant 36 hole day, especially if you have seen Pasa already.

[Joel_Stewart]

If you've never played MPCC then you should play both.


I like the Dunes better as well. I would play it 7-3 over the Shore. The Shore course holes at the beginning and end don't measure up to the other holes. Furthermore it's over landscaped.


Overall I would play Pasa 5, Dunes 4, Shore 1.

[Kalen Braley]

I would agree with the prior sentiment.


MPCC is such a terrific place in one of the finest places on the planet...the golf is only one aspect of the experience!

[Tim Leahy]

Pasa is public and you can play there anytime. Access to MPCC is very limited unless your friends with a member. 2 beautiful courses beats one.

[DFarron]

Pasatiempo is one of my all time favorites, that being said I would play MPCC if you have the chance. I'd play Shore then Dunes

[Jay Revell]

Pasa has a special place in my heart, but if you have not played MPCC you need to do that. I also have a strong affection for MPCC Shore because its the last course that Mike Strantz ever built and he really poured his soul into it.


You might enjoy a story I wrote about Strantz and his partner Forrest Fezler. It provides some good context for a round at MPCC Shore. For anyone that knows Forrest he has had some serious health problems of late. He still consults on the Shore course and has a great repository of memories from working with Strantz.


Part 1    https://medium.com/@JayRevell/the-maverick-lives-on-part-i-92f76eb9e7a1
Part 2    https://medium.com/@JayRevell/the-maverick-lives-on-part-ii-27475632b3e

[Lance Rieber]

Jay,thanks for posting that!!  Great reads, I really appreciate it!  Lance

[Matthew Petersen]

Pasa has a special place in my heart, but if you have not played MPCC you need to do that. I also have a strong affection for MPCC Shore because its the last course that Mike Strantz ever built and he really poured his soul into it.


You might enjoy a story I wrote about Strantz and his partner Forrest Fezler. It provides some good context for a round at MPCC Shore. For anyone that knows Forrest he has had some serious health problems of late. He still consults on the Shore course and has a great repository of memories from working with Strantz.


Part 1    https://medium.com/@JayRevell/the-maverick-lives-on-part-i-92f76eb9e7a1
Part 2    https://medium.com/@JayRevell/the-maverick-lives-on-part-ii-27475632b3e

Beautiful stuff, Jay.

[Scott Senior]

Jay,


Really well done! Thanks for posting.


Scott

[Jay Revell]

Thanks Gents. Glad you enjoyed it. Look forward to hearing how the golf turns out!

[Lance Rieber]

Got back on Saturday from Santa Cruz. Ended up at Pasatiempo on Monday the 16th. Mid day tee time and the weather was great. Sunny and 10-15 mph winds. I hadn’t played the course in over 15 years. I was really looking forward to the round and no matter how much I built it up, it exceeded my expectations. 
The course was in fantastic shape, firm and presented in a wonderful fashion.  Greens seemed much larger than I remember. I don’t remember #1 being so large, along with #8. I wish I could have played better, 3 bogeys,(3,8,9) and a double on 16. I was struggling to hit greens, but short game was good. #11 is the longest 390 par four i’ve every played. Also #3 is re-affirmed as the maybe the hardest par 3 I’ve played. Loved the undulations on 14, and 16 is so extreme.  Pin was back middle and I hit it into the front bunker, hit a good running bunker shot that I thought might get to the top.  I bent down to get the rake and my dad starts laughing, he says your not going to believe this but your further now than before. The ball came all the way off the front into the fringe.   We laughed all week about that.
Thanks for the recommendations.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Interesting to see most people going for Dunes over Shore.


We played Shore yesterday and I felt it was an extremely confident and excellent piece of architecture in an outstanding setting. The Dunes we didn’t play but from what I saw, I was less certain about the look and feel (can’t comment on the individual hole quality).


Having only had the chance to play one, I am absolutely certain that I played the one that would interest me most.


Unfortunately not getting the chance to see Pasa. I know the back nine is closed right now.


Ally

[David Kelly]

Something about the Shore course has always left me underwhelmed somehow.  I think Joel hits it on the head in this thread when saying it feels over landscaped.  I also didn't think it had the variety of holes that you see on the Dunes 18.  That said, I still think it is very good, it's just that I don't rate it as highly as others.