Play of the Week 27.5
November 29, 2011
A quick shout out to the US (again) for again showing that we are the best in the world. Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland took the field by storm at the Mission Hills World Cup and took home the U.S.’s first win in the event since Tiger and DD took down the W 11 years ago. The American pair fired six birdies in the alternate-shot final round at Mission Hills Blackstone course to finish at 24-under, 264 overall, notching the 24th U.S. win in the history of the tournament.
They took down the likes of the Molinari brothers, Team Ireland (Rory and McDowell), and Team England (Poulter and Rose) who shot a blistering 63 to come in second at -22.
Here’s you, gents. Good luck getting that trophy home.
Play of the Week 26.5
October 31, 2011
The more significant play of the week for this week (sorry Sergio) goes to JK’s family. Congratulations on your newest addition – A new baby girl!! Soon JK will have his own foursome and will have no need for LG.
Congratulations from your PF family!
Play of the Week 26
October 31, 2011
This week’s POTW should actually be a POT(2)Ws – Play of the 2 Weeks. Sergio Garcia has racked up back-to-back wins on the European Tour. Two weekends ago, he took down the Castello Masters by an astounding 11 strokes to break a three year dry spell, and he backed that up this weekend with a one-shot victory over the most interesting man in the world – Miguel Angel Jimenez – at the Andalucia Masters.
Sergio always seems to peak right around Ryder Cup time. Here’s to you, El Niño. Keep up the strong play, and we’ll look forward to watching you dominate.
Course Review: Half Moon Bay Golf Links – The Old Course
October 23, 2011
Yet another Golfnow.com treat – a 57% discount at Half Moon Bay Golf Links (The Old Course) – is the subject of this review. A word of caution for Golfnow users: While the last two rounds I’ve played through Golfnow have been marvelous, this one was less than stellar due to the fact that Golfnow did not warn me that the reason the rate was exceptionally good this weekend was that the greens had recently been aerated (within the last week). I know that I should be skeptical of deals that appear to be “too good to be true,” but greens fees at 50% off are not “too good to be true” for normal conditions when a course is not able to fill its tee sheet. At minimum, I believe that Golfnow should warn purchasers somewhere beyond the small print that the course has recently been aerated, if that is the case. That complaint aside, even aerated greens cannot tarnish my impression of the Old Course at Half Moon Bay.
Sunday was a picture perfect day in Half Moon Bay, CA. 70 degrees, clear skies, and a slight N-NE wind made for a perfect conditions for good ball striking. As the round progressed, and as we got closer to the ocean, the wind picked up and became more of a factor in shot selection and strategy. My sense is that these conditions are not necessarily the norm for this course. Playing at Half Moon Bay should come with the expectation of high, gusty winds and generally gray conditions. Though the marine layer will burn off over the course of the day, the wind will pick up as well.
The Old Course reminded me, in a few distinct ways, of the Presidio Golf course in San Francisco. This is not all-together surprising since the two were designed by Arnold Palmer. Both courses provide distinct risk-reward opportunities, generous landing areas on longer holes, distinct aiming lines, and the occasional forced carry over clear-and-present danger. In the case of the Old Course, the par-5s generally had open landing areas, par 4s generally tell you the exact line to take via a fairway bunker or natural depression in the course, and the par 3s provided all the clear-and-present danger necessary to create exciting shots. The 16th hole also provides the prototypical Palmer “hero” shot. A well-placed drive leaves a short iron or wedge approach to a raised green guarded by a ravine. The ravine cuts sideways across the fairway at an angle that punishes a hook or an overcooked draw. If the pin is cut on the left, the middle of the green is the best target. Unfortunately, this reviewer did not take a great picture of the approach on the 16th hole, so below is the picture from Half Moon Bay’s website taken from the back of the green toward the tee.
A quick note about the facility as a whole: Half Moon Bay is home to two courses: the Old Course and the Ocean Course (designed by Arthur Hills). Though one of the two gentlemen playing with me made the off-hand comment that “the locals play the Old Course,” I got the sense that this was more or less the case after talking to the starter and pro shop staff. The Ocean Course provides wonderful scenery and interesting golf holes, but the Old Course provides a more interesting and complete test of a golfer’s skill. That being said, I personally think the comparison can be likened to choosing between chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies: I’ll take either at any time, and the more I get, the happier I am.
The Old Course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links
The Ocean Course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links
If there was one complaint I had about the Old Course, I think it must be that I felt as though I was playing golf between houses the entire round. When I think about my favorite holes on the course (16-18), part of the reason I enjoyed them the most was that they did not have any visual distractions around the course architecture. It may also be that I am a sucker for ocean views, but I’ll let the views from 17 and 18 below speak for themselves.
17th Tee
18th Tee
The signature 18th hole at the Old Course is simply outstanding. Though this course does not have the fame of Pebble or Cypress, I would argue that the scenery and the feel of the 18th at the Old Course is on par with those courses. The ocean breeze is most definitely a factor on this hole, generally creating a strong crosswind that forces the high ball hitter to start the ball over the water if a reasonable approach is desired. The preferred trajectory here is a low, running shot that does not run so far as to leave a severely uphill approach. In keeping with the theme of this course, the rolling hills in the landing area will likely prevent a flat lie for your second shot. Most players will miss left on the approach for fear of going near the water on the right. One of the most interesting parts of this hole is the amphitheater setting created around the green. The approach is played directly into the rear entrance of the Ritz-Carlton where lots of seating is available for the hotel guests. During this trip, there were several people seated and watching groups come in. The pressure is squarely on your short game and putting if you are at all intimidated by a large gallery. Take your best shot and be sure to tip your cap to the fans.
18th Green
Overall, Half Moon Bay offers two wonderful courses that will both challenge and delight. The courses are difficult and beautiful. If you are lucky enough to get a chance to sneak out, be sure to check the aeration reports. Even with the 57% discount, $80 is a bit pricey to me when the greens are essentially sand boxes. I will certainly be keeping an eye on golfnow.com for my next chance to take a loop at Half Moon Bay.
Cost: 5/10
Maintenance: 8/10
Greens: n/a – aerated
Layout: 8/10
“Fun” factor: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
Round 2 at the Frys.com Open
October 8, 2011
Last Friday, LG had an opportunity to visit the Frys.com Open for its second round. The Frys.com Open, this year, is being played at Cordevalle in San Martin, CA just south of San Jose. I mention this because, during my time walking around the course, I heard rumblings that another local course, The Institute, was in the running to take the tournament. In either case, the tournament was, and will continue to be, a nice respite from work.
I could attempt to do a review of the course from just walking it, but watching some of the best players in the world essentially make a mockery of this top 100 beauty in pristine conditions would probably not be in keeping with our prior reviews. I must say, after watching these players play, the game (and course) looked much easier than I would have expected. I’m sure the course would be happy to dissuade me of this notion.
I arrived at Cordevalle at 6:40 am, admittedly to be one of the many gawkers in Tiger’s 7:40 am gallery. As was my previous experience at the Presidents Cup at Harding Park, spectators are made to park in the next county over and bussed in to a make shift entrance at one end of the course. My suspicion that the fog might delay the start of the tournament was confirmed when, on the driving range, a tournament official announced “2 hours.” Unfortunately, this was later extended to two and a half.
I spent a good part of the morning at the driving range watching players warm up and generally screw around due to the fog delay. It was great to see how these guys warm up, but at the same time demoralizing to see how good some of these guys are without even appearing to try. If you get the chance to go to a PGA event, I recommend spending some time watching players at the range. Not only do you get a chance to see them hit more than one shot without having to walk and jockey for position, but you get a better sense for how the pros think through their shots and how they correct for errors.
I quickly stopped by the putting green to see if I could pick up some practicing tips, but watching the pros was less than helpful. As I would expect, they aren’t actually practicing at the putting green, for the most part, rather, they are just getting a sense for the speed of the greens.
As 10 am crept up, I made my way to the tenth tee to watch Tiger. The gallery had grown to 7 deep by this time. I can honestly say we were herded. I felt that mooing was appropriate.
Rather than opine on whether Tiger has his swing back, here’s an account of the first three holes:
10: huge drive in the middle of the fairway. 3/4 wedge to 8 feet. Par after the birdie putt burns the edge.
11: 236 yard par 3, stuck to 4 feet. Birdie.
12: drive left, layup short, wedge to 20 feet, birdie putt misses by 2 inches.
Later on, Tiger makes three birdies in a row, including one at 16: a 210 yard par-3. Here is the result of his approach:
3′ 5″ for birdie. The next closest to the pin for the day was over 9 feet.
I also had the chance to follow Mitch Lowe who is the subject of a previous review: Review: Lesson with PGA Professional Mitch Lowe and the Fleming Course at Harding Park*. In particular, Mitch made a great birdie on the par-5 9th hole. His playing partners were not able to capitalize on the same opportunity. One found the water short left, the other missed his 20 footer.
All in all, the experience was fantastic. I got to check out a course that I would normally not be able to play, skip out on work for a few glorious hours, watch the best players in the world play the game, and meet some nice people. While watching golf on TV gives you a complete picture for the action, being there and seeing it live is clearly the way the game should be taken in. TV, despite the advances in technology, cannot give a true sense for how fast the pros swing the club, the actual ball flight and variation in trajectory, and how much better the pros are at controlling their shots. If you get the chance to support a PGA event, do your best to make it there for at least part of a round. You won’t regret it.
*Mitch is now teaching at the Golf Links at Half Moon Bay. I recently had a lesson with him there and found it incredibly helpful, as the previous lesson. The unique part of lessons at HMB is that there is no driving range, so your lesson is all out on the course. I found this particularly useful for my short game and iron play.
RIP: Steve Jobs
October 6, 2011
Today, the world lost a true genius. Few people can really say they changed the world. Steve did. I can think of more than one lesson I’ve had involving an iPhone video. I can think of more than one range session where I’ve used my iPod. I can think of more than one review that i’ve written for this blog on either my iPad or MacBook Air.
Steve, you changed the way we communicate with our world. From the PF, Thank you.
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Today is a sad day for our country and our world. Steve Jobs, one of the only true innovators left in our modern generation, has left us. I attended a breakfast this morning where one of Jobs’s career employees, Walt Wilson, spoke of Jobs’s impact on the world. Steve Jobs lived with a fire and brilliance that few can achieve. He followed his pursuits with excellence, and he treated business with a carelessness that belied his success, but was the ultimate cause of it. Walt Wilson quoted Steve Jobs in a speech he delivered to Stanford University’s graduating class of 2005:
Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
Thank you, Steve, for following your heart–and for teaching us all that we can be successful doing the same.
You will be missed
-JK
for the full text of Steve Jobs’s speech, visit http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html
Course Review: Bayonet (Seaside, CA)
October 5, 2011
Today, I review yet another gem of the Monterey Peninsula – Bayonet.
A quick shout-out to Golfnow.com for making this round happen. I had, on Wednesday (9/28) expressed my dissatisfaction with my recent rounds at Palo Alto Muni and Shoreline to JK when he suggested I run down to Monterey and get in a real round. In order to assuage curiosity, I logged onto Golfnow.com and searched for cheap tee times for the coming weekend. I was pleasantly surprised to find an 11:10am tee time on Sunday for $54 (rack rate $120). Considering I had just paid $49 to play (read: suffer) the Palo Alto Muni for 6 hours, I jumped on the deal. Thank you, Golfnow! On to the review!
While I was driving out of Mountain View towards Seaside, the weather looked somewhat unfavorable for playing a nice course. During my warm-up and first two holes, the sky remained close to the picture above. As I finished my 3rd hole (actual 12th hole), the sky broke and the Monterey Bay was visible from all parts of the course.
The golfing experience is always colored by those with whom one plays. Today, I was joined by a true gentleman named we will call Dan. He was a joy to play with and very knowledgeable about his golf (having played 60 of the top 100 courses). It was lucky for me that Dan had also played Bayonet in his travels. His notes were very helpful tee to green.
The course is part of a 36-hole military affiliated complex just north of Monterey. The slogan is Bayonet and Black Horse: the best 36 holes on Monterey Bay. Attorneys and sticklers for detail will have to agree (Pebble and Cypress aren’t technically on Monterey Bay). Don’t let the military designation make you skeptical, at least 18 of the 36 of some of the finest holes I’ve had the opportunity to play in my time in Northern California.
The Course:
The condition of this course was immaculate. Little did I know, but my round was the day before a Monday Qualifier for the Frys.com Open. From the appearance, however, this condition is the usual faire for Bayonet and Black Horse. This course will also be hosting the 2012 PGA Professional National Championship (Not to be confused with the Major – though the top 20 do qualify for the PGA Championship). Those honors may give you a sense for the prestige and quality of the course, but the layout is impressive and very playable for any golfer.
From the tips, this course demands long, accurate tee shots. The rough, while not difficult to get out of, makes holding these hard, fast greens nearly impossible. You’ll definitely want to be hitting out of the short stuff on this course. This course does afford the American golfer the unique opportunity to play a few bump and runs, as well as longer “running” shots into the greens, but again, accuracy off the tee is the only way to setup those optional routes. I was surprised and ended up having to adjust for actually getting roll with my 60* wedge on this course. No longer was I able to short side myself and get up and down. For once, strategic planning had to go into planning my approach shots. I hope I get the chance to repay this course for the damage it did to my short game’s ego. One nice thing about the hard and fast greens, though, was that my confidence that I am a good putter was reconfirmed. I made some longer putts and some breaking putts that normally would have lipped out at my usual courses due to JK and my nemesis, the “lumpy doughnut.”
One note: If you are considering making a trip, do it soon. Construction is underway on several houses that will sit between some of the prettier holes on the course. Some of these houses will sit very close to the greens and will likely throw off the aesthetic of the course. Moreover, I personally dislike the claustrophobic feeling of playing between houses. It’s also better on my score, generally, to play out of the trees than someone’s backyard. One quick story on this point: I drove my tee shot on the par-4 5th hole way right. The dirt layout of the house that will soon occupy that spot setup a clean, unobstructed second shot of only 111 yards to the green. I like to think that I made par out of someone’s guest bedroom on that hole.
I was also informed during the round that this course was recently redesigned and rerouted to include some holes from the old Black Horse course. Though I am unable to locate any substantive details of this redesign, I can say that the result was a success in my book.
The Facility:
The Bayonet and Blackhorse Facility has one of the best practice complexes one could hope for. The redesign appears to have moved the driving range from near the 18th to near the 1st hole. While this does create some problems if you hit your Titleist 7 into the sea of Titleist practice balls that showers the left side of the first hole, it does not undermine the quality of the range. The range has three hitting areas (all with grass tees), a large bunker with REAL sand and nearly every lie imaginable and a REAL green to hit onto, a large undulating practice green, and even a chipping/pitching area with yet another REAL green. Of all of the practice facilities that I’ve visited in Northern California, I think I would have to take this one in my backyard. Oh, did I mention the whole facility has bent grass greens as well? They must know their audience at the PF.
One detail that often goes overlooked in reviews is the quality of the power carts. While JK and I both prefer to walk, we aren’t going to pass up free carts when they are included in the greens fee. Bayonet had exceptionally nice carts which included free water bottles, tees, and towels for cleaning clubs.
During my round, I stopped in at the watering hole at the turn and was pleasantly surprised to find that I wasn’t being terribly ripped off for food at a nice course. I paid a total of $10 for a handmade turkey sandwich, chips, and soda. On the other hand, I normally like to procure a yardage book from nicer courses that have them. In this case, while the course had one, I refused to spend $20 for it. For those who can’t live without them, this one was the equivalent of a tour yardage book with all kinds of crazy slopes and angles written in. I’m pretty sure 90% of the measurements wouldn’t be useful to 99% of the people that play these courses, but who am I to tell them not to have them?
Bits and Pieces
While there is no “near-hole-in-one” from Bayonet, one other item from the course bears mentioning. The starter that greeted me prior to my round was exceptionally nice. He welcomed me, asked me about the course, asked whether I was playing in the Qualifier (one day…), and remembered my name as I made the turn. Starters, and the staff generally, like this can really put the feather in the cap of a nice course. So to you, sir, if you ever read this, thanks for being a nice guy. You are doing a great service to your employer and I hope he repays you in kind.
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JK Notes:
I played this course (well, one of these courses) several years ago with my brother-in-law. Much as you describe, the weather was something I remember well. It was warm to start the day. Just when it was getting a little hot, the fog rolled in from the Monterrey Bay and cooled us off, only for the sun to run a few holes later.
What I remember of the course, it was very fair, moderately open, and very enjoyable. I’m glad you made the trip down–and this is an excellent review.
Play of the Week 22
August 31, 2011
This week’s POTW goes to: VEGAS, BABY!
In pursuit of our goal of documenting our golf adventures and providing colorful and exciting reviews for our readers, the principals of the Power Fade are heading West to sunny Las Vegas this weekend. We will be taking a detour to Mesquite, NV to play one of our favorite courses – Wolf Creek. Expect reviews, exciting accounts of gambling gone awry, and a breakdown of our first ever PF alternate shot round!
Happy Labor Day Weekend, PF’ers
Playing Golf Overseas: Tips and Tricks from recent experience
August 30, 2011
My recent review of the New Delhi Golf Club inspired me to put these ideas together for our readers.
One thing we appreciate more than most here at the PowerFade is a good deal. If you are thinking about teeing it up abroad, the following tips are for you. Note: I strongly advise you to take a little time to plan your foreign links adventure with someone who has done a similar trip to the one that you envision for yourself. They are usually the best sources for local knowledge and may even have connections to get you onto a nice private course you would otherwise never get a chance to play (maybe even for free!).
Let’s assume you’ve already picked out your course(s), or are simply relying on good fortune to land a tee time when you get there. Let’s consider packing for this trip. The first question you need to answer is whether you are going to be taking your clubs with you. To this point, unless you KNOW you will be happy with the rental clubs provided by the course(s), I STRONGLY suggest bringing your own clubs. The point cannot be made strongly enough. Your own clubs will make the round exponentially more enjoyable than a set of cheap, worn, and generally dilapidated clubs that are available for hire at most (even very nice) courses abroad. If you need any further reading on this subject, please refer to the review of the Delhi Golf Course.
While most of us in the US are used to Southwest Airlines (bags fly free – including golf clubs), this is NOT the case with respect to nearly every international flight. Some carriers will allow you two bags (and may charge extra if one contains clubs) or may even be so stingy as to only allow one bag. Lufthansa, for example, only allowed me one checked bag on a recent trip and was requesting $70 for a second! (absurd). Assuming you make the correct decision to bring your own clubs, you should really have no issue with enjoyment of the round due to equipment.
If you choose not to bring your own clubs, then do your best to pack the following: shoes, clothes, socks, balls, gloves, tees, range finder, and any other on course necessity. While these things can take up a large amount of space even in your checked baggage, the premiums that most international clubs charge for these items makes the larger checked bag worth it. For example, during my recent trip, a standard FootJoy golf glove cost Rs. 900 or about $20 U.S., while a sleeve of Pro V1X’s ran around Rs. 810 or $17.50. While these prices don’t sound too far off from U.S. club prices, keep in mind the greens fee at this highly exclusive club was a mere Rs. 1500 ($32), and Rs. 400 ($8.70) is enough to feed a fully grown man for roughly 3 days. All in all, I paid about Rs. 1000 more in assorted fees (shoe hire, club hire, caddie, etc) than I did for my actual round because I neglected to pack these essentials.
Also, with respect to local custom, it’s a good idea to find out from local caddies if the pro shop is the best place to get equipment (if you’re in a pinch). It was only after paying Rs. 810 at the pro shop did I learn that the caddies carry balls with them that they sell for about Rs. 50 each. At highly exclusive clubs, it’s not difficult to imagine the quality of balls they tend to find.
Additionally, be sure to get to the club extra early whenever you are playing abroad. Customs in different countries vary widely, so being prepared is always the best plan. I was told that my round would begin “after 12:30” and arrived accordingly. I teed off at 2:30pm. If nothing else, you get chance to soak in the local differences that make the international game a little more interesting. Also, be sure to bring official record of your handicap. It’s a good idea to keep this on you generally for playing tournaments, but international clubs tend to be sticklers for this information before letting you tee it up.
Finally, be sure to check local rules for details such as required dress for men and women. While these things are more trivial in the U.S., these details can create problems in other countries that either result in your not being allowed to play without purchasing clothing from the clubhouse, or at the very least, an embarrassed host to the club that is not likely to pass a favorable recommendation the next time. Calling the clubhouse and talking to the pro shop will generally resolve these issues.
As always, enjoy the links!
Review: The Delhi Golf Club – Lodhi Course (New Delhi, India)
August 25, 2011
Namaste, PF Readers! Today, we review the New Delhi Golf Club.
A little background on how I got to play. A business contact was able to arrange a tee time for me at this course. The website (http://www.delhigolfclub.org/) seems to suggest that this is a public course because it lists greens fees. The issue is getting a tee time. Only members are allowed to reserve tee times. Once this was arranged for me, however, I realized exactly how exclusive this club is. For example, my group was a threesome that included a retired three star general in the Indian Army and a retired three star general in the Indian Airforce. Powerful company indeed. On the back nine, I was paired with the former Chief Justice of the Indian High Court.
Upon arrival, a group of caddies descended upon me. Two of them promptly began to argue about who would be allowed to loop for me because I had never played here. Once resolved, I paid the exorbitant sum of about $100 total for greens fee, caddie, two sleeves of Pro v1x’s, tees, rental shoes, rental clubs, and two bottles of water. While this sounds like a deal any of us would take in America, I was essentially bent over a barrel by Indian standards. A little local knowledge goes a long way.
As far as a review, I must say the course was stellar. The layout was challenging, the course, minus the greens, was in pretty good condition, and the views were amazing. some of the holes were more narrow than almost any other course I’ve seen, but the course is located in the heart of downtown New Delhi (real estate is not cheap here). Parts of the course had less grass than we are used to on American courses. This made for some interesting muddy/dirt lies in the middle of the fairway. Part of my hesitation in providing my top ranking to this course is the fact that I didn’t get to play it as the designer intended. The rental clubs I was provided were of such low quality that I was unable to play the driver and I broke the three wood on the first swing I took with it. (again, local knowledge). All in all however, the course provided a rich golf experience that I hope to relive with my own sticks.
My favorite story of the day, not surprisingly, comes from one of the holes where I had my “shot of the day.” The seventh hole is a long par 3 that played 185 yard from the blue tees. The two retired military men had taken their shots as I had run back from the facilities. They were waiting around the green for my approach. I hit the “6” iron that came complete with a tennis grip to about 6 feet and received the loudest ovation I’ve ever received on any golf course for a single shot. I was slapped on the back and bought a round of beers for that shot alone. I wish it had gone about 6 feet farther, but for that reaction, I’ll take it. The result is shown below:
One other feature of golf courses that we generally fail to review is the wildlife. It is impossible to think about this course without thinking of the peacocks. They were everywhere! In particular, they were very social. One came close enough for me to snap this picture on the third hole. In fact, the caddies carry sweet treats to entice the birds near for pictures for tourists. See below!
All in all, I must say this trip to the other side of the world (12 hour time difference) found me playing some very interesting and unique golf.
Layout: 8/10
Greens: 4/10
Fairways: 7/10
Cost: 9/10 (conversion rate based review)
Location: 9/10
Staff: 8/10
Overall: 8.5/10
17th Tee
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