My " Ten Golf Courses I have Driven By On My Way To Somewhere But Couldn't Stop To Play" List

    I travel a lot, as I have shared.  How many times have you, like I have, been on a trip with a definite purpose and driven by a beautiful golf course next to the road and said, "That looks like a great course and going to play it someday."? I do that all the time.  The course doesn't have to be by the roadside.  It can be in a city I pass through, but can't stop. It happens all the time and I have prepared a list of those courses I have thought about playing but haven't.  At some point in my life, I will make a special trip if I have to.

Here's the list and they are not in any particular order:

1.  Coyote Creek, San Jose, Ca.: There are two courses here, The Tournament and The Valley Courses and I want to play them both. Every time I drive to San Jose or somewhere south of San Francisco I pass this venue and vow to play them.

2.  Edgewood Tahoe, South Late Tahoe, Nevada:  Of all the "Drive By" courses this is probably the one I most want to play.  I don't get up to Lake Tahoe much anymore, but I have to play this course at some time in my life.

3.  Metropolitan, Oakland, Ca.:  This course has an interesting history.  It started out as a golf course and then it closed because the Port of Oakland needed somewhere to dump the toxic dredging when they deepened the Port.  After a while golfers became angry and wanted their golf course back, and finally they did.  The course was completely redone and is now Metropolitan.  I understand that you want to play this one in the morning, because it tend to get very windy in the afternoon.

4.  Tulare Golf Course, Tulare, Ca.:  I have a lot of friends who have played this course.  They say it is nothing special, but I would like to judge for myself.  I was hesitant to play Rancho Del Rey, but I am glad that I found that course.

5.  Mace Meadows, Pioneer, Ca.:  This course is located on Hiway 88 on the way to Carson Pass and Reno beyond. I have passed by it many times and have heard some great things about the course.  It is there just waiting for me.

6. Lockeford Springs, Lodi, Ca.:  Before you get to Mace Meadows, a long way before, you have to pass Lockeford Springs just out of Lodi. I have heard a lot about this course and it has been featured on the "hooked On Golf" golf program.  It looks very inviting and I can't wait to make a special trip up there.

7.  Shoreline, Mountain View, Ca.:  This one is not really right on the road, but I want to play it. My daughter played the course a couple of times in junior tournaments and I had to walk along lusting at the course wanting to play it.  She got all the fun, I got the sore muscles.

8.  Poplar Creek, San Mateo, Ca.:  Growing up and in later years I have fond memories of driving to Candlestick Park and freezing at a San Francisco Giants game.  In order to get to "The Stick" you have to pass Poplar Creek just off of US 101. I wanna play this course!

9.  Crystal Springs, Burlingame, Ca.:  This is another course my daughter has played and I haven't. It lise just over the hills of the San Francisco Penninsula in a small valley between the Pacific Ocean and The San Francisco Bay. Once again, she played it and I walked it watching her play.  This was true torture. I plan to go back there and vindicate this injustice some day. It will probably take a special trip and time set aside to play it, but it is well worth it.

10.  All The Los Angeles Courses, Los Angeles, Ca.:  I don't travel south very often, and when I do it is normally to board a ship for a cruise out of Long Beach.  We don't stay.  There are several great courses down there, and someday I will get down there to play golf.

     Yes, I know these courses are in California and Nevada. California is a huge state and there are a lot of highways that go by golf courses. I live in California as many of you know so I do most of my traveling within the state.  Sorry but I am a bit biased but there are many courses around the state to explore and play. I have played in Canada, Mexico, Florida and Missouri so I have played in other states and countries.  I won't mention some of the courses I have driven by in those places there are so many but if I ever return to those places I will try to play them.
     If you have a course that you drive by and want to play, let me know. In the meantime I have to run.  Don't forget to check out my website, http://golfisforeveryonemd.com.  Remember, hit 'em long and straight and by all means don't leave that birdie putt short.

I did get to play one course in the Los Angeles area.