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 Lake 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.
The First Tee At Catalina. I'm Coming Soon! |
There is one course that I did not mention which is probably my eleventh course. You can't drive by this one, you have to take a boat because it is on Catalina Island. Yes, they do have a golf course on Catalina Island and I'm dying to play it. I plan to in September as I am going to be on a cruise. I always stop by the course whenever I am on a cruise and the ship stops there. Mark, the pro, is a great guy to talk to and has been wanting me to play the course. This next trip is the trip and I will feature the course on my website. More about this later.
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://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. Remember, hit 'em long and straight and by all means don't leave that birdie putt short.
NOVEMBER 10, 2015 Editor's Note: I got to play Catalina finally. Here is the YouTube code if you would like to see it:
https://youtu.be/5QIxV0Oj8dw
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