My Nemisis Mountain Meadows Golf Golf Course

[Emccance79]

In the heart of Pomona California right next to the Pomona Fair Plex where the Summer and Winter Nationals funny car series are held lays a Los Angeles County Municipal Golf Course called Mountain Meadows G.C. This golf course is a par 72 and only 6490 from the tips. The most challenging part of the golf course is that it is VERY hilly and in the summer time the Inland Empire Heat can be in some people opinion a bit unbearable. All in all however this golf course is and for all intensive purposes is a very simple is a very straight forward golf course and has been known to give out some very low scores... Except for me!!!

 

I have been golfing for 20 years. I played High School and Junior College golf MANY years ago. I have been a single digit handicap player for over 16 years and I have worked hard on my game to get down to a 4.0 handicap from a long hiatus from the game a year ago. I have been on quite run the past 3 months playing 6 to 8 times per month at multiple golf course and breaking 80 every time. With my game in good shape I wanted to really test my metal and really want to test my game.

 

Mountain Meadows Golf Course has always been a thorn in my side. I for 12 years of my golfing life lived 10 minutes from Mountain Meadows and I would play there regularly. This golf course has always had my number, I have NEVER broken 80... NOT Par but 80 at this golf course and I felt that this was time finally conquer my nemesis that is Mountain meadow Golf course.

 

Today in Southern California we are experiencing a heat waived sprinkled wit a water shortage. 90* by 7am and expected triple digits temperatures in the Inland Empire. Oh and by the way I am WALKING this hilly golf course. First hole is a Par 5 523 yards with a small water run off (they call a creek) in front of the green. I start with a bogey due to a very poor chip. Not good but still A LOT of golf to play. Its hot and my putter does not seem to agree with me today but I managed to pull off a birdie free 39 on the front 9.

 

Going into the snack shack the lady looked at me as if I was CRAZY waling in this heat but I told her that I am ON a Mission!! The Back 9 was a GRIND. No birdie putts dropping, playing safe when I should be aggressive and being aggressive when I should be playing safe, thinking I am playing safe only to getting into trouble. 3 over on the back nine +6 overall I go into 15 an short 476 yard par 5 with an extremely elevated tee. Hitting in in the fairway with 7 iron in my hand staring eagle (at worst case birdie) in the face I am on the right fringe with my approach with a simple straight forward chip, and wouldn't you know I leave me a shaky 5 footer AND I missed. After missing yet another 10 ft. birdie put on 15 I am starting to feel a bit frustrated, But after a quick cigarette I gather my self and stay focused for the finish.

 

17 is a par 3 playing 168 yards with the pin in the back center and a slight breeze at my back. My 7 iron is my 160 club and figured the safe play would be a smooth 7 and with the wind I should land just in front of the pin and have an uphill birdie putt. NOPE. I decide on this hole and no other to hit a 175 yard 7 iron (which I haven't hit my 7 that long since college... 12 years ago). This shot leaves me the infamous down hill lie long carry with no green to work with... the BEST I can do is get the ball past the hole leaving my a 6 ft. uphill par putt, AND I missed!!!

 

18, and 377 yard narrow par 4 with a tiered green. Par and I shoot 79 and although not shoot a good round conquer a goal that has eluded me for so long finally breaking 80 at this golf course.(By the way ITS HOT and I am walking!!) I am on the tee box and all I am thinking about is putting myself in a position for a quality second shot and instead of playing safe I get aggressive and pull Driver (a club that has not given my any problems today) Until now. I pull my drive toward a large tree and a fairway bunker. I walk up to my ball and see that I carried the bunker and have a good look at the green!! My ball is in the rough, the grass is thick kikuyugrass and the ball is nestled slightly in the grass. with 130 to a front pin location I (for some odd reason) think I am in flyer lie and pull PW. I am focused, go through my pre shot routine and really try to get through so much I SHANK IT double bogey the hole and shoot 81!!!

 

So my run of 22 straight round in the 70's was ruined by my nemesis Mountain Meadow Golf Course the thorn in my side. Frustrated and feeling beaten up. I need to pick my self up and get back out there!!

 

My rant is over... any one else have a golf course that they cannot conquer?

[thekingofclubs3]

Nice! I used to live in Covina and played Mountain Meadows quite a bit. You're spot on in that it is quite hilly, but it's a lovely track view some challenging holes. Well done Sir!

[Chilidog]

Torrey Pines South is my nemesis. I am a scratch golfer and have yet to shoot in the 70s there in about 8 trips. Kills me. I hit it fairly long in the 280s and my irons are the best part of my game. But for the LIFE of me I can't putt those greens. I mean completely perplexed. So much so that I had a putt from about 8 feet for birdie on the par 3 3rd hole when the pin was on the right hand side. Putt clearly broke down and to the right slightly. Hit the putt and the damn thing went up hill and to the left. I couldn't believe it. I actually missed the 4 footer coming back it had shaken me so bad. I walked back to the cart and sat a bottle of water at 3 different points along the line of the putt and the water all fell to the right. The greens there are so grainy I can't figure them out. Feel your pain.

[markheardjr]

I have only played Mountain Meadows once, in a work tournament, but I won it and distinctly remember it being a very easy course if you can move the ball both ways. I had the driver working, whatever that par 5 is around 16/17th hole I hit from the back tees and had 9i in, something like 127y uphill left over.

Torrey South is one of my favorites. I have a residence card and have played it about 12 or 15 times. I am usually just on the cusp of breaking 80. Usually it seems to come down to birdie-ing the 18th or not. Funny how often it happens for me. That course is all about driving it long, accuracy isn't usually a problem as the course is really wide open. Just focus on the tougher holes to keep double bogeys out of play. Hard holes like 1, 4, 6, 11, 12, 16. Be careful on those, if you're struggling to make the green in 2 on longer par 4's I highly suggest you lay up on the front apron or short of the greenside bunkers and chip. The long par 3's you just gotta deal with them, be confident. 1st hole is always tough, especially in the morning if the grass is still super wet. Also birdie those easy ones! 2, 5, 9, 18 are all easier holes. Use those to offset the bogeys.

[JumboJack]

Fun track. I played my first ever SCGA team play match there in the rain during the super wet winter of 2005.......... [size=1]I won. woop woop![/size]