Arg's Travel Log

[tad950]

2 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

Booked Eagle Ridge for early Sunday morning. Looks like the rain will arrive later in the day. Doesn't seem to be a lot of quality options, so I may as well stay close to the RV park. Shockingly the course allows walking. Lol. My kind of course. 

 

Get there well before your scheduled tee time. On the weekdays, the annuals go out before the public times. We normally let a forlorn looking single go out ahead of us. I’m not sure if they do that on the weekends. And I think they have a starter on the weekends. It wouldn’t hurt to try. 
 

Easy walk on the front 9 ,but a long walk from the 10th green to the 11th tee. And a couple uphill climbs to the tee box. Not too bad if you stay on the cart path. Way back when, we carried and would go straight up the hill. Nobody does that now. No more paths where we used to walk. 
 

And posted pig damage on#8 and #9 in the wildlife section a while back. So be aware of that. The reseed looks like it will be a while before it fills in. 

Edited April 6 by tad950
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[Argonne69]

38 minutes ago, aloha b. said:

Looks really good and glad that you found a decent Q restaurant. Out in my area there's an award winning Q restaurant and in the past they've even been invited to different states to enter big Q. contests.

Too bad you couldn't play a round at Cordevalle Golf Resort in San Martin. The problem is that you have to stay overnight to get access to the golf course and it's not cheap.

 

Yeah, it was over $1000 for a room at Cordevalle. Not going to happen. Heck, Pebble Beach doesn't charge a grand for a basic room. 

 

[DoughBack18]

17 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Getting ready to leave Monterey.

 

Words that I always get a little sad saying… Glad that you had a nice stint on the peninsula!

[Mullenboy]

14 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

I've looked at the satellite images. Pussycat. I've walked 9 mile courses, and a layout in Yuma that had 1 mile between the two sections of the course. Still managed 3:20. 

Well that settles it.  You are insane.  🙂

Maybe they will let you walk... you'd likely be the first person who ever asked!  Seriously though you really should play Valley instead if you can.  The courses are pretty equal... Valley is a stupid but not insane walk and costs a lot less.

[Mullenboy]

12 hours ago, tad950 said:

Get there well before your scheduled tee time. On the weekdays, the annuals go out before the public times. We normally let a forlorn looking single go out ahead of us. I’m not sure if they do that on the weekends. And I think they have a starter on the weekends. It wouldn’t hurt to try. 
 

Easy walk on the front 9 ,but a long walk from the 10th green to the 11th tee. And a couple uphill climbs to the tee box. Not too bad if you stay on the cart path. Way back when, we carried and would go straight up the hill. Nobody does that now. No more paths where we used to walk. 
 

And posted pig damage on#8 and #9 in the wildlife section a while back. So be aware of that. The reseed looks like it will be a while before it fills in. 

What about the hike from 14 green to 15 tee?  Quite a jaunt.  🙂

 

Oh man... Walking CC Tournament if they let him... walking Eagle Ridge.. and I am sure he will walk Cinnabar... Arg is really doing the most strenuous and difficult of our area. All three of these were clearly built with carts in mind.  Each CAN be walked mind you... but why try?  Oh well.  Arg seems to love these things.  He should be in for a great few days. 🙂

Edited April 6 by Mullenboy

[Argonne69]

Out on CC Tournament in a cart. Bah. What a joke. The ride from the 1st to the 2nd was short, and we had to wait for the group ahead anyway. At least it's not cart path only. 

 

No idea why some courses consider 300 yds a long walk. 

 

Edited April 6 by Argonne69

[Double Mocha Man]

9 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

No idea why some courses consider 300 yds a long walk. 

 

 

Ursain Bolt could cover it in 28 seconds. 

[StoutKing]

Arg be walking marathons in a couple months with a Belgian in hand shouting "y'all are weak!"

Edited April 6 by StoutKing

[stevopagolf]

He's walked a couple of tough walks!  Stonehouse and Royal New Kent come to mind in his Virginia jaunt

[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, stevopagolf said:

He's walked a couple of tough walks!  Stonehouse and Royal New Kent come to mind in his Virginia jaunt

 

Both tough walks. Landman and Minot CC were both grueling with high temps. Greywalls was a hike. 

 

[Argonne69]

OK, kvetching about having to ride on an easily walkable course aside, it was a pleasant morning. It was 39 degrees when I started, but with no wind and plenty of sun, it warmed quickly. The Tournament Course at Coyote Creek GC is a Jack Nicklaus design. Holes 2 through 8 on the east side of US-101 are very nice. Plenty of hills with elevated tees and greens. Definitely more of a parkland style than the rest of the course. The remaining holes are in a flat valley, and are pretty boring for the most part. The par 5 17th and par 4 18th were the exception. Both fun risk/reward holes. Jack knows how to do bunkering right. Water in play on 11 holes. A small creek crosses most of the eastern holes, and while not wide, it does come into play. A pond is a significant hazard on the two closing holes. Only 4 holes with left/right movement. Could use a few more. The din of traffic from the highway was noticeable, but not overly annoying. Lol. 

 

Moderately difficult off the tee with several forced carries and bunkers in play. Minor misses would catch the generous rough, but it was thick enough to extract a toll. Big misses were a definite no-no with large areas of dense native grasses. Approaches were very tough with very well guarded greens. Special mention for the 2nd on three of the par 5s. The creek was very well placed, requiring a solid 2nd, because laying up short left a long 3rd.

 

Always a big fan of Jack's greens, and these were no exception. Plenty of tiering, contours, and slope. The pin on the 6th was on the back shelf, a good 3' above the front of the green. Putting was difficult to say the least. Up and downs were no picnic with the same slopes coming into play, nevermind the iffy lies in the rough. 

 

Par 3s were tough, but nothing overly memorable. Variety in the length was poor, as each was pretty much a mid iron. Needed a short and long one. Par 5s were decent. The first three were tough with the creek in play on two of them. The 17th was clearly the best of bunch with a peninsula green that effectively played as an island green with a pond in front and on both sides. Reachable with a good drive, but plenty of danger left, right, and short. The pair of short 4s were meh. 

 

Conditions were generally good. Fairways had a few wet spots from the recent rains, but overall very playable. Rough was thick, but cut to a good height. Bunkers were disappointing. Plenty of sand, but it was compacted and in need of a proper grooming. Hit a shot from a thin lie, and then grabbed a rake. Dug it in deep and found at least 2 inches of nice sand. Greens were very nice. Probably rolling close to 10 early with a light layer of dew, and easily 11 later in the round. 

 

Played a modified White/Gold combo at 6275 yds (70.9/129). The card's combo at 6112 was a tad too short. Decent day off the tee, but the irons were taking the day off. Birdies on those greens were a daydream. Seven bogies and a double. Highlight of the round was a sandy on the 15th. 

 

Going with 5 cows. If the back was as interesting as the front it could garner another bovine. Typical tough Jack course with tricky greens and solid bunkering. Would like to see more variety in the par 3s, and a couple of good short 4s. The $120 weekend rate was high, but not crazy. The no walking policy gives me a headache. Simply don't understand that. It's definitely not a destination course, but it's worth a visit if you're in town. Just be prepared to wait on every tee shot when you race to the next teebox in your cart. Lol. 

 

[Argonne69]

Coyote Creek GC, Tournament Course, San Jose, CA 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 18th green is off to the right. Bite off enough carrying the pond and you'll have a wedge into the green. 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/r3jhnkbnh8879d899muy6/AK46kc96uD9sIk1U6Rw4Ja8?rlkey=bwfrc688gisie5ejtxhbx79a0&dl=0

 

[Argonne69]

Probably the weirdest taproom name I've encountered, The Running Shop and Hops in Morgan Hill. An amazing 86 taps, but a pathetic variety of brews. Way too many seltzers, sours and IPAs for my liking, but they do have a pair of quality imperial stouts. The Alpha Acid BBA Constrictor Russian Imperial Stout (Belmont, CA) was very tasty, and extremely boozy at 15% ABV. 

 

 

Edited April 6 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Lol. Is there an official exchange rate between the US dollar and the California dollar? I've enjoyed my 3+ months in California, but at times I feel like I'm in a foreign country. $5+ a gallon for gas. $11 beers. $20 dollar burgers. I've had numerous people tell me that I should retire in the state. Lovely weather, but $2 to $3 million dollar for an average home? I'm not poor, but dropping a half million dollars as a down payment isn't in the cards. No idea how the average person could move to the state, even with a decent paying job. 

 

Stopped at Margarita's Bar and Grill in Morgan Hill. Enjoyable Mexican restaurant in a strip mall. Tasty house margarita and better than average chicken mole. The salsa was very good. $16 for the margarita, and $25 for the chicken mole. Yow. Don't recall ever having spent $50+ for a meal at a casual Mexican restaurant. Worth a visit, but remember to stop at the ATM before you arrive. 

 

 

[StoutKing]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

Lol. Is there an official exchange rate between the US dollar and the California dollar? I've enjoyed my 3+ months in California, but at times I feel like I'm in a foreign country. $5+ a gallon for gas. $11 beers. $20 dollar burgers. I've had numerous people tell me that I should retire in the state. Lovely weather, but $2 to $3 million dollar for an average home? I'm not poor, but dropping a half million dollars as a down payment isn't in the cards. No idea how the average person could move to the state, even with a decent paying job. 

 

Stopped at Margarita's Bar and Grill in Morgan Hill. Enjoyable Mexican restaurant in a strip mall. Tasty house margarita and better than average chicken mole. The salsa was very good. $16 for the margarita, and $25 for the chicken mole. Yow. Don't recall ever having spent $50+ for a meal at a casual Mexican restaurant. Worth a visit, but remember to stop at the ATM before you arrive. 

 

 

You don't even want to know the increase in insurance premiums here.  

[Mullenboy]

Arg - it's not that it's a long walk from 1 to 2, it's that it's a stupid walk under a freeway... and you have to do it twice.  And how about the walk from 12 to 13?  Equally stupid.  The course was clearly built for riding.  To me that's fine.  If walking is that big of a deal for you, don't play a course like that!  It's very clear it's mandatory carts (which you are the first to complain about given the three stupid jaunts I listed)... and right adjacent to it is a course on which walking is encouraged.  You really should have played that course.

 

But you gave Tournament 5 cows so I guess as is well!  There are several very good holes there.

 

As for the prices here, well... we're used to it.  Know no differently.  Most people have increased wages to allow for it.

 

You're right about home prices though.. such are a joke.  So buying in royally sucks.  But selling is great.  🙂

[tad950]

2 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

Lol. Is there an official exchange rate between the US dollar and the California dollar? I've enjoyed my 3+ months in California, but at times I feel like I'm in a foreign country. $5+ a gallon for gas. $11 beers. $20 dollar burgers. I've had numerous people tell me that I should retire in the state. Lovely weather, but $2 to $3 million dollar for an average home? I'm not poor, but dropping a half million dollars as a down payment isn't in the cards. No idea how the average person could move to the state, even with a decent paying job. 

 

Stopped at Margarita's Bar and Grill in Morgan Hill. Enjoyable Mexican restaurant in a strip mall. Tasty house margarita and better than average chicken mole. The salsa was very good. $16 for the margarita, and $25 for the chicken mole. Yow. Don't recall ever having spent $50+ for a meal at a casual Mexican restaurant. Worth a visit, but remember to stop at the ATM before you arrive. 

 

 

You should have had tap water instead of the margarita. And stiffed ‘em on the tip. 😄JK.

 

The cost of doing business here is crazy. The PUC approved yet another rate hike for PG&E, the main utility provider here in NorCal. This was after PG&E executives had an average 20% increase in salary last year. My utility bill has probably doubled post pandemic. Should have gone solar. When more incentives were in place.,

 

And it’s not because the staff at that restaurant are getting the $20/hr mandated by the state. That rule iis for chain restaurants with 60 or more locations. I only hope the people working there are getting at least $20 with tips. Pretty tough to live in this area even at $20/hr.

 

p.s. That’s why I get Mexican at walk up counters and food trucks😄.

Edited April 7 by tad950
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[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, Mullenboy said:

Arg - it's not that it's a long walk from 1 to 2, it's that it's a stupid walk under a freeway... and you have to do it twice.  And how about the walk from 12 to 13?  Equally stupid.  The course was clearly built for riding.  To me that's fine.  If walking is that big of a deal for you, don't play a course like that!  It's very clear it's mandatory carts (which you are the first to complain about given the three stupid jaunts I listed)... and right adjacent to it is a course on which walking is encouraged.  You really should have played that course.

 

But you gave Tournament 5 cows so I guess as is well!  There are several very good holes there.

 

As for the prices here, well... we're used to it.  Know no differently.  Most people have increased wages to allow for it.

 

You're right about home prices though.. such are a joke.  So buying in royally sucks.  But selling is great.  🙂

 

It's ~300 yds from the 1st green to the 2nd tee. It's shorter from the 8th green to the 9th tee, probably 200 yds. 12th green to 13th is another 200 yds. That's a grand total of less than 10 minutes walking at my brisk pace. Played dozens of courses with 4 to 5 times that with no issues. Some folks really need to get out and see what a long and hilly course really looks like. Royal New Kent was a good 7 miles total. This one was no more than 5 miles. 

 

[mci711]

3 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

It's ~300 yds from the 1st green to the 2nd tee. It's shorter from the 8th green to the 9th tee, probably 200 yds. 12th green to 13th is another 200 yds. That's a grand total of less than 10 minutes walking at my brisk pace. Played dozens of courses with 4 to 5 times that with no issues. Some folks really need to get out and see what a long and hilly course really looks like. Royal New Kent was a good 7 miles total. This one was no more than 5 miles. 

 

I need to to start hitting it down the middle i think lol. This is my average walk at my club. 6-7 miles, usually 2.5 hours. But I don't think it's a terrible walk. 

 

 

[Argonne69]

6 minutes ago, mci711 said:

I need to to start hitting it down the middle i think lol. This is my average walk at my club. 6-7 miles, usually 2.5 hours. But I don't think it's a terrible walk. 

 

 

 

At a casual pace I move at 3 mph, or 20 minutes a mile. When I step on it I can cover the mile in 15 minutes. A 440 yds par 4 is roughly 4 minutes. 

 

When I played Black Jack's Crossing I was told the course was 9 miles. They must have been consuming some seriously good magic mushrooms. A 7800 yds course is only 4.5 miles. To reach 9 miles there would have to be a 450 yd gap between every single hole. Sorry, but there's not an additional 17 par 4s wedged into the layout. 

 

I've walked over 500 courses in the past 29 months. Pretty tuned into the distances involved. The vast, vast majority of course staffers seriously overestimate the length of their courses. I think part of the problem is that they measure the distances on the cart paths. Sorry, but I don't meander on the cart paths. My bag is set down near the edge of the green nearest the next teebox, and most of the time I'm making a straight walk to the next tee. 

 

[Mullenboy]

30 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

It's ~300 yds from the 1st green to the 2nd tee. It's shorter from the 8th green to the 9th tee, probably 200 yds. 12th green to 13th is another 200 yds. That's a grand total of less than 10 minutes walking at my brisk pace. Played dozens of courses with 4 to 5 times that with no issues. Some folks really need to get out and see what a long and hilly course really looks like. Royal New Kent was a good 7 miles total. This one was no more than 5 miles. 

 

The point is not the length of the walks; the point is that they are superfluous and stupid - in each case.  What's the point of long walks from green to tee like that?  Ok, they apparently don't bother you.  Walking seems to be fundamental to you and walks that have nothing to do with the golf holes seem not to matter.  And I have little doubt that you've walked longer and hillier courses.  Yes, you're right - in the great scheme of things Coyote Creek Tournament is not that extreme of a walk.  It's just a STUPID walk - the course is far better done in a cart.

 

And I will die on that hill.

 

To each his own.  I don't get the point of wishing to walk cartball courses.

 

Why the hell didn't you just play Valley next door, which nearly everyone walks????

 

You are gonna love Eagle Ridge... which features a few more truly stupid long and hilly walks from green to tee.  As does Cinnabar Hills.  

Edited April 7 by Mullenboy

[Double Mocha Man]

6 minutes ago, Mullenboy said:

The point is not the length of the walks; the point is that they are superfluous and stupid - in each case.  What's the point of long walks from green to tee like that?  Ok, they apparently don't bother you.  Walking seems to be fundamental to you and walks that have nothing to do with the golf holes seem not to matter.  And I have little doubt that you've walked longer and hillier courses.  Yes, you're right - in the great scheme of things Coyote Creek Tournament is not that extreme of a walk.  It's just a STUPID walk - the course is far better done in a cart.

 

And I will die on that hill.

 

To each his own.  I don't get the point of wishing to walk cartball courses.

 

Why the hell didn't you just play Valley next door, which nearly everyone walks????

 

You are gonna love Eagle Ridge... which features a few more truly stupid long and hilly walks from green to tee.  As does Cinnabar Hills.  

 

Sometimes people just enjoy walking a course.  There are benefits.

[Mullenboy]

10 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Sometimes people just enjoy walking a course.  There are benefits.

No doubt.  I walk nearly always.  I just don't do so where the walk is more endurance than enjoyment.   There are lots of golf courses.... why choose those that are painful?

[tad950]

59 minutes ago, mci711 said:

I need to to start hitting it down the middle i think lol. This is my average walk at my club. 6-7 miles, usually 2.5 hours. But I don't think it's a terrible walk. 

 

 

You should have seen mine when I used to walk San Juan Oaks. It looked like a combination of an electrocardiogram and a seismograph.

[mshills]

9 hours ago, Mullenboy said:

The point is not the length of the walks; the point is that they are superfluous and stupid - in each case.  What's the point of long walks from green to tee like that?  Ok, they apparently don't bother you.  Walking seems to be fundamental to you and walks that have nothing to do with the golf holes seem not to matter.  And I have little doubt that you've walked longer and hillier courses.  Yes, you're right - in the great scheme of things Coyote Creek Tournament is not that extreme of a walk.  It's just a STUPID walk - the course is far better done in a cart.

 

And I will die on that hill.

 

To each his own.  I don't get the point of wishing to walk cartball courses.

 

Why the hell didn't you just play Valley next door, which nearly everyone walks????

 

You are gonna love Eagle Ridge... which features a few more truly stupid long and hilly walks from green to tee.  As does Cinnabar Hills.  

That was a little aggressive. There is nothing wrong with choosing to walk every time.

 

There IS something wrong with insisting on it when walking is not allowed (their course, their policy and all that) or raising hell with the kid running the register who has no authority to change the policy. I have witnessed this happen many times and it sucks and makes for an awkward, unpleasant scene. Irrelevant here as I’m certain the itinerant player @Argonne69 would never do that. 
 

The hill I will die on is cart path only. The worst, and if I’m not allowed to walk when it is cart path only, I will find something else to do. 

[Mullenboy]

1 hour ago, mshills said:

That was a little aggressive. There is nothing wrong with choosing to walk every time.

 

There IS something wrong with insisting on it when walking is not allowed (their course, their policy and all that) or raising hell with the kid running the register who has no authority to change the policy. I have witnessed this happen many times and it sucks and makes for an awkward, unpleasant scene. Irrelevant here as I’m certain the itinerant player @Argonne69 would never do that. 
 

The hill I will die on is cart path only. The worst, and if I’m not allowed to walk when it is cart path only, I will find something else to do. 

That is well said.  I didn't mean to be aggressive.  And you're right, Arg as just kevtching as he said.

 

However... what remains odd to me is choosing to play a course that is carts only if walking is so imperative.... expecting or hoping them to change the policy or allow an exception just for you...  Thus I find it strange that Arg knowingly decided to play there and then kvetched afterward.

 

As for cart path only...that is often necessary but does suck.  So one walks.  Or.. doesn't play the course - as you said.

 

Oh well.  Another hill I will die on is golf is not all about the walk.  I prefer walking but never force it on others, nor care what they do or care all that much if for whatever reason I choose or am forced to ride.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 7 by Mullenboy

[tad950]

In anticipation of Args comments about a lack of fairway bunkers at Eagle Ridge😄, thought I give you a little history 😄

I

Fairway Bunkers

 

1-Bunker made smaller, and slightly flatter.

2-Not really a fairway bunker, but a series of bunkers from in front of the tee box all the was to the green

3-Series of bunkers removed that were in front of the tee box to the fairway 

     A bunker on the right that ran 2/3 the length of the fairway removed, bunkers left made smaller, flatter.

4-Fairway bunkers removed and moved.

5-Bunker made smaller.

7-Bunker removed or made smaller. 

8-Bunker made smaller or moved forward. 

10-Bunker made smaller.

11-Bunkers made smaller

12-Bunkers removed/made smaller

14-Bunkers removed/reshaped

17-Bunkers removed or made smaller. Including one that kept pushed/sliced tee shots from going on the road

18-Another nightmare bunker removed.

 

Greenside

 

1-Bunkers removed

2-Bunkers removed

3-Series of bunkers removed. Including a nightmare front right.

4-Bunkers removed. Including the bunker of death on the right.

5-Bunker removed or made smaller.

6-Sod face bunker changed to a regular bunker. Bunkers removed. 

7-Bunkers removed

8-Bunkers removed 

9-Bunkers removed

10-Bunkers removed

11–Bunkers removed 

12-Bunker reshaped. But no favors. Turned steep sand face into clumping grass

13-Bunker removed 

14-Bunker made less deep

15-Bunkers removed

16-Bunkers removed

17-Bunker removed? Or reshaped

18-Bunker shallowed out.

 

Also, on the approach on 18, two trees in the creek on the right were cut down. And a tree in the creek on the left fell down.

 

I’m old, so I might be wrong on some things. 

Edited April 7 by tad950

[Mullenboy]

Thank you for the Eagle Ridge history.  I am not a regular like you, but I first played it right when it opened and have played it many times off and on over  the years.  My apologies for my initial assessment recommending Arg avoid it.  That was way too harsh.  It is not a bad golf course at all.  And IMO, all the bunker and tree removal is for the positive.  When the course first opened there were WAY too many bunkers, making for a brutally hard course.  It is so much more playable now.  The downside is (again IMO) conditions have greatly deteriorated over the years.  Many of the bunkers that remain are more dirt than sand.  Drainage is awful.  But worst is the presence of the McMansions throughout the course.  Man that was one beautiful golf course for the first few years... the entire course was how 8 and 9 are now.  We would go just for the scenery.  Now?  McMansion canyons.  It's fun if one is into real estate but otherwise... well not my cup of tea.

 

I also think it's course that works much better in a cart than walking, but Arg seems to walk no matter what, so I'm sure he'll be fine with it.

 

You're spot on about the lack of fairway bunkers.  🙂

[ThinkingPlus]

3 minutes ago, Mullenboy said:

Thank you for the Eagle Ridge history.  I am not a regular like you, but I first played it right when it opened and have played it many times off and on over  the years.  My apologies for my initial assessment recommending Arg avoid it.  That was way too harsh.  It is not a bad golf course at all.  And IMO, all the bunker and tree removal is for the positive.  When the course first opened there were WAY too many bunkers, making for a brutally hard course.  It is so much more playable now.  The downside is (again IMO) conditions have greatly deteriorated over the years.  Many of the bunkers that remain are more dirt than sand.  Drainage is awful.  But worst is the presence of the McMansions throughout the course.  Man that was one beautiful golf course for the first few years... the entire course was how 8 and 9 are now.  We would go just for the scenery.  Now?  McMansion canyons.  It's fun if one is into real estate but otherwise... well not my cup of tea.

 

I also think it's course that works much better in a cart than walking, but Arg seems to walk no matter what, so I'm sure he'll be fine with it.

 

You're spot on about the lack of fairway bunkers.  🙂

When did ER open?

[aloha b.]

6 minutes ago, ThinkingPlus said:

When did ER open?

Didn’t it open in 2000?