Anyone try sneaking onto Cypress Point?

[AP2 712]

This was once a fun post.... can we get back there?
I've snuck on my local muni course many times growing up... but I have not done that in some time. Too bad I never thought to be brave and sneak on some of the legendary courses in the area
Oh well too late now

[Sid Vicious]

[quote name='GolferJeff' date='29 January 2010 - 02:55 AM' timestamp='1264755346' post='2211549']
[quote]Why is he not on tour? Because, as he stated, he still shot two over on the round[/quote]

Ok...but there are "TONS OF TOP NOTCH GUYS" who are ON tour who shoot over par? whats your point? these guys play courses every week, or at least once a year.
[quote]
. Honestly, there are a lot of folks on this site that need to understand there are a boatload of top notch players in this world.[/quote]

I "understood" it, and understand it now....I just find it hard to beleiev AGAIN, that a guy who hasn't played a course in "several years", can just walk on one day, and play @ -3 under through 14, and end up @ 2 over? Like i said...maybe Im not understanding the realm of possibility here? Im not trying to say this person isn't a "top notch player" as you claim, but if he were, certainly even YOU would have to admit, he'd be doing something MUCH more important(like trying to get on one of the tours, and yes, from what he claims, he's good enough to be on the Nationwide, or Japan tours?) that is..."IF" he's as good as he/you claim he is? No fault of mine to question it, as it still seems fishy to me. Guys who are "top notch" dont have alot of time to post on message boards, and also dont need to "sneak onto courses, they havent played in several years". They play top notch courses...all the time. Thats what "top notch players" do, no? To be good @ anything(especially golf), you have to play anywhere, and EVERYWHERE all the time.


[quote]I'm not sure what tees he was playing, but even playing the backs, being 3 under with a few holes to play on a difficult course you're not familiar with is within reach of tens of thousands of golfers on this planet. [/quote]

Not true!!! There are how many guys on the pro tours? and they're there for what reason? they can do something that "tens of thousands of people" CANNOT do: play under par golf. If "tens of thousands" can play @ that level? there'd be more guys on the tour each year, then the current number, no? Thats what that means...that there's only so many guys who can go out and consistantly play below par golf. Not because they "havent played courses in several years", but because they play them every year, all the time. They dominate on courses, you and I cannot.


I dont claim to be Phil Mickelson by any means, or no expert on someone's game, But, it still seems HIGHLY UNLIKELY to me and SEVERAL others who I've pointed this link out to, that it's that easy to shoot below par golf, on a course someone claims they havent played in several years?

Especially with modern technology being as it is today? course re-designs, the removing/moving of bunkers/holes, etc?

Do I doubt this person's ability on a golf course? no. To some it might look as if I do. But, I just find it highly unlikely that he shot the score that he did. Especially on a course that "top notch players" play on a consistant basis, and still cant seem to break par, and they're on the friggin PGA tour?

Pardon me for questioning the EXTREME unlikely hood of something I still call BS on.

I even asked the guys @ one of the local golf stores here in town(in Vegas), know what they said?"If he were THAT good, he'd be on tour. Nearly impossible for someone who hasn't played a course "in several years" to break even...no matter how good he/she claims to be". I would imagine the numbers of this thing actually happening that way, would be quite astronomical? I certainly would say it would be ALOT LESS THAN "Tens of thousands of people", as you've alluded to?

They only give out so many Tour cards....there's a reason for that. If he's as good as you two are saying...trust me...we'd have heard about him A LONG TIME AGO.

I stand by what I said/believe, and you can stand by what you say/believe. I think it's total BS, but thats just me.

I wish people here would realize that not everything said here and elsewhere is 100% accurate, or truthful.


Just sayin.
[/quote]

What's the big deal? Lots of players play unfamiliar courses well, myself included. Cypress isn't that tough that it can't be beaten. I've never been there before but I know people who have and shot good scores there. They told me that from the members boxes and in good weather the course is very playable.

As to your comment about him not being on tour? Apparently you don't know exactly how the tours, or their qualifying systems work. There are a hundred reasons why he might not be out on tour. Or maybe he is. I certainly don't remember him indicating one way or the other.

I just looked up the slope for CP and it is 136/72.4. That's not too bad at all. My home course is 137/73.6 and I play it well enough to get under the number once in a while, so I figure I have just as good a shot breaking par at CP as I would at home. Matter of fact, if someone wants to let me loose on her to try, I'll buy the post round dinner!

[Mainlinegolfer]

Time out for OP.

Yes, in college, when we drove up from LA to SF for football game in late '60s. Played a few holes on Spyglass "for free" but got caught at Cypress Point getting ready to walk to 16th tee (wearing golf shoes gave us away, I guess). Since we were just college kids, we were given choice of getting into back into car and leaving or being arrested for trespassing. Chose the former.

Fortunately, as an adult, I have now been an invited guest. The 15th, also a par 3, is perhaps even more beautiful than the 16th hole, though much shorter. Hit green on 16 with 5 wood; putted for birdie, made bogey.

Have played most of top 100 in U.S. and around the world (with notable exception of ANGC). Pine Valley wins for diversity of holes, shot values and challenge; Cypress Point for beauty and close for shot values--close call for #1. Neither is the HARDEST golf course I've ever played, but they are the BEST I've ever played.

[GolferJeff]

GOTCHA!!!!

 

 

 

Folks, I had to pump some life into this board somehow...it got many folks talking didn't it? that was my goal. No disrespect to Davison...I was just bored of coming here and seeing this place be a morgue of sorts. This opened up MANY eyes, and got people talking, which was the point of why I did what i did, said what I said. You guys all took it and ran with it(as I expected you to do).

 

I have to admit....seeing some of you folks getting all hot and bothered by my responses here, was/is funny.

 

No harm or disrespect to anyone here. Just trying to have fun, and again, liven this place up. It was dead around here for a bit, hopefully, I changed that up & we can continue to see great postings and so forth from everyone. Keep it fun folks.....thats what I was trying to do(and hope it continues happening). No need for anyone to take offense to this, as it wasn't meant to be taken that way.

 

Calm down everyone.

 

 

Hit 'em long.

[Flopadopolous]

GOTCHA!!!!

 

 

 

Folks, I had to pump some life into this board somehow...it got many folks talking didn't it? that was my goal. No disrespect to Davison...I was just bored of coming here and seeing this place be a morgue of sorts. This opened up MANY eyes, and got people talking, which was the point of why I did what i did, said what I said. You guys all took it and ran with it(as I expected you to do).

 

I have to admit....seeing some of you folks getting all hot and bothered by my responses here, was/is funny.

 

No harm or disrespect to anyone here. Just trying to have fun, and again, liven this place up. It was dead around here for a bit, hopefully, I changed that up & we can continue to see great postings and so forth from everyone. Keep it fun folks.....thats what I was trying to do(and hope it continues happening). No need for anyone to take offense to this, as it wasn't meant to be taken that way.

 

Calm down everyone.

 

 

Hit 'em long.

 

funny...hope you had fun man...

[eddiea54]

GOTCHA!!!!

 

 

 

Folks, I had to pump some life into this board somehow...it got many folks talking didn't it? that was my goal. No disrespect to Davison...I was just bored of coming here and seeing this place be a morgue of sorts. This opened up MANY eyes, and got people talking, which was the point of why I did what i did, said what I said. You guys all took it and ran with it(as I expected you to do).

 

I have to admit....seeing some of you folks getting all hot and bothered by my responses here, was/is funny.

 

No harm or disrespect to anyone here. Just trying to have fun, and again, liven this place up. It was dead around here for a bit, hopefully, I changed that up & we can continue to see great postings and so forth from everyone. Keep it fun folks.....thats what I was trying to do(and hope it continues happening). No need for anyone to take offense to this, as it wasn't meant to be taken that way.

 

Calm down everyone.

 

 

Hit 'em long.

 

 

 

Aren't you a funny guy.

[gentles]

GOTCHA!!!!

 

 

 

Folks, I had to pump some life into this board somehow...it got many folks talking didn't it? that was my goal. No disrespect to Davison...I was just bored of coming here and seeing this place be a morgue of sorts. This opened up MANY eyes, and got people talking, which was the point of why I did what i did, said what I said. You guys all took it and ran with it(as I expected you to do).

 

I have to admit....seeing some of you folks getting all hot and bothered by my responses here, was/is funny.

 

No harm or disrespect to anyone here. Just trying to have fun, and again, liven this place up. It was dead around here for a bit, hopefully, I changed that up & we can continue to see great postings and so forth from everyone. Keep it fun folks.....thats what I was trying to do(and hope it continues happening). No need for anyone to take offense to this, as it wasn't meant to be taken that way.

 

Calm down everyone.

 

 

Hit 'em long.

 

LOL ^ ROFL

[Liquid]

Wow, great gotcha, not! Back on topic, I must confess that I jumped out of our car with my wife driving and hit a 8 iron on the 15th. I took about 10 seconds to take in the beauty of the hole, stuck my tee in the ground and hit a solid draw to the left side of the green. I was back in the car driving away in about 45 seconds. I tried to get on Cypress to play because my buddy had lent me his CPGA card, but they needed 6 weeks notice. I did still manage to get on The Olympic Club which was awesome.

[harpua728]

[quote name='Liquid' date='05 February 2010 - 11:58 AM' timestamp='1265389116' post='2229314']
Wow, great gotcha, not! Back on topic, I must confess that I jumped out of our car with my wife driving and hit a 8 iron on the 15th. I took about 10 seconds to take in the beauty of the hole, stuck my tee in the ground and hit a solid draw to the left side of the green. I was back in the car driving away in about 45 seconds. I tried to get on Cypress to play because my buddy had lent me his CPGA card, but they needed 6 weeks notice. I did still manage to get on The Olympic Club which was awesome.
[/quote]


Awesome. You should have finished the hole on gone to 16!!

[Liquid]

LOL, I don't think so, that 45 seconds felt like forever when you're panicking.

[Rudders]

[quote name='dlygrisse' date='29 January 2010 - 06:37 AM' timestamp='1264765071' post='2211590']
[quote name='GolferJeff' date='29 January 2010 - 06:06 AM' timestamp='1264763173' post='2211581']
[quote]There are lots of people...
[/quote]
All true!... [/quote]

But...
[quote]
Being a tour player... [/quote]

Im well aware...
[/quote]
If you want to call someone a liar...I played Spyglass this year for the first time...
[/quote]

I've played all four courses (PB, Spyglass, CP, PH). I've also worked the AT&T for several years (job related) and did that inside the ropes. IMO, Spyglass is the hardest of the lot, because of its consistency of tough shots, long carries into greens, and difficult putting surfaces. While the two par 3s on the back nine aren't top of the line, the shapes of the greens, the water around the greens, the club choices for the down hill shots, on those holes some what off-set the lack of length.

And...we stayed at the Lodge on my honeymoon ($75EP should tell you how long ago that was). After playing the course in the late morning (6 hour + round), I went back at night before dinner and played 16, 17, and 18 (no one was on the course), walked back and then played 17 and 18 twice. my wife was sitting on the deck of our room in the Alvarado bldg. eating crackers and drinking wine each time I passed. After the first stint on just 17 and 18, she tossed me down another 3 balls. Damn those hooks into Stillwater Cove and the Bay!

Wanna enjoy a walk? we went back in '07 for an anniversary and hoofed 17-Mile Drive from the front door of the Spanish Bay Lodge to the Gallery restaurant in PB. Ate and took the bus back.

[teejaywhy]

GOTCHA!!!!

 

 

 

Folks, I had to pump some life into this board somehow...it got many folks talking didn't it? that was my goal. No disrespect to Davison...I was just bored of coming here and seeing this place be a morgue of sorts. This opened up MANY eyes, and got people talking, which was the point of why I did what i did, said what I said. You guys all took it and ran with it(as I expected you to do).

 

I have to admit....seeing some of you folks getting all hot and bothered by my responses here, was/is funny.

 

No harm or disrespect to anyone here. Just trying to have fun, and again, liven this place up. It was dead around here for a bit, hopefully, I changed that up & we can continue to see great postings and so forth from everyone. Keep it fun folks.....thats what I was trying to do(and hope it continues happening). No need for anyone to take offense to this, as it wasn't meant to be taken that way.

 

Calm down everyone.

 

 

Hit 'em long.

 

 

I call BS. I say that GolferJeff really is a d*ck!

[duckhook]

If you think that someone shooting 3 under is tour quality, then you are clueless. I am a +4 handicap still and tried the tours in my younger days. I may have been able to hack it around the bottom of the Nationwide at best.

These guys on tour are incredible. They rarely shoot over 64 on their home course, and shoot under par every single time they tee it up outside a tournament. Yes you see some tour pros struggle at times and shoot 75-80. But they are doing that on the hardest pin placements and in front of thousands of people with the utmost pressure on them. I remember Troy Matterson working at my course when he was in college. I played with him 4 times and his WORST score was 62. He can't even cut it out there.

To call someone out on what is a fairly average score, especially at CP, is ridiculous.

[harpua728]

Can we please stick to the original topic. This was meant to be a fun forum.

[Pepperturbo]

I can't imagine any respecting golfer would attempt that on any course; presuming he/she was taught basic manors and golf etiquette, and that it's a misdemeanor...

[swbyps]

[quote name='Mward2002' date='20 October 2009 - 03:44 PM' timestamp='1256071456' post='2017069']
ANGC is only open for about half a year. If it were me personally, I'd pick up a twilight tee time at Augusta Country Club and around 5:30-6:00 I'd menander onto that hole that runs along green of 12 and the Masters tee box of 13. Is there a fence back there between the two or just trees?

Granted that's all hypothetical.. I would "never do that"
[/quote]

Take a ball...put your marking on it...tee it up on that hole...grab big stick and rip it over the fence onto AN and into the trees somewhere. A little piece of you will always be out there.

[rdavison]

Wow; I leave the site for a while and come back to a fire-storm! I don't know whether to be flattered that golferjeff thinks I should be on Tour or pissed because he flat out called me a BS'er. Here's the truth; I did shoot 74, was -3 with 4 to play and did try to play the tour back in the late 90's. Didn't make it, now I work a real job as well as being a golf writer for a local newspaper. It's been 6 months since I played Cypress and rarely a day passes that I don't think about it. However, I am getting the chance to play Pebble this Monday, 5/10, for media day for the US Open. I'll try to do a review of the course when I get back; from what I've heard it is in great shape, obviously with just over a month to go before the US Open. I'll try not to fold like a chair if I get it a few under like I did at Cypress. Thanks to those of you who stuck up for me on this board.

If golferjeff wants to verify Monday at Pebble, he can contact the USGA and ask them when their media day is; he'll find out that I speak the truth, just like I did about Cypress!

[shrtgamguy]

[quote name='troonnorth' timestamp='1256070029' post='2017019']
No need to "sneak" on when you have the connections. Great track to say the least. I'd shoot you if I caught you sneaking onto the course.
[/quote]


Seriously, I'd rather play my public course, than Cypress with someone like you. Luckily most people in the golfing community tend to be a bit classier than yourself.

[shrtgamguy]

[quote name='teejaywhy' timestamp='1255992548' post='2015326']
[quote name='harpua728' post='2010311' date='Oct 16 2009, 12:20 PM']Scared to try to sneak on Cypress?[/quote]

How are you adjusting to the transition to middle school this year?
[/quote]

You must not have much more than a middle school education, if you couldn't see the context that was posted in.

[poppyhillsguy]

Full moon tonight! My tee time is at 2am!

[TomWishon]

[quote name='poppyhillsguy' timestamp='1402633358' post='9485393']
Full moon tonight! My tee time is at 2am!
[/quote]

LOL!! I realize this is an OLD thread but with your recent post, it sure did bring back some fun memories of the old days when I was an asst pro in the Nor Cal section and some of us assts used to wear out our welcome on Mondays down in Monterey at the other great tracks down there. Back then all the big courses, Pebble, Spyglass, even MPCC, used to let people with a PGA card come down on Mondays and play gratis. Don't think that's the same today what with the Del Monte Properties' golden green fee rates there!

Cypress was impossible though, or virtually so. Back then they used to reserve 5 tee times only on Mondays from 7:30 to 8 at the discretion of the pro for unaccompanied guest rounds and that seldom was open for asst pros. I do remember one trip we made to play 36 on a Monday at PB and Spyglass where the lure of CP was too much. So we parked the car at the Point Joe parking area, grabbed a couple of balls and a 3 wood each, and climbed around the rocks between Point Joe and the back tee for #16. The back tee was not visible from the clubhouse so we very quickly stuck the peg in the ground and hit a couple of 3w's each and then hustled like heck to get out of there. We didn't get caught that time, but later on we heard that a couple of guys doing the same thing were grabbed and actually arrested and taken to the police station.

Some years later I got to be pretty good friends with Jim Langley who was the long time head pro at CP and he was kind enough to arrange one of these early Monday times for me and my wife when we were out visiting my folks in the Bay Area. Absolutely a superb experience of quiet, peaceful solitude on the finest grass money could grow playing gorgeous holes with a spectacular view.

Let me ask you - how's the new Poppy Hills layout? My whole family has a house rented in the MPCC neighborhood for Christmas and I'd love to get out for a couple of rounds with my son who has never had the chance to play any of those courses. With Jim passed away unfortunately now, I don't have a contact at CP which is ok, but since Poppy is new and I had never played the old Poppy either, I had that one in mind for one of the days.

TOM

[poppyhillsguy]

I have not played the new Poppy Hills layout for two reasons:
1. They will not offer a twilight rate for another year. (Limiting the amount of play is their excuse, but I think it's financial driven.)
2. The course reviews are positive, but I've been told by multiple people that the greens are very ROCK HARD. It will take some time to soften up.

Jim Langley; he let me and the rest of the Carmel High School golf team play Cypress as an end of the season celebration. Words can't describe the experience.

[neil72]

This topic reminded me of a great story about Pebble Beach caddie legend and top NCGA amateur golfer, Casey Boyes:

[quote]
But growing up in nearby Pacific Grove, Boyns produced his own golf shenanigans. He once snuck on to the posh Monterey Peninsula Country Club to play 18 holes for 15 consecutive days before finally being caught by a marshal. He did the same thing once at tony Cypress Point, before he left a 9-iron on the course and trudged into the pro shop to inquire whether anyone had found it. He never attempted that clandestine maneuver again.
[/quote]

Full article at [url="http://www.usga.org/ChampEventArticle.aspx?id=2147489127"]http://www.usga.org/...x?id=2147489127[/url].

[johnnylongball]

I'm making what will probably be a once in a lifetime trip to play the Monterey courses in October with two buddies. We have been working our contacts but at this point haven't sniffed a tee time at Cypress. We're still searching for a way in but we're not optimistic.

[questfor80sf]

I went down to play the new Poppy Hills course about a month ago and we got down there way early. Parked in the Cypress lot and walked around a bit. There was basically no one around so it seemed fine.

[GeorgeL]

I played Poppy Hills a few weeks ago. The course was in great shape and the layout was spectacular. You definitely don't see this type of design in southern California! It reminded me of Pinehurst, because the fairways were lined with tall trees and there was no rough anywhere - just wood chips and dirt in the tree areas, and Augusta (from what I hear) because I don't think I ever saw a level lie, even in the fairways. The only detraction is that the greens are unbelievably hard.

I flight my irons very high so I normally get minimal runout - 5-6 feet on longer irons and maybe a foot or less on wedges (many times a few inches on a level green). But I could not for the life of me hold a green. I would see it hit the front of the green and think I should have a decent putt at it but when I get there my ball is nowhere to be seen and I find that it ran all the way off the green and into the 'rough' (wood chips). In fact the only times I held a green were when I intentionally hit it short, maybe 5 yards, and let the ball run up.

I even overheard some good junior golfers whine and complain to their parents that the course was not fun and the hardest they've ever played and it cracked me up when the parents told them to suck it up because it was the kids' idea to play there in the first place.

All in all, though, I enjoyed the course and would definitely play there again.

But not if the greens don't soften up.

[poppyhillsguy]

That echo's what I've heard. Wait a year for the greens to soften up.

[slocagolfer]

[quote name='GeorgeL' timestamp='1403738204' post='9578117']
I played Poppy Hills a few weeks ago. The course was in great shape and the layout was spectacular. You definitely don't see this type of design in southern California! It reminded me of Pinehurst, because the fairways were lined with tall trees and there was no rough anywhere - just wood chips and dirt in the tree areas, and Augusta (from what I hear) because I don't think I ever saw a level lie, even in the fairways. The only detraction is that the greens are unbelievably hard.

I flight my irons very high so I normally get minimal runout - 5-6 feet on longer irons and maybe a foot or less on wedges (many times a few inches on a level green). But I could not for the life of me hold a green. I would see it hit the front of the green and think I should have a decent putt at it but when I get there my ball is nowhere to be seen and I find that it ran all the way off the green and into the 'rough' (wood chips). In fact the only times I held a green were when I intentionally hit it short, maybe 5 yards, and let the ball run up.

I even overheard some good junior golfers whine and complain to their parents that the course was not fun and the hardest they've ever played and it cracked me up when the parents told them to suck it up because it was the kids' idea to play there in the first place.

All in all, though, I enjoyed the course and would definitely play there again.

But not if the greens don't soften up.
[/quote]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm headed there tomorrow.

[slocagolfer]

Report: I really liked the course. The look is different but very appealing, IMHO. I liked leaving the fronts of the greens open for approach shots. Lowering a few of the greens is a nice improvement. Interestingly it seemed the greens were really quick on approach shots, pitches, and chips. My group thought they were not nearly so fast on putts. A lot of us left putts short.
Right now the course is cart paths only. The do a fleet of Clic Gear push carts for rent ($10) which a couple of us did even though most were in carts. To me it was a good decision. I don't know when the course matures if they will allow carts on the fairways.I did buy a yardage book before the round and that helped my group a lot on picking out targets, etc.

[Ajlepisto]

This is an old thread. But, am I the only one who thinks it's ridiculous to brag about trespassing and theft like this?