The Cal Club

I must have good luck with the great city of San Francisco, because I had yet another sunny and warm day at another classic course.  Unlike some classic courses around America, The Cal Club has roughly three or four designers.
It's original routing for the course was designed by Willie Locke, a young Scotsman with a great eye as his routing for the back nine is still in place today.  However due to creative differences, the club decided to choose a different designer for the hole by hole design by the name of A. Vernon Macan.  His designs aren't well known, but locals do know his other Bay Area project, Lake Merced Golf Club, for holding Sectional Qualifying for the U.S. Open every other year.
While playing I noticed the bunker design looked familiar, and for good reason.  The club hired (at the time) young Alister MacKenzie to work on his second golf course in America.  His bunkers are well known for being cloud shaped and irregular which leads to many picturesque holes.
Finally after the new millenium, the club hired a new architect looking to make the front nine look like the back, and play like the back as well.  Kyle Phillips redesigned much of the front nine, created three completely new holes (which are great holes that are long enough for new technology while keeping with a very classic feel), and managed to design sand traps that aren't far off from MacKenzie's.

Driving up to the club was a breeze.  Just off the freeway the views and essence of the entire club take you back to a time where there weren't any freeways anywhere.

The Club's Driveway with cypress trees, preparing you for what you are going to be shooting through all day.

As you approach the clubhouse it almost looks reminiscent of an old colonial house you would see the south, or with it's columns... The White House?

The entire course is filled with adventure.  I hit a lot of shots that weren't too bad.  This is one course that doesn't accept shot's that aren't too bad.  You hit good or great shots, or you pay the price.  I realized this course is the true definition of a difficult course, 18 holes losing no balls that leaves you a possibility to shoot a high number.  Playing from the "Venturi" (back) tees you will experience 7200 yards at a course rating of nearly 75, that is a monster course. 

The approach to the Par 5 4th hole

Par 4 7th hole.  It leaves the long hitters in good weather thinking whether to carry the 280 gap to the green complex or not.  

The approach to the 7th hole taking the standard route.  Bunkering on this hole is done very well. 

Looking back at the clubhouse from the 10th green.

The shoot from the 13th tee box is not the widest, especially if you're a right hander and cut the ball.  It's not the longest but still makes for an interesting hole.

A true standout among other Top 100 courses are The Cal Club's flag sticks.  Double stitched so the number of the hole is on both sides of the flag is rare enough, but here they use wood flag sticks, something I've never seen before.

I took two pictures from the 15th tee boxes.  This view is from the Black tee box, which is the second longest set of tees.  You have a fairly open view at the fairway from here.

This view is from the Venturi tees, the longest set of tees on the course.  The bunkers on the left squeeze together when you try to get close to the trees.  It leaves the whole right side of the fairway wide open, however it makes your reachable Par 5 a three shot hole very quick.

The 16th hole from the tee box.  It's supposed to be the easiest hole on the golf course as a short downhill Par 3.  The bunkering surrounding the green does make it play slightly more difficult than the yardage would suggest.

The view from the right side of the 16th green.

The last Par 5's approach displaying classic MacKenzie bunkers.

The final approach shot which is slightly downhill but with a huge valley to cross.  This is one of two greens that were redesigned by MacKenzie, coupled with his bunkering make the last hole a lasting memory.

I didn't notice it at the time, but the greens themselves are not the largest.  Considering the original designer was rumored to be replaced because he wanted to make small greens, it makes me wonder just how small the original designer wanted them.

The Cal Club has one heck of a golf course.  It is most definitely atop the few that I have played so far.  The design has stayed true to its roots as the fairways often converge with holes that are next to each other rather than some clubs that have rough follow throughout the hole.  Their cart paths are only by tee and greens so that they would not interfere with play, a feature most new courses and young architects today do not take advantage of.  The maintenance crew puts out cart signs directing drivers towards the side of the fairway, which, since recent renovations, don't seem necessary on a day to day basis because they drain so well.  The greens today slightly reminded me of the recent President's Cup at Royal Melbourne the way that they were firm, fast, and incredibly healthy while still showing some of the dirt underneath.  Some of the best rolling greens I've seen without being a thick bent like Augusta.  Overall, I can't wait to play the next course to see how much higher (Or lower depending on how you look at it) I would place The Cal Club... #97 seems pretty high for such a great course.

Pasatiempo Golf Club

When I asked my friends if they want to play an Alister MacKenzie design, they basically made fun of me for even asking the question.  The man who created some of the best golf courses in the world has a handful of courses in the San Francisco Bay Area from Fairfax down to Monterey, and today we are somewhere in the middle at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, CA.  It was what any Santa Cruz native could call a "Picture Perfect Day".  Typically a town with fog (being right on the ocean), this was a day for us to shed the extra layers and enjoy the sun.

Down the first hole, an almost long par 4 is down hill, with views of Monterey and the ocean, which is more than a little distracting if you're not used to it.  As we tee off the starter informs us that some people that have had the honor of playing Augusta told them that the undulation of the greens are strangely similar to those of Augusta National, and to keep up pace but be careful reading them.

We tried to be careful... we failed.  The greens are the most difficult green complexes I've played yet.  The course going through the roaming hills also was reminiscent of MacKenzie's famed course on the east coast, which really made it a special day.  The bunkering was updated from years past as it steadily became more and more bland.  The club got the bunkers and greens back to it's glory throughout the past years to make it look as close to how it did when it was first opened.

Third Hole Par 3 has bunkers nearly everywhere, except where you can run it it.  But be careful... It's actually a false front.

Hole 4 green in the foreground is short hole, but allows you to play it many ways.  Hole 5 in the background is another par 3 with bunkers everywhere you can imagine.  Iron striking is at a premium. 

As you go through the course there is one piece of property OFF the golf course that you must see and thank.  Off the 6 fairway at 100 yards out from the green is the house of Dr. Alister MacKenzie.  There are rumors that Pasatiempo was his favorite course because he spent his final years right here.  

Known for using natural terrain, you wouldn't think that there are gorges you would have to fly over at any MacKenzie course, but Pasatiempo is one exception.  He used the natural terrain and used them as one does a wide stream or river.  On hole 12 it gives you the decision to be bold, or accept a long approach into the green.  You Decide.  

 Overall, this course is definitely up there as one of my favorites of all time.  It's early in my quest... but I can't remember the last time I had this much fun on a golf course.  This place is something special.