ALL THINGS GOLF

U.S. Open Memoribilia

2007-04-24T14:50:00.000-07:00

1996 US Open at Oakland hills

1984 US Open at Winged foot won by Fuzzy Zoeller
1998 US Open at the Olympic Club won by Lee Janzen
Scorecard from Bethpage Black site of the 2002 US Open won by Tiger Woods
2001 US Open at Southern Hills won by Retief Goosen
Ticket to the US Open at Bethpage Black won by Tiger Woods

My press pass to the 1998 US Open at Olympic Club

Parking pass and ticket to the 1993 US Open at Baltusrol won by Lee Janzen
1999 US Open from Pinehurst No. 2 won by Payne Stewart
1997 US Open from Congressional won by Ernie Els.

I will be posting some other US Open memoribilia from my collection soon. I hope you enjoy the posts.

The Masters

2007-03-30T19:04:00.000-07:00

Since the Masters is just a week away, I thought I would share my collection of Masters badges.

1987 - Larry Mize

1994 -Jose Maria Olazabal 1995 - Ben Crenshaw
1997 - Tiger Woods
1996 - Nick Faldo
2000 - Tiger Woods
1999 - Jose Maria Olazabal

1983 - Seve Ballesteros
2003 - -Mike Weir

2002 - Tiger Woods
1993 - Bernhard Langer
1998 - Mark O'Meara
2000 - Vijay Singh

1992 - Fred Couples

2001 - Tiger Woods

1990 - Nick Faldo 1991 - Ian Woosnam

Old Desert Inn Golf Course

2007-03-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share some memorablia I have from the Desert Inn Country Club in Las Vegas.The course and hotel were torn down when Steve Wynn bought and built the billion dollar Wynn Las Vegas Resort and golf course. Wynn's course does not resemble the DI at all. As you can see from the post card, the PGA held the Tournament of Champions at the Desert Inn. I also have a bag tag , a golf bag claim check and a yardage book. It was a great old course. I played it many times and as a matter of fact, I played it just a month before it was closed down.

Tournamet results

2007-03-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

Well, we went to Monterey and competed in the NCGA 4 man best ball North zone tournament and did pretty good finishing 8th out of 26 team. We were 5 strokes from moving on to the zone championship. The first day we shot 132 and were in 4th place. The 2nd day, our partners played well, but my partner and I did not play at all well. If we would have do just a little, we would have won the whole thing. It was a good experience and the courses were great. I forgot my camera, but I hope to have some pics from one of the other guys to post soon.

Spyglass Hill Golf Course

2007-03-10T18:51:00.000-08:00

we go to Monterey this coming Saturday for the NCGA 4 man qualifier. We Play Poppy Hills and Spyglass Hill. Here are some shots of Spyglass. It is constantly ranked as one of the hardest courses in the U.S.. I just hope I have some good fortune.

Just for laughs

2007-03-02T19:45:00.000-08:00

I played in the Almond blossum tournament at Arbuckle last weekend and it was just a disaster. The weather was horrible and the greens were impossible to putt. I needed a laugh at the expense of golf and this is what I came up with.

Poppy Hills

2007-03-02T19:35:00.000-08:00

It's just two weeks until we go to Monterey to play in the NCGA 4 man qualifier. I thought a few shots of Poppy Hills would be in order. Poppy Hills is one of the courses that the PGA plays in the AT&T Pro Am. As you can see it is a beautiful course with much vegetation around it. Like the other course we will play , Spyglass Hill, you need to hit the ball straight. Length is not as important as accuracy. I'll post some shots of Spyglass in the next day or two.

ALL-STAR WEEKEND

2007-02-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

It was All-Star weekend in Las Vegas. I took shots of the hotels with all the adidas adds on them. You can see some of the traffic . There are also some shots of Mark and JP before and after golf. There are shots of the Rio Casino and Mark playing video poker at the Trop. It was a great weekend. I can't thank Mark enough for the great birthday present. It was a most memorable trip.

Las Vegas Golf Trip-Rhodes Ranch

2007-02-21T15:38:00.000-08:00

The 2nd golf course we played was Rhodes Ranch. I have played it before and enjoyed it . However, all of the greend were dead and they had very little grass on them. The fairways were fine. If you are thinking of playing this course this spring, make sure to ask about the conditions of the greens. The top pictures are of me chipping . The next two pics are of one of the the par 4's and my nephew , JP, hitting to a green. Next, a shot from the tee of one of the par 3's and Mark getting ready to chip. The next picture is JP putting, you can see how brown the greens are, and a hot down the fairway of a par 5. JP hitting to the green. I took these next two shots on the tee of the 10th hole. I thought the hot air balloons in the background were cool. Next is the par 3 3rd hole. ( I put one in the water). Then two golfing cousins. The last picture is JP blasting it down the fairway. You can see that the fairways were pretty nice. JP shot 38 on the back with a double bogey on 18!!!! My next publish will be of Las Vegas on all-star weekend.

Las Vegas Golf Trip -TPC Canyons

2007-02-20T18:59:00.000-08:00

Here are the first set of pics from Mark and my golf trip to Las Vegas over the weekend. What a great time. The first picture is of Mark getting his clubs out of the car when we arrived at TPC Canyons . The 2nd his him on his cell. The next couple of pictures are of me swinging. Not happy about how my swing looks. My clubs didn't come on my flight so I used rentals. They were good clubs, but I really struggled with the putter. The next two pictures are of our caddy and the cart girl. Next we get a good look at Mark's swing and the 13th hole. The next two shots are of the clubhouse. Next the neat 2nd hole and Mark's tee shot, and finally Mark watching his approach shot.

Peach Tree Champions

2007-02-10T14:57:00.000-08:00

Well, we did it ! Our team won the Peach Tree Country Club 4 man best ball NCGA qualifier. We shot 132 which was one stroke better than the 2nd place team. Steve Gimblin and I paired up and we didn't play that well , but our partners , Tony Marefos and Mark Ruble shot the lights out with a 9 under score . We will be going to Monterey on March 19th and 20th for the regional zone tournament. We will play Poppy Hills and Cypress Point. I Think that will be a real treat. I only hope I play better than I did today.

Vegas Golf Trip

2007-02-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

My son Mark is taking me to Las Vegas next weekend , Feb.16th -19th, for my birthday. It is a golf weekend. We are playing Friday at the TPC Canyons and on Sunday at Rhodes Ranch. These are both really nice courses as you can see by the pictures. I want to thank Mark for the present, and TPC Canyons for the golf. I will post pictures of the trip when I get back. This weekend is the NCGA 4 man qualifier at Peach Tree. My team lost in a playoff last year. The winners go to the next level which , I believe , is held at Cypress Point!!!!

Thanksgiving Point Golf Course

2007-02-01T19:15:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Point Golf Course is located in Utah halfway between Prove and Salt Lake City. It is one of the hardest courses I have ever played. It is 7728 yds from the tips. I played the blue tee and it is 7279 from them with lots of bunkers and water. The back nine goes along and over the Jordan River. When I played the rough was very thick and penal. The pictures are : Bill Murray at at tournament held at Thanksgiving Point,the 3rd green. a 300 yd par 4, the 190 yd 4th hole, the 460 yd 9th hole, the 440 yd 13th green , and the 435 yd 18 th green. I really want to play this course again. I have only played it once, but I plan on going back to visit my daughters this spring or summer and Adam's friend Jim has promised to play Thanksgiving Point with me. It is an absolute bargain for the price with green fees between $58 and $78 depending on what day of the week you play. This is a Johnny Miller course, so beware of the difficult greens. One word of caution; if you eat lunch there, avoid the chicken pot pie!!!!!

Golf Balls

2007-01-30T17:24:00.000-08:00

I thought I would talk a little about golf balls. The most popular ball is , of course, Titleist. I like the Pro V1 a lot. The Pro V1x is ok. I probably don't put enough spin on the ball to get as much out of the x as some others do. Bridgestone entered the golf ball market and their ball is a good one. My Saturday playing partner Mark uses them and seems to like them. The few times that I have used them they were fine. I included the Nike One because if it's good enough for Tiger then it must be a good ball. Finally, my ball of choice now the Callaway HX tour. I really like this ball. It seems to carry as far , if not farther than the Pro V1, and it does well on the green for me. Those are my choices. Whatever ball you use, hit them long and straight.

Random Stuff

2007-01-25T18:28:00.000-08:00

These are just some pictures I thought might be kind of fun. The top two pictures are of the old Desert Inn Country Club. It is long gone. It has been replaced by the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel and golf course. The DI was a great golf course , one of 3 that used to be on the strip. The Dunes and The Tropicana were the others. I got the chance to play all of them several times. The 2nd set of pics are of the 14 hole at the Falls. It gives you a good look at some of the elevation changes on the course. The other picture is of Amy and I at the Hard Rock Hotel. I have just finished golfing and we were probably going to lunch. The bottom two pictures are of the Desert Inn Hotel on the left and the Sands on the right. The DI was one of my favorites. It was the quietest hotel and casino in Vegas. The Sands is , of course, where the "Rat Pack" hung out. Mary and I also stayed there many times including on our honeymoon.

Torrey Pines Golf Course

2007-01-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

Torrey Pines Golf Course is a municipal golf course in San Diego , CA. It has two courses. The North and The South. The South course will host the US Open in 2008. It has been re-designed and lengthen to 7607 yards. I played the South Course about a year ago. It is in a beautiful spot and is a really good golf course, but remember it is a muni course and rounds are long and the course gets beat up. Green fees for the South Course are $130 during the week and $169 on weekends. I'm sure that they will go up as the Open approaches. The Buick Open is being played there as I post this blog. I am happy to answer any questions about Torrey Pines.

Today's round

2007-01-24T17:36:00.000-08:00

I played 18 holes today and I have decided to keep the golf clubs at least for another day. I shot 83 . A rather lackluster 42 on the front and a 41 on the back. The thing that I was most happy about is that I hit almost every shot solid. I hope that hold over until Saturday. Tomorrow I will try to post some shots of Torrey Pines in San Diego. Walker, Mark, and I played the south course last year, and since the tournament is there this week, it might be fun to look at it.

Turkey Creek Golf Course

2007-01-24T17:24:00.000-08:00

Turkey Creek Golf Course is located in Lincoln , CA just a 30 minute drive from my home in Yuba City. It is a very nice golf course. This summer I played in an NCGA 2 man qualifier there and the fairways were brutal. The result of a heat wave, but every other time I've played it has been in nice shape. The first picture is the 14th hole. A 155 yard par 3 . Your tee shot is over water. If you hit it long , you are in the woods and dead. The 2nd picture is of the putting green taken from the 3 rd tee. The next picture is of the 10th hole. A par 4 . Tee shot should be between the boulders. ( there is another large boulder on the left side, not visible in this picture. A large lake is on the front left of the green. The last picture is the 14th green. This course has very reasonable green fees and is fun to play. It can be crowded, so plan for a 5 hour round, unless you go early in the morning.

Hacker

2007-01-24T09:10:00.000-08:00

I played golf in my regular game on Saturday and after the round I was ready to melt down my clubs and sell them for scrap iron. I am going to play today and hopefully , my game will be better. Let you know later when I post a new golf course.

Top 5 golf shops in Vegas

2007-01-20T16:56:00.000-08:00

I thought I would let you know the best places in Vegas to buy golf balls, hats, shirts, clubs etc. At least these are my favorites:
1. Las vegas golf- located on Paradise just north of the Hard Rock Hotel. They have everything at resonable prices.

2. Callaway Golf Center-located on the southern end of the Strip. If you play anything Callaway, this is the place for you. They also have a great practice facility and a fun little par 3 course.

3. TPC Canyons-It's a pretty typical pro shop, but I like it alot. It has a real nice feel to it and the staff is very helpful.

4. Primm Valley- I like this one because it has the feel of a very comfortable old clubhouse. Again, the staff here are great.

5. In Celebration Of Golf- Located inside the Venetian Resort. You probably don't want to buy anything here . It is very, and I mean very, expensive, but it is unlike any other golf shop. It has some of the neatest things you will ever see.

Sunbrook Golf Course-St. George, Utah

2007-01-20T16:43:00.000-08:00

Sunbrook Golf Course is located in St. George , Utah. It is the only 27 hole course in Utah and has 3 distinct 9's. I recommend that you play all 3 of the courses as they are all different. The 3 9's are called The Point, Woodbridge, and Blackrock and the names are very appropriate for each of the courses. My favorite is The Point as it has lots of elevation changes and some cool holes. Black Rock is the newest, and Woodbridge is known for it's par 4 that you hit from an elevated tee and you can reach a creek that you cross over, you guessed it, a wood bridge. You really get a good bang for your golfing dollar in St. George. Enjoy the pictures and if you any questions about Sunbrook or any of the courses I have posted let me know and I'll try to answer them

Primm Valley Golf Course

2007-01-19T19:30:00.000-08:00

Primm Valley Golf Course is located about a 40 minute drive from the Las Vegas strip. It is well worth the drive. There are two courses. The Lakes Course and the Desert Course. I have only played the Lakes Course, but I plan to play the Desert Course this summer. The first picture is of the 166 yard par 3. As you can see , you don't want to be short. The next two pictures are of another of the par 3's and one of the par 4's , number 1 a 402 yard par 4 and one of my favorite holes on the course. The first picture after the scorecard is of the 508 yard par 5. I think you are starting to see why this is called the Lakes Course. This is a really neat hole. The green is tough with a lot of slope to it. Be careful to stay below the hole. The next hole is the par 4 15th. Next we have the 16th hole another gem of a par 4. I'm not sure what hole the last picture is, but I liked it so I put it on. I highly suggest you play this course. It is always in great shape and a bargain for Vegas golf.

Peach Tree Country Club

2007-01-18T16:57:00.000-08:00

This is my home course . Peach Tree Country Club in Marysville, CA. the top picture of the 15th hole. A sharp dogleg left par 4. The 2nd picture is the par 3 17th. A 170 yard hole with water right. Next is the par 5 18th. The longest hole on the course. The clubhouse is in the background. The par 5 2nd hole is a hole where you can make up some shots. The next picture is the toughest hole on the course. It is a par 4 that plays 465 from the tips. Good luck on this one. The 7th hole is the most difficult par 3. 225 from the tips with a large lake on the right. Be careful here or you'll be hoping your ball can swim. The final hole is the par 5 11th. A sharp dogleg left. If you keep the ball in the fairway off the tee, you have a good chance to score here.

2007-01-17T19:49:00.000-08:00

TPC Canyons

2007-01-17T19:39:00.000-08:00

The TPC Canyons in Las Vegas is a really fun course. It is a challenge for the low handicapper and yet fun for the high handicapper. The first picture is of the par 3 2nd hole. Your tee shot is from up above the hole and you shoot to an island green. Don't miss the green!!!! The next picture is the par 4 14th. Your tee shot is over a canyon. Hit choose the right line on your drive or it's goodbye titleist. The 3rd picture is the 12th a short shot over a canyon. (Are you starting to see where the name comes from). The final shot is of the tough par 4 18th. A good finishing hole. I try to play this course at least once a year. They have great rates during the summer. Especially during twilight if you don't mind the heat.

What's next?

2007-01-17T17:48:00.000-08:00

I will be posting pictures and scorecards of courses in Las Vegas, Reno, Mesquite, St. George, and Northern California. I have played most of the courses in those areas and will be happy to answer any questions about them. If you plan a golf outing to one of these destinations, I can give you good information on the courses, hotels, etc.

The Falls golf course Las Vegas

2007-01-16T19:19:00.000-08:00

These photos were taken during a golf trip to Las Vegas. The golf course is the Falls at Lake Las Vegas. My friend Nic is posing in the bottom shot after a massive drive. This is a great golf course. I will be posting its sister course Reflection Bay soon. (actually, the shot with the water is the 17th hole at Reflection Bay).

LET THE BLOGGING BEGIN...

2007-01-14T15:16:00.000-08:00