This is Part 2 in a series of articles about my summer trip to the western U.S.
I was up and out of the Los Arboles Hotel at 5:30 Tuesday morning. It was still dark and I never did get to see that delightful little abode where I spent the night in the light of day. Certainly, it was one of the nicest hotels I've booked in all of my travels and at some point in time, I will return.
As usual, I was on my way to play golf, this time at Cimarron Golf Resort, another Warrior Golf property just east of the Palm Springs airport in Cathedral City, CA. I was less than 7 miles away from a 6:10 tee time and still, I was driving too fast. The speed limit is generally 50 MPH on Palm Springs main roads and I was moving a little bit faster than that when I saw a FLASH and a sign that said "Your Speed is 57 MPH, Slow Down." I noticed the speed limit was only 45 MPH and I thought back to 2011 when, driving in the early morning again in Scottsdale, AZ, I saw the same FLASH that was followed several months later by a mailing to my home that included a picture of me in a rental car sipping a cup of coffee and a $250 speeding fine. I am now waiting with fingers crossed; and it did unnerve me.
I was up and out of the Los Arboles Hotel at 5:30 Tuesday morning. It was still dark and I never did get to see that delightful little abode where I spent the night in the light of day. Certainly, it was one of the nicest hotels I've booked in all of my travels and at some point in time, I will return.
As usual, I was on my way to play golf, this time at Cimarron Golf Resort, another Warrior Golf property just east of the Palm Springs airport in Cathedral City, CA. I was less than 7 miles away from a 6:10 tee time and still, I was driving too fast. The speed limit is generally 50 MPH on Palm Springs main roads and I was moving a little bit faster than that when I saw a FLASH and a sign that said "Your Speed is 57 MPH, Slow Down." I noticed the speed limit was only 45 MPH and I thought back to 2011 when, driving in the early morning again in Scottsdale, AZ, I saw the same FLASH that was followed several months later by a mailing to my home that included a picture of me in a rental car sipping a cup of coffee and a $250 speeding fine. I am now waiting with fingers crossed; and it did unnerve me.
Cimarron Golf Resort
Cimarron Golf Resort Cimarron Golf Resort is a 36 holes facility with one regulation course, The Boulder, that I had played once before in October, 2011. The other course, The Pebble, is a short course, par 55, that I had not yet played.
The Pebble has 17 par 3's ranging in yardage from 101 to 228 and a single par 4 of 315 yards. It was a nice warm-up for The Boulder.
During the round, I stopped the Superintendent, Mario, and asked him many questions about the process of reseeding. In the Palm Springs area, courses are over-seeded with a rye grass mixture in October for the winter season when the Bermuda grasses that stay so green during the searing summer heat go dormant. Mario explained to me how important it is to slowly cut the Bermuda grass down close to the soil before over-seeding so the Bermuda is not damaged. The course is then closed while the rye grass grows in. Having two courses is a blessing as there is always one open for play during the process.
The Pebble has 17 par 3's ranging in yardage from 101 to 228 and a single par 4 of 315 yards. It was a nice warm-up for The Boulder.
During the round, I stopped the Superintendent, Mario, and asked him many questions about the process of reseeding. In the Palm Springs area, courses are over-seeded with a rye grass mixture in October for the winter season when the Bermuda grasses that stay so green during the searing summer heat go dormant. Mario explained to me how important it is to slowly cut the Bermuda grass down close to the soil before over-seeding so the Bermuda is not damaged. The course is then closed while the rye grass grows in. Having two courses is a blessing as there is always one open for play during the process.
Par 4 7th Hole at Cimarron's Boulder Course
The Boulder Course has a non-traditional layout in that, it has five par threes and four par fives for an overall par of 71. It is not a long course as it plays 6782 yards from the tips. Its set of par three holes are challenging with three of the holes at least 191 yards.
Par 3 17th Hole at Cimarron's Boulder Course
Finishing my rounds a little after noon, my next stop on the trip was 157 miles and a little less than three hours away in Simi Valley, CA at the home of my good friends from Fort Wayne, George and Patti Kubach. Since I had some time to spare, I decided to find a car wash and cleanse my vehicle of 3000 miles of bugs. I found the greatest car wash in the world! It was called Airport Quick Wash. Not only did I have the car washed, I had the interior cleaned and the exterior waxed. There must have been 8 different people who touched the car before it was done. It took some time but it looked great and stayed fairly clean during my entire two weeks in Southern California.
I arrived at the Kubach home before 4:00. George and I sat and reminisced for about 30 minutes when George announced "it's time to watch the Tribe." And then I realized we were three hours behind EDT and the game was starting in Detroit at that very moment.
Like me, George grew up in a suburb of Cleveland and is a life-long Cleveland sports fan. And like me, he attended Miami University in Oxford, OH where he obtained a degree in Systems Analysis. And like me, his first job out of college was at The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company in the Data Processing department in Fort Wayne, IN. I started in 1973 and he started in 1974. We played softball and golf together for many years before George and wife Patti left Fort Wayne in 1980 to join Patti's family in Southern California. This was my third trip to Simi Valley since George left and as in the previous two trips, we had some spectacular golf courses lined up to play. Hard to believe he has been in California 34 years.
As George prepared his famous beef stroganoff, we watched the Tribe lose to the Tigers. And we planned what we would do during my stay while we were not playing golf.
Wednesday morning we played Rustic Canyon Golf Course, rated 97th on Golf Magazine's current Top 100 list and a part of my Quest. We played Saticoy Country Club in Somis, CA that afternoon.
I arrived at the Kubach home before 4:00. George and I sat and reminisced for about 30 minutes when George announced "it's time to watch the Tribe." And then I realized we were three hours behind EDT and the game was starting in Detroit at that very moment.
Like me, George grew up in a suburb of Cleveland and is a life-long Cleveland sports fan. And like me, he attended Miami University in Oxford, OH where he obtained a degree in Systems Analysis. And like me, his first job out of college was at The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company in the Data Processing department in Fort Wayne, IN. I started in 1973 and he started in 1974. We played softball and golf together for many years before George and wife Patti left Fort Wayne in 1980 to join Patti's family in Southern California. This was my third trip to Simi Valley since George left and as in the previous two trips, we had some spectacular golf courses lined up to play. Hard to believe he has been in California 34 years.
As George prepared his famous beef stroganoff, we watched the Tribe lose to the Tigers. And we planned what we would do during my stay while we were not playing golf.
Wednesday morning we played Rustic Canyon Golf Course, rated 97th on Golf Magazine's current Top 100 list and a part of my Quest. We played Saticoy Country Club in Somis, CA that afternoon.
Rustic Canyon Golf Course
Rustic Canyon Golf Course Rustic Canyon was the first course on the trip I would play that is on Golf Magazine's current "Top 100 Courses You Can Play" list. Rated number 97, it is a Gil Hanse design and would become the 82nd course I've played on the current list.
How lucky is George? This course is in Moorpark, CA and only 15 minutes from his home and it's a course he plays all the time. It was given the "Best Value in the United States" award by Golf Magazine in 2010 and at $43 walking during the week, it is one of the least expensive courses on the list.
George's son Brian met us at the course and we played as a threesome.
For as many courses as I've played, you would think I've seen just about everything in course design. But I saw something for the first time at Rustic Canyon. The practice green and the 18th green are a part of the same green complex. I've seen the same green complex used for separate holes on a course many times (like 9 and 18 sharing the same green or 7 and 16 sharing the same green) but never a hole paired with the practice green. The green is massively deep and if George hadn't pointed it out, I would not have noticed the flag for the 18th hole. If you blow your approach shot to 18 over this green, you had a bad yardage, the wrong club, or you hit the longest bladed club of your life. And you probably scared some people practicing their putting.
How lucky is George? This course is in Moorpark, CA and only 15 minutes from his home and it's a course he plays all the time. It was given the "Best Value in the United States" award by Golf Magazine in 2010 and at $43 walking during the week, it is one of the least expensive courses on the list.
George's son Brian met us at the course and we played as a threesome.
For as many courses as I've played, you would think I've seen just about everything in course design. But I saw something for the first time at Rustic Canyon. The practice green and the 18th green are a part of the same green complex. I've seen the same green complex used for separate holes on a course many times (like 9 and 18 sharing the same green or 7 and 16 sharing the same green) but never a hole paired with the practice green. The green is massively deep and if George hadn't pointed it out, I would not have noticed the flag for the 18th hole. If you blow your approach shot to 18 over this green, you had a bad yardage, the wrong club, or you hit the longest bladed club of your life. And you probably scared some people practicing their putting.
Brian and George Kubach Rustic Canyon is a links style course at the bottom of a canyon that sits 800 feet above sea level. The fairways are large and with a dearth of rain, fast when we played. Putting from way off the green is often a good option as most of the green complexes have a large closely mowed apron that gives the golfer many options for their shot into the green.
We played the Hanse tees, a mixture of yardages from each of the Black, Blue, and White tees at 6390 yards.
The course starts with a par 5 with an extremely wide fairway. The hole is short enough that a good opening drive allows the golfer to reach it in two. The design of the green complex is representative of the entire course and the golfer learns right away what kind of game is required that day.
The third hole at 315 yards tempts the big hitters to go for the green. That's exactly what Brian did. There is a waste area in the middle of the fairway and two bunkers that need to be avoided. A layup to the right is easier but provides a tougher angle into the green.
We played the Hanse tees, a mixture of yardages from each of the Black, Blue, and White tees at 6390 yards.
The course starts with a par 5 with an extremely wide fairway. The hole is short enough that a good opening drive allows the golfer to reach it in two. The design of the green complex is representative of the entire course and the golfer learns right away what kind of game is required that day.
The third hole at 315 yards tempts the big hitters to go for the green. That's exactly what Brian did. There is a waste area in the middle of the fairway and two bunkers that need to be avoided. A layup to the right is easier but provides a tougher angle into the green.
Reachable Par 4 3rd Hole at Rustic Canyon
The par 5 fifth hole is a true three shot hole. The fairway is tight (for Rustic Canyon). The second shot has to clear a dry creek bed and avoid the hazard on the left, pot bunkers in the middle, and bunkers on the right. You are then left with an approach shot that needs to favor the center of the green as there is a big drop off left of the green.
Par 3 8th Hole at Rustic Canyon
The eighth hole was one of my favorites on the course. It's a short par three to a relatively small, domed green that falls away on all sides. Since it is at the top of a hill, anything over the green or above the pin makes for a difficult par.
Dogleg Left Par 4 11th Hole at Rustic Canyon
The five par fours on the back nine are amazing and fun. The 11th hole is a dogleg left with a hazard on the left. The farther right the tee ball goes, the longer the shot into a green that has two tiers left to right rather than front to back. Hole 12 is a short par four with a green that slopes to the back (though it looks like the slope is uphill).
The par 5 thirteenth hole plays uphill to the back of the property. A big pot bunker right in the landing area for the drive needs to be avoided. The green wraps almost entirely around a huge, deep bunker that is right in the center of the green complex.
The par 5 thirteenth hole plays uphill to the back of the property. A big pot bunker right in the landing area for the drive needs to be avoided. The green wraps almost entirely around a huge, deep bunker that is right in the center of the green complex.
Par 5 13th Hole at Rustic Canyon, Pot Bunker in the Drive Landing Area
The par 4 fourteenth hole may be the toughest hole on the course. Depending on the tee selected, the drive has to carry a hazard of up to 200 yards before doglegging left. You can bite off as much as you want but the further left you aim, the longer the carry over the hazard. The second shot is then downhill. Sixteen is also a par 4, downhill but very long, 479 yards from the tips and 466 yards from the blue tees. The green is shallow and if over the green, you face an uphill shot back up to the green.
Downhill Par 4 16th Hole at Rustic Canyon
The seventeenth hole is a 189 yard downhill par 3 and the eighteenth is a par 4 that plays into a deep green that becomes the course's practice green.
Only 17,000 cubic yards of dirt were moved to shape Rustic Canyon. It has a layout that is easily walkable though it varies in elevation by 240 feet from a front nine that sits at the lowest point to the back nine that starts uphill and finishes downhill to the clubhouse.
Rustic Canyon is certainly worthy of its designation as the best bargain in the country.
Only 17,000 cubic yards of dirt were moved to shape Rustic Canyon. It has a layout that is easily walkable though it varies in elevation by 240 feet from a front nine that sits at the lowest point to the back nine that starts uphill and finishes downhill to the clubhouse.
Rustic Canyon is certainly worthy of its designation as the best bargain in the country.
Saticoy Country Club
Saticoy Country Club Saticoy Country Club in Somis, CA was designed by renowned architects William F. Bell and Robert Muir Graves and opened in 1921. We had a 1:00 tee time and were able to tee off before 12:30 as we found the course nearly deserted.
My home course in Fort Wayne is a member of the Private Club Network, a benefit to members of private courses that allows play at other Private Club Network courses for just the cart fee. Saticoy Country Club is also a Private Club Network course. This is an amazing benefit that provides the ability to play courses that are not open to the public at large.
Typical of private courses, neither cash nor credit cards could be used to purchase food or beverages. All purchases are charged to the members' accounts and settled at the end of each month. One of the members sitting on the deck offered to take our cash and place our adult beverage purchases on his account. Classy move.
The golf course is relatively tight and hilly. Typical of most courses in Southern California at the time due to a prolonged drought, the course was a bit dry.
The first hole is a downhill slight dogleg left par 4 of over 400 yards to a sloping green surrounded by beautiful white sand bunkers. It has an intimidating look from the tee.
My home course in Fort Wayne is a member of the Private Club Network, a benefit to members of private courses that allows play at other Private Club Network courses for just the cart fee. Saticoy Country Club is also a Private Club Network course. This is an amazing benefit that provides the ability to play courses that are not open to the public at large.
Typical of private courses, neither cash nor credit cards could be used to purchase food or beverages. All purchases are charged to the members' accounts and settled at the end of each month. One of the members sitting on the deck offered to take our cash and place our adult beverage purchases on his account. Classy move.
The golf course is relatively tight and hilly. Typical of most courses in Southern California at the time due to a prolonged drought, the course was a bit dry.
The first hole is a downhill slight dogleg left par 4 of over 400 yards to a sloping green surrounded by beautiful white sand bunkers. It has an intimidating look from the tee.
The Par 4 1st Hole at Saticoy Country Club
After two more par fours (including the number one handicap hole), the fourth hole is an uphill par three to a huge green that slopes back to front. It is a tough green to putt!
The back nine begins with a par three to a green that is 100 feet below the tee. On clear days, the ocean and islands can be seen in the background. The thirteenth hole is beautiful from the tee. It is an uphill hole to a green that looks like it is extremely sloped but it putts flatter than it looks.
The back nine begins with a par three to a green that is 100 feet below the tee. On clear days, the ocean and islands can be seen in the background. The thirteenth hole is beautiful from the tee. It is an uphill hole to a green that looks like it is extremely sloped but it putts flatter than it looks.
The Par 3 13th Hole at Saticoy Country Club
The par five fourteenth hole is my favorite on the course. It is a dogleg left with the fairway below the tee. There is a HUGE canyon to the left of the dogleg. The second half of the hole plays uphill to a narrow green.
The Par 5 14th Hole at Saticoy Country Club
The seventeenth hole is the most difficult hole on the back nine. The tee shot is hit to a fairway 80 feet below the tee and the second shot is to a sloping elevated green. Eighteen is a double dogleg par 5 and the longest hole on the course. It starts left and then turns back right towards the green. The third shot is hit to an elevated green.
With nobody in front of us, we were able to complete the round in less than three hours. After a quick stop at an In-N-Out Burger, we were back at George's house in time to begin watching the Cleveland/Detroit game.
The highlight of the evening was a trip to one of Simi Valley's public parks where we watched George's son Brian play softball. After the game, we ate pasta at Chi-Chi's Pizza before returning to George's house.
I took the time to check my email and noticed a quick note from Scot Alexander, one of the PGA Professionals at Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles. I had met Scot in July, 2013 when we were paired at Eugene Country Club in Oregon. Scot had invited me to play golf with him in Los Angeles at some point in the future. We were scheduled to play The Los Angeles Country Club in the morning followed by a round at Hillcrest Country Club in the afternoon. Scot was confirming last minute plans for the day.
Uh-oh. Scot's note was a bit unnerving.
NEXT: My Own Odyssey - Part 3: The Day in L.A.
With nobody in front of us, we were able to complete the round in less than three hours. After a quick stop at an In-N-Out Burger, we were back at George's house in time to begin watching the Cleveland/Detroit game.
The highlight of the evening was a trip to one of Simi Valley's public parks where we watched George's son Brian play softball. After the game, we ate pasta at Chi-Chi's Pizza before returning to George's house.
I took the time to check my email and noticed a quick note from Scot Alexander, one of the PGA Professionals at Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles. I had met Scot in July, 2013 when we were paired at Eugene Country Club in Oregon. Scot had invited me to play golf with him in Los Angeles at some point in the future. We were scheduled to play The Los Angeles Country Club in the morning followed by a round at Hillcrest Country Club in the afternoon. Scot was confirming last minute plans for the day.
Uh-oh. Scot's note was a bit unnerving.
NEXT: My Own Odyssey - Part 3: The Day in L.A.
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