This is Part 4 in a series of articles about my summer trip to the western U.S.
We woke up at sunrise early Friday morning. I was nearing the halfway point on my Odyssey and was looking forward to a morning round at Olivas Links Golf Course in Ventura, CA with George and his neighbor Brent Barker. I met Brent only two days earlier. It was pure coincidence that Brent moved in across the street from George. Brent attended Miami University in Oxford, OH at the very same time George and I did, having played three years of football for the Redskins from 1970 to 1972 before a distinguished career in the Air Force, California Air National Guard and the aerospace industry. So the round was a mini-college reunion. Notice I said "Redskins". You will find very few graduates of Miami University before the year 2000 who refer to the school by its so-called politically correct name. The weenies gave in to the pressure.
In one way or another, we all have our "15 minutes of fame" on the world stage. Brent's turn came in a movie many of you will remember. Hot Shots was a parody of the movie Top Gun. It starred Charlie Sheen and Valeria Golino and included cameos by many well-known personalities (such as Lloyd Bridges, Efram Zimbalist, Jr. and Charles Barkley). Brent was one of the pilots in the opening scene of the movie and received a movie credit under the "Other Crew" category. I'm not sure how much Brent was paid for his contribution but, given his status as a Miami Redskin, I am positive it was not enough. And with his movie credit, his fame will last way more than 15 minutes!
We woke up at sunrise early Friday morning. I was nearing the halfway point on my Odyssey and was looking forward to a morning round at Olivas Links Golf Course in Ventura, CA with George and his neighbor Brent Barker. I met Brent only two days earlier. It was pure coincidence that Brent moved in across the street from George. Brent attended Miami University in Oxford, OH at the very same time George and I did, having played three years of football for the Redskins from 1970 to 1972 before a distinguished career in the Air Force, California Air National Guard and the aerospace industry. So the round was a mini-college reunion. Notice I said "Redskins". You will find very few graduates of Miami University before the year 2000 who refer to the school by its so-called politically correct name. The weenies gave in to the pressure.
In one way or another, we all have our "15 minutes of fame" on the world stage. Brent's turn came in a movie many of you will remember. Hot Shots was a parody of the movie Top Gun. It starred Charlie Sheen and Valeria Golino and included cameos by many well-known personalities (such as Lloyd Bridges, Efram Zimbalist, Jr. and Charles Barkley). Brent was one of the pilots in the opening scene of the movie and received a movie credit under the "Other Crew" category. I'm not sure how much Brent was paid for his contribution but, given his status as a Miami Redskin, I am positive it was not enough. And with his movie credit, his fame will last way more than 15 minutes!
Olivas Links
Olivas Links Golf Club Olivas Links is located in Ventura County, about 60 miles north of Los Angeles. A little over 30 minutes from George's home, it would be my fifth and final round with George on this trip.
The course is less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean and from the course, you can see Ventura Harbor, the Ventura hillside and the Channel Islands. The course is owned by the city of Ventura and there's not a single home on the course.
Our tee time of 7:20 was one of the earlier tee times on the day. We teed off to find that chemicals were being applied to the fairways as we played that day.
The course is less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean and from the course, you can see Ventura Harbor, the Ventura hillside and the Channel Islands. The course is owned by the city of Ventura and there's not a single home on the course.
Our tee time of 7:20 was one of the earlier tee times on the day. We teed off to find that chemicals were being applied to the fairways as we played that day.
The equipment of today lays "puffs" of soap bubbles at the borders of the sprayers to allow the grounds crew to see the previous path of chemical spray so that the product is laid on the course with no overlap. I mention the soap bubbles for the simple reason that they made it difficult to locate balls in the fairway (and this is not to say we hit every fairway that day).
Soap Bubbles in Fairway from Chemical Sprayer
My favorite hole on the course is the risk/reward par 4 11th hole. It's the number 5 handicap hole on the course and plays from 370 yards to 424 yards, depending on the tees selected. The hole screams "go for it" off the tee. The easy route is a drive down the left side that leaves a medium iron into the green. The hero route requires a carry of the hazard but results in a gap wedge or less to the green. Big hitters can drive the elevated green.
The Par 4 Risk/Reward 11th Hole at Olivas Links
Olivas Links is not a particularly difficult course, playing just 6818 yards from the back tees with a course rating of 73.0 and a slope of 130. The par threes are kind, the longest playing at 201 yards with no hazards nearby on any of the four.
The Par 3 17th Hole at Olivas Links
The four par five holes are also kind to the golfer. The 14th hole is the longest at 563 yards and the other three are reachable in two by the good golfer.
Fellow Miami Redskin, Brent Barker We were finished with the round in just a little over three and a half hours and took some time for a quick dog and beverage in the pro shop which at the present time, is nothing more than a double-wide trailer.
I highly recommend Olivas Links. It is very playable, its backdrop against the Ventura hillside is easy on the eyes, it is unspoiled by real estate, and it doesn't punish the golfer.
George and Brent opted not to join me for my afternoon round at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes and I soon discovered the main reason.
After a gas fill-up, I left Ventura, CA by 11:30 for my 2:00 tee time at Trump National. By Google Maps, the trip was a little over 88 miles with a drive time of one hour, thirty minutes. But this was Southern California. At lunch-time. On a Friday afternoon. With traffic. Lots of it.
It would take a little over two hours to navigate the miles (including my only missed exit on the trip). And for George and Brent, it would easily have been three hours back to Simi Hills in the Friday evening traffic. Rancho Palos Verdes is well south of Los Angeles and no more than 15 miles west of Long Beach, right on the Pacific Ocean.
Along with Top 100 Public Course Rustic Canyon, the two private courses in Los Angeles, and the Travel Writers/Bloggers Conference in San Diego, Trump National was a big reason for my trip to Southern California.
I highly recommend Olivas Links. It is very playable, its backdrop against the Ventura hillside is easy on the eyes, it is unspoiled by real estate, and it doesn't punish the golfer.
George and Brent opted not to join me for my afternoon round at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes and I soon discovered the main reason.
After a gas fill-up, I left Ventura, CA by 11:30 for my 2:00 tee time at Trump National. By Google Maps, the trip was a little over 88 miles with a drive time of one hour, thirty minutes. But this was Southern California. At lunch-time. On a Friday afternoon. With traffic. Lots of it.
It would take a little over two hours to navigate the miles (including my only missed exit on the trip). And for George and Brent, it would easily have been three hours back to Simi Hills in the Friday evening traffic. Rancho Palos Verdes is well south of Los Angeles and no more than 15 miles west of Long Beach, right on the Pacific Ocean.
Along with Top 100 Public Course Rustic Canyon, the two private courses in Los Angeles, and the Travel Writers/Bloggers Conference in San Diego, Trump National was a big reason for my trip to Southern California.
Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles
Trump National Los Angeles Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles made its first appearance on Golf Magazine's "Top 100 Golf Courses You Can Play" list in 2006 at 38th and has moved up with every new list, peaking at 29th on the 2014 list. Golf Week ranks the course as the fifth best in the state of California. The course is just south of Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes, one of the most affluent areas in the United States. The exclusive community enjoys stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.
Trump National Golf Club has quite an interesting history. Sitting on a peninsula known for landslides, the land was once used as a farm. Given the peninsula's height of over 1200 feet above sea level with gradual sloping towards the Pacific Ocean and the continuous action of the waves, there is always a risk for landslides.
In 1953, 150 acres of land on the peninsula were purchased by Edward Zuckerman. Over the succeeding years and into the mid-1990's, every proposal by Zuckerman for development of the land was stopped by local opposition or by the California Coastal Commission because the projects did not allow enough coastal access.
Finally Zuckerman and a partner gained the approval to build a golf course on the land in 1994. Groundbreaking for the new course, known as Ocean Trails Golf Club and designed by Pete Dye, was in January 1998. A year later, the first nine holes were opened and in March 1999, a Celebrity Golf Tournament introduced Ocean Trails to a national television audience. The entire eighteen hole course, a stunning, $126 million project was set to open on July 2, 1999.
But exactly one month prior, disaster struck. A landslide occurred without notice and most of the 496 yard 18th hole including the green slid over 50 feet toward the Pacific Ocean, creating a 235 yard island that even trapped a local resident for a short time.
Insurance provided the funds to allow the area where the former 18th hole sat to be filled in. An enormous retaining wall was installed to prevent further landslides. Pacific Trails finally opened in November, 2000 and was billed as "the best 15 holes in golf." The intent was to restore the 18th hole but legal issues between the funding banks and developers caused stabilization work to stop and Zuckerman's project fell into bankruptcy.
Enter Donald Trump. Seeing huge potential, he purchased the course and surrounding land in November, 2002 with the intention of completing the stabilization project and reopening the course. Trump consulted Tom Fazio and then undertook a complete design himself. He enlarged most greens and gave many of them considerable slope. Bunkers are filled with bright white limestone and crushed marble and many of the tee boxes are tucked into the hillside. At $264 million including an 18th hole that cost $62 million alone, the course is the most expensive ever built.
The design of the course allows the non-golfing public to enjoy the setting with many public access trails that meander through the course toward the bluffs and down to the beach.
The course opened in January, 2006 and the views are in a word, spectacular. The Pacific Ocean is visible from every hole. The course received nearly instant publicity when The Golf Channel's "Big Break VI" was held at the venue in December, 2006.
As one would expect, every aspect of the operation is first class. But if I have to single out one attribute that was consistent from the day I started planning to play the course until the minute I left, it was my interaction with the employees of Trump National. Let's be honest--there are many "golf snobs" working at the best of the best golf courses in the industry and many times, the greater the notoriety of the course, the greater the snobbery. There was none of that with Trump National. I was regaled with nothing but total respect and courtesy. It was refreshing.
Trump National Golf Club has quite an interesting history. Sitting on a peninsula known for landslides, the land was once used as a farm. Given the peninsula's height of over 1200 feet above sea level with gradual sloping towards the Pacific Ocean and the continuous action of the waves, there is always a risk for landslides.
In 1953, 150 acres of land on the peninsula were purchased by Edward Zuckerman. Over the succeeding years and into the mid-1990's, every proposal by Zuckerman for development of the land was stopped by local opposition or by the California Coastal Commission because the projects did not allow enough coastal access.
Finally Zuckerman and a partner gained the approval to build a golf course on the land in 1994. Groundbreaking for the new course, known as Ocean Trails Golf Club and designed by Pete Dye, was in January 1998. A year later, the first nine holes were opened and in March 1999, a Celebrity Golf Tournament introduced Ocean Trails to a national television audience. The entire eighteen hole course, a stunning, $126 million project was set to open on July 2, 1999.
But exactly one month prior, disaster struck. A landslide occurred without notice and most of the 496 yard 18th hole including the green slid over 50 feet toward the Pacific Ocean, creating a 235 yard island that even trapped a local resident for a short time.
Insurance provided the funds to allow the area where the former 18th hole sat to be filled in. An enormous retaining wall was installed to prevent further landslides. Pacific Trails finally opened in November, 2000 and was billed as "the best 15 holes in golf." The intent was to restore the 18th hole but legal issues between the funding banks and developers caused stabilization work to stop and Zuckerman's project fell into bankruptcy.
Enter Donald Trump. Seeing huge potential, he purchased the course and surrounding land in November, 2002 with the intention of completing the stabilization project and reopening the course. Trump consulted Tom Fazio and then undertook a complete design himself. He enlarged most greens and gave many of them considerable slope. Bunkers are filled with bright white limestone and crushed marble and many of the tee boxes are tucked into the hillside. At $264 million including an 18th hole that cost $62 million alone, the course is the most expensive ever built.
The design of the course allows the non-golfing public to enjoy the setting with many public access trails that meander through the course toward the bluffs and down to the beach.
The course opened in January, 2006 and the views are in a word, spectacular. The Pacific Ocean is visible from every hole. The course received nearly instant publicity when The Golf Channel's "Big Break VI" was held at the venue in December, 2006.
As one would expect, every aspect of the operation is first class. But if I have to single out one attribute that was consistent from the day I started planning to play the course until the minute I left, it was my interaction with the employees of Trump National. Let's be honest--there are many "golf snobs" working at the best of the best golf courses in the industry and many times, the greater the notoriety of the course, the greater the snobbery. There was none of that with Trump National. I was regaled with nothing but total respect and courtesy. It was refreshing.
Looking Down the 1st Fairway Toward the Clubhouse from the 2nd Tee. The Wind Was Howling.
As previously stated, I arrived at Trump National fresh from a 2+ hour drive from Ventura during the lunchtime traffic crunch, trying to compensate from my only missed exit of the trip. I was at the course with 20 minutes to spare and met Wayne Deloney, a friend from Warrior Golf for the first time in the Pro Shop. Before the meeting, I had only spoken to Wayne by phone. I would be playing my next eight rounds of golf over the next four days with Wayne who is a true golf junkie. As I left the Pro Shop, I chatted for a minute or two with Joey Lewis, the Head Golf Professional at Trump National. Joey was certain I'd enjoy my visit.
Although it was a sunny day, the weather gods were not playing nicely. Hurricane Norbert was in Baja California and its outer reach was creating waves the surfers appreciated and winds the golfers did not appreciate. We faced consistent winds of 20 to 30 MPH throughout the round which is certainly not normal for the course.
Trump National is built into the side of the very hill that is so prone to landslides. The first hole plays up into the hill and essentially, the succeeding holes play back and forth down towards the Pacific Ocean.
Wayne and I struck a few putts on the practice green and were ready to go. We drove around a corner, parked, and walked up to the first tee. The first tee box was just the first of many changes Trump made to the course. He placed this tee 40 feet above the original on top of Palos Verdes stone. Reaching the tee, we met our playing partners for the day, youngsters Shane and Michael. Michael was soon to be married and his way to celebrate was a little golf and a lot of Jack Daniels. Michael had an odd disposition and insisted none of the other golfers have a foot anywhere on the tee when he took his turn.
The first hole is a short uphill par 4 playing to an elevated green. Behind the green is a feature of the course that is unforgettable. The first green (and also the 17th hole) is back-dropped by a man made waterfall, also fashioned from Palos Verdes stone. Over 7000 gallons of water a minute are pumped into a stream fronting the green that flows into a pond below the green. The green sits a good half club above the fairway. Once the hole is complete, golfers drive under the waterfall to the second tee.
Although it was a sunny day, the weather gods were not playing nicely. Hurricane Norbert was in Baja California and its outer reach was creating waves the surfers appreciated and winds the golfers did not appreciate. We faced consistent winds of 20 to 30 MPH throughout the round which is certainly not normal for the course.
Trump National is built into the side of the very hill that is so prone to landslides. The first hole plays up into the hill and essentially, the succeeding holes play back and forth down towards the Pacific Ocean.
Wayne and I struck a few putts on the practice green and were ready to go. We drove around a corner, parked, and walked up to the first tee. The first tee box was just the first of many changes Trump made to the course. He placed this tee 40 feet above the original on top of Palos Verdes stone. Reaching the tee, we met our playing partners for the day, youngsters Shane and Michael. Michael was soon to be married and his way to celebrate was a little golf and a lot of Jack Daniels. Michael had an odd disposition and insisted none of the other golfers have a foot anywhere on the tee when he took his turn.
The first hole is a short uphill par 4 playing to an elevated green. Behind the green is a feature of the course that is unforgettable. The first green (and also the 17th hole) is back-dropped by a man made waterfall, also fashioned from Palos Verdes stone. Over 7000 gallons of water a minute are pumped into a stream fronting the green that flows into a pond below the green. The green sits a good half club above the fairway. Once the hole is complete, golfers drive under the waterfall to the second tee.
The Par 4 1st Hole at Trump National, Waterfall in back of Green
The second hole is the first of four par 5's on the course and the easiest of the quartet. It played downwind for us. Looking out past the course, the surrounding hills were a gray-brown in color, a result of the drought besieging Southern California at the time. Many of the courses I played on the trip were struggling due to the lack of rainfall and Trump National was no exception although in no way did it diminish play or the views.
The Par 5 2nd Hole at Trump National
Like the second hole, the par 4 3rd and the par 3 4th holes were played downwind. And then we turned to play two par 4's of over 400 yards into the wind. Wow. Length and wind were not the only challenges with these two monsters. Hole 5 (513 yards from the back tee) calls for a carry of over 240 yards over two barrancas from the back tees to reach the fairway. And hole 6 plays 473 yards from the back tee.
The Par 4 5th Hole at Trump National
The seventh hole is a par 5 that plays with the prevailing wind to a green guarded on all sides by bunkers. Hole eight is a long par 3, 235 yards from the back tee, over water and into the prevailing wind. It's pretty but difficult!
The Par 3 8th Hole at Trump National
The ninth hole is another par 4 of over 500 yards from the back tee that plays into the wind. It is the number 1 handicap hole on the course. A bogey feels like a par here. Turning to the back nine provides one of the more spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and one of the best photo opportunities.
On the Trip to the 10th Tee at Trump National
The tenth hole is a short par 4 from the forward tees to an elevated green. The back tee adds 140 yards to the hole. Do not go long here as there is no room over the green which falls off steeply towards the ocean.
The Par 4 10th Hole at Trump National
The eleventh hole was originally a par 4 but Trump shortened it to a well-bunkered long par 3 with the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop.
The Par 3 11th Hole at Trump National
One of the most straightforward par fives is the twelfth. It plays with the prevailing wind to a green I found to be the most difficult on the course. It is three-leaf clover shaped, triple-tiered, and has a two or three club difference depending on the pin location. The green is what makes this hole. Yes, I three whacked it.
The thirteenth hole is a long par 4 that plays with the prevailing wind along the Pacific Ocean. Fourteen is a par 5 into the prevailing wind. A hazard cuts across the fairway a little over halfway to the green which is also one of the more difficult greens on the course.
The thirteenth hole is a long par 4 that plays with the prevailing wind along the Pacific Ocean. Fourteen is a par 5 into the prevailing wind. A hazard cuts across the fairway a little over halfway to the green which is also one of the more difficult greens on the course.
The Par 5 14th Hole at Trump National
The 15th hole is a short, slightly downhill, well-bunkered par 3.
The Par 3 15th Hole at Trump National
Sixteen is the shortest par 4 on the course at 338 yards. It plays into the prevailing wind and is guarded front and left by a pond that swallows errant drives.
The seventeenth hole is another long par 3 back-dropped by a different waterfall from the one behind the first green. It also plays into the prevailing wind.
The seventeenth hole is another long par 3 back-dropped by a different waterfall from the one behind the first green. It also plays into the prevailing wind.
The Par 3 17th Hole at Trump National
The home hole is yet another back-breaking par 4 into the prevailing wind. It is the number 2 handicap hole on the course. Like nine, a bogey here feels like a par. The green is guarded by a slew of bunkers. The back tee is located on top of Palos Verde stone well above the course and adds over 100 yards to the hole. The tee is a feature that can be seen from just about every area of the course.
The Back Tee of Trump National's 18th Hole Looking Back from the Forward Tees
Trump National has some of the most spectacular views you will see on a golf course in the United States. It is a difficult course to play sight unseen. Catch a windy day and you are really in for a challenge.
Donald Trump is famous for going above and beynd with every project he touches and Trump National Los Angeles is no exception. Its architectural pedigree is certainly noteworthy as Trump put his considerable stamp on top of the Pete Dye original. Service is outstanding and its ranking on the various "top" lists is well-deserved.
After a final stop inside the Pro Shop, I was ready for a Friday evening drive south to Carlsbad, CA where I was to stay at the La Costa Resort. Everybody told me to plan on three hours for the 97 mile drive because of traffic but I was surprised to make it in less than two hours.
NEXT: My Own Odyssey - Final Part: Carlsbad, San Diego, and the Long Road Home
Donald Trump is famous for going above and beynd with every project he touches and Trump National Los Angeles is no exception. Its architectural pedigree is certainly noteworthy as Trump put his considerable stamp on top of the Pete Dye original. Service is outstanding and its ranking on the various "top" lists is well-deserved.
After a final stop inside the Pro Shop, I was ready for a Friday evening drive south to Carlsbad, CA where I was to stay at the La Costa Resort. Everybody told me to plan on three hours for the 97 mile drive because of traffic but I was surprised to make it in less than two hours.
NEXT: My Own Odyssey - Final Part: Carlsbad, San Diego, and the Long Road Home
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