Courses between Monterey and San Francisco

[Cruz Duck]

I just got off a week's vacation where my son and I played a different course every day. About half of the courses we played for the first time and a couple we played only the second time. We played courses that were within an hour from home (Santa Cruz). They are pretty different courses, so it is kind of hard to compare, but I rate the courses below. I am interested if others would rate them the same:

1) Delaveaga - This is my home course and I play it at least 2-3 times a week year round. I think it is a great course with lots of memorable holes, but I understand that the course is not for everybody.

2/3) Ryan Ranch - I was very impressed with this course. A number of memorable holes.

2/3) CSUMB - Oaks Course - Very fun course with surprises (piano, abandoned baseball fields) - some of the quirks might wear off if I played this course repeatedly

4) Golden Gate - I had the most fun on this course, several memorable holes but a notch easier than the three courses above.

5) Aptos High - This is our backup course when Dela is busy. We like this course a lot.

6) Hellyer - Nice course, but the constant freeway noise bothered me some. (We also wanted to play Parque de la Raza, however we got there on November 2nd and found it was closed from November 1st to April - oops.)

7) Pinto Lake - Very challenging course designed by Tom Schot (who designed Delaveaga). Currently it is 9 holes, but another 9 holes is supposed to be installed by the end of November. This course will probably move up when completed.

8) Black Mouse - Fun, tight, rough course in a redwood forest

9) CSUMB - Cypress Course - Not a bad course, however I would not rate it in the same class as any of the above.

What do you think? Agree/Disagree?

 

[chiggins]

4) Golden Gate - I had the most fun on this course, several memorable holes but a notch easier than the three courses above.

I haven't been to GG since it was a 12 hole course waiting for approval, but I heard it's outstanding. Can't wait to get out that way again.

5) Aptos High - This is our backup course when Dela is busy. We like this course a lot.

Last time I was in SCruz, a bunch of folks at Delaveaga asked if I'd been up to check out Aptos. Sounded like they were pretty enthusiastic, what's it like?

 

[Cruz Duck]

I think Aptos High School is a really fun course. The difficulty depends a lot on the wind. The course has a variety of shots (elevation, right, left, tunnel, long wide open). Aptos High School is a shorter course, most holes are under 300 feet. It is mostly a finesse course, big arms don't have much advantage here. It does have three 400ish foot holes. One is a "Top of the World" type hole. Many holes do not punish bad throws. If you make a bad drive, you will not get a birdie, however you still have a shot at a par. Almost all of the holes have cement tee pads, I think they still have a few to finish. There are tee signs, but not much information on them yet. There are signs pointing to the next tee. One note, since it is on a high school campus, play is not allowed from 8-3 Monday thru Friday during the school year. Oh, also lots of poison oak, it seems to be everywhere in the bay area.

In summary, the pros will enjoy the first round or two, but then might get bored (especially if there is no wind). The average or beginner player will probably enjoy repeated rounds. My son and I have probably played twice a month for the last year or so and we have never gotten tired of it.

 

[707cnash1]

hey whats up guys, im in the vacaville area and we travel once every 2 weeks to a far spot like santa cruz or frisco, Ive never got a chance to go to play any coursed you've mentioned, ive been playin for about 3 months and im pretty good and of course im no ken climo but I can hold my own pretty good, I Usually go with a group of 5 what course do you suggest is group friendly I dont wanna be that asshole holding everybody up haha, and have any of you guys played my home course lagoon valley?

 

[plastic_fondler1]

I'd suggest you check out Napa which is just around the corner from ya. Haven't been over to Lagoon Valley in a year or so. Fun course except the geese sh!t and uber wind.

 

[Cruz Duck]

Hey 707cnash, as long as you let faster groups play through, most people are ok with larger groups. Of course there is always some fool who gets mad at larger groups, but if there were no large groups, the fool would get mad at something else.

If you come to Santa Cruz and play DeLaveaga on a weekend, your group is likely to be slowed down by some larger group. I commonly see several groups of 7 or 8 playing on weekends. Almost always they will let the faster groups play through and nobody seems too upset. Or the people who would be upset just don't play Dela on the weekends.

I think the best courses in the area are Stafford Lake, Golden Gate and DeLaveaga. I have only played Stafford Lake once, so I can't speak for it, but GG and DeLa are also the busiest courses in the area. If you haven't already, you should try to get to each of these courses at least once.

If you are willing to travel to Monterey (45 minutes south of Santa Cruz), both Ryan Ranch and the Oaks are excellent courses and they have never been very busy when I have gone.

In the Santa Cruz area, Aptos and Black Mouse are fun courses that are not very busy.

I have not played Aquatic Park in Berkeley, but I have heard mixed reviews on it. Some really like it, some not so much. I have no idea how busy it is.

I agree with plastic_fondler that you should try Napa as well.