SLO County Golf, Wine & Real EstateGolf, Wine & Real Estate News and Events Blog
Stroke & Plug at New Times SLOWednesday, June 29, 2005San Luis Obispo's New Times publication included mention of Golf SLO's recent launch in last week's Strokes & Plugs section!Strokes & Plugs - Bryan Dickerson To help make SLO County more golf-friendly, www.GolfSLO.com is launching a web site complete with a directory of SLO County golf courses (with tee-time reservations feature), discount golf cards, and interactive course maps. The site also has lots of news, tournament schedules, golf shops, tips, and generally more golf-related web surfing than you can shake a putter at. Golf SLO also got a nice plug over at Eat Golf, not only for our quality website, but for finally breaking 80 - a feat Eat will experience soon too ;). Eat shares, "I have never added a link to a regional golf site before but Richard's is so good I couldn't resist. I put a link to the blog section on the sidebar." Tees, Greens and Greymatter Golf SeminarsTuesday, June 28, 2005 Avila Beach and Blacklake Golf Resorts are presenting Golf Seminars this summer - Tees, Greens and Greymatter! The seminars feature guest speaker, Jeff Troesch, MA, LMHC - an internationally recognized expert in the field of mental skills training and performance enhancement who has been involved in training athletes and other elite performers. Learn more about Jeff at fitnessforgolf.com.Friday, July 15 - 12:30 to 2:00pm Blacklake Golf Resort "Fundamentals of Golf's Mental Game" Includes Lunch, Speaker, 1/2 hour Clinic Friday, August 5 - 12:30 to 2:00pm Blacklake Golf Resort "Mental Tips for the Short Game" Includes Lunch, Speaker, 1/2 hour Clinic Thursday, September 8 - 6:30 to 8:00pm Avila Beach Golf Resort "Playing Like You Practice" Includes Dinner, Speaker, 1/2 hour Clinic Tickets are $35.00 per session or $90.00 for all three and are available at Avila Beach and Blacklake Pro Shops. Space is limited! Don't miss this educational presentation! Reserve Your Tickets Online Here... Course to myself at Cypress RidgeMonday, June 27, 2005Today, I made a spontaneous decision to take a trip out to Cypress Ridge and hit some range balls and practice chipping and putting since I hadn't played for over a week. I haven't had a chance to play since my sub-80 round at Chalk Mountain and am also trying to let my right hand heal after spranging it during that round at Chalk. After feeling pretty good after practice - even though my hand still hurt - I decided to play a round. It turned out that I had the course all to myself. I played through a threesome of juniors on the 2nd, then never ran into another golfer. My good play from last week continued, at least for the first 10 holes. I started both nines with a par and completed the front nine only 1-over with 3 bogies, but 2 birdies! I was striking the ball well and chipping and putting at my best. I hit all 7 fairways on the front nine and 5 greens. I only missed 2 fairways on the back for a total of 12 and hit 4 more greens for a total of 9.  I started struggling on 11 where I chipped poorly, then 3 putted for my first double bogie. I followed that with 2 pars, and then amazingly only bogied 14 after taking 2 shots to get out of a fairway bunker. However I double bogied 15 after getting out of the sand well, but 3-putting again. I then earned a par on the 2-handicap 16th with a great drive and good putting. I bogied 17 putting me 6-over on the back. But I then ruined the round on 18 where I went in the water twice thanks to the difficult pin placement in the back left of the green - and my right hand was throbbing. My triple bogie on 18 earned me a 45 on the back nine and a 10-over 82 overall - my second best round this year! And what could have been!  Other than playing my usual golf on the back nine and dealing with my painful right hand, today was one of my favorite rounds. I enjoyed my rare round by myself on an empty course. The weather started off overcast and cool, but quickly started clearing. The marine layer burned off and a mild wind picked up, but nothing substantial. I also enjoyed seeing some baby mallards, coots and even a young creeper. The Pacific Ocean and Oceano Dunes were visible in the distance from several vantage points.  I'm probably going to have to take some time off golf to let this hand heal, but will certainly try to get out regularly to practice chipping and putting in order to keep the "touch" part of my game. By the way, I posted over a dozen photos from the round at flickr.com. Golf in Paso RoblesSunday, June 26, 2005Bob Weisgerber at Golf Today Magazine offers another article referring to SLO County Golf. His article - Tuscany West - Paso Robles & North SLO - outlines Paso's wineries, lodging, art, shopping, AND golf. Below, I've included only his descriptions of Paso Robles Golf Courses, which includes Hunter Ranch Golf Course. The newest golf course in Paso Robles is a special treat of a different sort. A six-hole golf course, called River Oaks. Opened in 2004, it has five par 3's and one par 4, and is a good place to tune up your short game. Or use it to introduce newcomers and kids to golf. It is a good spot to get a tasty lunch or dinner. The real golf test in Paso Robles is at the Hunter Ranch GC, a few miles away from Villa Toscana along East Highway 46. While this track is not new, it seemingly has not aged a bit. Still immaculate, still tough, still just like a friendly ranch. If you can play the uphill 16th hole, a 586-yard par 5, with a "tucked" green, and score a par you have my admiration. The course is a par 72, rating/slope 72.6/136 from the blue tees. You'll work for it all. Here's what the Hunter Ranch web site says, and I totally agree. "One of the finest, most beautiful golf courses in California. With no homes or big city congestion, just pristine fairways lined with century-old oak trees, lakes and natural grasses. Set atop a beautiful vista, and surrounded by California's natural beauty." If you want something less polished, less expensive, and more exposed to the elements, ask for directions (you'll need them) to The Links GC off Highway 46 east. It's an easy way to meet the locals and some nice people in the pro shop. Golf Today Magazine BlogSaturday, June 25, 2005I just ran across a new golf blog with one single entry from over a week ago by Bob Koczor - Editor and Publisher of Golf Today Magazine - who touches on many aspects of golf with humor and insight, after guiding Golf Today Magazine for 19 years. Bob's first post pretty much sums up his plans for the blog - to share stories and pictures that didn't make it to print each month, articles and pictures worthy of publication.Bob writes, "Let this blog site be a vehicle by which these stories do go to "print" and let this blog site be a receptacle for golfers who want to voice their concerns and opinions on every thing from the 6th Hole at Pebble Beach to the increased rates just implemented at their local golf course. Let this blog be a place which is informative, entertaining all the while be interesting as an unexpected birdie or ace that is worth mentioning to a friend who also happens to cherish the delights and challenges of the Game of Golf." Make sure to look for his future posts at: gtmagazine.blogspot.com Avila Beach, Perfect Golf GetawayFriday, June 24, 2005Avila Beach, Perfect Golf GetawayLarry Taylor shares an article at Golf Today Magazine - Avila Beach, Perfect Golf Getaway - about things to do and see and places to stay in Avila Beach. Below, I've included his remarks about Avila Beach Golf Resort  Over the years Avila Beach has always been the perfect place for a golf getaway. Now with the recent make-over of its quaint town, it's even better. Located off Hwy. 101 just south of San Luis Obispo, Avila Beach has long been popular with locals and visitors alike. Its shoreline fronts a beautiful sand beach, a vintage pier and a small harbor popular with fishermen. The Avila Beach Resort Golf Course is adjacent to the ocean, and the stately San Luis Bay Inn sits on a bluff above the town. In total, it's the perfect place to relax on a golf holiday. Avila Beach's championship course is one of Central California's most popular destinations. Golfers like it so much because of the contrast between the front and back nines. The front starts across the road from the beach and then follows an oak-lined canyon through rolling hills. This typical California landscape is made even more bucolic by the stream that wanders through. Punctuating the layout are two tricky water holes on the third and sixth green. Another factor, if you start early or late, you might have to delay your tee shot while deer come down for a drink. The back nine, on the other hand, is fairly flat. It starts at the coastline and follows a tidal estuary, with holes on both sides of the meandering waterway. You need to watch out for fluctuating tides and the shore birds coming in to feed. With the tidal ebb and flow, you may find yourself hitting an errant ball off a mud flat one minute; retrieving it from the shallows the next. Favorite Golf Photos at flickr.comThursday, June 23, 2005 Half Moon Bay Ritz Carlton Golf Course Originally uploaded by eltigre. I just sifted through over 6000 photos at flickr.com that were tagged with golf in order to create a list of favorites. Golf SLO Recognized at Golf Web ReviewsWednesday, June 22, 2005I learned yesterday that Golf SLO received an honorable review over on Golf Web Reviews. Author Rick Hendershot from Ireland was impressed with our San Luis Obispo County golf courses and their reasonable fees. He shares "Golfslo.com also provides links directly to the area's golf courses... some fine looking courses indeed, and the rates are very reasonable. For instance, Cypress Ridge, a fairly new Peter Jacobsen Signature Course is only $50 weekdays / $60 weekends. Pretty reasonable for a course of this quality (6803 yards from the back, slope 134).""This site is well worth checking out" Golf in California's Central Coast Area - GolfSlo.com Golf Web Reviews, Rick Hendershot A Rainy Day at Morro BayTuesday, June 21, 2005 Morro Bay Golf Course Originally uploaded by golfslo. This photo was taken a couple months ago during a round at Morro Bay Golf Course. However, a week prior, I played this course for the first time ever - a long round in the rain. SLO County Golf Photo FeedMonday, June 20, 2005 Tapping Originally uploaded by mscaprikell. Your own San Luis Obispo County golf photos, such as this one of Sea Pines Golf Resort in Los Osos/Baywood Park, can now be viewed on our Photos page if you post your photos to flickr.com and tag them with "golfslo". Marketing Golf on Father's DaySunday, June 19, 2005Congratulations to New Zealander Michael Campbell. There's no better place on earth than N.Z., IMHO.Since I treated myself to golf yesterday, today was a work day. I didn't even watch the U.S. Open or get to play golf with my dad or son for Father's Day. Anyway, my son doesn't play much and my dad has never taken to the game - and perhaps doesn't have the patience for it. However, my work today was golf related - I started the redesign of a website for a local San Luis Obispo County course. I'll share more once it's launched. I'm very excited about the opportunity! Regarding golf and Father's Day, I thought I'd share the contents of an email I received today from WebProNews. I found it interesting since I have a little experience with both golf and pay-per-click advertising ;). So, FWIW... WebTrends Monitors Golf-Related Keywords For Father's Day Searches Chris Richardson | Staff Writer As many of you who partake in search engine advertising realize, Father's Day is one of designated present-giving holidays. During these occasions (Christmas, Mother's Day, etc.), many online businesses target specific keywords relating to these specific holidays, in hopes of increasing sales through an effective SEM campaign. One of the most popular Father's Day gifts has to do with anything related to golf. Because of this, many Internet golf sites have taken additional SEO/SEM measures, like targeting non-branded golf-related keywords, in order to prepare and capitalize off the Sunday's (June 19, 2005) holiday. Web analytics and statistic monitoring service, WebTrends has conducted a study analyzing the whether or not these additional, or some cases initial, actions in order to improve their organic search engine presence. According to email communications with a WebTrends' representative, "results found four sites moved from zero natural visibility to securing organic listings in the top 30 results the week before Father's Day." The following are the results from the WebTrends analysis: Sites evaluated: 3balls.com dunhamssports.com golfshoesplus.com MCSports.com oshmans.com Overstock.com progolf.com gigagolf.com www.austads.com/austads fogdog.com www.tgw.com dickssportinggoods.com thesportsauthority.com www.callawaygolfpreowned.com pinemeadowgolf.com Golfsmith.com edwinwatts.com Keywords: golf putters golf drivers golf carts golf gifts golf balls golf bags golf clubs discount golf clubs golf equipment golf accessories Results: The top natural visibility leaders were: Edinwatts.com (15.5%) Golfsmith.com (12.33%) Pinemeadowgolf.com (8.33%) Callaway.com (7.42%) Overall Visibility Leaders: Golfsmith.com (48.75%) TGW.com (14.42%) Gigagolf.com (13.92%) Edinwatts.com (12.08%) Other Findings: Most sites were able to increase their overall and natural visibility for golf-related keywords in the week before Father's Day with Golfsmith and DicksSportingGoods.com reaping the biggest gains in overall and natural visibility, respectively. The degree of change to natural and overall visibility between the first data snapshot (6/8) and the second (6/13) was relatively consistent among those sites that experienced increases, with one exception - - Golfsmith.com added 14.42% to its overall visibility percentage, increasing its overall visibility, when both paid and natural listings are considered, from double to more than four times that of the next most visible site. Four sites climbed into the top 30 natural listings the week before Father's Day, having had zero natural visibility during the first data snapshot. None of the sites targeted the keywords "Father's Day" or "Fathers Day," not even with sponsored ads. All sites have zero visibility for these key phrases on both dates. Breaking 80!Saturday, June 18, 2005Since returning to the game of golf earlier this year, my goal has been to break 80 - an accomplishment I've only realized two or three other times when playing golf in the past. Today I reached that goal on a busy day at Chalk Mountain Golf Course in Atascadero! I scored a 79 by shooting only 2-over on the front and 5-over on the back, a round with only one double bogie and one 3-putted green. I hit 10 fairways and 11 greens in regulation, but failed to shoot a single birdie. I missed 2 makeable birdie putts. The most noteworthy hole today was 13, the second most difficult hole on the course. I reached this long uphill par 4 in 2 with a strong 5-wood, but left myself with an extremely long breaking putt. I aimed my putt nearly 10 feet left of the hole and left it only 2 feet from the hole for par. Most players consider a bogie on this hole a given - nicknamed "cardiac hill", it is hard to reach in 2. I also reached 9 in 2 - again with a 5-wood - and 2-putted for par, missing a makeable birdie putt. The 9th is the third handicap hole at Chalk. I bogied the hardest hole, the 6th, missing the green with a 3-wood. I hurried this shot since a female deer and her fawns were just starting to cross the fairway in front of me. Another personal accomplishment was finishing strong on 18. When I first played Chalk Mountain a couple weeks ago, I ruined what would have been my best round this year by finishing with a double bogie. Today I put my 2nd shot just 6-8 feet from the pin and 2 putted for a par. It's also worth noting that this 79 is 5 strokes better than any round I've shot so far this year.  What's most encouraging to me is that shooting a par round seems within reach. My inability to do so today wasn't a physical inability, but due entirely to mental mistakes or lapses in focus and concentration - mistakes that can be fixed. I am perfectly capable of being a scratch golfer. My success today resulted from staying composed and relaxed, and trusting my swing and putting. It wasn't a feeling of being in the "zone", it was more a result of letting go - not "trying". I put more emphasis on enjoying the experience of playing than on the results of playing - and the results came!  It's been my goal not only to break 80, but to do it without taking lessons. I don't want to get caught up in technique - thinking about what's right or wrong with my swing. I believe hitting a golf ball can be like throwing a ball - not something you need to think about or have someone show you how to do, but something your body just knows how to do. I don't think about how hard to throw or the arc to put on the ball or how far to take my arm back when throwing a ball a desired distance - I just aim and throw it. Hitting or putting a golf ball should be the same. You don't have to think about how hard to swing. You just need to get your thoughts out of the way and let your body do what comes naturally. I try only to visualize the target and the path I wish the ball to take, then trust my body to take it from there. I'm not suggesting that no instruction is necessary. I have read golf books and internet sites to learn how to grip the club, line up properly and addresss the ball. I've learned from others to take a low and slow backswing. Experience has taught me better course management, to consider external conditions like wind, and when to take risk. But that's where it ends. After that, all I do is quiet the mind, focus on the desired target, then take the club back slowly. The body does the rest. Today was the first day I succeeded in doing this on most of my shots. And when I didn't, I let it go and moved on to the next shot. And, although my improvement today also came after 8 days of not playing or practicing, I do find it necessary to practice - especially my short game. I don't spend much time on the range, but try to show up before starting a round in time to practice chipping and putting - which I did today. As they say, the touch required for your short game is the first thing you loose when taking time off and the last thing to regain. That's certainly been the case with my return to golf. So, with my goal of breaking 80 satisfied, my next goal is to shoot 75. But my biggest goal is to just enjoy and appreciate that I can get out and play. I can now treat myself to a round at Hunter Ranch Golf Course too - a course I've never played and one I've made myself wait to experience until after my goal of breaking 80 was realized. Hunter Ranch was my carrot. Golf Blog Coverage of the 2005 U.S. OpenFriday, June 17, 2005After finding that the "offical" U.S. Open Championship Golf Blog was empty after the first round, we went sniffing around to see which golf blogs were blogging the event. We were rewarded with a variety of coverage, predictions and opinions. Get your up-to-date news and winner predictions for the 2005 U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst No. 2 from these quality golf blogs: The Sand Trap World Golf Views Hooked On Golf Blog TravelGolf The Golf Blog Grouchy Golf Blog A Walk in the Park Texas Golf SirShanksAlot Golf Tips and News Going For The Green Wounded Duck Whoa Nellie! Relay For Life Tournament at Hunter Ranch Golf CourseThursday, June 16, 2005Hunter Ranch Golf Course in Paso Robles is hosting the 2005 American Cancer Society Relay For Life Golf Tournament on Saturday, June 25th. The 4-person Team Net Scramble Shotgun Start Tournament starts at 9:00am. Contact Mike Bremer at (805) 237-7444 to register and obtain more information. Registration is $125 per person or $400 per team. Relay offers something for everyone, from the newly diagnosed, to caregivers and friends, to long-term survivors. Relay For Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day cancer will be eliminated. Atascadero Wine Festival Golf TournamentWednesday, June 15, 2005The 10th Annual Atascadero Wine Festival is coming up soon on June 24-25. Area Winemakers and chefs pool their talents to create a premiere event for Central Coast visitors and residents. Atascadero Art Association members will have their work on display for sale. All proceeds from the festival benefit the Zoological Society of San Luis Obispo County in its support for the facilities and programs at the Charles Paddock Zoo in Atascadero. Tickets are available now. On Friday, June 24 at 8:00am, the Atascadero Wine Festival Golf Tournament kicks off at Chalk Mountain Golf Course. The scramble format event benefits the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce, and your $90 entry fee includes green fees, cart, and prizes. This is one of the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce fundraisers - proceeds from this will be used for scholarships, etc. Call the Chamber for more information (805) 466-2044 or visit www.atascaderowinefest.org. Golf MontageMonday, June 13, 2005 golf club montage Originally uploaded by sgtcandid. Yesterday, I came across 2 different golf montages worth sharing. Click on the photo above to view a larger image of this golf club montage posted by sgtcandid at flickr.com. Tolosa Invitational at Cypress RidgeSaturday, June 11, 2005Yesterday, I had the privelige of playing in the 1st Annual Tolosa Invitational at Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande. The event was hosted by Tolosa Winery, located in San Luis Obispo's Edna Valley. Cypress Ridge and Tolosa Winery put together a great tournament which promises to be a local favorite in years to come. The invitational began with registration and wine tasting - Tolosa Estate Pinot Noir, Syrah and Chardonney. We then headed over to putting contest where the putting green had been transformed into a minuture golf course with miniture tree hazards and wood bridges - just no windmills. Even though I 3-putted one hole (thanks to the Pinot), I aced the final hole (thanks to the Pinot), but the hole-in-one apparently wasn't enough to win. We also received a small bucket of balls, so the driving range filled quickly with balls being sprayed in every direction.  We then began the best ball tourny with a shotgun start. Our team started well, but missed opportunities towards the end and missed 1st place by one stroke - shooting a 58 (14-under). None of our team shot particularly outstanding rounds individually, but someone rose to the occasion on most every hole to grab a number of net eagles, birdies and pars. We managed to avoid any bogies! One member of the team was on fire for the first 9 holes (when the winds were howling), after which we all started contributing. I holed a shot from the left bunker on 12 to contribute my net eagle! However, I missed 3 key putts that could have reduced our score by 3 more strokes.  The long day ended with more wine tasting, cheese and crackers, and an award ceremony. One woman managed to get closest to the pin on both par-3's and longest women's drive. The rest of us helped her carry her awards and prizes to her car. Thankfully, we all left with a prize of our own - a bottle of Tolosa Estate Chardonney. It was a fun day spent with great people. I'm looking forward to next year! Make sure to take a look at our photos posted at flickr.com. Tolosa Winery Cypress Ridge Golf Course Golf Photos at Flickr.comFriday, June 10, 2005 Photo posted by CowBoyGirlBeth at flickr.com If you haven't found flickr.com yet, head over there now and start posting your golf photos. Make sure to join the Golf Group or Golf Course Photography Group to share your photos with other golfers. Then get busy adding comments to other's photos, and enjoy reading the comments added to yours. Flickr - recently purchased by Yahoo! - is a growing community of friendly photographers - many very talented. Here at Golf SLO, we provide an RSS feed for the most recent photos posted to Flickr tagged with "golf". We make a point to check our Photos page daily to see what creative new photo has been posted, like the one above by CowBoyGirlBeth. Golf Photos at Flickr.com Flickr Golf Group Flickr Golf Course Photography Group Flickr Photos tagged with Golf Golf is Bustin' Out in SLO CountyThursday, June 09, 2005A little sniffing around turned up some more information about the upcoming golf courses being built in Nipomo at the Woodlands. Bob Weisgerber at Golf Today Magazine recently wrote an article - Golf is Bustin' Out All Over in Nipomo, San Luis Obispo & South SLO - highlighting golf, lodging and dining in San Luis Obispo and South County. Especially of interest is the inside knowledge he shares about the first of the 18-hole courses currently under construction at The Woodlands - Monarch Dunes. As I shared earlier, I have also been out to the construction site, but only got a glimpse of the new course. I think I saw the 1st and 9th holes near the Club House. Below is Bob Weisgerber's description of Monarch Dunes. You can read his entire article here. Let me be the first to break the great news that 45 NEW holes of golf are on the drawing board in the South County at the small town of Nipomo. While construction is underway on the first of these courses, to be named Monarch Dunes, when completed there will be two championship-length courses and one executive-length course. Given the restrictions on new golf courses along the California coast it seems nearly miraculous that these three courses will be built close enough to the coast that some holes will be able to feature sunsets over the Pacific Ocean. The design of these three courses at The Woodlands has been entrusted to Damian Pascuzzo, past President of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. His office is in El Dorado Hills, east of Folsom, CA. That's a smart choice because Pascuzzo is a strong supporter of weaving strategy into hole design and using natural land forms to accomplish that aspect of course design. The overall development, which is quite sizeable, will include housing, but by and large the courses will have integrity of their own. I was fortunate to tour the Monarch Dunes course while construction was underway. It is clear from the get-go that there will be fun and there will be challenge at this course. The first tee will call for a shot from an elevated tee to a left-bending fairway that hugs a large pond (at the time of my visit the lining was being laid in prior to the addition of water). Those who appreciate classic hole design will recognize a variation of the classic Cape hole, where the golfer is tempted to hit the drive as far left as he or she feels that the ball will land "dry." You can bet that some golf balls will have a very short life on that hole. When the first course is complete (expected to come on line in late 2005) there will be lots of golfers who want to test themselves on this new beauty. The 7th tee and the 9th tees are elevated and call for shots to sail past some tall eucalyptus trees. All in all, there will be a lot of variety on the course, including changes in elevation, and subtle movements in the terrain. I look forward to coming back for the grand opening and I expect to be pleasantly surprised and delighted. We'll keep you informed. SLO County Disc GolfWednesday, June 08, 2005While recently learning that there is a "Professional Disc Golf Association Tour" - see www.pdgatour.com - we were reminded that San Luis Obispo County is not only home to outstanding golf courses, but also offers two excellent courses for "Disc Golfers". I have yet to play these courses, but plan to soon. Back in my teens, I played quite a bit of "frisbee golf" (as we called it) at a disc golf course north of Chicago along Lake Michigan. In fact, I think disc golf was the only sport I engaged in during high school. I remember competing with a friend in one round where we both shot an 18-under par! We used the large black Ultimate Frisbee for all our shots, however, even back then in the mid-1970's, several "golfers" were seen carrying a bag with different frisbees for different shots. We used the "driver" for every shot. While investigating San Luis Obispo County Disc Golf, we found two websites listing our two SLO County Disc Golf Courses, SLO Pages and Pick Your Disc. PickYourDisc.com - based right here in San Luis Obispo - provides the most comprehensive information including the following course descriptions along with maps and course photos. Heilmann Park Regional Disc Golf Course El Bordo Rd., Atascadero  The first 18 hole disc golf course in SLO County. Located in Atascadero (15 miles North of San Luis Obispo on the 101) at about the 1300ft. elevation; sheltered from the ocean fog and wind. The course is played through a dense Oak and Wheeping Willow forest. Most of the baskets are positioned on slopes or drop-offs. Cool in the fall, winter and spring (high 70's), but will routinely reach the 100's throughtout the summer. No Water and a little bit of OB over the chain-link fencing surrounding the park. The course is slightly above moderate on distance and virtually every hole is reachable... However, the lines are narrow and the trees are sticky, so Double-Bogey's tend to find their way into your game. The park is not only beautiful, but also contains tennis courts, basketball courts, scattered BBQ pits everywhere, horseshoe ptis AND OPEN BEVERAGES!!! So BYOB. Sinsheimer Park Disc Golf Course Laurel Lane, San Luis Obispo  The first Disc Golf Course within SLO city limits!!! Finished in October, 2004 as a SLOThrower and PYD original; there are 9 holes, 20 different positions (that change every week!), tee pads, benches, water, baseball, BBQ, HorseShoe pits and the YMCA. Fairly short distance holes and every hole is in close proximity to the next, SO HEADS UP!!! In General, the course is fairly easy compared to most respectable courses, but the routine heavy winds, and steep drop-offs near every basket can make for an interesting round. The beauty of this course, is that it's close to everything in SLO, it has cool temps at all hours of the day and about 3 times a week... there are soft ball games w/ stadium lights that provide more than enough light for the entire course; if you want to play a night round (Park closes at 10pm!). So if you want to just play a quick round, the Sinsheimer is perfect for you. Open Beverages are technically not allowed, so be carefully advised. And weekly $$$ tournaments are Sundays @ 11AM. SLOThrowers If you're interested in playing with some local enthusiasts, check out SLOThrowers - The San Luis Obispo County Disc Golf Club, a non-profit organization designed and operated to build and improve The World of Disc Golf in the San Luis Obispo area. With the help of dedicated Disc Golf Locals, San Luis Obispo will have several more beautiful and challenging courses to enjoy. Come be a part of the team! www.SLOThrowers.com A Walk at Chalk Mountain Golf CourseTuesday, June 07, 2005I played Chalk Mountain Golf Course in Atascadero today. This is the only the second time I've ever played Chalk Mountain, the first being a company tournament perhaps eight years ago with Arcada Software. Since then, they switched the front and back nine, which made the course even less familiar to me than it might have been otherwise. In every respect, it was like a playing a course for the first time. Located in the foothills of Atascadero -- 10 minutes south of Paso Robles and 15 minutes north of San Luis Obispo -- Chalk Mountain is part of the county's Heilman Park complex. Ideally situated among lush, ancient oak groves overlooking the Central Coast valley, it's one of the oldest courses in the area. A meandering creek, rolling hills and undulating greens add to Chalk Mountain's charm and character. Flat lies are hard to find and landing areas are often tight, offsetting the course's old-fashioned distances -- 6,299 yards from the blue tees, 5,926 from the white tees and 5,330 yards from the forward tees, with the longest hole, the par-5 No. 17, measuring 567 yards.  I was struck by the difficulty of the course due to its many variations in terrain. It seemed like almost every fairway climbed or decended, slanted left or right towards tree hazards, had a dogleg left or right, or narrowed in front of you with towering old oak trees. As a result, I found the course challenging, but rewarding. The setting is spectacular. The old oaks on green rolling hills are majestic. Pines have been planted sparingly giving variety. And wildlife is abundant. We spotted 2 deer on the course, a relatively hard to spot green night heron, many hawks and jays, bigillions of ground squirrels, and trigillions of their mascot acorn woodpeckers. In fact, I'm not sure there was a single hole I didn't see an acorn woodpecker. Apparently, you can run into a rattlesnake on occasion too. Another factor that made the course challenging today was the pin placements. I swear, every pin was located within 3-5 feet of the fringe with breaks near every hole. Nevertheless, I did manage one birdie - on 7 - a par 3, one of the easiest holes on the course, and one of the few holes with a pin placed in the middle of the green.  As usual during the week, I ventured out on my own, hoping to hook up with another single or a twosome or threesome. The course was pretty empty, so after practicing a few chips and putts, I started off by my lonesome - walking. On the third hole, another single, Gene, caught up to me in a cart, so we joined up and made a twosome. Soon I was in the cart with him - which I then payed for after the 9th hole. Seems as if my game started improving immediately upon joining up with Gene - a consistent ball striker, and regular player at Chalk Mountain. It was quite a help to be playing with someone who knew the course so well. I felt a little blind by myself on a course I didn't know - especially on the 1st hole, where the fairway and green remain mostly hidden by oaks. I managed to bogie that hole. Gene just retired a few years ago from teaching biology and coaching basketball and football at Atascadero H.S. Very likeable guy and a pleasure to play golf with. Felt I had a little in common with Gene since I had coached the AGHS roller hockey team for 4 years. However, don't ask me anything about biology. I ended the front nine with a 41 (6 over) - made up of few too many bogies, only 2 pars, 1 birdie, and one double bogie. As usual, missed putting oportunities prevented a better score. I was striking the ball well though and the birdie on 7 was pretty impressive . The 7th is a short par 3, which I hit a little right, but got a left bounce that rolled to a stop 18 inches from the pin. At least I made that putt ;). We played through a foursome on 10 and joined another single who caught up behind us - Don - another regular at Chalk Mountain and pleasant fellow. Apparently Gene and Don knew each other casually from playing together in past rounds. I learned after the round over a hot dog that Don grew up playing and caddying in Morro Bay and that his ancestry dates back to the local Native American Cumash tribe. On the back nine I managed 4 pars (by hitting the greens in regulation and 2 putting), but putted poorly on the other holes - 3-putting on 4 holes! That's even bad for me. Even with the poor putting, I ended what could have been my best round since restarting golf 3 months ago with a second double bogie on 18 - due to my 1st duff of the day and yet another 3-putted green. That added up to 38 putts in total today - ouch! I shot a 43 on the back for an 84 overall. Lastly, I'd like to share that I found the staff at Chalk Mountain to be among the friendliest I've met. I haven't run into any rude staff members at any of the San Luis Obispo County courses, but rarely do I consider them overly friendly - understandable when the course is busy. I did however meet a young, enthusiastic and friendly worker at Blacklake a couple weeks ago who attends Cal Poly. Anyway, a friendly staff leaves a lasting impression. Golfwits Interactive Course MapsSaturday, June 04, 2005 Golf SLO now provides you access to Golfwits interactive course maps - the largest course map library in the world. The Golfwits Course Map Library is a growing collection of over 7,500 interactive maps for golf courses throughout the United States, Canada and other countries, as well as most of the 18-hole golf courses in San Luis Obispo County.Use Golfwits eYardageBook to search this extensive course map library to check distances between any two points you choose on any course map, view and customize rounds played for pre-planning your next round, and print out "Pro Books" to take with you to the course. Interactive course maps are currently available for the following 18-hole San Luis Obispo County Golf Courses and Resorts:
 Visit our Golf Course Directory to access eYardageBook interactive course maps for these San Luis Obispo County golf courses. Visit Golfwits to search their entire catalog of over 7,500 interactive course maps.
Success at Cypress Ridge GCFriday, June 03, 2005Got away from my desk after lunch yesterday and drove over to Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande. My plan was to hit a small bucket of balls and practice chipping and putting before starting a round, but as soon as I arrived a single was on his way out, so I joined him. The last group to tee off was an hour ahead of us, so we had the course to ourselves. We didn't catch up to anyone until the 17th hole. I joined Nick, a regular at Cypress, who lives across from the 15th green. Nick plays every day, including the Men's Club tournaments. He had his own golf cart, so I joined him on the cart instead of walking. The round turned out to be one of my favorite outings this year. Nick's good play rubbed off on me immediately - we both played #1 with good drives, slightly errant irons, and excellent chips. Unfortunately, I missed my short putt and bogied.  I shot my best and most consistent round since returning to golf this year with an 84 - my first round breaking 85! I not only shot a 42 on both the front and back nine, but hit 4 fairways and 5 greens on both nines, with 17 putts and 4 pars on the front and 19 putts and 5 pars on the back nine. I shot 3 double bogies, no triple bogies, but also no birdies. And, although I duffed 3 shots - 1 into the water on 15 - I didn't loose any balls or hit any balls out-of-bounds. The round consisted mostly of alternating pars and bogies on each hole. Overall, a good round - one I certainly could have broken 80 on, minus a few small mistakes and missed putts. That sub-80 round isn't far off! I also realize that another round of 90 might come first ;). Discount Golf Card at Golf SLOThursday, June 02, 2005 At Golf SLO, we provide access to Golf Card International, for purchase of discount golf cards honored at many of San Luis Obispo County's golf courses and resorts.Golf Card is a club of avid golfers who use the combined strength of nearly 100,000 members to play more golf for less money. Golf Card has network of over 3,600 affiliated golf courses and resorts throughout North America, who provide members with discounts on golf, lodging, pro shop purchases, and range privileges. Golf Card members also receive a free subscription to Golf Traveler Magazine, published four times a year. Includes an annual directory of courses and resorts with state maps showing course locations, directions, par, yardage, amenities, and member savings. Golf Card's website is loaded with valuable membership features, a member-only clubhouse with course reviews, handicap tracking and surveys. Also includs updated information on benefits, searchable directory of member courses, Stay & Play resorts, driving range discounts, and more. Golf Card is currently honored at the following San Luis Obispo County Golf Courses and Resorts, Avila Beach Golf Resort, Blacklake Golf Resort, Cypress Ridge Golf Course, and The Links Course at Paso Robles...with more coming. To signup for Golf Card to get "More Greens and Less Fees", visit GolfCard.com. 
The First Tee of the Central CoastWednesday, June 01, 2005Make sure to pick up a copy of the June 2005 issue of Central Coast Magazine. This issue includes an article - Golf for the Ages - about golf's newfound popularity with our youth since Tiger's entrance into the game. The article begins, "No doubt about it, things have changed. Golf has forged its way into the coolness factor ever since Tiger Woods upped the media anti in mega leaps almost 10 years ago."The article highlights the highly successful national junior program called The First Tee - a program that provides easy access for any child to experience the game of golf, no matter what their life situation. The latest chapter of The First Tee has been established right here in San Luis Obispo County at Avila Beach and Blacklake Golf Resorts. The First Tee of the Central Coast offers convenient, comprehensive (and best of all, free) access for junior golfers all the way from Santa Barbara to Paso Robles (and beyond). "The First Tee Open" provides junior golfers the chance of their lifetime. Before entering The First Tee program, most participants have as much chance of playing a round at Pebble Beach as finding a golf ball in the Pacific Ocean. The opportunity to simply play the game, let alone do so on one of the most renowned courses in the world, was unattainable. Not any more, however. Read more... To learn more about The First Tee at Avila Beach and Blacklake Golf Course, contact Billy Gibbs at (805) 595-4000 x502 or visit www.thefirsttee.org. You can also read about John Summer's experience with Golf in his editorial towards the back of this month's Central Coast Magazine. Like most of us, he's learning to "let go" of the bad shots and take it a shot at a time. He's learning a lot about the mental aspect of the game from who else but his son. |
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