the GOLF BLOG of HYPE....by one man

When you golf early on the weekend or any other day of the week for that matter, one thing that you like to do and need to do while you're out there is to eat and drink something. Like most hardened golfers I usually pack a bottle of water in my bag along with an energy bar or two of some sort. On occasion I'll get a Polish Sausage or maybe a Hot Link at the turn. If I'm going out early I'll usually have coffee in the car on the way to the course.

But what happens when you forget to do ANY of the above? What happens when you get going just a few minutes late and even though you grab your coffee, you forget the rest? You look for the Cart Girl. They always have hot coffee, some type of snacks, and maybe some sandwiches, right? Right!

But what happens when they aren't there? What then?

I played this past Sunday morning at one of my favorite courses, Poppy Ridge (in California). I had made coffee at home the night before so I was able to get in the car with a fresh travel mug of hot coffee. I'm out of snack bars but I figured I'd get something at the course during my front 9. But alas, it was not to be. In fact, it was NEVER GOING to be! Apparently there was no Cart "Person" that morning for whatever reason. And of course the Pro Shop mentioned that to everybody when they checked in for their round so that helped....NOT!

Poppy Ridge Golf Course is a beautiful 27 hole complex in the East foothills of Livermore, California. It's a tough course, especially from the back which is where I usually play from and if you have to walk it's even tougher, very hilly. When you are able to tee off early you enjoy the cool morning air and get to experience the sun warming everything up while you continue and then finish your round. I really enjoy this course and love playing there. BUT, there was no Snack cart at all.

We teed off at 7:40 and at 11:42 I was on the 9th tee (my 18th) looking back towards the clubhouse and lo and behold, there's the Snack Cart pulling out of the garage up to the Snack shack apparently for it's first load. Well I'll tell you what that was a load of. Almost four and a half hours on the course with nothing except the occasional water tank and who knows if that's even fresh water. Luckily, I did have my own bottle of water but it was early Sunday morning and some hot coffee on the course and maybe a snack of some kind would have been great.

The Pro Shop should know if there is going to be a problem like this and they should inform all the golfers as they check in for their round. This would allow them the opportunity, should they want, to get something to stash in their bag from the Snack shack before their round. It's almost like paying for your round and when you get to the first green, finding out that they've aerated all the greens the day before.

TELL US BEFOREHAND SO WE CAN MAKE A DECISION!!

Oh well, I played really well, shot a 77, and then drove to the nearest place to eat something.

http://www.poppyridgegolf.com/livermore/index.htm
http://www.beercartgirl.com/home.php

Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters Champion.

PGA Tour Player since 1998.

31 years old.

Only his 2nd PGA Tour Win.

He played better than the rest.

Masters Champion.

Easter Sunday.

Egg - Zach - Ly

CONGRATULATIONS !!

http://www.pgatour.com/players/02/40/24/

http://www.pgatour.com

http://www.themasters.com

You best be a cowboy when you play Roddy Ranch and you best be wearing your spurs in addition to your soft spikes. As Jed Clampett would say....Woooo Doggy!

I was a Golfer Golfing Golf (see below entry) yesterday with a casual golfing troupe I was introduced to a few years back. They all work in the Auto, Yachting, or Construction businesses and it allows them time to get out and play each Tuesday. I used to join them on occasion as they play all over the San Francisco Bay Area (mostly the North and East Bay areas) but this was my first outing with them in over a year. One of the group takes it upon themselves each week to make 2, 3 or 4 tee times at a course of their choice and then emails the group to see who commits. They almost always are able to get a great package price that includes golf and the cart. On occasion they are also able to get lunch included, depending on the course.

Yesterday we played Roddy Ranch Golf Club in Antioch, California. It's a wide open course in the low rolling hills of the North Bay Area, just about due West of the Delta valley (Sacramento Delta). It's one of the highest rated courses in California and for a good reason, it's not a walk in the park but if you play well, you will score well, and it's very pretty with not a single home on the course (though they're trying to get permission). You don't have to be deadly accurate as most of the fairways are pretty wide, but if you're too far off the marked course you can lose your ball in the wild grasses, down a gopher hole (or was that a prairie dog hole), or even worse you can lose it in one of the many rock croppings in many areas surrounding the course that house Rattlesnakes. Yes, that's right, Rattlesnakes. We have those on a lot of the courses in California, mostly the newer ones that have been carved out of the many foothills we have throughout California.

The course offers challenges to every level golfer but appeals most to the better player. Most tee boxes are built up with most tee shots carrying out to a fairway that usually drops in the middle, like a string held loose between your two hands, high at each end, low in the middle. You are hitting up to the green most of the time so you have to allow for that, and did I mention the wind? Wow, yesterday was very windy so you have to account for the cross breezes, frontal breezes, back breezes, and on the approach to a lot of the greens you have to account for swirling breezes. Oh, and there's water on a couple of the finishing holes, near the greens of course.

But what a great course!

And on top of that I played very well once again. I think I'm liking getting back out again. Now I just need to increase the frequency to at least once a week. My score was 80 to a par of 72. We played back with a rating/slope of 72.6/134.....not too tough. I was 6 over on the front and 2 over on the back. I had a birdie on the front but missed 6 other putts by just a hair. The greens are in great shape and are VERY quick. Lots of fun.

Playing golf can be such a relaxing way to spend time and playing well no matter what your level makes you really want to get back out again...and soon. I miss playing with my close friends though since that's what makes the game really enjoyable. One of my closest golf buddies and one of my best friends now lives in Spain. I miss golfing with him but look forward to visiting and playing a few of the courses there. Another lifelong best friend moved about 75 minutes south of me and on top of that has injured his shoulder (he's a Painting contractor) and no longer plays. My cousin who is one of my closest friends lives in Lake Tahoe about 4 1/2 hours away and I look forward to playing when ever we're together, it always makes for a great day together.

Oh well, I go by myself, I enjoy the game immensely, I see my handicap dropping back low again this year, and I enjoy everyone that I'm able to golf with when I'm out.

So if you're out this way look up Roddy Ranch, saddle up, and hit away. Just remember to keep your eyes on the ball and your ears perked for any little "rattles".

http://www.roddyranch.com
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/fictional/07.html
http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/flatt-and-scruggs/ballad-of-jed-clampett-11700.html

Ahhh....California. What a place to live, what a place to golf.

California is the third largest of all the States.

California is the most populous state in the United States.

California has the highest mountain in the contiguous U.S. in Mt. Whitney, and the lowest point in the U.S., Death Valley. AND, they are only 85 miles away apart. Amazing statistic in itself.

I like to tell people that in California we have 2 seasons...Rainy and Dry. As a matter of fact, that is actually true for the greater majority of California. Talk about a place where you can golf year round, wow!

California has over 1,100 golf courses covering every kind of terrain you can imagine and appealing to every level golfer. We are also one of the most traveled to destinations in the world for vacationers, golfers very much included. One of the most famous golf courses in the world is on the California Coast....the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

California has had 2 movie star Governors...the first was Ronald Reagan, who went on to become the 40th President of the United States, the second and our current Governor is Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Governator.

California has the 6th largest economy IN THE WORLD. Over 35 million people call California home with over 25% of the population being non-native Californians.

California beaches are world renowned. California is home to Hollywood and is the world leader in the motion picture industry.

In California you can snow ski in the morning, golf in the afternoon, and sit on the beach in the evening and watch the sunset.

California is a way of life.

California is a lifestyle.

California is a religion.

California is a world all to itself.

For many.....California is where they dream of going.

California Dreamin'.....I wouldn't live anywhere else.

http://www.californiagolfing.com

http://www.califmall.com/beach/BchIntro.html

http://golflifestylemagazine.com/

http://www.seeing-stars.com/

http://www.mybeachcams.com/california/

http://www.pebblebeach.com/

http://www.worldfest.net/