One of the many spectacular views of the giant redwoods found on the course at Northwood Golf Club.
Although Northwood Golf Club was not our only destination when we visited the Sonoma Coast last week, it easily became a highlight of our trip. Desperate for views other than our back yard and the four beige walls of our house, a condition dictated by Covid 19, we grabbed our clubs, jumped in the car, and headed for our favorite getaway, the Bodega Bay Lodge. Liberated at last, we included in our stay a round of golf at the Alister MacKenzie-designed course on the Russian River in Monte Rio, CA.
Our first and last impressions of the golf course operation were good ones. General manager Gaylord Schaap greeted us warmly at the check-in window and filled us in on some of the course history, and at the end of our round his son, Trevor, answered all of our questions in the pro shop. We discovered that Northwood’s storied history began in 1928 when Alister MacKenzie, fresh from the completion of his fabled Cypress Point Golf Club, turned his attention to designing a small, compact layout on 70 acres of land outside Guerneville, CA.
He designed Northwood to include some of his signature elements: highly contoured fairways, steeply sloping greens, and numerous bunkers strategically positioned in fairways and surrounding the greens. As years passed, time, economics, and ownership changed; the course itself went through many physical changes. Originally built with 35-40 bunkers, the course today has significantly fewer. If you are a MacKenzie “purist,” you may be disappointed, but if you are a “bunker-hater” you may enjoy the grass bunkers which replaced the original sand, a cost-saving measure. A final blow to the course’s conditioning occurred in 1986, the “great flood,” when the Russian River overflowed its banks to the extent that the entire Northwood course was covered with several feet of water, a greens superintendent’s nightmare. Luckily for us present day golfers, the course has recovered nicely from the problems of the past.
View of the second fairway closely bordered by its spectacular redwoods.
Northwood’s defining element, both physically and aesthetically, is the large grove of mature and extremely tall redwood trees under which its fairways wander. Their size and beauty literally take a golfer’s breath away, even without a mask. As we teed off, we knew this 9-hole walk would be special. Although the day was warm, we had no problem staying cool in the redwoods’ extensive shade. We recommend walking the course at least for the first 9 holes; a cart would limit your view of the tall trees above you. The course is not long, but it can be extremely tricky thanks to the MacKenzie design. Of special note are highly contoured fairways, relatively small, steep greens (several with severe false fronts), and three rather sharp doglegs which demand strategic placement of shots. Although the fairways had some bare spots, probably due to heat and the ever-present shade from those gorgeous redwoods, the turf was in relatively good condition. Thankfully, the greens were slow on the day we played. If any faster, they would present a huge problem for players, due to their undulations and a few false fronts.
MAGICAL!
Northwood is a perfect course for the woman player because it suits the average woman’s game so well. The emphasis here is on accuracy, not length. Choose a tee that works for your length: the Whites at 5,776 yards (72.6/121), the Reds at 5,012 yards (68.0/109), or Golds at 3,966 yards (61.2/90). Of course, an 18-hole round requires you to play the same 9 holes twice, but for variety you could choose to play a different set of tees the second time around.
We recommend you challenge the men in your lives to a round of golf and tell them to bring betting money. Bring your A game with straight and accurate fairway shots and a deft touch around the greens. We guarantee you will go home much richer for the experience! The club’s restaurant has a nice patio for you to have lunch, sip a beverage, and count your winnings.
Northwood Golf Club is only a 30-minute drive from Bodega Bay. Golfers who are staying there get the extra bonus of driving home through the magnificent redwoods and along the spectacular Sonoma Coast.
View of the Sonoma coastline along Highway 1 on the road to Northwood Golf Club.
Nephew FJ lines up his approach shot at Teal Bend Golf Course. Note the dense, overhanging trees that are present on most of the holes on the course.
A week ago we moved out of our “Covid Comfort Zone” to play Teal Bend, a course we hadn’t seen in years. Our bravery, tempered with the usual virus era safety precautions, proved to be worth the effort. We were able to enjoy a pleasant family day with brother Rex and nephew FJ at Teal Bend Golf Club, a course that certainly has grown up since we last played it.
Our first views of the course presented us with wide, contoured fairways crowded with trees and dense rough on both sides. As we walked down the first hole on a somewhat humid day, I was transported to the Deep South as the trees virtually dripped moisture and prevented any movement of air. Teal Bend opened in 1997 and is uniquely located between the natural beauty of the Sacramento River and the modern technology of the Sacramento International Airport. Course architect Brad Bell’s courses are “known for looking like they were always there,” and in Teal Bend’s case it is true in spite of its unique location.
Teal Bend’s main difficulty does not lie in its length, its moderately contoured greens, or its somewhat patchy fairways; rather, its biggest obstacle is its extreme rough that lines almost every hole on both sides. The rough is composed of vines hanging from trees, brambles, berry vines, and dense undergrowth. Balls finding their way into this rough are likely never to be found. The course has even labeled it with red stakes as penalty areas so that the player herself will not disappear if she ventures into it. The fairways are generally wide enough and playable although they suffer from many unrepaired divots (no sand on the carts due to Covid protocols), but, as always, the rough looms large on either side. Accuracy off the tee becomes the key factor to scoring well!
The 17th hole may be the most interesting; it is certainly the trickiest as it is an almost 180 degree dogleg bending back around a lake in a U-shape. From the tee the landing area is blind when the reeds in the lake are high. A player must choose how much water she wants to carry, always considering the danger the rough presents if she hits her drive through the fairway. Our group’s long hitter FJ and I (not such a long hitter) found this out the hard way.
Mary shows off her form. Riding in separate carts is a new experience but a comforting one during the pandemic.
Teal Bend has several tee choices for women players: the White tees at 6,022 yards (74.1/123), the Gold at 5,077 yards (68.9/111) and the White/Gold Combo tees at 5,405 yards (70.0/120). As is often the case, the original tees did not accommodate the different levels of play for women golfers. We played the combos and found that length to be fair and challenging. The card also lists the Blue tees as an option for women at 6,589 yards (77.5/136), ridiculously long for female (and most male) recreational players.
Since we are in the “Pandemic Period”, we look for courses that take our safety seriously. We were pleased to see that carts were sanitized and limited to one player per cart. The score cards and pencils were laid out on a table outside the pro shop, and social distancing signage clearly emphasized the rules. We are getting used to no rakes for bunkers and hands off the flagsticks. Will we ever get back to normal?
A well-organized pro shop had scorecards laid out for socially-distancing players to pick up.
All in all we enjoyed our family round of golf. The staff at Teal Bend was more than gracious and welcoming. We even enjoyed the rather muffled sounds of the few planes landing and taking off at the very nearby airport. Although brother Rex claimed he needed 6 O’Doul’s to get around its 18 holes and nephew FJ now counts himself as an “extreme rough expert,” a good time was had by all at Teal Bend Golf Course.
Note from Mary: This is a great course to win money from a couple of “Bro’s” who will play the blue tees (though they shouldn’t) and lose a dozen golf balls.
Our golf might have been “hit and miss” but our 18 holes at Teal Bend was totally enjoyable.
The American River from the bluffs above the old Fair Oaks Bridge
Sights along the American River have been much more common for me than sights on the Sacramento area’s golf courses. When stay-at-home orders were in place this spring, my only outings were walks with my good friend and fellow golfer Virginia Smyth. The river provides a beautiful and comforting background for our walks three days a week. For a while golf was out of the question, but after a careful study of the safety protocols in place at Ancil Hoffman, we felt very safe playing with our women’s golf group each week. The game once again proves to be a lifesaver both physically and mentally.
We will try to visit some new courses when we are able to do so in these Covid 19 times, but we can’t promise a regular schedule of posts. (Readers certainly cannot be interested in descriptions of Ancil Hoffman every week.) Look for a review of Teal Bend Golf Course coming soon.
Until then, if you are not playing any golf, I highly recommend a reinvigorating walk along the American River. Stay safe. Be well.
Ancil Hoffman’s parking lot is close to full in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. One employee stated that the course was seeing a record number of rounds. Is that good news or bad news?
In these dark days of the coronavirus pandemic, many golfers have deemed their sport to be essential exercise. Lucky for them (or is it?) a number of golf courses in the Sacramento Area are open for business. If you haven’t played recently and are dutifully sheltering at home, you may find that the game at present is a very different experience.
I always have loved the social aspect of golf, the easy comraderie, the light banter between shots, the 19th hole where we lament what could have been. Now, however, in these days of social distancing, golf has become a lonely sport; we are forced to enjoy the game and not the company. If a player carries her bag or uses a pushcart, she can easily maintain her six feet of social separation, but players who ride in carts must feel the isolation as courses are allowing only one player and one set of clubs per cart. What if a player becomes so engrossed in her game that she leaves a club behind on the green or finds she needs a different club for a shot when she gets to her ball? She cannot ask a fellow player to retrieve the club or grab a new club from her cart. We all know the virus will cling to golf clubs for hours and hours. This problem is magnified for those of us with memory issues! Basically, golfers cannot touch anything that is not their own, so that means no high fives or friendly pats on the back.
New to the coronavirus golf experience is the lack of helpful equipment that we have heretofore taken for granted. Is your golf ball dirty? Find a way to clean it yourself. Ball washers have disappeared since players must touch them and thus possibly spread the virus. Likewise, bunker rakes have gone missing although some players might say rakes are expendable since no one rakes bunkers anyway. You certainly do not want to get into bunkers, especially late in the day. They can get pretty messy. Some courses have even allowed players to call them ground under repair – a free drop.
Footprints and holes will greet you in bunkers during the coronavirus. Good luck!
Another equipment question comes to mind: have you ever thought about how many times golfers put their hands on flagsticks during a round? Of course, you haven’t. Until recently our only thought about a flagstick is whether to leave it in or take it out. The aforementioned question has been answered for us during the virus. Do not touch the flagstick! Some courses have solved the problem of flagstick distancing by getting rid of them altogether. (Aim your approach shot to the center of the green and hope for the best!) Once you are close enough to find the pin you will discover the new, iconic poster child of virus golf, the “Pandemic Cup Insert.” The plastic insert wedges the ball between the cup and the flagstick and prevents it from dropping to the bottom of the cup. The player is then able to daintily pick the ball out of the hole without touching ground, sides of cup, or pin. Sadly, you never get to hear that satisfying sound, that distinct plunk, of the ball hitting the bottom of the hole.
The Pandemic Plastic Insert solves all your social distancing problems. Touch only the ball!
Yes, a round of golf is a very different experience in these days of the coronavirus. Players say that they are getting needed exercise, but are they taking a chance when they play with a group of people? On the other hand, playing alone allows one to communicate more closely with the natural setting of a golf course. Perhaps being alone with nature and one’s own game can give a person some peace in these troubled times.
These putters are on hand in our garage. Which one do you prefer – the antique of unknown origin, the 45-year old T-line, the new White Hot Odyssey, the older Metal-X Odyssey, a Wilson cavity-back model, or the classic Bull’s Eye? We might sell you one on the cheap.
Our friend Janet calls herself a “zen” putter. She enjoys the game of golf so much, she refuses to let putting get in her way. On the green (she is a fast player so she is often the first one there) she will casually approach her putt without hesitation. She has no notes in her back pocket to help her “read” the green. She does not plumb or hold fingers up to determine the slope nor does she check her stance or her grip. She walks up to the ball and putts it, making as many putts as she misses. I desperately want to be a zen putter like Janet.
Earlier in my golfing “career” I rarely thought twice about putting. I used the same T-line putter exclusively for almost 40 years. I made putts inside 6 feet pretty consistently; I had no choice since my long putts were very erratic. I never really thought about my stance, my grip, or my stroke; they seemed to occur automatically. Then I arrived in my golden years which allowed me to reflect back on younger days but seemed to take away any chances I had of making a putt. Some golfers call this phenomenon “the yips”, but I use other more appropriate names which I can’t print here.
My putting frustrations know no end. I changed putters early on, trying three different Odysseys. I had hoped that new technology would solve my problems. Generally, I had a few good games with the new putters, but I would regress quickly – only adding to my frustrations. After every equipment failure, I would come back to my T-line and see no improvement. I have tried a square stance, an open stance, and I even tried standing on one foot. I have experimented with left-hand strong putting, right-hand putting, and one-hand putting. I have also tried using a line on the ball to line up my putts, a practice which drives me crazy when other people do it because it takes so much time on the greens. (Note: I quickly gave up on that technique).
In the end I have resigned myself to one consistent fact: putting is a head game, and I come back to my friend Janet. I am determined to follow her lead and become a “zen” putter, mindfully rolling my golf ball toward the hole without overthinking anything that happens before or after. Has anyone else tried this method? Perhaps we can all start a universal zen movement that includes faster play and more putts made.
This interested spectator broke through the gallery ropes to follow his favorite group on hole #8 at Ancil Hoffman. This course, located on the banks of the American River, provides a perfect venue for wildlife to follow their favorite golfers. Players need not be fearful of the deer, turkeys, geese, or coyotes. As interested as we are in our own games, the critters could care less – unless you are inadvertently carrying food with you. Hopefully, you will enjoy the spring rites of our local wildlife friends as much as you enjoy your golf games in this glorious early spring weather.
Our fascination with St. Andrews continues as we explore the history of women’s golf at the Old Course and with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.
St. Andrews has been on my mind even though our visit there has long since passed. I can still picture the immaculate links course and the venerable old buildings surrounding it, and I can still feel the cold, biting wind that accompanied us all day long. However, the vision in my mind’s eye of the Old Course includes only men, men, men. We saw no women playing on the day we were there, and we know very well that women do play. Even though “ladies'” play at St. Andrews has a long and storied history, we wonder just how welcoming the Old Course really is to women golfers.
The history of women on the golf course there began in 1860. Up until that time social mores and accepted propriety dictated activities for women other than golf, but when St. Andrews caddies laid out a small putting area for themselves, a few “adventurous young ladies” began to join them when the course was quiet. Almost immediately the caddies objected to a co-ed putting green, and in 1867 the legendary Old Tom Morris, golf course designer extraordinaire and a man ahead of his time, created a “miniature links,” a nine-hole putting course where ladies could play and not “offend the public eye.”
This sign greets players at the “Himalayas” putting green designed originally by Old Tom Morris.
The St. Andrews Ladies’ Putting Club flourished. By 1900 it included 400 women members and 200 “Gentlemen Associates” members. In the present day 200 women club members (no men) enjoy the highly contoured and very large putting area affectionately known as the “Himalayas.” However, having lost some of its female exclusivity, the putting course is now open to the public. Anyone, male or female, can play for 3 pounds sterling (including putter), although it is reserved for women members of the St. Andrews Ladies Putting Club on Thursday mornings. Why does this schedule sound familiar?
The flag marking the 6th hole of the aptly named Himalayas is barely visible over one of the many high mounds on the putting green.
As far as women on the Old Course go, supposedly recent changes have made it more accessible. In 2014-15 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, whose members enjoy preferred tee times on the public course, authorized its general committee to invite up to 15 women to join its very exclusive membership over a three-year time period. The committee created two classes of membership. “Honorary” members included Princess Anne, Laura Davies, Renee Powell, Belle Robertson, Lally Segard, Annika Sorenstam, and Louise Suggs. “Ordinary” members also selected were Angela Bonallack, Claire Dowling, Diane Dunlop, Patsy Hankins, Martha Lang, Carol Semple Thompson, and Marion Thannhauser. These international inductees represented women who have made outstanding contributions to the game of golf and to women sports in general. However, You Golf Girl did some extensive research and could not find any names of additional women members since the original list if 14 members was published 5 years ago. The Royal and Ancient has refused to disclose how many women have since joined, “an ominous glance back towards the veils of secrecy which once undermined golf’s reputation” according to the Guardian, a British newspaper.
Does the sign outside the Clubhouse say it all?
Five years later women members, as few in number as they are, still do not have a locker room in the clubhouse in which they might change and shower. Instead, they must walk 100 yards to Forgan House, also owned by the R and A and located on another street among shops and hotels.
After researching and writing this article some questions remain about the status of women at the R and A and St. Andrews Old Course, as well as in the golfing universe in general. Are the R and A’s efforts to include women players sincere, or do they reflect an attempt to assuage us for the purpose of good PR? Do women, in fact, prefer their own golf groups or clubs, exclusive of men? Are women intimidated by all the rules created by men for men? Will the Royal and Ancient Golf Club continue to invite a small number of women to join? And finally, are women golfers “honorary” or “ordinary”? We think we are extraordinary.
A woman captain at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club? Wishful thinking.
View of the iconic Royal and Ancient Golf Club building overlooking the first tee of the Old Course with hole #18’s equally iconic Swilcan Bridge in the foreground.
The faithful have made pilgrimages to revered sites such as Mecca and Jerusalem for thousands of years. As part of our Solheim Cup journey to Scotland and as faithful golfers, we also made a pilgrimage, ours to St. Andrews, the birthplace of golf. Our journey involved a 2-hour train ride from Stirling, our home base in Scotland, to the town of St. Andrews located on the Firth of Forth (I love this name) on Scotland’s east coast. As we stepped on the hallowed ground for the first time, chills ran through us as they always do when we step back into history.
We walked somewhat randomly along the streets of the town of St. Andrews when quite suddenly the Old Course appeared in all its glory. There, right in front of us, were the 18th tee, the iconic stone bridge, the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse, and all the ancient buildings – somewhat incongruous since the wild and windswept terrain of the course defied all this civilization surrounding it. The 600-year-old course, the oldest in the world, boasts fairways as tight and smooth as a well-made carpet, but this carpet meanders among sand dunes and high gorse as the wind off the sea coming from unpredictable directions provides major obstacles for the eager and earnest players lucky enough to get a tee time.
Along with many other curious, non-playing tourists, we were able to walk out on the outward nine along the cart paths in order to get a feel for the course. Many people don’t realize that the Old Course is, and always has been, a public course, and although the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse is prominently located behind the 1st tee, it does not own or manage the course. We were free to explore as we pleased. We might have even asked for a tee time! As a matter of fact, all seven of the courses that now exist as part of the St. Andrews Links complex were deemed to be owned by the public since 1552, and although the ownership and control has changed hands over the years, they remain public courses.
Players make their way to the 18th green as an interested spectator looks on with great envy. The St. Andrews Links Clubhouse is in the background.
On this brilliantly sunny but windy day we spotted many well-dressed, white-haired men teeing off accompanied by older, somewhat grizzled (and obviously veteran) caddies. We were impressed by a particular twosome waiting for 10-15 minutes on the 18th hole to tee off while a group of 20 or so tourists took selfies on the famous Swilcan stone bridge (also known as the Swilken Burn). We admired their patience. Such gentlemen! We continued our walk past the St. Andrews Links Clubhouse and Caddie Shack all the while checking out the deep pot bunkers and undulating greens on the outward nine holes between the Old Course and the New Course. Sadly, we saw very few women players on the course. Perhaps they were discouraged by its very difficult setup for women. The course from the “Ladies’ Yards” on the scorecard plays at 6,032 yards, par 76. Its rating of 75.6 with a 138 slope is certainly intimidating, especially with the stiff winds which almost constantly accompany players.
Player and caddie engaged in serious strategy as they finish their round.
Even though we were in awe, wide-eyed and mouths agape, during our time exploring the Old Course, we didn’t want to miss a walk around the venerable old town of St. Andrews while we were there. It’s cathedral, now in ruin, was the goal of religious pilgrimages from all parts of Europe in the early Middle Ages in order to venerate the relics of St. Andrew. In the present it is an active college town, its streets filled with energetic young people busily scurrying to their next class or to one of the numerous public houses for some sustenance after a busy academic day. The University of St. Andrews is Scotland’s most prestigious, welcoming scholars from all over the world (including the Prince and Princess of Wales who graduated in ’05). As the cold wind increased on our walk, we were forced(?) to cut it short. We could only imagine how the wind would have affected our attitudes had we been playing golf in it. We retired to the restaurant above the British Golf Museum and enjoyed a lovely, warm lunch overlooking the action on the first tee of the Old Course. What a special day we had in St. Andrews, both at the Old Course and in town.
A row of stone houses overlooking the sea separates the golf courses from the town.St. Salvator’s Chapel, the town’s most beautiful medieval church (1450).
Although it may seem as if women players are merely an afterthought at the Old Course, they indeed have a storied and interesting history there. Check the next blog article (coming soon) if you are interested.
Members of the Swing Club for the blind practice chipping with their volunteer mentors before their round at Land Park Golf Course.
Imagine trying to hit a small golf ball or to stroke a 10 foot putt without the ability to see the ball or the hole. The game of golf requires countless additional skills when a player is sightless. My visit to Sacramento’s Swing Club for the Blind at Land Park Golf Course proved to me that even the Solheim Cup pros do not have more spirit and determination than the blind golfers I met there.
When I arrived the group of participants was eagerly awaiting the day’s schedule. I sensed much humor and comradery in their attitudes toward each other and toward the game. The day’s group included 5 players, Jane, JoAnne, Robin, Peggy, and Darrell, as well as 9 volunteers. Each play day begins with a practice session where a volunteer works individually with a player to help her (him) locate the ball and aim in the correct direction. On this day volunteer Mike Parks led a lesson on chipping and pitching. We soon found out that chipping is the only choice for blind players since a pitch shot requires looking at the back of the ball – not possible for someone without sight. Nevertheless, this group quickly conquered the chip shot using a stroke much like a putt to send ball after ball in a low trajectory toward the sound of Mike’s voice behind the pin. Occasionally, I heard comments such as “I hit that too hard” or “I hit it on the toe,” an amazing judgment of accuracy and performance when a player is unable to see the results of the shot.
Peggy accepts her trophy for scoring a hole-in-one in the club’s annual putting tournament.
The volunteer group for the Swing Club for the Blind, headed by Jeannie Stathos and Jim Cassie, has a history as long as that of the club itself. We were pleased to discover that two women who were very important to Sacramento golf in general, Helen Lengfeld from the Bay Area and Libby Brand, well-known at Del Paso CC, created the club in the 1970’s. Since then it has moved from Lindale Greens Golf Course to Foothill Farms to Campus Commons and finally to its home base today at William Land GC. All along the way it has relied on financial support from groups such as Del Paso Women’s Golf Group, the Fort Sutter Lion’s Club, and the First Tee of Sacramento, as well as from individuals including players and volunteers. “From its inception, the club has been open to all visually impaired individuals, who are invited to play regardless of age, sex, race, or previous golf experience.” Most participants that I met, however, had played some golf before they lost their sight.
Although financial help is necessary, the volunteers are the most important keys to the success of the blind players on the course. During the nine-hole round after the practice session each player is accompanied by a volunteer who lines the player up and judges distances. Volunteer and player form a two-person team and play an alternate shot format for the entire round. Scoring is important to this group as a perpetual trophy donated by Mrs. Lengfeld is awarded to the player with the lowest scores over both the spring and fall playing sessions. Judging by the skill levels I observed, that trophy is a hotly contested prize!
JoAnne exhibits good form on her tee shot under the watchful eye of her volunteer partner.
I galleried the players and their volunteers for a hole or two and was thoroughly entertained and impressed. The players showed off controlled, compact swings, launching their drives toward the green with authority while their appreciative volunteer partners cheered them on. I followed Robin on the first hole and watched as her drive ended up on the left apron of the par 3, #1 green. Her volunteer partner chipped the ball about 12 feet past the hole, leaving Robin with a fairly lengthy putt for par. She calmly rolled her putt to 2 inches short of the hole, dead-center cut, unbelievable touch for someone putting to the sound of her partner’s voice!
Robin taps in for a well-played bogey on the first hole at Land Park.
What a great morning I had observing these great players and volunteers in action! A big thank you to the Sacramento Swing Club for the Blind for allowing me to follow along as they practiced and played and thanks to my friend Keith Evans, a dedicated volunteer, for introducing me to this impressive golf group.
Many newer courses such as Poppy Ridge, pictured here, feature extensive bunkering along fairways and around greens.
As you stand on the tee of the #6 hole of our obstacle course (go to Search and choose “Course Rating 101” for the first 5 holes), all you can see in front of you is a sea of bunkers lining the fairway and surrounding the green. Donot quit and go home! Rule changes have made the bunker obstacle in golf more bearable, and knowing how bunkers are rated for difficulty will certainly make them more understandable.
How many of us have found ourselves in bunkers and wondered how and when we would ever get out? The USGA’s new rules for 2019 have given us all an escape route. Since a golfer is allowed to take an unplayable lie whenever she deems it necessary, she may assuredly take one in a bunker. If she drops her ball correctly in the bunker, she has always taken a one-stroke penalty; however, the new “escape clause” now allows her to drop outside the bunker back along the line of play. Don’t get too excited; dropping outside the bunker earns her a two-stroke penalty rather than one. This new rule requires a player to assess her bunker skills and proceed accordingly and can prevent astronomically high scores.
Here is the dreaded greenside bunker on Ancil Hoffman’s hole #15. Many players aim for the trees on approach shots to avoid having to carry this very deep bunker.
In spite of these rule changes, a course rating team will continue to judge the difficulty of bunkers the same way they always have, by evaluating how bunkers come into play and how difficult it is to recover from them. Raters ask themselves the following questions:
1. How big are they?
2. How close are they to the green or fairway target?
3. Do they reduce the size of the landing area on the tee shot? On the approach shot to the green?
4. Are they composed of compact or fluffy sand? (Compact is considered easier.)
5. How severe are their lips or front faces?
In addition, raters add difficulty points if a player must carry a bunker to reach the green (see Ancil Hoffman #15) or a fairway landing zone, if pot bunkers or unusual or extreme conditions in bunkers make recovery more difficult, and/or bunkers are considered deep (over 2 feet for women players). Finally, we are seeing many more “waste areas” on golf courses these days due to the new design fads and in order to conserve water. These waste areas are rated as bunkers and rough, so don’t overlook them in your game plan. They can add great difficulty to a golf course.
One of the many waste areas that dominate the new design of Poppy Hills, aesthetically pleasing but adding difficulty to the course rating numbers.
Although we may never come to love bunkers, we have to admit that they add a lot of excitement and interest to a golf course. If a hole does not have fairway or greenside bunkers, it receives a bunker rating of zero. How dull!
One of the many spectacular views of the giant redwoods found on the course at Northwood Golf Club.
You Golf Girl 