Having walked CECC at the Safeway Classic last year, I can attest to its superb conditioning.  However, I’d say that Rob doesn’t go far enough in his review in talking about how penal the course is.  I love tree-lined courses, but not when the trees border the lines of play so closely, and discourage a full-blooded whack off the tee.

The extreme tree-lined nature of CECC actually makes the course feel contemporary (appropriate, since most trees were planted in the ’60s according to Rob) and detracts from what could be an amazing vintage experience. This is presumptuous as hell, but I wonder if CECC members have considered a several-thousand-tree removal program along the lines of that implemented by Oakmont several years ago to restore the course to its full glory?

Rob is absolutely right about the 15th and 16th holes, however–trees and all, they are among the cream of the crop in terms of par fours in Portland.

• The pace of play is invariably atrocious. You’re ten times more likely to play a six-hour round than a four-hour round.
• The conditioning of the courses is utter crap even this time of year when the weather is perfect.  Massive organizations like American Golf and CourseCo suck all the money they make from greens fees into corporate profits.
• Harding Park is absurdly overpriced for non-San Francisco residents and nearly impossible to get out on.

Which is why I was so surprised to see Golf.com’s latest article recommending Bay Area courses.  Granted, there aren’t a lot of choices within a 30-minute drive of Berkeley.

Purists will LOVE the Mickey Mouse astroturf range at Tilden Park and the plug-and-slog condition of the course.

If Metropolitan Golf Links is “fast and firm” (while extremely bland, from a pace-of-play standpoint it’s your best public option in the immediate vicinity), conditions at East Lake last week would have to be called “rock hard and lightning fast.”

If you’re flying up from LA for the Cal game this weekend and can’t have your pro call a private club for you in advance (of which there are numerous fine options in the Bay Area), please do yourself a favor and leave your sticks at home. Save the baggage fee and the inevitable long wait at the OAK or SFO carousel.

If you insist on playing, you’ll have to drive at least 45 minutes (Roddy Ranch) or even an hour-and-a-half (San Juan Oaks) to find a decent course that won’t take an entire day to play.

(At least Golf.com got their bar recommendations right.  Jupiter, Bear’s Lair, and Henry’s are all terrific places to grab a pizza and a pint.)

Crooks Point (sic) Resort aims to be more family oriented, where golf will be but one of the main activities along with fishing, hiking, biking, boating, horseback riding, and spa-going. Another cool twist: guests will be issued golf carts upon arrival; cars won’t be permitted on the grounds.

The golf course itself will have Perry Dye’s name on it, not Pete’s, which should help keep the green fee “down” around $115, including a cart. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort guests pay $220 in high season to walk.

–Golf Vacation Insider

I wouldn’t exactly call the fact that guests are issued golf carts on entering a “cool” twist but any economic development is good for the state of Oregon right now.

While I agree that Bandon can be pricey for most Oregonians, if you’re going 36 holes the rate is actually pretty reasonable for the caliber of golf you get.  Perhaps Crook Point will encourage Kemper Sports to reinstitute the Oregonian rate year-round if they find that they’re starting to lose business to Crook.

I have to say, though, with Sandpines (a Rees Jones track) already offering deep discounts to golfers who really don’t give a hoot about their architecture just an hour away, and a solid track in Bandon Crossings that allows carts, I’m not sure this project will be economically sustainable.  Bandon is just too good and there just aren’t enough people in Southern Oregon for the number of courses.

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