Quail Lodge Rebuilds a Classic Course

Quail Lodge & Golf Club

There is a world of good golf fifteen minutes (and $400) away from Pebble Beach along Carmel Valley Road.  Quail Lodge, Rancho Canada, and Carmel Valley Ranch offer welcome respites from the sometimes pressure cooker rounds played nearer the ocean.  I sampled Quail Lodge and found it both relaxing and challenging--and a real value for the dollar, too.

The course measures 6,449 yards from the back tees, with a manageable 71.4 rating/129 slope. Two other sets of tees make it fun for everyone and the reasonable green's fees encourage newbies to tee it up.  There's also an excellent range, short game area, and practice green right next to Edgar's Grill, which is worth the trip itself.

Quail Lodge Golf Course, a classic Robert Muir Graves design, has recently undergone a major renovation that includes rerouting a couple of holes, redesigning and refreshing the bunkers, and rethinking the pond, lakes, and other water on the property--a timely effort given California's recent drought. Since the back nine was closed for construction during my stay, I played only the front, which was interesting enough to play twice.

The opener is a benign 540-yard par five, but the meat of the front side is the collection of three long par threes. At 203, 198, and 216 yards, you may need some big artillery to reach them.  The number one handicap hole is the uphill 403-yard fourth hole where you can't see the surface of the green on your approach. The green is big enough to warrant a quick look, though, since the pin location can easily dictate club choice. The hill is so steep you know you'll need at least one more club--depending on the pin, you might want to add one or even two more.

One of the most challenging features of Quail Lodge is the massive tree that sits smack in the middle of the ninth fairway about 100 yards from the tee. A well-hit drive on the 541-yard par five can clear it, but don't try going around. The fairway is surprisingly narrow and there's OB on the left if you try for a big fade and a punitive bunker complex on the right if you go for a looping draw and hit the dreaded straight ball instead.

It's a great temptation to visit Carmel and focus entirely on the ocean courses, but a day spent looking eastward will yield some excellent golf.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Getting Ready for Next Year

Guest blogger Mike Diffley, Head Pro at Pelham CC and a recognized guru of the mental game, has some words of wisdom appropriate to this time of year:

2014 is coming to an end, golf up north is over except for indoor activities. Everyone should be evaluating their year and breaking their game down to see what needs to be improved. You should rate all parts of your game. Rate them A-F. Be fair and realistic. Truly evaluating your game is the only way to improve it. You can't judge by one important round that you didn't drive well or pitch it well. You need to look at the overall to target the specific.

• Driver
• Fairways
• Hybrids
• Long Irons
• Mid Irons
• Short Irons
• Wedges
• Half-Wedges
• Pitching
• Chipping
• Sand Play
• Long Putting
• Short Putting
• Mental Game
• Emotional Game
• Physical Condition

 There are many categories, you need to keep your strengths and improve your weaknesses--do not ignore anything but concentrate on important things. Everyone needs to get better at putting and trying to hit the driver better (straighter or longer or both.)

How was your attitude, thinking, emotions? How about planning your preparation or practicing purposefully  Do you have a game plan or even an idea what to do in those categories. Many people don't and really are only wishing for success.

Look at last year, evaluate, and make changes to get better. That's how it works not just wishing it!

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Spanish Bay Shines Among the Stars

Links at Spanish Bay #17

The Links at Spanish Bay is the "bargain" course among those operated by the Pebble Beach Resorts (not counting Del Monte), but there's nothing cut-rate about the golf to be played there. It's long enough (6,821 yards from the tips), tough enough (74.0 rating and 140 slope), and scenic enough to warrant a trip for its own sake. Spanish Bay is like the youngest sibling in a family whose two older brothers were star athletes before him in school. If they hadn't been born, he'd have all the raves to himself.

Spanish Bay has a links look with wind-swept fairways, tough waste areas and dunes to punish wayward drives, and greens that often invite a bump and run approach, although the turf is a little lush to rely on a ground game the way you would on a real links course.  Surf and sand are the dominant themes of the front nine, where you can practically walk in the water when playing the delightful par 3 eighth hole.

Enjoy the scenery and make your pars and birdies on the front side while you can, though.  The back nine is miles tougher.  Tough, but fun. From the gold tees, the front is par 35 at 3,042 yards whereas the back stretches to 3,379 and plays to par 37. The first three holes are birdie opportunities on the front, as is the 367-yard ninth hole. Even though the back offers three par fives, birdies are much harder to come by. The tenth hole, par five at 477 yards, looks like easy pickings but the relentless bunkers splitting the fairway on the second leg of the double dog leg say otherwise. The eighteenth, 524 yards, challenges you on every single shot. There are forced carries on the first and third and a major risk/reward decision on your second.

Three architects are credited with the design of Spanish Bay. Tom Watson, Sandy Tatum, and Robert Trent Jones, Jr., all are listed, although I suspect the latter did most of the heavy lifting when the course was built in 1987.  Regardless of who gets the lion's share of the credit, the trio designed a fine, worthwhile must-play course for anyone visiting Pebble Beach.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

That's Not a Wine Bottle, It's Your Putter!

The only time most golfers think of cork is when they sniff one that's come out of a wine bottle (although that doesn't apply to those of us who gravitate to vintages with screw-tops). That's about to change. A Portuguese company, The Cork Tree, has debuted four new putter grips made of cork leather.

The Cork Tree, the world's first company to produce golf products in cork leather, was co-founded by Nuno Nascimento and Marc Boggia. Nascimento was born into a family with a cork oak forest and learned the business of commercializing the material from his grandfather. Boggia, an Englishman, has been a member of the British PGA since 1981. He's also a golf entrepreneur, course owner, and partner in indoor golf teaching facilities in Asia. The Cork Tree's golf bag was awarded the first place award at the Golf Europe 2013 show in the golf bag category and lead to the launch of the cork putter grips.

Why cork? The company says it's proven to be the perfect complement to leather in a grip. Cork is 100% natural, feels soft in the hands, and proves its playability well beyond other materials when a golfer's hands are hot or sweaty -- as well as in humid playing conditions. "That means the grip won't slip in your hands -- regardless of how moist your hands are," says Boggia. "That lets you confidently putt away without any tension in your hands and arms, promoting a more fluid stroke. Once you try it, I know you'll agree that it feels amazing. Plus, it cleans very easily -- dirt wipes away with a wet cloth."

Cork's honeycomb cell structure is the key. Each cell is a 14-sided polyhedron filled with air, making it an extremely strong and flexible membrane that's waterproof and airtight. Cork bark is about 89% air, giving it a low density. But when it's compressed, air isn't squeezed out, because the cell membranes won't release it. So it returns to its original shape when the compression is removed. I'm no physicist, but I assume that also means moisture isn't sucked back into the material, ergo its utility for sealing wine bottles.

The four initial putter grips include the Midsize, Feather Light, Parallel and Tour models, all selling for $39.95.

Cork Tree says there are currently more than twenty PGA Tour players using Cork Tree cork leather putter grips including the winner of the recent Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa.  A multiple major winner on the PGA Tour is also using the Cork Tree putter grip.

The Nascimento family continues to sell cork bark to the cork stopper industry from its own 500 hectares cork plantation. Conscious of its hereditary property, The Cork Tree family continues to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in developing, protecting and maintenance of the properties. Beyond cleaning and fertilizing the cork oak forest, the plantation continues to grow with some 40,000 new cork trees being planted in the past eight years. That's a lot of putter grips.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Need a Unique Holiday Golf Gift? Think KPMG Women's PGA Championship Tickets

I have a standing rule for family members--under no circumstances should they give me any golf-related gifts. I have too many golfing Santa figurines and golf-ball-emblazoned coffee cups already and wouldn't hang a club-cleaner-tee-holder-glove-stretcher on my bag if you paid me.

This year, though, I made an exception to that rule for tickets to the KMPG Women's PGA Championship to be played at Westchester Country Club. The opportunity to watch superstar golfers like Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park, Paula Creamer, Lexi Thompson, and Michelle Wie doesn't come along very often, so this would be a truly unique gift that every golfer--and an awful lot of non-golfers--would really enjoy.

The best deal is the The Clubhouse Ticket Package, which includes access to the Championship Grounds, main Clubhouse and Clubhouse foyer, patio and lawn areas, Tuesday through Sunday of Championship Week, June 9-14. The package is $200, quite reasonable considering the unfettered access to the best facilities at the club. Upgraded food and beverage will be available for purchase.

Want to give a youngster a thrill?  Buy a Tuesday or Wednesday grounds ticket for yourself (a whopping $15) and you can take up to four kids 17 or under with you absolutely free!  You can do the same thing Thursday-Sunday for slightly higher prices, but the cool thing about Tuesday or Wednesday is that those are practice round and pro-am days and the players are really, really approachable.

For that very special golfer on your list, you'll want to give them something you KNOW they don't already have. How about the opportunity to play the Westchester Country Club West Course with one of the 156 star players in the Tuesday Pro-Am?  Prices start at $4,000 and space is limited, so order that little stocking stuffer right away!

Hey, Santa! Need more info? Call (800) PGA-GOLF (742-4653) or visit www.kpmgwomenspgachampionship.com.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Breed Moves to Trump Golf Links

Michael Breed

Michael Breed and his namesake golf academy will open at Trump’s brand new Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point this spring.  He moves to the new course from Manhattan Woods in West Nyack.  Breed is ranked thirteenth on Golf Digest’s list of Top Fifty Instructors in the United States. Throughout his twenty five year career Breed has worked with over thirty PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, Nationwide Tour and Senior Tour players.  He is also the host of Golf Channel’s hit show “The Golf Fix” and was recognized as the PGA’s National Teacher of the Year in 2012. 

Donald J. Trump, Chairman and President of the Trump Organization says, “We are thrilled to have Michael bring his immense talent and highly regarded academy to Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, which will be one of the finest public golf courses in the country. Michael is an incredible addition to an already stellar facility and we look forward to continuing our great relationship for many years to come.”

Michael Breed added, “I’m honored to partner with the Trump Organization on this incredible opportunity to bring my academy to a world-class facility located just minutes outside of Manhattan. Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point is truly an unbelievable course and I’m confident we will experience great success.”

Most recently Michael was the Director of Instruction at the Michael Breed Golf Academy previously located at the Manhattan Woods Golf Club in West Nyack, NY. Formerly, Michael was the Head Golf Professional at Sunningdale Country Club in Scarsdale for 12 years from 2001 – 2012. His experience includes five years as the Head Golf Professional at Birchwood Country Club and Assistant Professional positions at Deepdale Golf Club and Augusta National Golf Club.

Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point is part of a city-funded redevelopment project. The 18-hole links style Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, designed in consultation with Sanford Design, will be operated by the Trump Golf team and will be a part of the global golf portfolio of native New Yorker and avid golfer Donald Trump. The city’s newest golf facility is located in the Bronx with easy access to all five boroughs, just minutes outside of Manhattan and situated at the foot of the Whitestone Bridge. The course is designed specifically to take advantage of spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, East River and the Whitestone and Throgs Neck bridges. In addition to the 18-hole course, Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point will also feature a state of the art lighted practice facility, a magnificent clubhouse and dining amenities.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

For Pure Golf, Spyglass Beats Pebble

Spyglass Hill #3

Pebble Beach gets all the headlines, but Spyglass Hill is arguably the better golf course by many standards. It's measurably harder, has more than a few intimidating shots, and can more severely punish a near miss. Spyglass may not have quite as many iconic holes, but it has more than its fair share of fabulous scenery, too.

Sypglass has an interesting history. It was originally built by the Northern California Golf Assocation (NCGA) in 1966, its construction financed by members who put up cash and agreed to dues of $50 per year. There is still a membership, although I'm not sure what happens to them in 2016 when the fiftieth anniversary comes around. The course is owned and operated today by the Pebble Beach Company and the NCGA has moved its headquarters to Poppy Hills, which it owns.

Robert Trent Jones, Sr., designed Spyglass and many of us believe it to be his best work. By the numbers, Spyglass Hill is tougher than Pebble Beach. It's longer from all four tee boxes, measuring 6,960 vs Pebble's 6,828 from the tips. From the gold tees, the Spyglass rating/slope is 73.8/140 vs. Pebble's 72.6/136, a difference that's reflected on the other three tees as well. Jones' pop up greens and the natural elevation changes at Spyglass makes it play even longer than Pebble's relatively flat terrain, too. The extra 100 yards on the scorecard for the gold tees play more like an extra 300 yards when you take that into account.

The opening hole reflects the dual nature of the course--trees, elevation, and the ocean combine to make a classic introduction to the layout. The hole is a long, downhill par five with a tee shot that threads a corridor of pines to reach the dog leg at the bottom of the hill. Once you've cleared the corner, the hole turns left and greets the ocean. The extensive bunkers in front of the green echo the dunes and beach lying beyond it.

Spyglass isn't lacking in visual splendor. The first five holes play along the dunes, often close enough to the waves to see the water dripping from the surfers' eyebrows. The second hole, a 321-yard uphill par four (from the gold tees), plays to a green perched like a crow's nest overlooking the ocean.  It's followed by a truly great par 3. At 150 yards, the third hole plays directly toward the Pacific over a wasteland of scrub, dunes, and bunkers. The fourth hole, which Jones often said was his favorite par four, is short at 358 yards but has one of the most radically skinny greens you'll find anywhere. The last hole you play on the ocean stretch is the 169-yard fifth, where the green sits directly beneath the glass-fronted house made famous by Clint Eastwood in "Play Misty for Me."

The back nine at Spyglass is a pure test of golf, rewarding in equal parts accuracy, distance, and touch around the green. The 13th and 16th holes are long, demanding par fours playing 435 and 454 yards respectively. The two par threes on the side have water in play while the short (312-yard) par four 17th seems to have as many bunkers as trees--and there are a LOT of trees. The finisher plays up a steep, steep hill to a green with brutal contours. It's only 386 yards on the card, but plays like 486 and a bogey feels like a birdie.

Spyglass Hill is not for the faint of heart, but it is a rewarding, memorable golf experience that should have a place on everyone's bucket list.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf