biscuity

Good write-up Clambake. I played the same 3 courses in May and had similar impressions. Pebble has awesome views, fair layout, very good condition, and all of that tradition. It's my favorite course out of all the ones that I've ever played. Tough as nails when they let the rough grow, speed up the greens, and when the wind is blowing. Spyglass is a fun blend of dunes and then forest, with fairways that are immaculate. Known as being the toughest course on the peninsula. The first 5 holes are a blast, especially the 4th. Spanish Bay... I personally love it because I rarely get to play links style golf. I remember several holes... the par 3 8th over the lagoon near the beach, the tough par 4 12th hole with a huge ravine in front of the green, the par 5 14th that rolls down to the ocean. The condition of the fairways on Spanish Bay was the best I have ever seen. I'm a socal golfer too, PM me if you ever want to go up to Pebble.

If you want to get drive distances you just walk to the ball and point the laser back to the tee box. I bounce mine off things around the tee box like the yardage boards, garbage cans, benches etc.

In most cases you can't get front/middle/back with any laser, but you can always get the exact distance to the flag if you can see it. I find it fairly easy to get a distance to bunkers, lakes, hills, trees etc. with my laser. The main advantage of the laser over GPS is the accuracy. You're a 1.6 handicap so you can use the accuracy to fine tune your club selection and swing speed. Higher handicap (18+) golfers aren't usually accurate or consistent enough to need that kind of accuracy, so a GPS is a good way to go. After using both, I would pick laser if I could only choose one. If you have access to both it's great, especially on a course you've never played.

Pebble has been running a promotional rate of $375 with cart for the past several months. It used to be for NCGA members, recently they've opened it up to anyone in California. The same deal gives you half off at Spyglass and Spanish Bay. Great courses, just remember to bring your "A" game.

I bought my Nikon 800 laser finder for the accuracy. Even the guys I play with who use GPS are interested in my number to the pin, because there is no guesswork. With a GPS you know F-C-B but you still have to estimate where the pin is. Add in the known margin of error of the satellite and original mapping of the course and you've got a fairly significant potential variation. When my laser finder says it's 63 yards I know it's 63 yards. And I use mine alot inside 100 yards, it has really helped my short game. It takes me about 10 seconds max to get the reading. List of things I like about the laser over GPS 1. Accuracy to within +/- 0.5 yard 2. Super long battery life 3. No subscriptions/dues 4. Works on driving ranges 5. Helps me see better, I use it like a telescope GPS has a few advantages, but for me they didn't outweigh the list above. The only times I ever ask for help from a GPS user is when the view to the green is obstructed.

I use a Nikon 800, same as the Callaway version except the outside color is black. It works great, easy to use, small, quick and accurate. I bought it on eBay for $214 shipped, new in box. The only negative is that some people who have tried it say they shake too much to get a reading. For me it's not an issue. I tested it against a Bushnell 1500 and found that the Nikon was easier for me to use. I recommend that you try them out at a golf shop or ask to try it if you see someone using one.

San Clemente Muni is a fun course for around $40. http://greenskeeper.org/southern_cal...e_Golf_Course/ Mile Square in Fountain Valley has 2 18-hole courses that are pretty good for $40-$50. http://greenskeeper.org/southern_cal...e_Golf_Course/ Coyote Hills in Fullerton offers some dramatic elevation changes and nice views for around $90. Their greens are in great condition right now, I played there yesterday. http://greenskeeper.org/southern_cal...s_Golf_Course/ Discount green fees: http://www.click4teetimes.com

My access to Cypress was through a schoolmate who's father was a member. I also used to forecaddie some pro tournaments because the reward was to play Cypress the next Monday. And back in the early 70's we used to sneak on Cypress and Pebble... but we were kids and they didn't have course marshalls back then :)

I'm glad to hear you had a good time. Sorry that you weren't able to get out to holes 6-7-8-9-10 because they are really spectacular, but the holes that you saw (probably 18-17-3-4) are nice too. The back nine at Pacific Grove is where I learned to play golf, so it's a very special place for me. It used to be the front nine and I must have played it a couple of hundred times, I always chose that nine if I didn't have time to play 18 holes. Fun place, hopefully they are keeping it in good shape.

The new Nikons have something similar called "First object priority" that you can switch on or off. It grabs the pin instead of the trees behind it. Mine is very easy to use.

I picked up a brand new Nikon 800 on ebay for $200. Exactly the same as the Callaway 800 just with a black case. Works great, quick and easy to get the target, measures to with accuracy of 1/2 yard.

"Pebble Beach is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful courses in the world. It hugs the rugged coastline and has wide open views of the ocean. In 2001 it became the first public course (i.e. open to the general public for play) to be selected as the No.1 Golf Course in America by Golf Digest." Of course, any course rating comes down to an opinion, so things will always shift around because no single course is head and shoulders above the rest. For me Pebble is my favorite because it has 9 spectacular holes right on the water, and I like the layout when I play it. It's fair, difficult, and it has the bonus of tradition, having hosted the US Open 4 times. Cypress is nice, but it doesn't really hit you with the dramatic scenery until halfway into the back 9. Plus, although I've played it a handful of times, it is still almost impossible to get on the course. Pebble is there for everyone to enjoy any time. MPCC, well, those are both fun courses to play, but they are not much different than the inland holes at Spyglass Hill. I would choose Spanish Bay over either of the MPCC courses, just because it has more holes on the beach and it's a fun links layout. But hey, it's just a list of courses and they are all great in their own way. I feel lucky to have been able to play them all several times.

Pebble Beach, Ca -- Great course, play it in a variety of weather conditions for the full experience. Ranked #1 in the America for a reason, play it at any price, it's worth it. Cypress Point, Ca -- Almost impossible to get on the course, but if you can it's almost as good as Pebble Beach, especially the finishing holes. Royal Ashdown Forest, UK -- Royal and Ancient Old Course was built in 1888, it has ZERO bunkers and doesn't need any. One of my most memorable shots was on that course. http://www.virtualcaddy.com/coursesamples/ashdownold/ http://www.royalashdown.co.uk/

Left hand always in front of club Dont break left wrist Short backswing Accelerate through the ball Make sure ball rolls 3 revolutions toward the cup Hold the followthrough And don't beat yourself up mentally if you miss. The greens we play on are way bumpier than the one the Pro's play, nobody can make them all.

Basically there used to be a big difference, but today there is not much difference. A lot of the misconception is due to the history of forged/cast golf clubs and marketing. Hardness -- It depends on the type of metal they start with. It's possible to make a cast club softer than a forged club. But in the golf industry they usually choose a softer metal for the forged clubs. The forging process aligns the metal particles on the outside of the head for strength, and lets the inside of the head remain soft for feel. But you would be hard pressed to discern the difference in feel without knowing what you were hitting. The golf ball itself is so much softer than the metal that it masks the feeling. Shape -- In the past there were limitations on the shape of the head with the forging process, for a long time there were no forged cavity back irons, just blades. That opened the door for companies like Ping to use the benefits of cast irons... perimeter weighting and sharp/clean face grooves enticed many pro golfers to give up their forged blade irons in the late 70's, 80's and 90's. But manufacturing processes have evolved over the past 10 years that allow cavity back irons to be forged, so the clear advantages and disadvantages have become blurry. Cost -- Forging is a much more expensive process than casting, so the price of forged irons is higher. Golf consumers often assume that more expensive is better, so they are willing to spend more for something they think gives them an advantage. Millions and millions of dollars have been won on the PGA tour with cast irons, so it's definitely possible to play great golf with cast irons. Marketing -- We all want to be like Tiger, right? Well not all of us, but the Pro's play a huge role in what people buy. You can find cast and forged irons being played on tour, so it's really up to you, test them both and see what feels and works best for you. For me, other factors make a much bigger difference than forged vs cast. I can easily feel the difference between cavity back vs blade, offset vs no offset, surlyn ball vs urethane ball, but forged vs cast is pretty small difference. For a good test you should try hitting the new Titleist AP1 (cast) and AP2 (forged) irons back-to-back on the driving range. (BTW, I play Titleist 704CB forged cavity back irons)

I saw Jack play several times, including the 1972 US Open at Pebble Beach. I've seen Tiger play several times, including the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach that he won by 15 strokes. I don't think Jack ever won by 15 strokes, certainly not a US Open. That is total domination against the best field of golfers ever. Overall I would say Tiger is the greatest player because his short game is so good. But if you could take Jack at his prime and have him play 4 rounds against Tiger it would be a very close match. They both have the mentality to take it to the next level. Jack charged around the golf course with an aura that is rarely seen, Tiger has it too.

I watched that video about swinging a heavier club. Inetersting information, but I'm skeptical. Although it seemed like they tried to do it scientifically, either their sample data was too small or something else was wrong. To do the test properly you would have to use several players, do the same test on different days and compile a lot of data. A couple of points. First, almost all pro baseball players still use heavy bats to warm up. If weighted bats are as negative as the video claims then the coaches and trainers would not allow them. Second, for a pro golfer to consistently lose 30 yards by swinging a few times with a weighted clubs is difficult for me to believe. That is a huge difference, much too big to be justified by a few swings with a weighted club. I can't imagine why the video was so skewed, but I think something was seriously wrong. Back to the question ... I do 20 crunches a few times a day. It builds up my stomach and back, core strength. I think Gary Player used to do 1000 a day? Even if it doesn't improve my golf game it has eliminated sore necks and sore backs for me. I also mix in push-ups for arm strength. And I always walk the course if I can.

I played the B330 RX ball today. I used one ball for the round and shot 78. The ball held up well, just one light scuff from a cart path, I think the cover is durable like other Bridgestone/Precept balls. Likes: Cover is soft and gives good bite Seamless dimples Alignment line Logos look good (but I'd rather have just a "B" logo above the number and then "Bridgestone Golf Tour B330-RX" as the alignment text) Logos are both in the same direction (Callaway has one upside down) Gray numbers look nice Crisp dimple edges (no paint blobs like V1's have) 3-piece construction Dislikes: Price is kind of high ($43/Dozen) Performance didn't feel very "lively" to me Can spin too much on soft greens Overall I thought I was the target customer for this kind of ball, I hit my 7 iron 150 and 250 is a good drive. I've used a lot of Precept and Bridgestone balls over the years and I really wanted to like this ball. But overall I thought the B330 RX was just OK. I was hoping that it would feel a bit more lively, it kind of has a hollow feeling even on solid hits. I don't know if I need that much spin on the greens I usually play. I would rather have the ball land and stick than spin back. It will be interesting to see what other people say about it. Not a bad ball but I'm not sure it will be my #1 ball. I still have 2 more left so I'll give those a shot.

BTW, on that second link you can click on "Southeast 10" to travel south along the coast, showing photos of The Links at Spanish Bay, Monterey Peninsula CC, Spyglass Hill GC, Cypress Point, and finally some great aerial photos Pebble Beach GC. It's all there within about 15 miles. I highly recommend going into Pebble Beach along 17 mile drive, I think it costs $12 to get in these days. Stop at The Lodge at Pebble Beach and eat lunch overlooking the 18th green. The pro shop at Pebble Beach already has 2010 US Open hats/shirts etc if you're into that. (I think they credit you the $12 gate fee if you eat at the restaurant or buy merchandise) View of the Lodge and 18th hole: And, best of all, they allow you to walk out on the golf course. Walk out to the 7th hole, it is one of the most dramatic views on earth.

I found some nice aerial photos that show the links section, you can expand the photos to full screen: http://www.californiacoastline.org/c...360,225,75,164

PG Muni is a fun little course and a nice break from the $300-$500 courses nearby. The front nine is a fairly normal 5 holes out and 4 holes in layout that works its way along railroad tracks and between houses. On 6 of the 9 holes you can't really see the green from the tee box so it can get a bit tricky the first time around. It's fairly short so don't pull out the driver on every hole. The back nine is completely different because it is a links layout built on sand dunes along the shoreline of Asilomar State Beach . If the wind is blowing you're in for true links challenge. If you get in the iceplant don't try to be a hero, blast out with a sand wedge using the same technique as from a sand trap. Here's a link that has aerial views and yardage for each hole, expand the "course details" section: http://salinas.golfnation.org/course...al-golf-course Have fun and report back on the course condition.