THE RIGHT SHAFT • CALIFORNIA’S LONGEST HOLES AND COURSES • RORY GOLF TIP
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CALIFORNIA GOLF + TRAVEL MAGAZINE
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CONTENTS
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MAR/APR 2020
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Publisher’s Note Giving Back
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Chatter A-List Celebs Who Tee It
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NorCal Course Spotlight A Classic Mackenzie Design
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SoCal Course Spotlight There’s Gold in those Hills
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Longest Golf Courses California’s Longest Tracks
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Travel California Cool at Omni La Costa
30 MARCH – APRIL 2020 VOLUME 24, ISSUE 2 THE RIGHT SHAFT • CALIFORNIA’S LONGEST HOLES AND COURSES • RORY GOLF TIP
MAR/APR 2020
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Equipment: Drivers Grip it and Rip it
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Shafts What’s your Flex
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Industry Spotlight David Glod’s Tour Edge Golf
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Golf Tip The Key to Rory’s Power Classic Golf Flicks Movies for the Shutdown
California Golf + Travel
DRIVERS
GRIP IT AND RIP IT
PASATIEMPO A TRULY HISTORIC COURSE TRAVEL: TIMELESS CALIFORNIA COOL AT OMNI LA COSTA RESORT & SPA
On the cover: Drivers for the New Season.
Visit us online at calgolfnews.com and be sure to LIKE us at facebook.com/calgolfnews.
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE
PGA TOURNAMENTS SURPASS $3 BILLION IN CHARITABLE GIVING T
he PGA TOUR announced in January that its tournaments surpassed $3 billion in all-time giving. “The TOUR Championship is proud to play a role in this incredible milestone by helping positively impact lives throughout Atlanta as the tournament has generated more than $29 million for community charities since it was first staged at East Lake Golf Club in 1998,” TOUR officials said. “The charitable total from the 2019 tournament will be announced at a later date.” “The PGA TOUR’s charitable total, which includes a record $204.3 million in 2019 to bring the all-time total to $3.05 billion, includes donations made by tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Series-China.” “It’s truly a pleasure to thank our fans, sponsors, tournaments, players and volunteers for helping us generate over $3 billion for charity and positively impact millions of lives,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “As remarkable as this milestone is, what really matters are the countless stories like Amy’s [Bockerstette] that every tournament has. Together, we look forward to continuing to reach – and celebrate – millions more.” TOUR officials added that, in Atlanta, “several stories and people were celebrated during the 2019 tournament. The Drew Charter School boys’ golf team, who made history in May by becoming the first all-African American team to win a state championship in the state of
Georgia, was honored during Thursday morning’s opening ceremony and recognized by NBC with a special feature during Saturday’s telecast. Zane Hampton, an autistic member of the First Tee® of Metro Atlanta and his brother Zach had the opportunity to meet Jordan Spieth during Coca-Cola’s Golf Day in June and were surprised by an invitation from Spieth to enjoy a VIP experience at the TOUR Championship. On Wednesday of tournament week, fellow TOUR player Tony Finau took the boys inside the ropes for an unforgettable experience as they walked the first hole at East Lake with the PGA TOUR champion.” And Hailey Fisher, a junior at the Drew Charter School and member of the girls’ golf team, was surprised by Dustin Johnson with the opportunity to hit “the Hope tee shot on Thursday morning during the tournament’s opening ceremony to officially commence the competition. Each PGA TOUR tournament provides individuals an opportunity to give back to the community in one of three ways – attending an event, volunteering, or donating money. Not-for-profit tournaments under the PGA TOUR umbrella donate net proceeds to support local organizations. The impact these tournaments make throughout the year is possible thanks to more than 100,000 volunteers who commit their time to ensure each event is a success. To learn more, please visit PGATOUR. com/IMPACT. Enjoy your walk, Eric Woods
CALIFORNIA GOLF + TRAVEL PUBLISHER Eric Woods EDITOR Suzy Evans, J.D., Ph.D. ART DIRECTOR Long Tran ASSOCIATE EDITORS Mike Stubbs, Ed Travis SENIOR WRITERS Randy Youngman, Jim Dover, Tom LaMarre CONTRIBUTORS Ian Leggatt, Ed Vyeda, Leonard Finkel, Tom Stankowski, Ken Lane PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Weinstein, Tom Neas, Mark Susson, Channing Benjamin TRAVEL EDITOR Larry Feldman EQUIPMENT EDITOR Scott Kramer, Ed Travis WINE + GOLF John Finney, Matt Palaferri CONTRIBUTING INSTRUCTORS Eric Lohman, Kris Moe, Perry Parker, Ted Norby, Scott Heyn, John Ortega, John Burckle Accounting Jep Pickett
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California Golf + Travel
California Golf + Travel is published by Golf Lab Media LLC 1224 Village Way, Ste. D, Santa Ana CA 92705 Phone: (714) 542-4653 website: www.CalGolfNews.com California Golf + Travel is published bimonthly and distributed to California golf courses, country clubs, practice facilities, golf retailers, hotels, and resorts Entire contents of this publication is copyrighted Golf Lab Media LLC 2015, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner in whole or in part without the written permission from the publisher. For subscriptions, go to calgolfnews.com and sign up online or send your name, address, phone number, and $20 to Golf Lab Media at the Above address. For advertising opportunities and editorial information: Please call (714) 542-4653 or email to info@calgolfnews.com
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CHATTER
PHOTOS MICHAEL WEINSTEIN
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iviera member and AT&T staple, Mark Wahlberg loves golf so much he had a practice golf complex built in his backyard and is known to pal around with Rory McIlroy. But the actor, producer, businessman, model, rapper, singer, songwriter, husband, and father of four is a busy man, and in a recent video interview with Men’s Health, he said he’s limiting his time on the links. “I’ve given up golf,” he said. “I realize that it’s just too much—between family and work [just] trying to squeeze golf in. It’s a very expensive sport and habit. But I’ll be back.” NFL veteran and Arizona Cardinals’ wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald teamed with Scottsdale pro Kevin Streelman to clinch the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am for the second time in three years, pulling away in the final round from former 49ers quarterback Steve Young and Arizona State’s Phil Mickelson.“(Streelman’s) back must be sore because he carried me,” Fitzgerald quipped to CBS. “He played outstanding, some of the putts he made, some of the shots he hit with the wind that was blowing out there, he was terrific.”
Mark Wahlberg
Bill Murray
Larry Fitzgerald 14
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One of golf’s most avid celebrity enthusiasts, Bill Murray may be a funny man on the course but he’s got game to back it up. A staple at the AT&T Pro-Am and perennial fan favorite, his antics might cause chatter, but he was crowned champion with traditional partner D.A. Points in 2011 and fans can count on his dazzling array of attire on the course.
Ray Romano Versatile actor and comedian Ray Romano has had a resurgence recently with dramatic and comedic roles in The Irishman, The Big Sick, and Paddington. A 12-handicap, he first played in the AT&T in 2000 and made an HBO documentary about his love of the game called, “Making the Cut: The Road to Pebble Beach”. The traditional 3M Celebrity Challenge five-hole charity match featuring Team (Clint) Eastwood and Team Murray included AT&T regulars Josh Duhamel (Team Eastwood), Alfonso Ribeiro (Team Murray), and others who battled it out on the “Whiskey Run” (holes 1-2-3-17-18). Team Murray clinched $60,000 in winnings with Team Eastwood at $40,000. Charities that benefitted included Harvest House and SPCA Monterey County.
Chris Harrison When he’s not hosting ABC’s “The Bachelor” or “Bachelor Nation”, Chris Harrison can most likely be found on the course. A self-proclaimed “golf addict,” he co-hosts a golf podcast with former pro and NBC analyst Johnny Miller and often posts about his love of the game on social media, most recently writing: “A magical day in a magical place #PebbleBeach going eagle birdie on 2 & 3 helping my team @briangaypga make the cut to play Pebble Sunday.” Follow Chatter Live at Twitter and Instagram at @calgolftravel
Team Murray and Team Eastwood
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NORCAL COURSE SPOTLIGHT
PASATIEMPO GOLF CLUB A
(Top) The downhill first hole is a lengthy 457 yard par 4, it plays short but not easy
ll you really have to know about Pasatiempo Golf Course in Santa Cruz is that it might have been legendary designer Alister MacKenzie’s favorite. MacKenzie loved the place so much that he lived in a house alongside the par-5, 510-yard sixth hole for several years before his death at the age of 63 in 1934. Pasatiempo opened in 1929 and is one of more than 50 courses designed by MacKenzie and at least three remain among the best-ever—Augusta National (with Bobby Jones), Cypress Point in Monterey and Royal Melbourne in Australia. Count Pasatiempo is one of his sleepers and was restored to MacKenzie’s original design with a $2-million restoration from 2005-07 from vintage photographs. Pasatiempo measures 6,495 yards and plays to a par of 70 from the back tees, with a course rating of 72.5 and a slope rating of 141. On a clear day, you can see the Pacific Ocean from the first tee, but don’t get caught looking at the scenery because Pasatiempo starts with a 440-
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yard par-4, a 403-yard par-4 and a 200yard par-3. Pasatiempo’s most famous hole might be the par-4, 367-yard 16th, which MacKenzie called “best two-shot hole I know.”
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(Above) Many Western Intercollegiate have been won or lost on the unique 169 yard Par 3 18th. It’s a great finishing hole You can take it from the master, or play it yourself.
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SOCAL COURSE SPOTLIGHT
Black Gold Golf Club
G
olfers discovered a treasure in the hills above Yorba Linda when Black Gold Golf Club, designed by noted architect Arthur Hills, opened in 2001. The par-71 course plays to 6,756 yards over 219 acres of rolling terrain that once was an oil field owned by Shell Oil Co. It has a slope of 133 and a course rating of 73.1. A unique feature of the course is back-to-back par-3 holes at Nos. 7 and 8, plus another at No. 10, separated by the par-4, 410-yard ninth. The 220-yard eighth probably is the best of par-3s and plays longer than the yard-
Raymond Kim 2020 Yorba Linda City Champion 18
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13th Hole, Par 5 offers a tee shot to a blind, narrow landing area, if you carry the slope. Uphill approach shot to a well-guarded green with bunkers front left and short right. age with the tee shot into the prevailing wind. The views at Black Gold are worth the green fees. On a clear day, Santa Catalina Island is visible out in the Pacific Ocean while Disneyland can be seen in the middle of Orange County. But golfers go to Black Gold for the memorable golf.
The tough Par 3, 8th hole. Bail out is left and anything right will be re-hitting or playing from an uphill lie.
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CALIFORNIA HOLES
CALIFORNIA’S LONGEST HOLES AND COURSES By RANDY YOUNGMAN
PHOTO: MICHAEL WEINSTEIN
S
upposedly, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the longest known golf course in the United States started in California and was so long that it stretched over the state line – across many state lines, in fact – all the way to the East Coast. It was a one-hole course that covered 3,397.7 miles from coast to coast and was played only once, by Floyd Rood, who needed nearly 13 months to finish. Rood, formerly a teaching professional at St. Mary Golf Club in Berwick, La., began his “round” off the Pacific Coast in California on Sept. 14, 1963 and hacked his way across the continental United States, finally reaching the Atlantic Coast on Oct. 3, 1964, presumably celebrating with a tap-in into the Florida surf. In case you’re wondering, Rood said he needed 114,737 strokes to play the course, which was tricked up with National Park-sized bunkers such as the Grand Canyon and forced carries over entire mountain ranges and winding rivers such as the 1,900-mile Rio Grande. (Sounds as if Pete Dye designed the course, doesn’t it?) Along the way, Rood reported that he lost 3,511 golf balls. So if the entire country were played as a lateral hazard, that means par has been established at 18,248. We’ll also call it the course record. If that’s the longest “course” in the world, the longest individual hole in the world – that is, a traditional golf hole with a tee and a flagstick – currently is believed to be No. 3 at Gunsan Club in the North Jeolla Province of South Korea. It’s 1,100 yards long. (“It’s a par-7!” Ladies European Tour player Florentyna Parker wrote on Twitter in 2018 after making par: “Driver, 3 wood, 3 wood, 3 wood, 5 wood and 2 putts = par.”) Before that, the longest golf hole in the world had been a 1,007-yard, par-6 at Chocolay Downs in Michigan, which broke the previous record of a 964yard, par-7 at Satsuki Golf Course in Sano, Japan, which broke the previous record of a 948-yard, par-7 at Koolan Island Golf Club in western Australia. Get the idea? Everybody wants to build the longest golf hole in the world. But here at California Golf, we’re more interested in the longest courses and longest holes in the
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California Golf + Travel
Golden State. Those seem to change regularly, too, and are subject to debate, of course. Current leader in the clubhouse, so to speak, is Martis Camp in the Northern California golf mecca of Truckee, an ultra-exclusive private club with as many mansions and palatial estates as Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks. From the back tees, Martis Camp stretches to 7,707 yards, including the 645-yard 10th.
Indian Wells Resort Numero uno? Not so fast. Before we crown Martis Camp as the state’s longest, the South Course at Torrey Pines in La Jolla has something to say. The scorecard says Torrey South measures 7,698 yards from the tips, where the PGA Tour players tee it up annually in the Farmers Insurance Open, but there’s an asterisk. In the recent $14 million renovation of the course to
prepare for the 2021 U.S. Open, architect Rees Jones has added new teeboxes on the par-4 10th and 15th holes that will add nearly 100 yards to the course yardage, according to Scott Bentley, the golf course manager for the City of San Diego. And Bentley says the new Open yardage will be 7,802 yards, which includes back-to-back par-5s that top 600 yards: No. 9 (614 yards) and No. 13 (620 yards).
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PHOTO: VANCE FOX
CALIFORNIA HOLES
No. 18 at Martis Camp, Truckee So we have a new leader in the state of California! (Or soon will.) Sorry, Martis. Coming in at No. 3 is an oldie but goodie: the South Course at Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills. Formerly known and promoted as “California’s Longest Golf Course” from the black tees known as “Jack’s Blacks,” Los Serranos South measures 7,628 yards, thanks to the longest hole in California – the signature, 677-yard, par-5 18th. (More on that later.) Rounding out the top five longest courses in California are Old Greenwood in Truckee (7,518 yards), where the PGA Tour’s Barracuda Championship will be played in July, and sister course Golf Club at Gray’s Crossing (7,466 yards, including three par-5s topping 600 yards). SilverRock Resort in LaQuinta used to crack the top five when it measured 7,578 yards as part of the PGA Tour’s Humana Challenge rotation from 2008-11. But after the Humana (formerly the Bob Hope Classic and currently the American Express Championship) was reduced from five rounds and four courses to four rounds and three courses, SilverRock was dropped from the rota and the course was shortened to 7,239 yards. Honorable mention in California’s unofficial Longest Course Competition go to The Club at Ruby Hill in Pleasanton (7,448 yards); Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon, The Legends Course (7,442 yards); The Madison Club in La Quinta (7,426 yards); Fall River Valley Golf & Country Club in Fall River Mills (7,402 yards); Barona Creek Golf Course in Lakeside (7,393
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California Golf + Travel
yards); The Champions Course at Morongo (7,377); Indian Wells Golf Resort, Players Course (7,376); and CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin (7,360 yards). LONGEST HOLES: The longest hole in the state of California, as previously mentioned, is the dogleg-left, 677-yard, par-5 finishing hole at Los Serrano South. As if length isn’t daunting enough, the green is guarded in the front by a large lake that forces many players to lay up on their third shot rather than trying to clear the hazard from long distance. It requires three long, well-struck shots to reach the green in regulation. Here is the tale of the tape of some of California’s longest par-5s. You will need the latest technology to try to conquer these: 1. Los Serranos South, Chino Hills: No. 18, 677 yards. Good luck. 2. Fall River Valley Golf & Country Club, Fall River Mills: No. 3, 672 yards. Longest hole on a course nestled between the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges in northeast California in Shasta County. Surrounded by mountains in all four directions. 3. The Olympic Club (Lake Course), San Francisco: No. 16, 670 yards. Don’t mention this dogleg-left to Jim Furyk, who lost the 2012 U.S. Open at Olympic after he butchered the hole in the final round. 4. Mission Hills Country Club (Dinah Shore Tournament Course), Rancho Mirage: No. 18, 646 yards. Aside from a group of eight members who play from the tips every week, the back tees are rarely used. The next teebox is at 531 yards. (Note: SilverRock’s 12th used to be 658 yards before the re-design.)
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FUN SIDE O F GOLF AT LA COSTA.
Home to 37 PGA Tour events, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa offers two championship courses with smooth greens and friendly service in a relaxed atmosphere. Try something new and upgrade your experience with Golfboards or Phat Scooters for a faster pace of play and maximum enjoyment. Elevate your golf game at the Golf Performance Institute Southern California’s most comprehensive game improvement center. Top 100 Golf Resorts in North America, Golf Magazine Best Golf Resorts in California, Golf Digest Best Young Teachers in America, AJ Avoli, Golf Digest Top 100 Clubfitter in America, True Spec Golf, Golf Digest Best Courses You Can Play in California, Champions Courses #22, Golfweek
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CALIFORNIA HOLES
No. 18 at Los Serranos South, Chino Hills
5. The Madison Club, La Quinta: No. 14, 645 yards. The longer the hole, the more time to order filet mignon or lobster or caviar or Louis XIII cognac. Seriously. That’s how exclusive this private club is. Tie: Martis Camp, Truckee: No. 10, 645 yards. It’s easy to be distracted looking at all of the mansions on the course. 7. Golf Club at Gray’s Crossing, Truckee: No. 3, 641 yards, featuring a barranca that must be traversed on your second or third shot. The course has two other 600-yarders: No. 7, 624; and No. 18, 613. 8. Strawberry Farms GC, Irvine: No. 12, 630 yards. The longest par-5 in Orange County. Playing from the tips, not even Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy or
John Daly could get home in two on this gargantuan, dogleg-right that plays into the wind and then uphill to the flag. 9. Indian Wells Golf Resort (Players Course): No. 9, 626 yards.Like its sister Celebrity Course, The Players is ranked in GolfWeek’s Top 25 Courses You Can Play. Celebrity is the “The Beauty” and Players is “The Beast.” This hole is course’s ultimate beast. 10. Talega Golf Club, San Clemente: No. 13, 624 yards. It’s a diabolical hole, because a well-struck driver down the right side of the fairway often will bounce into a ravine 250 yards from the tee. The fairway is also sloped left to right, which can kick a seemingly great drive wickedly to the right and into trouble.
Torrey Pines in La Jolla
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GOLF & TRAVEL
DISCOVER TIMELESS CALIFORNIA COOL AT
OMNI LA COSTA RESORT & SPA T
oday, I’m walking in the steps of Tiger Woods. And, not “Chill Dad Tiger” or “Over-40 Underdog Tiger,” either. I’m talking Dominant, Smack You Down and Put You in Your Place Tiger. Our foursome just walked onto the 16th tee at Omni La Costa Resort Spa’s Champions Course in idyllic Carlsbad, California. Visions of what Tiger did to Tom Lehman here at 1997 Mercedes Championship (then the PGA TOUR’s season-opening Tournament of Champions) are inescapable and the desire to replicate his prowess are mak-
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ing this 170-yard tee shot to the challenging par three all the more thrilling. In a sudden death playoff, Lehman found the water off the tee here, leaving Woods with an opportunity to safely steer his approach anywhere onto the putting surface and still win his third professional title comfortably. Woods had something different in mind, though, taking a mighty swing and stuffing his approach to 10 inches. The shot was a proclamation, a notice to the golfing world that this kid from Cypress wouldn’t shrink in
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the big moments. Not a chance. If you wanted to beat him, it would take your best shots and a fearless approach. My swing was fearless but my result, however, wasn’t Tigeresque. After seeing my par save skid inches past the cup, I took solace in the serene beauty of the surrounding hills and visions of a sizzling ribeye at the resort’s signature dining spot, Bob’s Steak and Chophouse. Things could be a lot worse. From an award-winning spa to eight sparkling pools and its two iconic championship golf courses, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa provides a refreshing escape and transcendent weather any time of year. This celebrated retreat brings visitors a true taste of the coastal California lifestyle. Touched by fresh ocean breezes and set within a captivating 400-acre village, Omni La Costa, a GOLF Magazine Top-100 Resort in North America and Golf Digest Editors’ Choice among Best Golf Resorts in California, elevates the concepts recreation and leisure. Originally developed as an amenity-driven playground for well-heeled celebrities and
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GOLF & TRAVEL
athletes, this legendary resort has a singular warm, relaxing vibe that charms you from the moment you step onto the property. You can feel this place’s history, which dates back to the early 1960s, echoing through its grounds. By the mid-1960s, La Costa had become the go-to spot for Hollywood elite. The golf course received international praise and was routinely played by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Bob Hope. In the early 1970s, the famed Pancho Segura was the resident pro and La Costa became the tennis epicenter with Charlton Heston, Johnny Carson and Desi Arnaz exchanging rallies during their visits. The crown jewel of La Costa, The Spa, was a refuge for some of the world’s most powerful people including Richard Nixon, Jackie Kennedy, and Chief Justice Earl Warren. La Costa had quickly established itself as the top destination for Hollywood elite who wanted to experience “The La Costa Lifestyle.” Located just north of San Diego in Carlsbad and within easy reach of area beaches and popular tourist attractions, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, with its 600 rooms, suites and villas, provides an idyllic setting for creating special memories. Generations of members and
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guests strolled the Spanish Missionstyle property with lushly-landscaped grounds, reclined with a loved one in the spa courtyard, play with their kids (or like a kid) at Splash Landing, discovered tennis or yoga for the very first time, or reconnected with family over evening S’mores making. The 43,000-square-foot Spa at La Costa includes a private pool, waterfall showers, café and therapeutic reflexology path. In addition to fine dining at Bob’s, guests may enjoy contemporary cuisine and an enchanting al fresco at VUE and a lively atmosphere and fun, Californiainspired menu at the new Bar Traza. Whether you’re at Omni La Costa for a family vacation, buddies’ trip or for business, there’s a way to make the most of your time and experiences that will have you wanting to return time and again. Omni La Costa is home to 36 holes of historic championship golf on its Champions and Legends Courses, having hosted to the PGA TOUR’s Tournament of Champions from 1969 – 1989. The Omni La Costa Golf Performance Institute features worldclass golf instruction under the guidance of director of instruction A.J. Avoli with a host of programs presented by
California Golf + Travel
renowned names in game improvement, custom fitting and fitness. Avoli is an expert on the innovative RoboGolfPro training device which sits on the range near an exclusive location of the awardwining True Spec custom club fitting business. Omni La Costa is also a home to the renowned Dave Pelz Scoring Game School. Down to the last exacting detail, including the option to take an exhilarating ride on a Golfboard or Phat Scooter on the courses, the golf experience at La Costa is a unique cut above. Playing the courses and walking the grounds, you get a great sense of how cool it must be to be a member here and, having met several members this week, they truly seem to appreciate and take full advantage of the amenities and social dynamics. Gerald from our foursome, a So Cal native, even pulled up www.clubatlacosta.com to explore the details. Back at Bar Traza, we settle up and settle into a relaxing evening. As the sun sets over the picturesque hills and we sit, cocktails in hand, admiring the majestic scenery. If this is what they mean by “California Cool,” sign us up for more! For more information, call (760) 4389111 or visit www.omnihotels.com/ hotels/san-diego-la-costa/golf.
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EQUIPMENT
DRIVERS FOR THE NEW SEASON BY ED TRAVIS The California Golf + Travel staff spends a week each January attending the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla. in order to find the latest information about the equipment that will be in shops for the new season. Every major manufacturer is in attendance (with the exception this year of TaylorMade Golf) providing us with the opportunity to not only see and hit their clubs but also allowing us the chance to talk with top members of management and technical staff. Should you be looking to purchase a new driver and build a short list of models you are interested in here is a rundown worth considering. And as we “preach” every year the most important step to buying a driver is getting a professional club fitting. Tour Edge EXS 220 $350—Tour Edge continues to make top quality clubs at walletfriendly prices and the EXS 220 proves the case with a unique thin titanium face using 42 thick and thin diamond shapes for hotter response and a larger sweet spot plus 20% higher MOI than 2019 model. Head shape is slightly elongated and has three areas (crown, heel and toe) made of carbon fiber. A 9-gram rear sole weight is standard (3, 6, 11 and 14-gram optional) as is the adjustable hosel which gives +/- 2° from nominal loft. An internal sound diffusion bar builds confidence by improving impact sound.
Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo $350— Cleveland’s Launcher HB Turbo gameimprovement driver has a variable thickness cup face that provides higher rebound values over a larger area. The head construction combines a fixed hosel saving the extra weight of an adjustable hosel and the HiBore stepped core to lower the center of gravity and move it towards the rear for improved launch. The sole has one nonadjustable weight pad of 35 grams. The counterbalanced Miyazaki C. Kua shaft allows MOI to be increased by adding mass to the clubhead. Draw model also available.
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Cobra Golf King Speedzone $449—Speedzone refines the highly aerodynamic shape of the King F9 Speedback making it even slipperier and adds a forged titanium wrap-around face with a larger CNC milled area. The carbon fiber crown wraps around to the sole with an internal titanium strap for added strength. With more than half of the head carbon fiber and weighting low in the rear Speedzone produces higher launch and lower spin. The game-improvement Speedzone has a traditional profile and the super game-improvement Speedzone Xtreme has a larger profile with added weight in the rear.
Honma Golf TR20 $650—Available in two clubhead sizes both for better players. The 440cc head has a smaller more compact profile that rises slightly higher in the rear giving a traditional look. The 460cc has a rounded toe and is deeper front to back. Both have a titanium frame with carbon fiber crown and sole panels. Rather than the usual design for hosel adjustability an inner ring allows loft changes +/- 1°, face angle +/- 1.5° and lie <2° without altering the relationship of shaft and clubhead. Three changeable sole weights with a choice of five other weights between 3 and 15 grams.
Mizuno ST200 $400—The ST200 is a game-improvement category driver, mid to low spin and high MOI, the players category ST200G ($500) has two sliding sole weights and is low spin while the ST200X ($400) super game-improvement is very lightweight with more loft, draw bias from heel weighting and 0.75” longer shaft. Each has a carbon fiber crown with interior ribs for added strength. The face is highly responsive forged beta titanium and uses the Cortech variable thickness design. The sole is Mizuno’s familiar Wave Technology that compresses and rebounds on impact.
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EQUIPMENT Srixon Z 85 series—The Z 585 ($400) and the Z 785 ($500) are Srixon’s entries in the game-improvement and better player categories respectively and share several features. Both have 460cc clubheads, a carbon crown to moves weight towards the head perimeter and a Ti51AF titanium cup face that wraps the front of the sole and crown for better ball speed. The Z 585 has a fixed hosel with higher launch and more forgiveness. The Z 785 has a “Tour preferred look and profile” and adjustable hosel with the penetrating low spin trajectory professionals and low handicap amateurs want.
TaylorMade Golf SIM $550—The SIM sole is asymmetrical to better direct air flow on the downswing along with additional weight in the rear of the head to increase the inertia. The curved Twist face reduces fades and draws and to keep face rebound within USGA limits heads are measured and then foam injected. SIM for better players has sliding sole weight and adjustable loft as do the game-improvement SIM Max ($500) and super game-improvement SIM Max D ($500). Comparative face sizes range from the SIM’s medium to large for the SIM Max and oversize for the draw-bias SIM Max D.
Titleist TS1 $499—Titleist’s TS1 rounds out the TS family since this game-improvement model is specifically constructed with lightweight components and winds up with an overall club weight including the stock shaft of just 275 grams. That’s a full 45 grams less than the next lightest member of the TS series. The crown of the TS1 is carbon fiber and the face according to the company has the fastest rebound they have ever made. The light weight, 16 adjustment hosel and deep CG location targets use by moderate swing speed players, seniors and ladies.
Callaway Golf Mavrik $499—successor to the 2019’s bestselling driver the Epic Flash and supercomputer— designed using even more advanced artificial intelligence. The game-improvement Mavrik, super gameimprovement Mavrik Max and better-player Mavrik Sub Zero all have the Flash Face FSS20 design, a T2C Triaxial Carbon crown and Jailbreak internal rods. Standard model has a draw bias with mid-level spin while the Max is easy launch with extra draw bias and interchangeable weights. The Sub Zero is 450cc has a flatter lie with a low spin neutral ball flight.
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Wilson Launch Pad $300—The lightweight design of this super game-improvement category driver includes a moderately offset hosel and 13 grams of weight near the heel plus a lie of 60° or 2° more than most drivers making this an aggressive anti-slice club. Weighing in at just 272 grams which is 30 to 40 grams less than previous Wilson driver models, it is one of the lightest drivers on the market and the lower weight promotes a faster swing speed for more distance. The face is engineered with a variable thickness and Wilson says it is their most forgiving face yet.
XXIO Eleven $650—The game improvement Eleven driver is very lightweight made expressly for moderate swing speed players featuring an internal rib structure called “Star Frame” supporting a cup face of just 45mm thickness. This construction freed up grams that were redistributed for additional forgiveness and higher ball launch. Both the Eleven and the better-player X model ($700) have XXIO’s “Weight Plus” counterbalancing technology, 13-grams of rubber and brass in the shaft butt end raising the driver’s balance point and helping to generate more clubhead speed and distance.
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EQUIPMENT
THE RIGHT SHAFT I
BY ED TRAVIS t has been often said the shaft is the engine of the golf club, but undoubtedly it is also the least understood club component. We often talk about the latest clubhead of carbon fiber and titanium, but rarely do we hear about the shaft which enables the clubhead to be delivered to the ball with speed and precision. Today’s makers take advantage of the latest computer software for their designs tempered by years of experience to create shafts that are every bit as sophisticated as other parts of the club. Manufacturing standards are equally sophisticated so every player can find just the proper shaft to help them hit the ball to the maximum of his or her ability. Here are brief descriptions of some of the top tier shaft companies California Golf + Travel can recommend to our readers.
PENLEY GOLF SHAFTS For 35 years Carter Penley has been designing and engineering the manufacture of each of the company’s shafts to strict standards starting with the best grade of properly cured aerospace grade carbon fiber. The design process is one of constant progression within tight parameters and each flex range (A, R, S, X, etc.) shaft is targeted with one of nine specific flex zones. Penley quality is assured with small lot production runs for precise control of output and tolerances. Exclusively made in the USA in San Diego, California. PenleySports.com
MITSUBISHI GOLF SHAFTS This division of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group manufacturers shafts from scratch beginning with the raw materials including the monomers, resin, acrylic and carbon fibers. Two of their lines, the Diamana and TENSEI, are favorites on the PGA Tour year after year. Last fall Mitsubishi introduced the fourth generation Diamana ZF which received rave reviews from better players. It features a “smooth” bend profile with stronger tip and butt sections with more active middle section. MCA-Golf.com ACCRA GOLF SHAFTS Primarily an after-market shaft maker used by professional clubfitters to fill the needs of a wide spectrum of golfers. Accra’s Constant Flex Technology ensures all shafts within a given family have the exact same frequency allowing shafts to be fit for flex (A, R, S, X, etc.) without becoming stiffer as they get heavier within that particular flex. Using their DyMatch Technology shafts to be used in better players’ drivers, fairway woods and hybrid are designed for identical feel and performance. AccraGolf.com
KBS GOLF SHAFTS One of the premier after-market companies, KBS has announced the TD Graphite Driver/Wood shaft which completes their line of wedge, iron, hybrid and putter shafts. R&D and Tour Operations Director Kim Braly says the new shaft will play both lighter and stiffer than comparable shafts. For maximum performance it is designed to produce mid launch and low spin that optimizes distance and control with KBS’ well known equal reduction in stiffness over the entire length of the shaft. KBSGolfShafts.com FUJIKURA GOLF SHAFTS Fujikura makes two of the best-known high-performance driver and wood shafts, the Motore X and the Ventus. The Motore X F3 is made for smooth and moderate swing types with firm top and mid sections which produce a mid to high trajectory and mid spin to maximize carry. The Motore X F2 is targeted for players with faster more aggressive swings. Ventus shafts are made with a multimaterial bias core and offer a choice of three launch profiles all with their new VeloCore Technology. FujukiraGolf.com 34
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INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
Glod’s passion for building golf clubs is the driving force behind every Tour Edge design
Robotic testing at Tour Edge headquarters
TOUR EDGE:
AN AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY D
avid Glod has seen it all in the golf industry. Glod, a former golf pro at Village Links Golf Club in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, was working out of his parent’s garage building and repairing clubs for the high-end clubs of Chicago. It was a lucrative business for the aspiring high school golfer. He moved to a townhouse when he was 22 after playing college golf at Florida Southern and was building and grinding more clubs than he could handle on his own. A few garage fires (nothing serious) and a wad of cash later, the young entrepreneur started to believe there was an opportunity
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in the golf industry to provide a highquality product at an affordable price. This led Glod to found Tour Edge, to lead the company as their President and to design his first golf club in 1987 and never look back. Today, Tour Edge is an American owned and operated company for more than 34 years. Tour Edge ranks in the Top 10 in every club category now in worldwide golf sales and is a 22-time winner on the professional tours. Tour Edge has been a company that spends money on materials and not necessarily huge marketing dollars when compared to the behemoths of
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the industry. Glod likes to put everything he can in the design of the club for maximum performance without passing the buck of marketing and tour contracts to the consumer. Tour validation for Tour Edge started with the launch of Glod’s Exotics line in 2005. It was instantly apparent that Glod had designed metalwoods that were up to 30 yards longer than the market leaders. Lightning in a bottle so to speak. Many of the best players on the PGA TOUR started playing Exotics without being paid to do so, enough so that it led to 10 victories on the big tour
and Exotics being put in play in several Ryder Cups and every PGA TOUR major championship. Exotics clubs have been in play at The Masters every year for a decade straight. But the brand recognition was only going to go so far when you can’t use a player’s name.That led Glod to re-think the tour strategy and to make the PGA Tour Champions the new home for Tour Edge and to sign a stable of staff players that he could market and create a marketing campaign around. (You may have seen the ad’s on Golf Channel featuring 2019 Schwab Cup champion and Scott McCarron, his fellow UCLA alum Duffy Waldorf, the legendary Tom Lehman and the loveable Tim Petrovic.) Since implementing this strategy in 2018, Tour Edge clubs have earned 11 victories, 17 runner-up finishes, over 50 Top 5 finishes and over 100 Top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour Champions. There have now been over 700 Exotics clubs in play over the past year by over
100 different Champions players, the majority of which are still not paid by Tour Edge to use their clubs. And Tour Edge is still getting clubs in play on the PGA TOUR through word of mouth of how good their new clubs are. Tour Edge also staffs the #1 women’s long driver in the world. Phillis Meti has won two world titles, multiple live for television events. Meti and Exotics drivers now hold the three world record setting longest drives in the history of the sport at 413, 408 and 407 yards. “We have the most momentum we have ever had as a company,” said Glod. “It’s been about five years in the making, but all the plans we’ve made to take Tour Edge to the next level have come to fruition. It has led Tour Edge to three straight years of unprecedented growth and record sales numbers.” Their growth has been spurred by increase marketing and by Tour Edge finding their niche as the best perfor-
mance and tech for your money in the golf industry. Their new Exotics EXS 220 Drivers, fairways and hybrid, for example, are in play by multiple players right out of the gates on the pro tours The entire series is loaded with technology like their breakthrough Diamond Face technology and extreme Moment of Inertia (M.O.I.) designs that Glod produced as Tour Edge’s Master Club Designer. Yet the clubs are half the price of the market leaders. “We have shaken up the industry by offering all the performance and tech in the $600 and $700 drivers in one that costs half the price,” said Glod. “Our research shows that millions of core golfers are deferring product purchases because of higher prices and this latent demand is costing the industry sales. We are taking advantage of that with our model.” Tour Edge has further set themselves apart by offering the only Lifetime Warranty in golf hard goods, by building all their premium clubs in the United States and by offering innovative custom fitting programs. You can get your custom fit order in 48 hours anywhere in the continental United States with Hot Launch and EXS 220 custom fit orders, a program that is unprecedented in golf. Their complete line up offers three distinct lines of clubs designed for different types of golfers, to which Glod is proud of. “We are one of the very few manufacturers doing what we are doing by providing clubs for the entire spectrum of golfers,” said Glod. “We have a major focus on beginners and for golfers getting back into the game in what we call our Get in the Game and Hot Launch product. With Hot Launch, currently on HL4, we’ve brought together custom fitting, advanced technology and affordable pricing under the same umbrella.” “No one else stands behind their products with golfing consumer as we do,” said Glod. “This is all done for the consumer and with consumer feedback. We are a United States brand who builds our clubs in the USA and we stand with the golfer and protect the golfer with a lifetime warranty and amazing prices for amazing performance based product to help grow the game of golf.” You can be sure Glod isn’t resting on his laurels. If there’s one thing David Glod is always doing, it’s that he’s always thinking about what’s next. And that’s a good thing for the golfing public and the golf industry.
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GOLF TIP
POWER, GRACE AND BALANCE By JOHN BURCKLE Photos MICHAEL WEINSTEIN
W
atching Rory McIlroy hit a driver is so magical for most of us golfers. Not only does his swing seem effortless but the power he produces is even more astonishing. Even though he’s in great shape, he doesn’t have the size of a long drive competitor but effortlessly hits drives over 300 yards. Let’s look at Rory’s swing and see what makes him so special. In photo 1, the shoulders, arms, and club working in sequence on the takeaway with nice extension. The club is setting( hinging) without tension. If you were to draw a line from the ball to the shaft he’s right on plane. As he continues his backswing in photo 2, notice how his legs, hips, and feet haven’t moved much compared to his shoulders, arms and club which continue to turn and he maintains his width by not letting his arms collapse at the top. In photo 3, notice the left arm and club face at the top of the backswing are parallel to each other and in perfect alignment. His incredible shoulder turn and restricted lower body stores his power.
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Now, as Rory starts his down swing, one of his signature moves is he sits or squats. You can really see this in photos 3 and 4. This is a power move for Rory. As he gets to impact you can see his legs extend upward as he delivers the club to the ball (photo 5) This helps him use ground forces to produce power. Another signature move for Rory. With all the speed and power, my favorite thing about Rory’s swing is his ability to look effortless and completely in balance at the finish (photo 6) Rory’s swing is something every golfer should watch. Power, grace and balance.
JOHN BURCKLE – Director of Instruction at GolfLabAcademy.com 25 Years Teaching Experience 80 Professional Wins 6X Golden State Tour Order of Merit Champion Golf Lab Academy 1224 Village Way Santa Ana, CA 92705 golflabmedia@outlook.com
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CLASSIC GOLF MOVIES
NEED SOME CLASSIC GOLF MOVIES TO WATCH DURING THE SHUTDOWN? HERE ARE THREE OF OUR FAVORITES By Suzy Evans, J.D., Ph.D
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ith government shutdowns, quarantines, and shelter-in-place orders because of the Coronavirus pandemic, we all need ideas to keep ourselves entertained, so here are some of our all-time favorites. Although you’ve surely seen them before, these three classics just never seem to get old. “Be the ball, Danny!” TIN CUP. This quirky love story stars Kevin Costner as washed-up golf pro Roy McAvoy, who has the misfortune of falling in love with the girlfriend (Rene Russo) of his arch rival (Don Johnson). Although he is inspired to re-ignite his golf career, challenge his opponent in the U.S. Open, and win the affection of the woman of his dreams, McAvoy has just one flaw: he’s a show off when he should just focus on playing the game. Reunited with his Bull Durham writer-director Ron Shelton, Costner fits into his role like a favorite pair of shoes, and costar Cheech Marin scores a memorable scene-stealing comeback as McAvoy’s best buddy, Romeo Posar. – Jeff Shannon CADDYSHACK. Director Harold Ramis employs a mixture of Mad magazine/National Lampoon maturity and Saturday Night Live sarcasm in this goofball golf comedy set on the grounds of a posh country club. Somewhere buried in the slapstick antics, drug references, and gratuitous sex scenes are the forgettable subplots of a poor caddie (Michael O’Keefe) trying to earn enough cash to attend college, and golf-tournament and class battles between rich and even richer snobs. But mainly, Ramis just lets his colorful characters crash into each other, relying on several inspired performances to create several hilarious moments of sketch comedy. Most come from Bill Murray (play-
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ing a vile groundskeeper engaged in a one-man war with a stuffed gopher), Rodney Dangerfield (basically re-creating his crude standup routine) and Chevy Chase (who looks bemusedly stoned throughout). Quotable favorites include Murray’s fantasy of winning the Masters, his tall tale about caddying for the Dalai Lama, Dangerfield’s verbal assault on the club’s uptight dining patrons, and Chase’s lesson on the essence of golf (“Be the ball, Danny”).– Dave McCoy HAPPY GILMORE. Before scoring a more enjoyable hit with his 1998 comedy “The Wedding Singer,” Adam Sandler played Happy Gilmore, a hot-tempered guy whose dreams of hockey stardom elude him. But when he discovers his gift for driving golf balls hundreds of yards, he joins a pro tour to win the prize money needed to rescue his beloved grandma’s home from IRS repossession. The trouble is, Happy’s not so happy. He’s got a temper that frequently flares on the golf course (he even dukes it out with celebrity golfer Bob Barker), but a retired golf pro and a compassionate publicist (Julie Bowen) help him to perfect his putting game and adjust his confrontational attitude. How much you enjoy this lunacy depends on your tolerance for Sandler’s loudmouthed schtick, but if you’re looking for broad comedy you’ve come to the right teeoff spot. – Amazon.com
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