Coyote Creek (Tournament Course)
5th Event of 2005 Season
Saturday, February 5, 2005

Mark Siegel hits his approach at the 18th hole. Mark was on the tail end of a great run. After a quad on #8, Mark played the next ten holes at five over par and went on to post the day's best net score, 69. He won the second flight by 1 stroke over Todd Podoll.

Winners at Coyote Creek were Mike O'Neill and Mark Siegel. Mike turned in the only net score below par (71). And Mark had the day's best net score (69). The only other score below net par was Todd Podoll's net 70 which earned him a second place finish in the second flight. Placing 2nd in the first flight was Rick Guevara. And placing third were Van Hall and Aaron Walburg. CTP winners were Saul Geiser and Martin Kitchener. Winning the blind bogey flight was Dennis Smith's son-in-law, Jose Prince.

Had it not been for Van Hall's 79, it would have marked the second consecutive event in which all players failed to break 80.

Nice Weather - Chilly, but Nice

The Coyote Creek tournament followed a week if 'Indian Summer.' The week prior to the event had been gorgeous with temperatures in the mid-60’s, sunny, and nighttime temperatures in the mid to upper 40’s. A haze developed later in the week and showers were forecast a few days following the tournament. For us it was another day of overcast weather. The temperature was 52-degrees at tee time with highs of 58-degrees by mid day. The sun finally broke the fog at around 1pm. The best part of the weather was that 1), there was no frost delay (common this time of year throughout Northern California, and 2). For whatever reason, the winds were very mild at Coyote Creek. Conditions were decent for scoring.

Tees: White Gold

Coyote Creek has 4 sets of men’s tees: Black, Blue, White and Gold. The Black tees are over 7,000 yards. With the blues at 6633 yards, it seemed reasonable to play the white tees at 6420. They also have gold tees at 5907, but we always try and play courses with at least 6,200 yards. With the way the new equipment has changed the game we should raise the minimum to 6,400 yards. Nevertheless, probably to speed play, the staff had set all the tees way up. We were in effect playing the gold tees! A few of the par 4 holes were less than 300 yards. All of the par fours were playing less than 500 yards. Even for the average hitter, almost every par 5 was well within reach on the second stroke.

Birdie Brigade

11 of our members combined for the 17 birdies recorded at Coyote Creek. No one had more than two birdies, but interestingly we had more people with two birdies than with only one.

The hole at which the most birdies was recorded was the 2nd hole. It was playing to about 140 yards.

Thanks for the Scoring Help

Shotgun starts are fine, but it's a bit chaotic at the end when all the scoring needs to be done ASAP. Thankfully lots of members pitched in for that effort and we all got home around 4pm. Assisting in this process were (among others) Van Hall, Jim Baer, Jim Peretti, Dave Webb, Dave Moers, and Dennis Smith.

Super Bowl Weekend

This was Super Bowl (#39) weekend. Since both teams (Philadelphia and New England) were East Coast teams there wasn't much excitement here. Most folks were rooting for Philadelphia simply because it's been dull observing New England win 2 of the last 3 super bowls (now 3 of the last 4). This has been Boston's year, what with the Red Sox winning the World Series and then this. New England was favored by 7 over Philadelphia. By winning they became the NFL's first dynasty of the 21st century. The Philadelphia Eagles had sought to win their first championship in 44 years. Philadelphia has appeared in just one Super Bowl 24 years ago, a 27-10 loss to the Oakland Raiders. The only team to win three Super Bowls in a four-year span had been the Dallas Cowboys. They won back-to-back titles under Coach Jimmy Johnson in 1992 and 1993 and captured a third in 1995 under Barry Switzer. Brady is now 9-0 in the playoffs tying him with Bart Starr of the Packers, the only other quarterback to win nine consecutive postseason games.

Golf Cart Influence on Course Design

The proliferation of golf carts on courses is the worse thing that’s happened to the game in the past 20 years. When I was growing up you seldom saw anyone on a golf cart. Courses usually maintained just 3-4 golf carts and the only people who used them were the elderly and the physically challenged. The pinnacle of luxury and decadence back then was a pull cart. Frankly, however, if you were a healthy male adult and used a pull cart, you’d get sidelong glances. Mostly it was about style and self-reliance, but also you appeared less wimpy by lugging the bag on your back. It was the only way to look cool. Fast forward 20 years and everyone’s driving around in golf carts. So much for image. Something dramatic changed and it wasn’t the golfers who demanded the golf carts. It was the courses who realized there was a profit to be made. Since carts cost money courses have created the culture whereby carts are ok and they are a terrific source of revenue. Courses have now even folded the purchase of carts into standard tournament contracts. Only a handful of Bay Area courses permit you to hold a tournament without paying for carts upfront, regardless of whether or not you want to use them. At $15 per player that adds up. One argument in favor of carts is that carts speed play. My own belief is that carts actually slow play. Instead of four players independently traversing a hole with all their clubs you'll have two players welded at the hip for every shot. Low handicappers might play speedier with carts, but high handicappers play slower, especially if it's cart paths only. And honestly, cart paths only? What good is a cart? Better to walk in such conditions because you will be lugging all your clubs across the fairway anyhow.

Golf courses can be aesthetically pleasing, the open grass, the trees and birds, the expansive (hopefully clear) sky. But now courses are all cluttered with carts, big, white carts…They definitely detract from the semi-natural ambience. And after driving to the course, who really wants to drive more anyway?

The predominance of the cart culture has changed the way courses are being designed. Instead of the tee boxes near the most recently played green you often have long distances to cover between the holes. This is especially true of courses built in housing developments. Someday when energy isn’t so abundant I suspect we’ll see a resurgence in course design which again favors walking. Until that time, the golf cart trend is likely to continue. We have a few staunch walkers in the club. Martin Kitchener comes most readily to mind. Also Jerry Powell, Jeff Hazel, and Mark Northfield seldom ride.

Maximum Cart Profitability

Modern courses use the latest techniques in golf course management. Some of these are beneficial for the game. For instance, a course will have all the amenities, driving range, service, etc. But some of these techniques seem better suited to the course than to the patrons. For instance, you can’t access a cart prior to your tee time. It often seems as if the entire situation is about the carts and maximizing cart profitability.

GPS: A Modern Inconvenience

Reliance on GPS for course layout-yardage guides has hit an all time peak. Some courses no longer even produce paper yardage guide. Technology is fine and good, but without a paper yardage guide players who wish to walk (abandoning on cart GPS systems) are penalized. Anything which makes walking inconvenient is bad for golf. Anything which makes carts essential to the activity is bad for golf (but likely profitable for courses).

It took some work, but I generated a very rough course map of Coyote Creek for my own use. Sadly, technology is only extended in profitable directions...

First Jack Nicklaus Course for Us

Coyote Creek (Tournament Course) was the first Jack Nicklaus course we've played. It was in excellent condition. We've actually held a tournament at this site, however, the course we played here in 1995 (Riverside Golf Course) no longer exists. The new courses (Tournament and Valley) were built at the site of the old Riverside Golf Course. The Tournament Course is entirely new. The Valley Course uses (in some capacity) 10 holes from the Riverside Course. Interestingly, we'll be playing our second Jack Nicklaus course in a few months when we head to Diablo Grande's 'Legends' Course in Patterson, California. It's a terrific course and an excellent challenge.

Coyote Creek is a nice course. Despite the high scores, it didn’t seem challenging enough. This was mostly due to the shortened tee boxes. The 17th hole was great, with its water-surrounded green. But after a decent drive I hit an 8 iron to 10 feet. Easy birdie. They really need to set the tees at the correct location.

Here is a complete list I've assembled of all the Jack Nicklaus Designed Courses. There are currently 274 world-wide, 187 in the North/Central/South America, 69 in Asia, 18 in Europe.15 of his designs are in California. The nearest Bay Area course is Ruby Hill in Livermore. Other nearby Nicklaus designs are: Legends at Diablo Grande in Patterson, Mayacama Golf Club in Santa Rosa, and Pasadera Golf & Country Club in Monterey.

His three earliest designs opened in 1970: Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and John's Island (South Course) in Vero Beach, Florida.

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake Occurs Nearby at 11a.m.

A 4.4-magnitude earthquake rattled a remote area east of San Jose on Saturday (the day of our tournament at Coyote Creek), but there were no reports of damage or injury. Sure, our member's golf was, and always is 'shaky', but no reports came in of any actual shaking on this day. The 10:43 a.m. temblor struck 23 miles east of San Jose and 20 miles southwest of Patterson, a small town along Interstate 5 southwest of Modesto. It was centered at a depth of four miles in the Diablo Range, close to the Stanislaus-Santa Clara county line near Henry W. Coe State Park. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department had received no calls related to the earthquake, a dispatcher said.

Injury leads to golf lesson? Front nine 51; Back nine 38. What happened? A new discovery?

After playing 9 holes at the Coyote Creek tournament the Club President wasn’t optimistic about breaking 100. My left arm and wrist were hurting from a bout of tendentious which has been persistent for about a month. After 9 holes I was 15 over par, having used all my ‘stroke holes’. However, I played so well on the back nine that I shot net 74 and placed third. So what happened? I'm left-handed, but with the injury I actually began using my right hand in the swing.

2004 Golfer of the Year Jim Peretti was one of the first to arrive at the driving range. Jim began the day in 3rd place in the 2005 GOY race, but Mike O'Neill would pass him and leave him in 4th place.

With the 8:30am shotgun start all practice facilities were inundated at once. Here Jose Prince (Dennis Smith's son-in-law) and Micah Smith (Dennis' son) get a few putts in prior to the round. These two were competing head to head as the only participants in the Blind Bogey flight. Jose won the massively prestigious flight.

Later that day Jose Prince would be faced with an unusual obstacle, a large artwork left of the 13th fairway. Jose had to do some creative work of his own just to get around this creative work.

A long line of carts ready to depart simultaneously. The order on the starting sheet was reversed in actual play, for the last groups were in effect playing at the front of the field.

Mark Northfield and Jeff Hazel heading out to their opening hole (the 6th hole).

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Our train of carts winding over the hills at the 3rd hole.

Mark Northfield at the 6th hole.

Mark's approach at #6. Mark began the day with a triple, but quickly recovered on #7 with a par.

Jeff Hazel's opening drive at #6. Jeff and Mark played as a twosome. Any reports of "Good, Good" being overheard on the greens would be grounds for a disqualification.

Jeff played a solid round and posted 83.

Jeff earned a par here at #7. It was still quite foggy, and would remain so until 1pm.

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Nice shot of Andrew Kang's chip at the 10th hole.

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After striking the ball Andrew jogs up to check it out. It was a nice shot and he drained the par putt.

The sailing wasn't so smooth for Andrew here at #13. In fact an analogy could be drawn between Andrew's play on this hole and a wheel falling off.

Andrew recovered quickly after the wheel incident, but then here on #17 the wheel fell off for good. His score here (13, octuple bogey) tied for second (with Martin Kitchener's octuple bogey at #1) in largest single hole score by anyone all day. Micah Smith, towered above the field with his 14 (decuple bogey) taken at the 6th hole.

True to form Andrew again quickly recovered at #18.

Chris Ybarra plays with intensity. Here he tracks his approach at #6. Chris attended Cal. He grew up in Brazil.

Chris earned a par here at #8.

Chris' drive at #15.

There were lots of nice photos from this day. This one of Chris at the 2nd hole was one of my favorites. He was able to bogey the hole in spit of this difficult lie.

Chris at the 4th hole.

Dave Nilson observes Chris draining his putt here at #17. Chris shot 40 on the front but didn't fare as well on the back nine. Both Dave and Chris are new members and they each have strong games. First flighters, beware.

Dave and Chris at the 18th hole.

Dave Nilson at the 7th hole.

Dave with a nice lob shot on #8.

Dave at #9 following a long drive... an easy par.

Dave rolls up a sleeve here at the 10th hole.

Dave at the 13th hole, with highway 101 in the background.

Dave's par attempt at #13.

Dave's bold attempt to carry the water with his second shot at #17 fell short.

Another great photo, this one of Dave chipping up at #17.

Dave's follow through at #2. The sun had finally broken through the fog.

Dave in the rough on hole #2.

This was the only shot of the "lead" foursome. It's Jim Peretti at the 9th hole. Jim shot 40 on the front nine despite a double bogey here.

Ed Louie and Mark Siegel observe Chris Brown's drive at the 10th hole.

Through the branches of a dead tree, Chris Brown is seen making his drive at #2. This is not to say there was much dead wood in Chris' game today. On the contrary, Chris turned in net 75 and tied for 4th place in the second flight.

Ed Louie at #13. Located behind Ed, at the 15th hole, workers were completing a new entry sign for Coyote Creek. Ed will appreciate that we mentioned the sign rather than his score here at #13.

Workers make the finishing touches on the new Coyote Creek sign.

Ed Louie watches his lob shot at #16.

With Mitch Chernock and Dale Steele serving as witness, Ted Goode hits his drive at #14. Ted made par.

Ted's second shot at #4. Ted's ball is visible here at the upper right side of this photo.

Mitch Chernock at #14. Mitch earned a par here.

Dale Steele's drive at #3.

Glenda Goode hits her second shot at #3.

Edgar "The Dragon" Johnson was impressed with Rick Guevara's ferocious drive at #13. Rick's ferocity earned him a double bogey here. He'd play the next 5 holes at 1-over par, on his way to a 2nd place finish in the first flight.

Todd Podoll also earned a 2nd place finish, but in the second flight. These geese were large and threatening.

Here they stalk an unwitting golfer.

Mike Hearn stares down a par putt at #14. Mike played well and finished tied for 4th place in the second flight.

Rick Crawford searches for a ball at the 6th hole.

Martin Kitchener's second shot at the par five 3rd hole. Martin made a mess of the 1st hole (octuple bogey), but recovered quickly and played quite well over the rest of the course. In fact, he even won the second flight's CTP with his shot at #7 to 24'-8".He missed the birdie putt, yet made par.

2004 Most Improved Golfer Dave Wherritt at the 8th hole. After quadruple bogies on the two preceding holes, Dave here earned par. That is a big improvement. He really did earn that title.

Dave has many talents. Here he drove the golf cart while seated in the passenger's side of the cart. Dave is multitalented. Dave can also drink beer while golfing. However, in this club that's more of a norm than an exception.

Following the round at Coyote Creek Dave Wherritt accepted his award for 2004 Most Improved Golfer. He said it looked nicer than his college diploma. (chuckle..) Dave is funny. College? Who's he kidding?
[Close-up of Award]

Complete Flight Results: