San Francisco Bay Area, East Bay

[RLFore]

Anyone play in the East Bay Area?

[DaveT319]

I'm down near Monterey, and would love to play Poppy Ridge sometime... not sure when I can make it (would have to be a weekend), but keep me in mind.

Dave

[RLFore]

I'll keep you in mind.  Poppy is a great tough course.  I've yet to experience a flat lie on that course, maybe the tee boxes

[SVonhof]

Poppy Ridge isn't that bad! I play there a lot during the summer as I work 3 miles away and we have a twilight league there. They do have GPS carts that are really nice and during the later summer months, finding a ball that doesn't stay in the fairway gets easier since the native grasses are thinner because of the heat. Playing there in the winter is tough because that's when the grasses off the sides of the fairways get long and thick.

A simple tip, if your ball goes into the native grass, bring another ball and be prepared to take a drop outside of that grass, since it's really hard to hit out of. Oh, and make sure you have good ankle strength when going in there, cause the grass is clumpy with gaps in-between clumps and you can roll an ankle pretty easilly.

Oh, and bring your A game especially for Merlot #6, Chardonnay #4 and Zin #4, those are the toughest holes on the courses as they are totally exposed to the wind and play either straight into the prevailing winds or have a left-to-right wind.

One more tip, if you are playing the Zin course, hole 7 is a par 3 that when playing with prevailing winds, you need to take a club or 2 more, since you won't feel the wind much on the tee, but once it's over 20 feet up, it will get caught and come up short in the pond.

[DaveT319]

Poppy Ridge isn't that bad! I play there a lot during the summer as I work 3 miles away and we have a twilight league there. They do have GPS carts that are really nice and during the later summer months, finding a ball that doesn't stay in the fairway gets easier since the native grasses are thinner because of the heat. Playing there in the winter is tough because that's when the grasses off the sides of the fairways get long and thick.

A simple tip, if your ball goes into the native grass, bring another ball and be prepared to take a drop outside of that grass, since it's really hard to hit out of. Oh, and make sure you have good ankle strength when going in there, cause the grass is clumpy with gaps in-between clumps and you can roll an ankle pretty easilly.

Oh, and bring your A game especially for Merlot #6, Chardonnay #4 and Zin #4, those are the toughest holes on the courses as they are totally exposed to the wind and play either straight into the prevailing winds or have a left-to-right wind.

One more tip, if you are playing the Zin course, hole 7 is a par 3 that when playing with prevailing winds, you need to take a club or 2 more, since you won't feel the wind much on the tee, but once it's over 20 feet up, it will get caught and come up short in the pond.

I think I'm definately going to have to make my way up there in the next few months. When I do, we need to try to meet up.

Dave

[SVonhof]

I popped into this forum again to see if anyone added anything and saw this post again, so here is an update.

Dave, before this rain (wait, is it actually raining outside?) the course was running fast and dry. Great condition for winter. I played it on Jan 25 and it was perfect.

I don't know if you plan on coming out anytime soon, but I normally play there during twilight times on weekdays. I know you played Poppy Hills recently, but this is a totally different experience. There are probably only a dozen or so trees total on the course, but the native grass and the wind are the normal defenses of the course.

Depending on how much rain we get, the course should be fine. If we get lots of continuous rain, it will get soggy, but because of how dry it has been, they have been using the sprinklers regularly to make sure it stays green. If and when you do decide to play, if it rains a lot, give it two or three days to dry out first.

[Cashman90]

Any one care to join my wife and I for a round at Calippe Reserve April 4th at 11:30?  It is just the 2 of us at the moment.

[SVonhof]

I would love to, but that's a little too early for me to duck out of work.

Have a great time there anyway!

[turkey]

So I'm late to the party but I live in Oakland.  I can usually be talked into weekend rounds if anyone wants to play.

[DaveT319]

I'll try to work something out with the wife in the next few weeks. If you want to meet midway between us, there's Coyote Creek just south of San Jose. Also, The Ranch is supposed to be nice, but quite challenging. If you don't mind coming a bit farther south, there's Eagle Ridge in Gilroy that's very nice, and San Juan Oaks in Hollister as well. And then there's Poppy Ridge over in Livermore that I've been dying to play...

Scott, where is it that you live again? I know you said you work near Poppy, but how easy is it for you to make it over there on a weekend? Perhaps we could make a threesome...

Dave

[SVonhof]

Dave, I live in Manteca, about 35 minutes from Poppy Ridge.

Have to say, I played the Bridges in San Ramon yesterday and am not feeling too good about my game. That course eats you up and spits you out like yesterdays trash unless you are hitting everything straight. I had a bad day (much worse than normal) and couldn't get anything going.

But, Poppy Ridge is not as difficult as the Bridges and I know Poppy pretty well too as I play there regularly for Twilight league.

Let me know and I will see if I can make it. My wife and I have a busy summer on weekends, but as I mentioned to CHTW, I have every-other Friday off (this friday the 25th being one of them).

[DaveT319]

Honestly, it's going to be some time before I can do any weekday meetings. I'm all tapped out of vacation time (a week's vacation can do that) and have family plans for most of what I'll accrue for the next few months. Weekends really work best for me... or maybe I'll just write off a day soon... hmmm.... I'll get back to you.

Dave

[Hungsolo]

Honestly, it's going to be some time before I can do any weekday meetings. I'm all tapped out of vacation time (a week's vacation can do that) and have family plans for most of what I'll accrue for the next few months. Weekends really work best for me... or maybe I'll just write off a day soon... hmmm.... I'll get back to you.

Dave

I feel a sprained back coming on.  Need a doctor's note?    I'm off this friday too (I think)

[DaveT319]

Yeah... this Friday definately won't work for me... we'll have to see about farther down the road, or a weekend.

Dave

[turkey]

Just bringing this one back to life, but weekends work for me.

[turkey]

So if they ever were to be a GD East Bay outing, which courses would people like to play?  Off the top of my head I would guess that Las Positas or Calippe Preserve might be good central locations to attempt an outing.

Coming from Oakland, I'll be happy to bring any breakfast goodies from Your Black Muslim Bakery 

[DaveT319]

So if they ever were to be a GD East Bay outing, which courses would people like to play?  Off the top of my head I would guess that Las Positas or Calippe Preserve might be good central locations to attempt an outing.

Coming from Oakland, I'll be happy to bring any breakfast goodies from Your Black Muslim Bakery 

I've been wanting to play Coyote Creek, just south of San Jose. Or we could do Poppy Ridge. Otherwise, I have no idea about the courses up there, so I'd just play along with anywhere you all think would be good.

Dave

[Cashman90]

Coyote Creeks is pretty fun, though I have only played one of the courses.

[turkey]

well, when i have a free weekend i'll make a time somewhere and post it up, if people can make it, great, if not, that's how it works out sometimes.

[DaveT319]

I can make most weekends, so let me know.

Dave

[SVonhof]

well, when i have a free weekend i'll make a time somewhere and post it up, if people can make it, great, if not, that's how it works out sometimes.

Post up and we shall see. Make sure to give as much notice as the course will allow and see about getting two tee times and cancel one if you can't fill both...

[Shortknocker]

If any capable players want to play the reserve at spanos park I'll probably be there tomorrow and again next week to get ready for mid am qualifying. 

[DaveT319]

OK, let's set something up for real. I'm really interested in playing either Stevinson Ranch or Diablo Grande. For me, it's going to have to be on a weekend, but it can be either day. I can't do it this weekend, but I can be available either of the next two weekends, so October 20, 21, 27, or 28. I'm hoping we can do it before it starts the rainy season (term used loosely in this area). I'm thinking about 10:00 am to give everyone time to get there, as they are both about 1.5 hours away for me. Let me know, and I can set some tee times up if you want me to.

Dave

[SVonhof]

I will look at my schedule and find out who else wants to play (not on the forum like my brother-in-law). Let's see how many foursomes we can get here.

[SVonhof]

BTW, I sent PM's to everyone I know of from this area who are not on this thread already.