ANCIL HOFFMAN
Played with Mac, Bob DeYoung, and Mike Hankey. Delightful course, wild turkeys and dozens of live-in deer. Miracle birdie on #8 to bring back the round a bit. Fantastic day. Great tree-lined traditional course but with memorable holes.
APPLE MOUNTAIN
Spectacular, narrow holes with mostly elevated tees. Played with Brett and Mom. Great practice area. In the hills above Sacramento. Wished I'd hit more drivers.
BARTLEY CAVANAUGH
Played the afternoon after my first Sunday in Sacramento where I preached, before my family had come down yet. A short, interesting course. A quiet day, much needed for reflection and a deep breath. 76.
BING MALONEY
Closest to home. Comfortable place to play and practice, and take my girls to the short 9 or the big 18, with $5 hour from sunset deals that I can take my girls to at a moment's notice. Love this spot. Very solid layout, as well for a city course. A few very interesting holes. Have played with Bob DeYoung, Mac, Dad, Audrey and Walter with Emma, Emma and I with Emmie and her dad, etc.!
CASTLE OAKS
Ione, CA. Played with Brett. View of the Castle on the 14th that used to be a reform school for boys, now just a tourist attraction. Beautiful day and drive through the vineyards.
CHERRY ISLAND
Relatively flat course with few sandtraps. Lots of deciduous trees. No one on the course at 43 degrees. 3 hours or less with Mison. November 2019.
DRY CREEK RANCH
Played with Dad and Bob DeYoung, getting lost in the fields on the way there. A few quirky holes, but not a bad course overall.
HAGGIN OAKS
First Sacramento Golf round. Wild turkeys surrounded the putting green. Flat, fair, fun course.
RESERVE AT SPANOS PARK
Great play with Scott Pantaleo at $24 each with a cart! Wide open, or so it looks. Target golf that wasn't overly difficult, granted it was a rare calm day, usually windy out in the flats. Fun day, for sure.
RIVER OAKS
What about Bob? Played with Bob DeYoung. Brett had to walk because there were no carts. Brett gets 2 strokes off for walking, but shot 75. Most fun we've ever had playing a 6 hour round. Beautiful fall day in Sacramento.
SHORELINE (Palo Alto)
Played with Mac. High scores. Not our favorite course at all, but interesting border to the Google Campus and a big party going on there. Holes did not leave great marks on our scorecards or memories, but great company.
TIEL BEND
Played in first couple weeks, birdied the first hole with a 40 foot putt, a fairly good round, beatiful, plenty of deer around. Played alone on the back.
Turkey Creek
Played with Karanja, pastor from Nairobi. Lots of interesting boulders and memorable holes. Karanja got 2 birdies in a row.
VALLEY HI
Foursome includes Mac, Brett, Dad, and our gracious host Mike Hankey. Nice, private 18, well kept, flat but interesting and enjoyable. Colder than expected for California that day.
WILDHAWK
Played with Bob DeYoung and Brett. Brett doubles last hole for 72.
WILDHORSE
All by myself. Met up with a nice playing partner. Did not play well. Enjoyed the course for the most part. Some of the holes did not set up with a good feel hitting into some of the greens. Well maintained.
WILLIAM LAND
First Sacramento golf with Emma. A full-length 9 hole course in the middle of a park, with people literally strolling through unaware. She said on the 4th hole..."This is the happiest I've been in a long time."