Last month, my friend Mike and I spent a long weekend in San Diego, CA to play as many holes of golf as possible. We played 5 rounds in 3 days, including The Vineyard at Escondido, Mt. Woodson Golf Club, Coronado GC, Torrey Pines - North Course, and Balboa Park GC. If you haven't been to San Diego, its absolutely beautiful out there and filled with nice golf courses for the right price. Coronado GC, my second favorite course we played after Torrey Pines, costs $20 after 12pm and is right on the Pacific Ocean. The course condition is as good as a top tier public course in Massachusetts.
The highlight of the golfing experience was our round at Torrey Pines. We chose to play the North Course to save ourselves $100. This is still a recession people! We pulled into Torrey at 530am and there were a dozen cars already in the parking lot. Mike and I both walked up to the Pro Shop area looking to the check in. Come to find out, we had to go up to a random car with its heading lights on and trunk open in the parking lot to claim a spot in line. By the time we figured this out, we probably lost a few spots in line. Torrey Pines has a first come, first serve policy between 6am to 730am. After that, its tee times. We got the 12th or 13th spot. This number got us off the North tee at 7am with two gentleman, one from Long Island and one local from La Jolla. The local guy plays the course for a mere $40!!! Why can't we get a marquee course in the Boston that gives significant resident discounts?? It just doesn't exist. Granite Links costs $125!
At Torrey, you are welcomed by a stunning view looking out into the Pacific Ocean over the cliffs at 7am with a soft breeze and high 60s in mid-February. Its light enough to play at 6am as the sun rises. The fairways are cut tight and narrow and you feel the joy of walking on the same grounds as the greatest golfers in the world.
Mike and I played a different type of match play (hole-by-hole, quota, etc.) each round on the trip. For Torrey, we chose to play USGA stroke play. Finish everything out, tournament style. Winner takes all. We battled it out in a Tour-like finish and tied with 77s. Mike and I were both a 2 under par on the last 5 holes. On the 397 yard par 4 15th, Mike made a mammoth putt of about 50 feet for birdie and then a drained a 25 footer from off the green to save par. On the par-3 17th, about 180 yards, we both hit nice approaches to pin high. Mike went first and drained a 18 footer. Then I preceded to drop a 15 foot putt right on top of him to go all square into 18. We both made par on the par-5 18th. We couldn't have asked for a better day weather-wise and our golf games made us smile even more. Even better, after Torrey, we were on our way to round #2 of the day and the final round of the trip at Balboa Park.
As we New Englanders know, the golf season is short around here, so it was a treat to split up the winter break in California. Mike and I spent our time outside the golf course in Los Angeles to see my cousin Jay (who is the Jing Master out in LA at Erewhon Foods), at a famous Mexican restaurant in San Diego (El Indio - two visits), and a few trips to In-And-Out Burgers.
I left San Diego thinking wouldn't it be nice to live out here...
Namaste,
Kurt
