Pacific Grove Golf Links

I had the good fortune to go down to Monterey and Pacific Grove back in August to play the 'unsung hero' of Monterey courses: Pacific Grove.

Although overshadowed by its neighbors (Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill, etc.), which have hosted U.S. Opens, a PGA championship and the annual Pebble Beach Pro-am, Pacific Grove represents a sort of 'accessible' version of those other courses.

Here is my day at Pacific Grove:

The staff was friendly enough, and sent us off as scheduled at 7:30 A.M. As I was a junior, I played for $20 (Bargain!) dollars. The first nine winds out and back with a peculiar variety of holes: Pars 3-3-4-4-5-5-4-4-3 for the opening nine out and back through the pacific grove neighborhood.

The prominent feature of the first nine is tall Monterey cypress and parkland. The holes amble past a cemetery, and numerous houses and bed-and-breakfasts. Here we see my good friend Matt Isola on the tee at #

3, looking back towards the second green.











 
 
The 3rd and 4th are short par fours, both theoretically drivable. Neither of us managed to pull off the feat; my tee shot came to rest just to the right of the greenside bunker. I pitched to 4 feet and made birdie however.









The two par 5's are mirror images of each other, at a little more than 500 yards a piece. The course winds back to the clubhouse, and you begin to wonder what all the hype is about. You then cross Pt. Pinos road to play the short par 3 tenth (after battling a 420 yd uphill par four (8) and a teeth-of-the-wind 230 yd par 3 (9))



And behold!

The green at 10 introduces you to a beautiful stretch of what is almost true links golf. Here follow some pictures of the spectacular back nine at P.G.G.L:

 

 

 

 

 This may be the most fun I've ever had on a golf course: A shot from off the ice plant blindly struck over the dune from 210 yds to find the green. Matt called it merely "The Shot."

This is the 17th, played over a pond which does not affect play too much. I was in the trees behind the green, however.

And lastly the magnificent 18th. A 350 yd par 4 playing uphill away from the ocean to close out the round. I shot an 82 on the day and more importantly spent an awesome day with Matt before he left off for college.

Pacific Grove final rating:

Playability: 8 -> A short course, not a hole on the layout is too challenging in distance except for 8, 9, 12, and perhaps 15.

Wow Factor: 9 -> the beauty of the second nine is only tarnished by a slight lack of charm on the first. I can play the first nine at just about anywhere, the second nine is half Scotland and half northern California**

Condition: 6 -> Detracting from the linksy feel is the abundance of bermuda grass. This creates more spongy turf and reduces the opportunities for bump and run shots otherwise available at a links type venue. Greens were a little bumpy

Amazing shot situation opportunity: 10! -> You hit drives over massive sand dunes twice. I hit 'the shot' from a sand dune. Foreboding cypress trees to go over around. Balls played from opposite fairways. This place begs you to let loose your inner Arnold Palmer.

Wild extra category: Locations to hit balls into ocean: 2 -> They exist. But always over a pretty well traveled road. Recommend a drive to a beach and a ceremonial shot from there.

PACIFIC GROVE: 9+

"That was amazing" -- Matt Isola


** -- The author has yet to play a golf course in Scotland and is speculating.

 

The Golfer in Me

I love to golf, in fact the game for me is a passion from my earliest days. My first book was "The complete short game" By Ernie Els, which I would in the days before reading pour through merely to admire the pictures of Mr. Els explaining the art of pitching a golf ball. It turned into a lifelong passion.

The author

A lot of people dismiss golf as a boring game pursued by rich, arrogant, aristocrats, but I see it as an enjoyable game and a true mental exercise. The beauty of the sport is not its setting (although that can be pretty awesome) but the mental aspect. I have walked of a golf course having felt more tired than I have after a 20 mile march. (I've done both :) )

So the purpose of this blog is going to change! To replace the ailing yahoo devil ball golf blog, I will make this more golf themed. I will keep Finland references and other things from the old, but I feel I can post more frequently if I write about my true desire: golf!

Time Slips Away

Hello haberdashery!

The words to a song I heard told me "Time slips away". Indeed it does. The summer has slipped away and is now behind me, I have begun my senior year of high school. And with it so many blog opportunities have also faded, or rather were created, and now lack relevancy. For today's post, I present a photo and a simple parable, which I hope will lend clout to the message contained herein.

We often make choices in our lives, between the easy ordinary, and the difficult exotic. Humans are often lazy and often that thought of ease sways our decision. But often times, he who wakes up early, or he who hikes the extra mile is rewarded. So be the case at philmont, where an extra 3 miles and a 4 o'clock wake up call can reward you with some of God's greatest gifts: Sunrise.

I can think of little better reason for putting in such an effort, which I intend to do with this blog. Perhaps I shall be rewarded in some unforeseen way for it, I do not know. Meanwhile I hope you too strive in all of your endeavors :)

Hyvää huomenta :)

Off to the races!

For some reason I have always had a fascination with horse racing. Though this has not turned me into a millionaire handicapper who knows the difference between a 3 day carryover pick six, $2 exacta and the daily double, I do know Win, Place, and Show, and how to convince my parents to waste their money betting on horses I have never seen before.

The starting gate has always fascinated you most. A gaping steel apparatus straddling the width of the track, with stalls all along. It looks like a piece of construction equipment. There is a starting gate at the Churchill Downs Racing Museum in Louisville that you can play with. The starting gate signals the beginning of the beginning. "2 out"..."1 out"..."Locked up!" and  then with a bell and a crash
They're off!

But that is merely the beginning, there is a mile to cover, and 2 minutes to do it. From your favorite position on the rail, you can hear the thunder, the power, the fire. The hooves slam the dirt and the mud flies in a storm of horseflesh and dust. And they disappear around the turn. They are hidden from view as they hit the back stretch offering but passing glimpses through the trees and tote board.

They are a pack and you cannot tell who is who. They travel into the turn at the other end of the oval and come into view. You can make out the individual horses once more, and now you know where your bet rides. The horse you thought would be better then the others that day.

DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!!!!

With flash and clatter they once more charge towards you. And yoursis in a fierce battle for show! Only to the outside, a horse with some name like Hotstuff is closing. Can your Appledandy hold on? The horse you circled in the program at 12 to 1 because his name was Apple related? Here comes the wire......................!!!!

 

 

If you can tell, let me know, the two horses neck and neck are about to come to the line. If it's the inside (far) you win, outside, you lose. Simple stuff.

And that is why I love horse racing

 

Happy Memorial Day

Hello Hat Boxers!

I apologize profusely for failing to post since February, but these last few months have been hectic. Fortunately for you I have observed many things and hopefully my view of the world is broadened for the better. A preview of things to come:

1. WHS Golf Team
2. COLOMBIA
3. Finnish developments
4. Eagle Scout work (I'm so close)
5. World news

It's all rapidly approaching, so stay tuned my dear readers :)

Also, happy Memorial day, and a thank you to the many men who've fought and died so I may write such a blog as this. Thank you

Things I've learned best left unlearnt.

In the house where I live there are unwritten rules, just as there are at my school and anywhere else for personal conduct. These are the things that I have found I must do. Not because I want to, but because it works out better that way


1. If a parent asks, the amount of homework you have is never more than an hour's worth, a half hour if you've used the internet today.

2. You never tell a girl you love her. In my limited experience that never works out.

3. Reveal information as slowly as possible. If you reveal all your facts quickly and then remember another one, it's seen as changing the story.

4. Never claim that you were 'remembering another fact' when accused of changing the story

5. After your parents go to sleep, you can breathe easier.

6. If your parents are yelling at you, don't try to defend yourself. Better to take what's coming to you.

7. Don't learn anything quirky. It won't be supported anyway.

8. Sleep with your bedroom door closed. I learned this one after hearing voices about me carry down the hall.

9. Never reveal you are sad, the well-wishers are ever so happy to swarm.

10. If you think your folks are mad at you, they are. They're just so mad that they can't come up with how to punish you yet.

11. A parent giving you an ultimatum is a one-way deal

12. Never write your darkest fears on a blog your parents don't know about.


This post will make some pity me. It will also cause some who are worse off than me to be offended. So be it. I just feel low at the moment.

Sunnuntaina Olin Mormoni

The title of this post is in Finnish, to honor a friend of mine, Susanna Koivisto. I have talked to her many times about her religious beliefs, and after awhile I decided in her honor I would attend a Mormon congregation on a Sunday.

Suski later told me this is called a "Sacrament meeting"


So I arrived and walked in and there were people singing a hymn, for I was a little late. "Welcome Welcome Sabbath Morning" #280. All of that day's hymn numbers were displayed behind the pulpit on a board. Upon the conclusion of that song, A man appeared at the pulpit (which automatically accommodated his height) and informed us of what was going on in the Centerville Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints. He informed us that the schedule for cleaning the temple was on the back of our agendas, and so it was so.

We then proceeded to sing the Sacrament Hymn, "Father in Heaven, We Believe" #180  and my friend Colton who had invited me to come, administered the Sacrament to a group of people who had risen for the purpose, and proceeded to circulate it among the congregation. The Sacrament itself was a small bit of bread and water, I will ask Suski what each represents.

The sermon today was on Tithing and its importance; there were two speakers on this topic. One man told a story of a woman who would not shake her missionary's hand until she had paid tithing, even though she was blind and crippled. The other man told a parable about how when we run out of time on this earth (and thus he began to cry) that tithing is one important way to demonstrate faith.

After this was over with we sang one more time, #85 "How Firm A foundation" Before the congregation adjourned. Colton advised me to leave before the 2 hours of something which he said was boring, he himself had something to do that day elsewhere.

What exactly does it all mean? I do not know. Part of me would like to convert, part of me is fascinated, part of me likes to watch but isn't sure what to do about it. However, dear readers, Anyone can pretend to be a Mormon for a day, they are nice folks. I now know this firsthand