In an old post comment I was asked the following questions:
Anonymous said…
I read that you played Ko’loa??? in Hawaii, how did you like it and from the all couses that you have played what was your favorite and which was the hardest.
Since that’s an ongoing and updated post, I want to keep it relatively “clean” so I thought I’d post my response here. Besides, I’ve been meaning to comment on some of the courses I’ve played so here’s my first installment along those lines:
Ko’olau was one of my top two for scenery, the other being Luana Hills. I guess I like the jungle courses. In fact, there’s a photo from Ko’olau under my post “Reason #2.” They were both really difficult, but Ko’olau claims to be the “toughest in the nation.”
I played Ko’olau twice, once from the red tees after having played golf for only a couple months and shot a 108. I lost only two balls on this course where they say to bring as many balls as your handicap. Then I played again several months later from the whites and shot a 123. I lost a bunch to all the double carries but the other difference was my putting. I think I lost about nine balls that time. It would have been more, but they have a “special” rule that allows one to drop on the other side of the hazards in the drop area because of the difficulty of the course (they want people to come back). I would like it better if they allowed carts on the fairways. It’s too hot and muggy and hilly for permanent cart path only.
The other Hawaii courses I really liked were Turtle Bay Arnold Palmer and Makaha West.
As for around the CA area where I live, there are a bunch of nice ones. Glen Annie is definitely one of my favorites and I’m sure it’ll get its own post eventually. Monarch Beach is the most overrated, and I really like the way the ball goes clangety clang in the metal cups at Malibu Country Club.
October 12, 2006 at 1:53 am
Little known local trivia – those “metal bells” at Malibu Country Club are actually SNAKE BELLS!!!
Yep, Malibu CC is located in the midst of the wild and beautiful Santa Monica Mountains, midway between Agoura Hills and Malibu, and them thar hills are just LOADED with lotsa RATTLESNAKES!!!
Well, it gets HOT in them thar hills, and them thar snakies likes to takes a siesta in the closest below ground depression that they can find, even if the center IS occupied by a flagstick….
Long story short – a buddy of mine told me “if you can’t see the bottom of the cup when you putt, and you don’t ‘ring the bell’ if your putt goes in, DO NOT reach into the cup without looking in first, cuz Mr. Rattler might be upset at you for disrupting his midafternoon nap!!!
Only place I’ve ever seen ’em (snake bells in the bottom of the cups, that is…)