Arg's Travel Log

[Argonne69]

Checked out the websites of a few brewpubs near Moorpark, but nothing on their taplists caught my eye. Way too many IPAs. Wound up driving to Finney's Crafthouse in Camarillo. 30 taps with a decent mix of regional brews. Went with the Left Coast Asylum (San Clemente CA) Belgian Tripel. At 11.8% ABV it's pretty potent for a tripel. 

 

 

[crcraig]

19 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

Course could use some elevation change other than the teebox on the 16th,

I know what you mean, but this made me laugh a little. There's almost 250 feet of elevation change from the 4th green to the 14th tee. It's just done relatively subtly so you don't notice the climb so much.

[StoutKing]

26 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Fun morning. Should have worn shorts. 37 degrees on the 1st tee, but 70 after the round. Crazy weather. Third time playing Rustic Canyon, and no changes since I played it back in late February. Here's my review from then: 

 

https://forums.golfwrx.com/topic/1842161-args-travel-log/?do=findComment&comment=25245665

 

Course could use some elevation change other than the teebox on the 16th, but it's still a fine layout with plenty of shots that require some thought. Par 5s are still underwhelming. The huge greens (and closely mown areas) continue to baffle me. 

 

Conditions were very good. Fairways had a few iffy areas, but nothing that really affected play. Bunkers need sand. Greens were Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The early morning dew/watering kept the speed down for a while, but they were rolling at least 11 late in the round. 

 

Played a Blue/White combo again at 6275 yds (69.8/126). The official "Hanse" combo at 6441 yds was a little too long with the wrist still bothering me. Driver was fine, but still hitting too many thin irons with the fear of taking too much turf. Putter took the day off except for the nice 24' par putt on the 18th. Nine bogies. Highlight of the day was once again being out on a course that I've played before without having to take meticulous notes. Lol. My walking playing partner was a local, and we chatted up a storm. Just a great day to be out walking a nice course without having to stare at blue siding. Sadly my other young playing partner was riding in a cart and having a bad day, so there was very little interaction. 

 

I think I'm going to bump this one up to 7 cows from the previous six. I'd still like to see the par 5s improved, along with a long par 3, but multiple plays brings out more of the strategic aspects of the course. Oh, and those crazy greens. Well, I think they're greens. Lol. Wind up in the wrong place and a three putt is a high probability. The $84 weekend walking rate was a tad higher than the bargain weekday rate, but it's still a crazy price. Still a must play. 

 

Snapped a few new photos and appended them to the previous album. 

 

 

Modified photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/5p1x0tz9s2w95b8gi8ebx/h?rlkey=n11snie5cf0xkmwugui3jkilg&st=2qzl8ikx&dl=0

 

Love the review Arg and glad you had fun.  It's funny how people can have such different takes.  I have argued that as a set, the five par 5s are Rustic are the best collection of any course I have played.  Why?  They all have good strategy build in.  You can't just blast away.  Well, you can but you might find yourself at a disadvantage.  Some of them look very basic but reveal themselves over time.  Now that I think of it there aren't that many courses with five three shotters.  Regardless I enjoy them very much.

[Argonne69]

3 hours ago, StoutKing said:

Love the review Arg and glad you had fun.  It's funny how people can have such different takes.  I have argued that as a set, the five par 5s are Rustic are the best collection of any course I have played.  Why?  They all have good strategy build in.  You can't just blast away.  Well, you can but you might find yourself at a disadvantage.  Some of them look very basic but reveal themselves over time.  Now that I think of it there aren't that many courses with five three shotters.  Regardless I enjoy them very much.

 

Gotta disagree here. Haven't stood on the teebox of a par 5 worrying about the teeshot. A couple of the layups have less than easy layups, but nothing that makes you go, "Oh, cr##". I like a par 5 that makes you consider whether laying up short of a crossing creek is the better play vs. carrying the trouble. 

 

Edited November 23, 2024 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

14 minutes ago, crcraig said:

I know what you mean, but this made me laugh a little. There's almost 250 feet of elevation change from the 4th green to the 14th tee. It's just done relatively subtly so you don't notice the climb so much.

 

You know I'm a sucker for elevated tees. Yeah, there's a gentle elevation change over the layout, but it's not really one that ever affects club choice. 

 

[StoutKing]

1 minute ago, Argonne69 said:

 

You know I'm a sucker for elevated tees. Yeah, there's a gentle elevation change over the layout, but it's not really one that ever affects club choice. 

 

 

For me if you're going for 1 in two the downhill affects it, on 2 it depends where you're trying to land it.  13 usually plays a club to 1/2 club longer.  15 is a club for uphill.  16 like you said.  Back when Rustic was really firm you had to land it short on 18.  Wind definitely plays more of a factor.  During a strong Santa Ana I've had driver, 3 wood, 5 iron to reach 13 and I normally drive it 275+.  

[Argonne69]

1 minute ago, StoutKing said:

 

For me if you're going for 1 in two the downhill affects it, on 2 it depends where you're trying to land it.  13 usually plays a club to 1/2 club longer.  15 is a club for uphill.  16 like you said.  Back when Rustic was really firm you had to land it short on 18.  Wind definitely plays more of a factor.  During a strong Santa Ana I've had driver, 3 wood, 5 iron to reach 13 and I normally drive it 275+.  

 

Yeah, the lack of wind definitely takes a lot of the bite out of the course. Toss in the Santa Ana winds, and I'm sure it's a different beast. 

 

[StoutKing]

1 minute ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Yeah, the lack of wind definitely takes a lot of the bite out of the course. Toss in the Santa Ana winds, and I'm sure it's a different beast. 

 

I wish I could find the video.  The SCGA had a tournament during a Santa Ana some years back.  One golfer posted a video on twitter of his group putting on 16.  No joke I think the guy 10 putted.  A scratch shot 107.  It can be downright unplayable in those conditions.

[Mullenboy]

8 minutes ago, StoutKing said:

I wish I could find the video.  The SCGA had a tournament during a Santa Ana some years back.  One golfer posted a video on twitter of his group putting on 16.  No joke I think the guy 10 putted.  A scratch shot 107.  It can be downright unplayable in those conditions.

I remember that event!

I once played it in wind not that bad, but close.  Good lord.  Impossible.  Back then I was a decent player - 3 or so - and I shot 96 and felt great about it.  Had to work hard to stay in double digits.

Edited November 22, 2024 by Mullenboy

[Argonne69]

Well that was pretty bodacious. Lol. Marshall's Bodacious BBQ in Ventura. Better than average Q. First impression was that the serving size was excellent given the price. Ordered a two meat platter with a side hot link, and it was extremely filling. The ribs were tender, but could have used more meat and more fat. No brisket, but the tri-tip was good. Tri-tip is much more lean than brisket, so again I thought could use more fat. The hot link was the star of the show. Very juicy. Only minor nit was that it had a little too much black pepper. Mac and cheese was meh. Beans were excellent. Some of the best of the trip. Nice BBQ flavor. The three sauces were good. The original and honey had plenty of flavor. The hot BBQ sauce was a little too spicy for my tastes, but if you like a good kick it was better than the normal hot sauce masquerading as barbeque sauce. If you prefer your meat on the lean side this is a must visit. 

 

 

[CMCSGolf]

5 hours ago, StoutKing said:

Love the review Arg and glad you had fun.  It's funny how people can have such different takes.  I have argued that as a set, the five par 5s are Rustic are the best collection of any course I have played.  Why?  They all have good strategy build in.  You can't just blast away.  Well, you can but you might find yourself at a disadvantage.  Some of them look very basic but reveal themselves over time.  Now that I think of it there aren't that many courses with five three shotters.  Regardless I enjoy them very much.

 

I feel the same way here. I absolutely love reading this thread and really appreciate the time Arg spends writing this almost every day.  

 

That being said, he views golf courses so differently than I do, it makes me laugh at times.  For example, I have never once stood on a tee and thought an additional fairway bunker would help.  But that's what is great about golf. There are thousands of different courses where we can all find what we like.  I'm also confident that if I ever played with Arg, we would get along because we both think about the course when we play. We are there to play golf (not drink beer, that's after)!

 

It's always good to hear a different perspective and I applaud @Argonne69 for detailing his and consistently sharing what he loves about golf.  

[aloha b.]

1 hour ago, CMCSGolf said:

 

I feel the same way here. I absolutely love reading this thread and really appreciate the time Arg spends writing this almost every day.  

 

That being said, he views golf courses so differently than I do, it makes me laugh at times.  For example, I have never once stood on a tee and thought an additional fairway bunker would help.  But that's what is great about golf. There are thousands of different courses where we can all find what we like.  I'm also confident that if I ever played with Arg, we would get along because we both think about the course when we play. We are there to play golf (not drink beer, that's after)!

 

It's always good to hear a different perspective and I applaud @Argonne69 for detailing his and consistently sharing what he loves about golf.  

I really like what you stated in this post, unlike other posts in this thread that I ignore!

[Argonne69]

Crummy morning. After yesterday's great weather, today was a slog through a light rain all round. The type of rain that doesn't do much good, but still manages to keep everything wet. Mandatory cart today, but once again I got lucky with a great playing partner who had no problem with me unstrapping the clubs in the fairway and walking it in from there. Also hiked between the greens and next tee box. Pace was surprisingly good for a Saturday morning at a hair over 4 hours. We were on pace for a sub 4 hour round, but the reachable 16th was backed up. 

 

Tierra Rejada today. I was impressed by the terrain, well, at least for the first 11 holes. The final stretch is a much more boring out and back stretch that doesn't have the elevation changes and forced carries of the opening holes. Nice to see zero/few homes on the layout. Certainly walkable, so no idea why the mandatory cart thing. Fairway bunkering was light. Greenside was pretty good. Water in play on just four holes, but many of the thick native areas were red staked. Six holes with left/right movement with two doglegs.

 

I'd say it's moderately difficult off the tee primarily due to the intimidation factor of knowing that there's really no room to miss. Most of the mounding will kick balls back into the short grass, but there are also a few holes where the slope will get you into trouble. A few short forced carries weren't overly difficult. Not much rough on the course, so minor misses might run into the junk. Big misses were toast. Approaches were tough. Elevated greens. Solid bunkering. A few false fronts. Greens had a very good amount of contouring and slope. A few greens were rather wavey. Lol. Putting was anything but easy. Up and downs were even harder. Throw in plenty of uneven lies with carries over bunkers from patchy turf. Ugh. 

 

The five par 5s were quite good. Tough, but fair. Nice mix of lengths ranging from a very short 17th with a small undulating green to the long 11th. The five par 5s were meh. The short 16th had solid bunkering, but there wasn't a lot of risk near the green. A little danger on the layup on only one of them. The three short 4s were meh. No real risk in grabbing driver. 

 

Conditions were spotty. The rain didn't help, but it was light enough that it couldn't be blamed for the soggy, muddy patches. Fairway turf was hit or miss. Rough was patchy. Bunkers were excellent. Plenty of groomed wet sand. Greens looked fine, but the light rain kept the speeds in check. Probably a good thing. Probably rolling 9. 

 

Played a Championship/Tournament (Black/Blue) combo at 6280 yds (69.9/126). Decent day off the tee, but the wet conditions were limiting rollout. The bum wrist continues to be an issue with the irons. Putter was taking the day off. Six bogies and a double. Hit a few impressive 9 woods, but the highlight of the day was my local playing partner. I've heard my travel stories a thousand times, but apparently there are players who love to hear about the odyssey. Lol. 

 

I have a feeling that there might be a riot if I gave it seven cows, so I'm going with a solid 6 cows. Love the property and the opening eleven holes. The final stretch is disappointing. If you're not a straight hitter this is simply not the course for you. It's going to be a long day. I'd estimate that my three playing partners consumed at least two dozen balls. I found at least a dozen, and donated them to the group to help keep the pace. Lol. Normally I'd say that the course needs more fairway bunkers, but that would simply be kicking a person when they're down. Definitely needs a risk/reward par 5. The $112 weekend rate was a little high, but given the location, it's certainly not crazy. Not a must play, but I still think it's worth a visit. Just bring your A game or a lot of golf balls. 

 

Edited November 23, 2024 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Tierra Rejada GC, Moorpark, CA 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/2y1zqs7ft5ywxhrav95gh/AEeqikKDZtCs40r4jNwKN3s?rlkey=zdb1dynwe5qimm198rrbx3m4q&st=vsfdyep6&dl=0

 

Edited November 23, 2024 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Trying to stay warm. Wet with cool temps is a recipe for the chills. Casa Agria Specialty Ales in Oxnard. 21 taps with the usual stuff, but a couple of imperial stouts and a barleywine caught my eye. Went with the Vagabond Breakfast BBA imperial stout with hints of maple, coffee, and peanut butter. Pretty tasty. 

 

 

[Argonne69]

Second visit to Wagon Wheel Brewing Company in Oxnard. Was hoping to have another Oxx Belgian Tripel, but it's only available in bottles at this time. Wound up with their Abbey Trail Belgian Blonde. It's mighty dark for a blonde, which is a good thing. Lol. 

 

 

[Argonne69]

Oooh, that was good. Very good. Some of the best mole I've had on this odyssey. A little less dark chocolate than I prefer, but it had some serious spice. Definitely cleared out the sinuses. Lol. La Mixteca Restaurante Oaxaqueño seems to be known for their mole, and I can see why. Only minor nit is that they don't have a liquor license, so no tasty margarita to wash it down, and I prefer a chicken breast so I don't have to muck around with bones in the thigh and drumstick. Minor quibbles, though. Small storefront restaurant, but it's certainly worth a visit if you're looking for some unique mole. 

 

 

[spud3]

It's been my experience that Mexican restaurants with clear plastic covering their tablecloths are usually hidden gems...

[The Pearl]

Arg,

 

I always wonder if there are times where you hit the wall?   What are the long-term plans?  Obviously, most of us would love to attempt something like this some day, but are ever getting close to being sick of being on the road?  I suppose having your own RV helps but there is a ton of work and adjacent stress in owning an RV.

 

 

[Argonne69]

29 minutes ago, The Pearl said:

Arg,

 

I always wonder if there are times where you hit the wall?   What are the long-term plans?  Obviously, most of us would love to attempt something like this some day, but are ever getting close to being sick of being on the road?  I suppose having your own RV helps but there is a ton of work and adjacent stress in owning an RV.

 

 

I haven't hit the wall yet. Plenty of courses, breweries, and mole to enjoy. 

 

Honestly, settling down seems scarier at this point. Still haven't settled on a new city, so I'll continue to move along. 

 

I'm basically in a one bedroom apartment on wheels. I have most of what I need to keep me busy. Yeah, there are stresses associated with owning an RV, but they're just different than the ones I had owning a home. Gotta get new tires on Bessie this winter. Hopefully no major mechanical problems anytime soon. 

 

[caniac6]

14 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

I haven't hit the wall yet. Plenty of courses, breweries, and mole to enjoy. 

 

Honestly, settling down seems scarier at this point. Still haven't settled on a new city, so I'll continue to move along. 

 

I'm basically in a one bedroom apartment on wheels. I have most of what I need to keep me busy. Yeah, there are stresses associated with owning an RV, but they're just different than the ones I had owning a home. Gotta get new tires on Bessie this winter. Hopefully no major mechanical problems anytime soon. 

 

Are you planning any kind of winter break, or are you just going to keep going?

[Argonne69]

44 minutes ago, caniac6 said:

Are you planning any kind of winter break, or are you just going to keep going?

 

Keep going. 

 

I'll be in Dallas for at least 2 weeks. I have to drive the Honda up to Chicago for a week to take care of some business, but then it'll be off again to Austin and Houston. 

 

[hammergolf]

18 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Keep going. 

 

I'll be in Dallas for at least 2 weeks. I have to drive the Honda up to Chicago for a week to take care of some business, but then it'll be off again to Austin and Houston. 

 

Let me know when you’re swinging through STL. Maybe we can get out on a course you haven’t played in the area.

[Argonne69]

Two hours in LA traffic feels like 2 days. Lol. Traffic actually wasn't bad on US-101 and I-10. A few slowdowns, but no gridlock. Can't wait to get off these California highways, though. Yet another brutal drive on poor pavement. Spent 10 minutes picking up stuff from the floor after arriving. Don't know why they don't put a layer of asphalt over the concrete. The poor condition of the concrete is an axle buster. No real highlights on this trip. Just heavy LA traffic. I did see a few Union Pacific freight trains on their Sunset Route adjacent to I-10. I'll see more next week on the drive to Palm Springs. 

 

Small, crampt RV park in Redlands. At least it's a fairly level concrete pad. 

 

 

No plans for today. I'll spend plenty of time on the road tomorrow driving to and from my doctor in Whittier. 

 

Tried booking an RV park in Phoenix. Called four parks and no answer. One of the biggest headaches of RV parks is the lack of online booking at more than half of them. Going to keep trying this afternoon. 

 

Tried booking golf this week at Goose Creek. No luck. Been trying to play the course each time I've been out here, and it's impossible to get a morning tee time. Wound up booking Oakland Valley on Tuesday, and the Champions Course at Morongo for Wednesday. I'll probably take the day off on Thursday, and try to book rounds for Friday and Saturday. 

 

[ThinkingPlus]

26 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

Two hours in LA traffic feels like 2 days. Lol. Traffic actually wasn't bad on US-101 and I-10. A few slowdowns, but no gridlock. Can't wait to get off these California highways, though. Yet another brutal drive on poor pavement. Spent 10 minutes picking up stuff from the floor after arriving. Don't know why they don't put a layer of asphalt over the concrete. The poor condition of the concrete is an axle buster. No real highlights on this trip. Just heavy LA traffic. I did see a few Union Pacific freight trains on their Sunset Route adjacent to I-10. I'll see more next week on the drive to Palm Springs. 

 

Small, crampt RV park in Redlands. At least it's a fairly level concrete pad. 

 

 

No plans for today. I'll spend plenty of time on the road tomorrow driving to and from my doctor in Whittier. 

 

Tried booking an RV park in Phoenix. Called four parks and no answer. One of the biggest headaches of RV parks is the lack of online booking at more than half of them. Going to keep trying this afternoon. 

 

Tried booking golf this week at Goose Creek. No luck. Been trying to play the course each time I've been out here, and it's impossible to get a morning tee time. Wound up booking Oakland Valley on Tuesday, and the Champions Course at Morongo for Wednesday. I'll probably take the day off on Thursday, and try to book rounds for Friday and Saturday. 

 

You should enjoy the Morongo course. Played both Morongo courses (when they were owned by the SCPGA) and Oak Valley back at the dawn of time.  All good courses.

[aloha b.]

5 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

Two hours in LA traffic feels like 2 days. Lol. Traffic actually wasn't bad on US-101 and I-10. A few slowdowns, but no gridlock. Can't wait to get off these California highways, though. Yet another brutal drive on poor pavement. Spent 10 minutes picking up stuff from the floor after arriving. Don't know why they don't put a layer of asphalt over the concrete. The poor condition of the concrete is an axle buster. No real highlights on this trip. Just heavy LA traffic. I did see a few Union Pacific freight trains on their Sunset Route adjacent to I-10. I'll see more next week on the drive to Palm Springs. 

 

Small, crampt RV park in Redlands. At least it's a fairly level concrete pad. 

 

 

No plans for today. I'll spend plenty of time on the road tomorrow driving to and from my doctor in Whittier. 

 

Tried booking an RV park in Phoenix. Called four parks and no answer. One of the biggest headaches of RV parks is the lack of online booking at more than half of them. Going to keep trying this afternoon. 

 

Tried booking golf this week at Goose Creek. No luck. Been trying to play the course each time I've been out here, and it's impossible to get a morning tee time. Wound up booking Oakland Valley on Tuesday, and the Champions Course at Morongo for Wednesday. I'll probably take the day off on Thursday, and try to book rounds for Friday and Saturday. 

 

Arg, good luck tomorrow at your doctor appointment!

[Nels55]

5 hours ago, ThinkingPlus said:

You should enjoy the Morongo course. Played both Morongo courses (when they were owned by the SCPGA) and Oak Valley back at the dawn of time.  All good courses.

The dawn of time.  That was before computers?  Or maybe cell phones?

[ThinkingPlus]

21 minutes ago, Nels55 said:

The dawn of time.  That was before computers?  Or maybe cell phones?

In this case mid 90s to early 2000s. Before smart phones, but approaching peak tower PCs.

[Nels55]

5 minutes ago, ThinkingPlus said:

In this case mid 90s to early 2000s. Before smart phones, but approaching peak tower PCs.

Widows 95.  Golf was cheaper back then but I couldn't really afford to play much.  Wife, kids and working long hours.  The good old days!

[ThinkingPlus]

37 minutes ago, Nels55 said:

Widows 95.  Golf was cheaper back then but I couldn't really afford to play much.  Wife, kids and working long hours.  The good old days!

Same here except no kids (so more money). We worked a crazy rolling shift for 10+ days, then would play golf after the last shift to re-orient back to normal time (then sleep for 12 hours - LOL). Five hours of blinding sunlight, swinging clubs, and cursing the golf gods will keep you awake.