Off the Fringe, “Golf’s best short read.” The award winning newsletter, sent twice monthly, that provides an unconventional perspective on the golf world.
Lane Nonnenberg
Half Moon Bay
2010-08-06
Guest (cart included), played on Thursday, August 2010 at noon
The Old Course at Half Moon Bay has aged well. There are now fully grown trees which are strategically placed and give opportunity for shot shaping both from the tee and for approach shots. The course is well maintained with lush fairways and roughs and very nice poa annua greens. The greens are well-contoured and provide for a good variety of subtly breaking putts. There are a combination of short and long par fours with lots of doglegs with high levels of risk and reward. Several of the par fives are reachable, but have water or bunkers to catch the errant second shot.
The par threes, unfortunately are too much alike and played 175, 195, 177 and 160 into a wind (effectively 175) and I found myself hitting the same club into three of the four par threes. They definitely need to mix up the tee boxes to provide more variety.
Houses line most of the fairways but are never really intrusive. And the 17th and 18th holes are truly spectacular with their views of the Pacific. The 18th is a great finishing hole requiring a decision on the tee shot and then an approach to a green perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific on one side, and being overlooked by the beautiful Ritz-Carlton Resort on the other.
All in all, an excellent golf course which will test all the clubs in your bag.
Would travel: 30-60 Miles, Vacation Worthy
Bottom line: I would play again, Better than average course for the area
Guest (cart included), played on Thursday, August 2010 at noon
The Old Course at Half Moon Bay has aged well. There are now fully grown trees which are strategically placed and give opportunity for shot shaping both from the tee and for approach shots. The course is well maintained with lush fairways and roughs and very nice poa annua greens. The greens are well-contoured and provide for a good variety of subtly breaking putts. There are a combination of short and long par fours with lots of doglegs with high levels of risk and reward. Several of the par fives are reachable, but have water or bunkers to catch the errant second shot. The par threes, unfortunately are too much alike and played 175, 195, 177 and 160 into a wind (effectively 175) and I found myself hitting the same club into three of the four par threes. They definitely need to mix up the tee boxes to provide more variety. Houses line most of the fairways but are never really intrusive. And the 17th and 18th holes are truly spectacular with their views of the Pacific. The 18th is a great finishing hole requiring a decision on the tee shot and then an approach to a green perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific on one side, and being overlooked by the beautiful Ritz-Carlton Resort on the other. All in all, an excellent golf course which will test all the clubs in your bag.