courses and are perfectly maintained. If you want a little excitement with your golf, check out Sycuan. Not only is the golf great but there is a casino to help you pay for your trip.
LAKE TAHOE
We don’ t always think of Lake Tahoe as a golf destination, but encircling the entire lake are some of the best mountain golf courses in the country. Starting with the south, Lake Tahoe golf course in Meyers is a great course with water features on half the holes. Stateline has my favorite on the lake: Edgewood at Tahoe. With the two finishing holes right along the lake, and the rest winding through the tall pines, it is spectacular. The site of the summer celebrity classic tournament every July is a bit of a challenge for the high handicapper, but remember, the ball travels 10 percent farther in the thin air. Further north is Incline Village. With an executive course and a championship course there is something for every skill level there. Not to mention the best Bloody Mary’ s I’ ve ever had! Traveling west to Truckee will get you to Coyote Moon and Tahoe Donner. Both are fantastic mountain courses with tree-lined fairways and great elevation changes. Coyote Moon features boulders the size of cars on a few holes to challenge even the best of players.
MONTEREY
Finishing close to home we have the top golf destination in the world. If you have Pebble Beach( photo above) in your backyard why would you go anywhere else? Well, the price tag at Pebble is pretty steep, but if you are a true golfer you have to have it on your bucket list. Remember that Pebble isn’ t the only gem of the area. Spyglass and Poppy Hills are both great courses and are part of the rotation for the AT & T Pebble Beach Pro Am. Spanish Bay is also right next door and has the look of Scotland though it’ s only 45 minutes from Gilroy. Lastly are my two favorites that are affordable. Del Monte golf course is the oldest course this side of the Mississippi River and it’ s great for all skill levels. The same is true for Pacific Grove golf links. With the entire back nine on the Monterey Bay, it has been dubbed the poor man’ s Pebble Beach, and green fees are around $ 50.
For more information, hop online, choose your travel destination, and visit golf course websites in those areas. They will help you plan a trip within your budget and skill level.
Don DeLorenzo has been the PGA General Manager of Gilroy Golf Course since 1985. He is a former winner of the Bill Stausbaugh award given by the PGA of America for excellence in education. He was named the 2014 Gilroy Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year, was born and raised in Gilroy and still lives here with Mia, his wife of 33 years.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN MAY / JUNE 2017 gmhtoday. com
93