NEW LOOK, SAME OLD APPEAL.Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer MURRIETA - San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. golfers who haven't made the 2-hour trip to the former SCGA SCGA Southern California Golf Association SCGA Software Carrier Group Alarm Members Club won't notice the changes. Past visitors, conversely con·verse 1 intr.v. con·versed, con·vers·ing, con·vers·es 1. To engage in a spoken exchange of thoughts, ideas, or feelings; talk. See Synonyms at speak. 2. , might hardly recognize the place. But a new name - changed to SCGA Golf Course - and a new look, with houses filling up most of what was open land surrounding much of the course just a few years ago, have done nothing to alter the basic character of this classic Robert Trent Jones See: American TV writer Trent Jones Robert Trent Jones, Sr. (June 20, 1906 – June 14, 2000) was a golf course architect who designed (or re-designed) about 500 golf courses in at least 40 US states and 35 other countries all around the world. Sr.-designed layout. As with Valencia County Club, which was similarly designed in the 1960s by Jones, SCGA challenges golfers with big bunkers, big greens and big rough, which is growing steadily toward next week's Pechanga State Open. Many of the top professionals in the state and former national level amateur winners Chez chez prep. At the home of; at or by. [French, from Old French, from Latin casa, cottage, hut.] chez prep at the home of [French] Reavie (2001 U.S. Amateur Public Links The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, often referred to as the Public Links or the Publinx, is a men's amateur golf tournament, one of 10 individual amateur championships organized by the United States Golf Association. ) and Ricky Barnes Ricky Barnes (born February 6, 1981) is an American golfer from Stockton, California. He plays mainly on the Nationwide Tour. In 2002, Barnes won the 102nd U.S. Amateur Championship, defeating Hunter Mahan 2 & 1 in the final. (2002 U.S. Amateur) will take on this par-72 home club of the Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, Golf Association at its fighting, black-tees best - 7,170 yards and likely with plenty of the swirling wind that makes it so difficult in the afternoon. The 156-entry State Open field - 155 men and Charlotte Mayorkas of UCLA's national championship women's team - must tee off at their assigned times, with no clock control to beat the wind. SCGA's regular clientele can and should opt for morning tee times to optimize scoring chances on this Riverside County course. If they also are SCGA members, they can play at a reduced rate that saves members $15 a round - down to $48 Monday-Thursday, $53 on Fridays and $63 weekends. Twilight and super-twilight rates bring the cost of a Monday-Thursday round down as low as $27 (after 2 p.m.) or $23 (after 4 p.m.), but those times also bring SCGA's challenging wind more into play. For the maximum challenge on this course, definitely play it in the afternoon, but be aware of water that comes into play on six holes. The toughest part of playing SCGA - apart from the wind, bunkers, greens and water - might be picking a favorite hole. Jones produced several stout candidates for that honor, and though the highest-rated holes on the scenic, hill-encircling layout are the 431-yard, uphill par-4 eighth and the 419-yard, dogleg-left, par-4 12th, there also are several strong short holes on the course. Depending on tee selection, SCGA's signature hole could qualify as a short par 4 and likely will be near the top of many best-on-the course lists, if for no other reason than its beauty. It can play from 387 to 413 yards from severely elevated tee boxes that afford a picturesque view of a wide but tree-lined fairway leading to a lake-protected green. Another visual treat is SCGA's dogleg-right, severely downhill opening hole, a 565-yard par-5 that affords a dramatically different look from a tee box that only a few years ago overlooked empty land on the course and throughout much of the distant Temecula Valley leading to the mountains of the Cleveland National Forest The Cleveland National Forest encompasses 460,000 acres (1900 km²) (720 sq. mi.), mostly of chaparral, with a few riparian areas. It is the southernmost National forest of California. . Enjoy the view that is still impressive, if housing bordered, but don't forget to notice the interior out-of-bounds that flanks the right side of this curving fairway. As with any course, the biggest advantage might be local knowledge. SCGA is the home course for Murrieta Valley High freshman Rickie Fowler Rickie Fowler is an amateur golfer from Murrieta, California. He is most noteably known as the top ranked amateur golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking starting August 7, 2007. , and he underscored the importance of course familiarity - especially the large, sloping greens - by tying the course record of 62 in winning the CIF/SCGA championship here two months ago. His reward was a berth in the State Open. CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: SCGA executive director Tom Gustafson takes on large bunkers and a water-fronted 17th green at SCGA Golf Course. Dave Shelburne/Daily News Box: EXCURSION |
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