SAN JOAQUIN'S BARGAIN OASIS SYCAMORE CANYON IS DESTINATION WORTH EVERY MILE AND CENT.Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer ARVIN - This trip is worth the long ride for all the right reasons - pace of play, course quality and affordable greens fees greens fee n. The fee charged to play on a golf course. . Bring enough golfing buddies and you won't even have to drive. Sycamore Canyon Sycamore Canyon is the second largest canyon in the Arizona redrock country, after Oak Creek Canyon. The 21 mile (33.6 km) long scenic canyon reaches a maximum width of about 7 miles (11.2 km) and is located in North Central Arizona below the Mogollon Rim northwest of Sedona. GC, carved carve v. carved, carv·ing, carves v.tr. 1. a. To divide into pieces by cutting; slice: carved a roast. b. out of a cotton field near the southern edge of the San Joaquin Valley Noun 1. San Joaquin Valley - a vast valley in central California known for its rich farmland Calif., California, Golden State, CA - a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes in 1989, might be the best golf bargain in 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, . How about $33 to play 36 holes with a cart and finish in eight hours, including a stop for lunch? That's the weekday rate at this par-72, 7,100-yard course about 15 miles east of the Grapevine Grapevine - A distributed system project. . Greens fees are $22 a round, including cart, with a $11 replay charge. Golfers aged 50 and older are charged just $16 for the first round and can tour 36 holes for $27. It gets better for tournaments. Round up 48 players and the Sycamore Canyon management will take your group to and from the course by bus for a $55-per-player fee that includes lunch, range balls and unlimited golf with cart. Have your players gather at your home course, work out the pairings and flights on the trip up and hand out the trophies on the trip home. How much easier and more reasonably priced can it be to put on a tournament? Depending on the time of year, you could play host to a 36-hole event. ``We call it the road-trip special,'' head pro Eric Ramer said of the buses that range as far as 2 1/2 hours from the course. ``I think we're the only course in this area that does it.'' Smaller groups who opt to drive - it's about a 1 1/2-hour trip from the 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. - will be rewarded by smooth-rolling greens and a summertime pace of play that starts smoothly enough in the mornings and gets even better in the afternoons. ``The greens are usually excellent, rolling about 10-10.5 on the stimpmeter,'' said Ramer, who has been playing the course for seven years. ``They're a little slower now because it can get to be 108-110 degrees out here and they have to keep them longer and more watered '' It might be hard to find a canyon on this flat, lake-dotted layout, but locating a challenge is no problem. Play this 73.3-rated course from the tips and you'll get plenty of chances to avoid trouble - from strategically placed bunkers to difficult rough to the water that comes into play on nine holes to OB that brings risk into eight tee shots. You want length? All five of Sycamore sycamore: see plane tree. sycamore Any of several distinct trees called by the same name though in different genera and families. In the U.S. the term refers to the American plane tree or buttonwood (Platanus occidentalis), a hardy street tree. Canyon's back-nine par-4 holes stretch at least 400 yards, two of those dog-legging around water. The back-nine par-3s are 226 and 206 yards, both also involving water. The front nine is nearly 250 yards shorter than the 3,672-yard back nine but has its own trouble areas - notably holes 6 to 9, which include three of the most difficult handicap holes on the course. That run starts with the No. 1-handicap sixth, a 425-yard par-4, followed by the 5-handicap, 417-yard seventh. Then, after a 181-yard par-3 with a green flanked by leftside water, the front nine concludes with a 602-yard, par-5 dogleg dog·leg n. 1. a. Something that has a sharp bend, especially a road or route that bends abruptly. b. A sharp bend or turn: Make a dogleg at the fire station and continue south. around water - the No. 3 handicap hole at Sycamore Canyon. Survive that stretch and take on one of the course's most intriguing in·trigue n. 1. a. A secret or underhand scheme; a plot. b. The practice of or involvement in such schemes. 2. A clandestine love affair. v. holes, the 460-yard, dogleg-left 10th that wraps around a lake. Play it safe off the tee here and you'll face a long approach shot or maybe run your drive through the fairway dogleg into rough. Cut the corner too much and risk hitting water. Get past those five holes with a score intact and prepare for Sycamore Canyon's 1-2 punch consisting of the 440-yard, par-4 13th - another dogleg around water - and the 226-yard, par-3 14th that requires a carry over water. Good course, great bargain. EXCURSION excursion /ex·cur·sion/ (eks-kur´zhun) a range of movement regularly repeated in performance of a function, e.g., excursion of the jaws in mastication. Destination: Arvin Course: Sycamore Canyon GC Vital stats: Back tees: 7,100 yards, par 72, men's rating 73.3, slope 119; forward tees: par 72, 5,744 yards, women's rating 72.6, slope 124. Rates: Weekdays: $26 w/cart ($11 for replay); age 50-over $16 w/cart ($11 replay); twilight twilight, period between sunset and total darkness or between total darkness and sunrise. Total darkness does not occur immediately when the sun sinks below the horizon because light from the sun that strikes the atmosphere is scattered (both by the air itself and by (noon) $16 w/cart ($11 replay). Weekends: $26 w/cart ($11 replay); twilight (noon) $21 w/cart ($11 replay). Head professional: Eric Ramer Phone: 661-854-3163 Notable: Arvin City Championship scheduled for Sept. 8-9. CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Dennis Ford of Valencia putts at Sycamore Canyon GC, which could be the best golf bargain in Southern California. Dave Shelburne/Staff Photographer Box: EXCURSION (see text) |
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