What’s on your bucket list? January always brings talk of resolutions, so it seems
appropriate to ask that age-old question. And this issue of NCGA Golf, the traditional golf course directory edi- tion, is the perfect guide to inspire your list. Whether it’s finally securing a starting time at that
dream course, making an ace, winning a tournament or achieving a single-digit handicap, this issue has the information to help you achieve your goals. A few years ago I had the pleasure of scratching perhaps my most-difficult- to-achieve entry. Quick background—I was a 5 handicap at the time, but struggled to make birdies. The consistent avoidance of double bogeys was my
game’s defining characteristic. But on one magic day at Woodbridge Country Club, I stood at one under par with four holes to go. Needless to say I floated through those last holes, my playing companions (fellow NCGA course raters) treating me like I was pitching a perfect game—that is, no one spoke to me. When I tapped in for my first, and only, red-numbered round, the sense of accomplishment I felt was profound. Notching items on a bucket list can do that to you. Sometimes we plan events that fulfill our bucket
list, and sometimes the events come out of nowhere and leave you in a dream-like trance. You see, we can achieve some items on a list simply with financial resources (play the Old Course), but some seemingly require divine intervention (make a hole-in-one). As an avid golfer, it’s the latter that you can spend a lifetime hoping for. While not a normal point/counterpoint question,
the San Francisco Chronicle’s Ron Kroichick and our own Kevin Merfeld describe their bucket lists. Merfeld joins us for this issue as the NCGA’s new communica- tions manager after several years with the Monterey County Herald. When the San Francisco Giants won the World
Series in 2010, many Northern Californians took a pen to their bucket lists. How do you quantify the 2012 championship? Not easy to do, but it is safe to say that between a terrific 2012 U.S. Open at Olympic, the Oakland A’s division title, the resurgent 49ers, a No. 1-ranked Cal golf team and the Giants, the Bay Area basked in a fantastic 12 months. To kick off 2013,
Kroichick, who has spent many a March in Arizona, provides readers with a guide to the perfect spring training trip to Scottsdale. Follow Kroichick’s suggestions to enjoy golf and a Cactus League Giants or A’s game.
Lahontan GC in Truckee, the home course of
NCGA President Dan Hansford, is featured on the cover, continuing a long tradition of tributes to the home clubs of the Association’s elected leader. We asked Sports Illustrated’s Alan Shipnuck to
construct the perfect modern golfer, taking the best elements from the finest male and female pros. Northern California native Dennis Haysbert, best
known as the president in “24,” shares his thoughts while quirky and beautiful Marin County is profiled beginning on page 38. In a new feature, KNBR’s Brian Murphy talks about the state of the game. Look for “Murphy’s Law” on the back page of each issue (or in the case of the golf course directory, the final page before the directory begins). This issue marks the first edition of NCGA Golf to be
available on your iPad or Android. Soon you’ll be able to visit your respective device’s app store to download the host application. The NCGA’s mobile application, also available via iTunes or the Android store, continues to evolve, with additional features such as the ability to make starting times using the NCGA Member Advantage Tee Time Portal. And don’t miss the generous coupon good at
all Worldwide Golf Shops in the region on page 50. Just another way NCGA membership maximizes your golf dollars. Here’s hoping that 2013 sees you scratch items off