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Yosemite National Park


and daughter currently serving our military, photo and all.


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SOUTHEAST I just returned from ratings at


Furnace Creek GC in Death Valley (the extreme southeast corner of our territory) and Mt. Whitney GC (Lone Pine). And for dessert, I mea- sured Wawona GC in Yosemite on the way back. For obvious reasons we try to wait until October to tackle Furnace Creek. Charming little community, sublime course. Several of the raters that attended did so because this was


the one part of California that they had never seen. They will be back! And just to seal


the deal, fresh fallen snow graced the peaks that serve as the backdrop at Mt. Whitney GC. But it’s more than the golf. I just


find something therapeutic about driving through the Eastern Sierras (especially when Tiago Pass is open). Of course, the fact that all roads lead back to a certain famous bakery in Bishop doesn’t hurt any. Suffice to say that the entire


NCGA staff gets downright giddy when they know I’m heading east of


Snow Creek


the Sierras. Not only does it mean that I will be out of the office for a few days (a holiday in and of itself), but I will be bringing back goodies in the form of turnovers from Erick Schat’s Bak- kery—67 alone in the past two years. Last year we rated the three equally inspiring courses in Bishop and Mam- moth Lakes—Sierra Star, Snow Creek and Bishop CC. And on my way out of town, just for good measure, I always stop at a different Schat’s in Mammoth for a carved-off-the-turkey sandwich on a still warm and fresh ciabatta roll. Just seeing those establishments ap- pear on my credit card statement next month will make my mouth water.


CENTRAL COAST Alas, no ratings in the extreme southwest corner of the NCGA in 2015 (Paso Robles/San Luis Obispo/ Morro Bay area). Too bad, because there are some fun, fun courses there as well. (And don’t get me started about the tri-tip sandwich at Fires- tone Grill in SLO!) But don’t just take it from me, ask


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any of our raters who give up their own time to rate at these destinations. Special places and special memories worthy of every golfer’s bucket list.


Jim Cowan is the NCGA’s Director of Course Rating and Handicapping


FALL 2015 / NCGA.ORG / 67


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