From the Editor by Scott Seward “A The West Coast is the Best Coast
re We Still #1?” the headline queried. The April/May 2014
edition of The Met Golfer, the
magazine for the Metropolitan Golf Association in New York, sought to answer that question with an article that was a follow-up to a similar piece it published 21 years ago. And while metropolitan New York has a lot of reasons to consider itself the nation’s best golf region, we beg to differ with our East Coast friends. And the Bluebook edition of NCGA Golf you now hold in your hands is our counter. While Northern California’s tour- nament history and legacy of top play- ers is legion, I think the region’s best attribute is its incredible diversity of landscapes, and public access to spec- tacular courses. From the Monterey Peninsula to San Francisco, from Lake Tahoe to the Sierra Foothills, and from Mt. Shasta down the Central Valley, there’s a panorama to suit every taste. It’s easy to forget that one of the
greatest courses in the world resides in Northern California—Pebble Beach Golf Links—and that it is publicly accessible.
As a Midwestern transplant, I was
entranced by the topography of the golf courses in Northern California. As I fi rst started visiting courses many years ago, it seemed that each one presented an incredible setting. I was overwhelmed by the vivid colors of green, brown and blue. We enlisted an all-star lineup of
writers to help us make the case that Northern California is the best golf region in the nation. To kick off the package, we called upon Boston-based illustrator Dan Vasconcellos to design the fi rst illustrated cover in the history of this magazine. A veteran of the trade, Vasconcellos’ work has appeared in the likes of The New York Times, Golf Magazine and Golf Digest. We
8 /
NCGA.ORG / WINTER 2015
trust our readers will enjoy pouring over his fi rst contribution to NCGA Golf. Sports Illustrated’s Alan Shipnuck writes the cover story, concluding: “It doesn’t get any better than this.” Golfweek architecture editor Brad Klein takes us on an architecture tour of our region, pointing out some well-known, as well as some lesser-known, archi- tectural gems. And the San Francisco Chronicle’s Ron Kroichick provides a detailed ranking of the greatest players the region has produced. While it may be no surprise that Johnny Miller and Juli Inkster top the rankings, some of the other names on the list might spur some debate. To complete the package, our Kevin
Merfeld contributes a column outlin- ing his dream 18 holes made up of the seven courses in Pebble Beach. A spoiled local, Merfeld became familiar with the Pebble Beach courses as a junior golfer and caddie. We’re interested in your dream 18
holes in Northern California, as well. So visit the NCGA Facebook page at
facebook.com/ncgagolf and tell us your dream routing. We’ll publish some of your lists in our spring issue. NCGA Course Rating Director
Jim Cowan has seen practically every course in the Association, and his
unique perspective on the interesting courses and individual holes you might not be aware of is an enjoyable read. The doyen of Sacramento golf media,
Frank LaRosa, profi les NCGA Presi- dent Lee Gidney’s home course, Cypress Lakes, in Vacaville. Cypress Lakes has a sterling reputation in military golf circles, and welcomes public play. A Q&A with the “Prince of Pebble,”
Mark O’Meara, completes the features in this issue. As with every other Bluebook, the
most comprehensive directory of golf in the region is included in the back of this edition. It would be easy to move the directory purely online. But we still believe in the value of a printed maga- zine detailing the member clubs of the NCGA, tournament schedules and other listings. This is a useful resource, arriving just after the beginning of the membership year. Be sure to use your $15 gift card to The Golf Mart found on page 16. You’re already on your way to paying for your membership! So be proud, Northern Californians!
In our view, you get to play golf in the greatest region in the country.
SCOTT SEWARD
No where else can a golfer duplicate Jack Nicklaus posing on the 18th hole of the greatest public-access course on earth.
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