When we moved to Santa Rosa, California I didn’t realize how many Troon courses were in the area. Not far from where we live you’ll find Marin Country Club, a course I’ve had the chance to visit twice now. The first time I was there I spent time with their Membership Director, got a full tour of the clubhouse, had lunch and their Director of Golf set me up with 18 holes. I decided to walk and really enjoyed my experience. You can read more about that round here. Last week, actually, we headed back to Marin for a quick tour and 18 holes. I again got a chance to spend time with their Membership Director and also had the pleasure of meeting their new General Manager.
A few days later my buddy Marc sent me a text. We play golf together almost every weekend and were looking for an excuse to skip town for the day. I’ve been wanting to play Hiddenbrooke Golf Club since moving to the Bay Area, so we booked a tee time and headed to Vallejo. To sweeten the pot, Marc promised a fried chicken place we had to visit. Sadly, after our round, we learned they were closed. What kind of fried chicken restaurant is closed on Sunday?! Oh, wait.
On the way to the golf course, I did some research. A few years ago Hiddenbrooke hosted the Samsung World Championship, an LPGA Tour event featuring the best female golfers in the world. The event was held here between 2000-2002 with names like Juli Inkster and Annika Sörenstam winning it all. It was neat to see that event promoted throughout the property.
I’ve heard a lot about this place, including the layout, course conditions and the setting. It looks amazing online and while it took us an hour to get there, it was worth every mile. We pulled in, dropped the clubs off and were greeted by a gigantic clubhouse. We got settled and I decided to walk. Due to the rain, it was cart path only, and walking would give me an excuse to create some content… Like this blog post! I grabbed a push cart and we headed to the range. Marc recommended I take a cart to the range… Glad I did, because the range isn’t next to the clubhouse like most courses. The range is interesting, though. In the photo gallery below you will see a photo of a big hill… That’s the range. You literally hit balls into the hillside. It was a unique experience. From there we rolled some putts and it was time to tee off.
Before we did I hit the restroom just in time to see a notification on my phone… Kobe Bryant had died in a helicopter crash. It took a few holes for it to really sink in, and as I type this, it doesn’t seem real to me. Please take a moment of silence to remember one of the greatest basketball players of all time. 41… Gone too soon.
To start my round I topped a 3 wood and made double on the first hole. The score didn’t really matter because all I could think about was Kobe. A few holes later I was able to calm down a little bit. Hit a few good shots. Still struggling off the tee, though. Played better on the back. Chris told me to, “Finish strong.” Played the last 3 holes -1.
I really enjoyed the golf course. It is hard… Reminded me a lot of The Fountaingrove Club. Had some Yocha Dehe Golf Club characteristics to it, too. The course is spread out with a lot of undulation. The front 9 ended up being 8,510 steps/3.82 miles. After 9 holes Marc asked me if I was going to ride. Nope! I am in it for the long haul.
Not sure how, but every hole on the back felt like it was uphill. 10 was relatively flat, but after that, we just kept climbing… By the time we were finished my legs were like JELL-O… The back ended up being 9,833 steps/4.39 miles for a grand total of 18,343 steps/8.72 miles. By the time we got home I could barely climb out of the car. Needless to say, I slept like a baby. I mean, I already fall asleep on the couch pretty much every night anyway. But last night I had an excuse!
I got the chance to meet their Head Golf Professional before we teed off. Before I left the golf shop he handed me a scorecard, pin sheet and yardage book. I was really impressed with the presentation and it did help throughout my round. They don’t have caddies at Hiddenbrooke, but it felt like I was talking to one while reading these materials. Not sure who produced them, but I will be showing this stuff to the Membership & Marketing Committee as well as our Head Golf Professional here in Santa Rosa.
Like I said, I really enjoyed the layout and while it was wet, and we didn’t get much/any roll, I really enjoyed the round. More than anything, I enjoyed spending time with Marc and Chris. Can’t wait for our next round together. Where should we play next?
Oh, I almost forgot… So I’ve been hitting the ball pretty bad lately. On the front I found a yellow Pinnacle Rush. According to their website, this ball “is designed to deliver extraordinary distance helping golfers of all abilities hit the ball farther with every club. The high energy core along with a soft cover and advanced 332 icosahedral dimple design combine for a powerful, consistent ball flight for long distance with every club.” It worked for me. Played 12 holes with it. Even got it to spin on a long par 3 on the back. Lost the ball a few holes later, but will never forget the sound it made coming off the clubface!
