Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Padraig Dooley on October 23, 2010, 10:29:21 AM
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I'm pottering around California at the moment. I spent the last three days playing at Claremont CC in Oakland. It is the nicest surprise for me this year. I knew it would be nice but nowhere nearly as good as it is.
It's MacKenzie, par 68, 5500 yards and built on 80 acres. If you don't have your finesse game with you, you could easily walk home with your tail between your legs. There is great movement on the greens and proper positioning on the greens is tantamount to scoring.
It is a true reflection of MacKenzie's genius that he designed such a good course in such a small, slightly hilly property.
Here are some photos.
1st, Short Par 5
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1031.jpg)
Approach on 1
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1033.jpg)
2nd, Long Par 3
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1034.jpg)
3rd, Short downhill par 3
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1037.jpg)
4th, Medium par 4, don't be above the hole!
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1038.jpg)
5th, Short par 4, almost driveable, green runs away from the player, real precision required for the short approach.
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1039.jpg)
6th, Short par 4, about 260, anything short of the green can run back 70 yards.
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1041.jpg)
7th Medium par 4, great view of the Bay Area from the tee. MacKenzie was never afraid of crossing holes. The 7th fairway crosses in front of the 5th tee and 4th green.
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1043.jpg)
8th Downhill Par 3
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1045.jpg)
9th Medium par 4, easy to get stuck behind the redwood on the right off the tee.
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1049-1.jpg)
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Padraig -
Thanks for the pics. I hope you will post the back-9 as well. The course underwent a significant restoration several years ago and now looks & plays great.
For a "short course," Claremont can play plenty long at times, especially with two par-3s over 200 yards. If you are still in the Bay Area, feel free to get in touch via e-mail (tcmnav@aol.com) or IM.
DT
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On to the back nine
10th medium par 3, slightly elevated tee shot
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1050.jpg)
11th Medium par 4, elevated tee shot and approach to an elevated green, again stay below the hole.
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1051.jpg)
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1053.jpg)
12th longer par 4, semi blind tee shot
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1055.jpg)
13th Long par 3
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1056.jpg)
14th Short par 4, driveable especially when the tee is forward.
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1057.jpg)
15th Medium par 4 with a right to left fairway cant and creek on the left.
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1059.jpg)
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1060.jpg)
16th Medium par 4 tight with the creek on the left again.
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1063.jpg)
17th Short uphill par 3 another devilish green
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc235/pdools/Claremont/CIMG1064.jpg)
For some reason I don't have a photo of the par 5 finishing 18th but it's just about 500 yards nice right to left sloping fairway, very important to leave the second shot in the correct position in order to gain access to the flag.
In conclusion Claremont is a great little course, really fun. They have just finished renovating the bunkers and quite a few trees have come out with more to come. If you get a chance to play there, take it, otherwise it would be a missed opportunity.
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It's not really a Mackenzie, although Mac polished it up and did the bunkering. They can thank Jim Urbina for some of the recent work.
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Wow.... I spent a couple summers caddying out there a few years ago and the bunker / tree work is really quite impressive.
The third hole looks completely different without the grove of trees behind the green. It's also nice that you still aren't able to see the road behind the green.
It seems like a course anybody should be able to tear up, but as mentioned earlier, there are many subtleties as well as double bogeys waiting on every shot.
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Where have our Bay Area friends been on this one? It looks like a hidden gem.
From where on earth did this club get the good sense to hire Urbina?
Great pictures.
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Thanks for the pictures, wonderful. I love the bunkers and the use of the elevation changes. And the 13th, there is just something about that one I really like. And 3, 6, 9, 10, 17, just delightful. Sure looks like a course that tempts and as Robert suggests, one where you walk off with a higher score than one thought. It looks splendid. Thanks!!
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From where on earth did this club get the good sense to hire Urbina?
Great pictures.
Lynn,
Jim was working for me at the time, although I only made one or two visits at the very beginning, and told them they would be dealing exclusively with Jim. I think it was Dave Wilber who recommended us for the job.
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Lynn,
I have enjoyed my relationship with the group at Claremont CC. The committee and especially Jay the pro at Claremont have been very supportive of the Mackenzie restoration. I flipped back and forth between Pasatiempo and Claremont over the last several years. I have spent a lot of time working on both of these projects.
It's great to see the final product enjoyed by many. But really all I was doing was taking the old B/W pictures and painting out lines in the dirt from the photos.
Joel,
Thank you for the acknowledgement. But in fairness to all who have been involved, the work was a team effort including help from George Waters, Brian Schneider, Kye Goalby on several occasions, Kyle Franz and Tony Russell. No Egos involved with this group just a bunch of guys doing cool stuff.
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Jim and the rest team Doak, great work. My I cannot wait to get over the bridge and see this in person. Padraig, thank you for the pictures.
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Bravo to Claremont for hiring Doak and "his boys." I would love to hear more. Was it just bunkers? Was there tree removal? Are the greens the originals? Who at the club initiated this?
Jim, driving from Santa Cruz to Oakland and back. Welcome to California, you now have a sense of real traffic.
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Lynn,
The project started by working on the 7th, 11th and 12th greens and bunkers respectfully. The 7th green was changed years ago by someone else and visibly not in character with the rest of the golf greens. Jay Macdaniel the pro was instrumental in hiring us and I still remember the first interview process. My slide show must have impressed someone, I know I was a little anxious.
The bunkers were redone on the 7th hole during the same time period. When we moved over to the 11th hole and those bunkers were restored the club was convinced that "the boys" were more then capable of helping out with the clubs long term goals.
The greens were all original except for the 7th. Some of the bunkers had been modified over time and you know as well as anyone how bunkers morph with age. The club had pretty good documentation and I spent a lot of my time in the Claremont history room where the OLD photos were stored. All of the bunkers have been restored except one and that one is located real close to the Tennis Courts so we mutually agreed it wasn't worth restoring even though the thought process by either Mackenzie or Hunter was a pretty cool feature.
Claremont CC will host the Mackenzie Cup in 2011 and I am looking forward to seeing what the rest of the Mackenzie enthusiast think about the 5 crossover holes in place.
Tiger,
Thanks,
It was a labor of love.
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Bravo to Claremont for hiring Doak and "his boys." I would love to hear more. Was it just bunkers? Was there tree removal? Are the greens the originals? Who at the club initiated this?
Jim, driving from Santa Cruz to Oakland and back. Welcome to California, you now have a sense of real traffic.
Lynn, there was tree removal, some flower bed removal and some more tree removal to come.
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Claremont, it is coming back to me, wasn't this the home club of Robert Hunter?
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If you liked Claremont, try Sequoia CC and Mira Vista CC in the Oakland hills! Great old golf courses lost in time.
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Padraig, I live right down the street from this place, you might have seen me walking my dogs on the bordering roads! Thanks for the pics, I have not played it myself but looks like fun.
These pictures were obviously not taken over the weekend, the winter rainy season got off to an early start.
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Where have our Bay Area friends been on this one?
That man Spaulding was in town a year or so ago and a small group of NorCalers played Claremont, there was a topic on it back then.
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,28326.0/ (http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,28326.0/)
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Thanks Mike.
And thanks to the SoCal guy Spaulding for coming up and making the NorCal guys aware of Claremont.
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Padraig, I live right down the street from this place, you might have seen me walking my dogs on the bordering roads! Thanks for the pics, I have not played it myself but looks like fun.
These pictures were obviously not taken over the weekend, the winter rainy season got off to an early start.
Pictures were taken last Wednesday.
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Lynn,
Hunter was a member at Claremont for years. It was also the club that hosted Mackenzie and Ross for a round of golf and a pint of beer. Jay has a picture of the both of them sitting at an outside bar toasting a brew. Really the only time I have seen Ross or the Dr with a beer in the hand. The famous Old Dead Guys rarely had pictures taken while they were enjoying a cool one. They usually were shown pointing at nothing for photo Ops.
That is why I am so fond of the picture. I have it framed in my office as a testament to the simplicity of the craft. We tend to make them out to be more then what they were.
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As a native Nor Cal I would venture to say that many in the Bay Area are not aware that Claremont exists. If they do they may think it is related to hotel/resort in Berkley
I have had the opportunity to have lunch there on many occasions and agree it is a beautiful facility. If memory serves you are required to wear long pants and take a caddy. Is that correct. Given the location long pants are probably a good idea no matter.
Last it is most definitely the home to many Old Blues!
John
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Lynn,
Hunter was a member at Claremont for years. It was also the club that hosted Mackenzie and Ross for a round of golf and a pint of beer. Jay has a picture of the both of them sitting at an outside bar toasting a brew. Really the only time I have seen Ross or the Dr with a beer in the hand. The famous Old Dead Guys rarely had pictures taken while they were enjoying a cool one. They usually were shown pointing at nothing for photo Ops.
That is why I am so fond of the picture. I have it framed in my office as a testament to the simplicity of the craft. We tend to make them out to be more then what they were.
JC, I saw Donald Ross's home in Pinehurst yesterday and stepped into his tiny office where our host told us he kept a table with drinks in the corner for entertaining clients. Our host showed us an original hand colored routing from 1915 of a course in Ohio. So I guess he did drink, as a good Scotsman should!
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Thanks for sharing the pictures. The bunker restoration looks great.
Chris
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Padraig- thanks so much for the pictures. I lived in Oakland for a year and would drive by the course squinting for a glimpse. It's nice to get a look at it. For those familiar with Oakland, it is amazing that a course this impressive is so close to some pretty rough urban neighborhoods.
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Had the chance to play here yesterday with two other GCA people and it was a wonderful treat. I've played here a few times but the restoration effort has really produced a gem of a golf course. The course has character, is challenging and lots of fun which is just about everything you could ask for in a golf course.
I'm not sure who the super is but he does a really good job and the staff is wonderful.
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Joel-- Happy Birthday- Can we make it public that we have watched Ran Morrissett the once high and mighty player hit nothing but 3 hybrids off tees as he has a bigger aversion to the driver than Tiger Woods?
I think the routing especially on the parcel of land that houses holes 2-7 and the land for 8 and 9 is the best part of Claremont. If Jim Urbina somehow sees this maybe he can confirm (and this is what I saw in the clubhouse) that Mackenzie did not route the course at all and just rebunkered. There is a great meandering creek at Claremont which could have been used to wonderful strategic effect but instead is hemmed in with Redwood trees and has little strategic value. Perhaps the steep valley the course resides in on the back 9 limited options.
The course certainly plays or feels a lot longer that 5600 yards or so and the bunker restoration is terrific. I really thought this qualifies as one of the sportier courses in the US and it would be great to be a member and play.
We played in 2:55 walking and that is with Ran stopping on every hole to look for a wayward shot-- for those scoring on GCA, Ran was even par thru 6 before the wheels fell off.
Im very impressed with this course and given our visit last month to a club in the East Bay I will not mention, this is really a superior place for the game with an old historic feel to it.
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I actually just had my first opportunity to play this course a week ago. There are lots of fun holes on the course. The course feels short but it does not feel like it's 5,500 yards.
The pictures posted are great but also don't show a few of the my favorite aspects of the course. The bunkering short of the hole on the par-3 3rd (which you can't see from the tee), and just how much the 11th green is wedged into a rock outcropping. Pinball definitely possible.
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I played with JLahrman last week (my second and thrid loops of the course, having played it in 2009). With the removel of a large tree blocking the right half of the green, I think the short and slightly uphill 17th is one of the best par 3s' in Northern California. Really, all 6 (!) of the par 3's are pretty good, and no two seem too annoyingly similar.
The long approach coming in on the 18th (for those attempting to reach in 2), off a hanging lie and (hopefully) carrying the first bunker before passing between the greenside traps, is deliciously fun to pull off.
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Can we make it public that we have watched Ran Morrissett the once high and mighty player hit nothing but 3 hybrids off tees as he has a bigger aversion to the driver than Tiger Woods?
Im very impressed with this course and given our visit last month to a club in the East Bay I will not mention, this is really a superior place for the game with an old historic feel to it.
Yes Ran's lame excuse of playing the course the way Mackenzie wanted doesn't really fly. His swing was better than I had seen previously and he had it going but mid way it fell apart.
Claremont is really the gem of the east bay and one of the better courses in the Bay Area. IMHO, the only other course on that side of the bay is Stonebrae and that's a very different course and membership.
I hope Jim comments on the course and what he did here. I didn't feel the bunkers where not very Mackenzie-ish until the 11th and those holes add a very different feel to the course. It has some very different design variety through out the course.
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No mention of final result from you two leads one to conclude a post/thread/email is forthcoming in which GMBF details a cold-blooded West Coast double crushing.
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... one day. :-\
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As I understand it the course owes a lot more to Robert Hunter than it does to Mackenzie. Tully may chime in as he knows some more about it than I do.
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No mention of final result from you two leads one to conclude a post/thread/email is forthcoming in which GMBF details a cold-blooded West Coast double crushing.
Unfortunately, GMBF is averse to matches versus me as he is 0-3 and 1 in his last 4. .In fact his only win against me was Cuscowilla in 2001 back when his odometer had a 3 handle to it..
Ran is officially off the fashion faux pas deep end as well. Having split his pants at the Olympics Cliffs course the previous round, Golf's most beloved felt the need to run to a San Francisco haberdashery and ask for the sartorial splendor of Nantucket salmon coloured trousers which were cuffed under pressure from the North Carolina Nightmare in 20 minutes. Coupled with his suddenly Germanic sense of eyeglass wear- (something like Vuarnet's from the 80s) with sharper edges, Ran truly looks outfitted for the elderly cruise set going up the Alaska coastline. Maybe he's going to romance some 80 year old former heiress/debutante like that guy who married Martha Raye back in the 90s-- Polident anyone?
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Purposely demanding woefully outdated cuffs elevates this from farce to tragedy.
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As I understand it the course owes a lot more to Robert Hunter than it does to Mackenzie. Tully may chime in as he knows some more about it than I do.
I assumed Hunter was involved since he was a member at Claremont and was probably the design associate? The plaque on the grounds and other items in the clubhouse give all the credit to Jim Smith for the 1903 design and Mackenzie for the remodel in 1929. As much as I have followed his chronology it wouldn't surprise me if he spent very few days there.
Rans pants didn't bother me as much as the stripped multi colored Cabot Links golf shirt that clashed with the outfit. He is a walking endorsment for Cabot Links now days.
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Claremont is really the gem of the east bay and one of the better courses in the Bay Area. IMHO, the only other course on that side of the bay is Stonebrae and that's a very different course and membership.
I've played it and it's a nice course, but can a course of that length really be compared to a quality championship course like Stonebrae? Maybe that says more about the lack of quality courses in the East Bay. I haven't played any of the other private courses, but given equal conditioning and price, etc, I think I'd be at least equally likely to play Met, Monarch Bay, or Calippe on a regular basis as Claremont. Maybe even Poppy Ridge or Wente.
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Claremont is really the gem of the east bay and one of the better courses in the Bay Area. IMHO, the only other course on that side of the bay is Stonebrae and that's a very different course and membership.
I've played it and it's a nice course, but can a course of that length really be compared to a quality championship course like Stonebrae? Maybe that says more about the lack of quality courses in the East Bay. I haven't played any of the other private courses, but given equal conditioning and price, etc, I think I'd be at least equally likely to play Met, Monarch Bay, or Calippe on a regular basis as Claremont. Maybe even Poppy Ridge or Wente.
I'd play Claremont over Wente at every opportunity.
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I meant in terms of private clubs. I still feel it's a real gem of a course. I haven't played Ruby Hill but again like Stonebrae you are talking about a big modern tournament course.
In terms of public courses, the only course in the East Bay that I would consider is Metro over Claremont.
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Joel,
I agree that Stonebrae and Claremont are the best private courses I've seen on this side of the bay.
In the right hands, I think Castlewood CC (Hill) and Diablo CC could become old-school charmers that rival Claremont for local quality.
Ruby Hill has wide fairways and large flat (!!!) greens, so length and bunkers are the primary challenges. Handicaps for RH members do not travel well, I'll reckon. I know several members and have had some very enjoyable days out there (including a 100-hoel charity shindig), but judging from your posts, I do not believe it it would fit your tastes.
I'm keen to see Orinda CC, Sequoyia and Mira Vista at some point but beyond that the private scene is pretty thin east of SF, by my reckoning.
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Joel,
I agree that Stonebrae and Claremont are the best private courses I've seen on this side of the bay.
In the right hands, I think Castlewood CC (Hill) and Diablo CC could become old-school charmers that rival Claremont for local quality.
Ruby Hill has wide fairways and large flat (!!!) greens, so length and bunkers and the primary challenges. Handicaps for RH members do not travel well, I'll reckon. I know several members and have had some very enjoyable days out there (including a 100-hoel charity shindig), but judging from your posts, I do not believe it it would fit your tastes.
I'm keen to see Orinda CC, Sequoyia and Mira Vista at some point but beyond that the private scene is pretty thin east of SF, by my reckoning.
Have only played Stonebrae and Mira Vista in the East Bay, and can easily recommend the latter. The Richardson/Fine work at MV is top notch, which is a 180 degrees from a nothing-of-a-course to a very good, very fun, appropriately challenging round of golf. If Ran et. al. are touring the Bay Area, someone should steer them tout de suite to the Berkeley hills.
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Joel
Sean Tully and I have written an article on the activities of the American Golf Course Construction Company which was originally headed by Charles Mackenzie and Robert Hunter Jr, until Hunter Jr took over after Charles returned to Britain. it will appear in the next issue of the SAGCA's "Golf Architecture' magazine, due out next month.
Here is what Sean wrote about Claremont from the article:
Claremont Country Club
This Oakland course was renovated in 1920-21 by William Watson and is one with close ties to Robert Hunter as he was a member. In 1926 remodelling again occurred under the direction of William Fries the club professional, however, the work was not well received and his services were dispensed with – both as architect and professional. Given Hunter’s knowledge of the course the club turned to him and he brought in Mackenzie for advice, although it is likely Hunter directed the work. The bunkering scheme was updated, and changes to greens implemented, in particular the 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 12th, 13th, 17th and 18th greens. The AGCCCo undertook the construction work in a number of stages, beginning in 1927 – company advertisements in November 1927 listed Claremont as a remodelling project – and continued through to at least the middle of 1929.
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Has anyone ever played Contra Costa CC in Pleasant Hill? The club promotes their Vernon Macan heritage on their website:
http://www.contracostacc.org/viewCustomPage.aspx?id=51
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Has anyone ever played Contra Costa CC in Pleasant Hill? The club promotes their Vernon Macan heritage on their website:
http://www.contracostacc.org/viewCustomPage.aspx?id=51
Before Joel comes on here to insult the course, I grew up playing this course and Orinda, where my family is members still.
They are both fun tracks to chase the little round white ball.
Orinda is actually full of charm and goofy shots, I quite like it.
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Joel
Sean Tully and I have written an article on the activities of the American Golf Course Construction Company which was originally headed by Charles Mackenzie and Robert Hunter Jr, until Hunter Jr took over after Charles returned to Britain. it will appear in the next issue of the SAGCA's "Golf Architecture' magazine, due out next month.
Here is what Sean wrote about Claremont from the article:
Claremont Country Club
This Oakland course was renovated in 1920-21 by William Watson and is one with close ties to Robert Hunter as he was a member. In 1926 remodelling again occurred under the direction of William Fries the club professional, however, the work was not well received and his services were dispensed with – both as architect and professional. Given Hunter’s knowledge of the course the club turned to him and he brought in Mackenzie for advice, although it is likely Hunter directed the work. The bunkering scheme was updated, and changes to greens implemented, in particular the 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 12th, 13th, 17th and 18th greens. The AGCCCo undertook the construction work in a number of stages, beginning in 1927 – company advertisements in November 1927 listed Claremont as a remodelling project – and continued through to at least the middle of 1929.
Neil: I know you did and appreciate the work. The only part of Tullys writing is that Hunter "brought in Mackenzie for advice" which could be broad or narrow in interpretation? The club hosted the Mackenzie Cup last year so I'm only guessing Mackenzie was a little more involved than giving advice?
Jed: I'm not going to insult CCC? LOL. It's a 1990's Graves remodel of a 1920's course. Nuff said.
Orinda is a decent course. They had hired Harbottle to do some work. I'm not sure what the plan is now, hopefully they pick someone with some classic restoration experience.
The club with the most potential for a great golf course (if they did a complete renovation) would be Richmond CC.
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Claremont is indeed a really fun, neat golf course. A great blend of quirk, charm, great bunkering, challenging greens. Does play longer than the yardage on the card, at least it feels like it. Similar in feel to Claremont is Sequoyah, which I also found to be an enjoyable, sporty test of golf. Like Claremont, it is short, with tough greens and some elevation change. It too is well worth seeking out if in the Oakland area.
Mira Vista is indeed a very good golf course. I didn't know anything about it until playing it earlier in the year, but was a great surprise it turned out to be. It has quality hole after quality hole, great views, and was in very good shape when I played it. It gets my vote for top course that I've played in the East Bay, but have not played some of the older clubs, such as Contra Costa, Orinda, or Richmond.
I would have a tough time comparing Stonebrae or Ruby Hill to Claremont. They are such different golf courses. Not that there is anything wrong with a modern, tournament style golf course, it just is pretty much impossible to compare them to one another.
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Joel,
I agree that Stonebrae and Claremont are the best private courses I've seen on this side of the bay.
In the right hands, I think Castlewood CC (Hill) and Diablo CC could become old-school charmers that rival Claremont for local quality.
Ruby Hill has wide fairways and large flat (!!!) greens, so length and bunkers and the primary challenges. Handicaps for RH members do not travel well, I'll reckon. I know several members and have had some very enjoyable days out there (including a 100-hoel charity shindig), but judging from your posts, I do not believe it it would fit your tastes.
I'm keen to see Orinda CC, Sequoyia and Mira Vista at some point but beyond that the private scene is pretty thin east of SF, by my reckoning.
Have only played Stonebrae and Mira Vista in the East Bay, and can easily recommend the latter. The Richardson/Fine work at MV is top notch, which is a 180 degrees from a nothing-of-a-course to a very good, very fun, appropriately challenging round of golf. If Ran et. al. are touring the Bay Area, someone should steer them tout de suite to the Berkeley hills.
+1 on Mira Vista, great redo by Richardson.
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Has anyone ever played Contra Costa CC in Pleasant Hill? The club promotes their Vernon Macan heritage on their website:
http://www.contracostacc.org/viewCustomPage.aspx?id=51
David, I played Contra Costa two weeks ago. It is hard to evaluate the course architecturally due to its conditioning...it plays VERY soft and needs a lot of work to improve drainage and turf firmness. I had two drives that plugged in the fairway despite the fact that the round was played this time of the year. It is a good "walk" (tees close to greens and not hilly), and would be a good option as a family club if one lives in the area, but on a GCA basis the course is not very interesting.
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Orinda is a decent course. They had hired Harbottle to do some work. I'm not sure what the plan is now, hopefully they pick someone with some classic restoration experience.
The course superintendent and Green Committee are currently working on a tree management program on a hole-by-hole basis, with great results so far. Like Claremont, Orinda has some redwoods and other trees that dominate the landscape in places that are bad for golf, shading greens. These trees, like many on the course, are not native and were introduced over the last 50 years.
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How does Claremont CC compare in terms of MacKenzie in the overall Bay Area?
From pics alone, it seems somewhat like a cross between Meadow Club and Green Hills CC. A lot of up and down like Green Hills CC at least. I could be off of course, but that's the initial impression.
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I would rate it about even with Meadow Club (maybe just a tiny notch below) and better than Green Hills.
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NFreeman,
I believe that Robert Hunter was actively involved with Claremont from the start. The bunkering has the same stamp of approval that other Hunter courses had when he was involved- The Valley Club of Montecito/ Pasatiempo, the layering of the bunkering was the same at the previous clubs mentioned, I also saw this style of layering at Cypress Point most notably the 11th hole.
Two holes had been adjusted after Hunter and Mackenzie did the rework of Claremont. Holes # 2 was shortened from a short par 4 to a par 3 and the angle of the 10th hole a par 3 was changed from the lower location next to the 9th green to an upper tee located next to the tennis courts that played across a deep ravine and showed off a rock quarry that borders the 10th green.
I am traveling right now but I know that the original club was formed further south closer to Oakland in 1897 and then moved north towards Berkley to its present location. I will check when I get back to my office later this week.
Jay the pro at Claremont deserves a majority of the credit for the restoration of the golf course. His dedication to The Golden Age designs was paramount and the majority of the education process directed to the members by Jay was as important.
After spending a considerable amount of time at Claremont over the years I am convinced that not all golf courses need to be 7,500 yards. Claremont is one of those clubs that exudes the Fun Factor in golf.
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Bump now that Claremont's 11th is the feature pic on the home page.
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Guess I have to go back to NorCal, then... Looks and sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks to all who have contributed.
Having seen Jim Urbina's great handiwork at Santa Cruz and Montecito, I can imagine how impressive this must be.
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As a matter of interest, if I wanted (as a non-member) to pitch up for a game, how much would the green fee be ?
Niall
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Niall -
Like the vast majority of golf clubs in the U.S., Claremont does not allow visitor play unless accompanied by a member (but I am guessing you know that!).
DT