Metropolitan Golf Links

Metro's new GM: Let's talk

2010-03-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

Leon P. Gilmore II, our new general manager, is eager for your thoughts, ideas, and criticisms regarding your experience at Metropolitan Golf Links as he works to secure the financial health of the facility.

You can reach him through the pro shop at (510) 569-5555 ext. 16, or via email.

Gilmore is taking time to meet with as many Metro stakeholders as he can. He spent some time recently with the Metropolitan Golf Club board of directors for example, and plans to shoot a few rounds with club members from time to time. The club lobbied for a few parts of the course to be designated as ground-under-repair for tournaments. Gilmore and Superintendent Gary Ingram promptly investigated that issue and are studying it.

Gilmore comes to us from the PGA TOUR, where he served as executive director of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Sonoma. In that capacity he was responsible for all tournament operations, growing tournament attendance by 100% in his first year on the job.

Gilmore also worked on the staff of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation where he spearheaded business development for AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach and The First Tee of Monterey County.

He's also a pretty decent golfer, having won a golf scholarship to attend Hampton University. He captained the team his senior year.

Among Gilmore's plans are to increase business for Metro's restaurant, and evangelize the use of the facility for community gatherings and events.

"Metro is a major asset to the community and we should take advantage of that," he said.

Kendra the wonderdog

2010-02-06T06:28:00.001-08:00

Kendra, a hard working canine, chases and harasses geese, gulls, and coots at Metro.

Superintendent Gary Ingram now blogging

2010-02-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

Metro Superintendent extraordinaire and all-around great guy Gary Ingram is now blogging about the course. Check it out here.

I just have to brag

2010-02-04T09:43:00.000-08:00

I can't help myself.

I shot my best round at Metro on Feb.3. Three birdies, two bogies and the rest pars for a 71. My playing partners also had great rounds -- Jerry carded a 77, Jim and 78 and Ed an 80.

What did I learn? That good rounds feel easy. That even a career round leaves you feeling you should have been one stroke better.

Most of folks probably would want to play like mad after such a round, but I feel like calling it a career and leaving on top ;) My golf career feels complete. Anyone want to buy some clubs?

Hahn qualifies for full status on Nationwide Tour

2009-12-10T11:10:00.000-08:00

Metro course record holder (along with Dong Yi) James Hahn came this close to qualifying for the PGA Tour. He needed a par on his last hole to make the number, but couldn't quite pull it off. Still, he had an incredible run and gets the chance to make some money and qualify for the PGA Tour via the Nationwide. Congrats!

Here's a little of what Ron Salsig had to say in the Alameda Sun:

Tragedy is the hallmark of Q-School, and Hahn became the poster boy for this year's event.

"I was talking a lot to myself on the last hole walking up, saying 'If it's my time, it's my time,"' Hahn said. "I'm not going to beat myself over the head about it. That's golf."

The world may think that Hahn's fate was cruel. But his story at the annual qualifying tournament for the PGA Tour was remarkably heroic, and clearly a victory.

A year ago, Hahn was selling shoes at Nordstrom, scratching out a living as a "paycheck-to-paycheck player." The former NCGA Jr. Champion considered quitting golf for good. But he qualified for the Canadian Tour, and won in Calgary. He finished third place in the Canadian Tour Championship, and earned enough money to enter Q-School.

Do the Happy Gilmore?

2009-11-28T06:03:00.000-08:00

Hahn qualifies for Q School Finals

2009-11-24T09:11:00.000-08:00

James Hahn is one big step away from qualifying for the PGA Tour.

Here's a YouTube clip of Hahn's swing at the Metro range, where you can often catch a view of his practice sessions:

The final stage of PGA TOUR q-school will be held Dec. 2-7 at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The low 25 scores over the 108 hole event will earn their PGA Tour cards for 2010. The rest of the field will have some degree of status on the Nationwide Tour.

Hahn gets 2nd win on Canadian Tour

2009-10-21T14:23:00.001-07:00

Alameda's James Hahn, former UC Berkeley player and frequent Metro visitor, has secured his second victory of the season on the Canadian Tour.

Hahn shot a four-under 68 on Sunday to earn the win at the Riviera Nayarit Classic in Mexico. His 269 was best by three strokes.

Hahn won the Edmonton Open earlier this year. He also shares the Metro course record of 63.

Metro and OTEI featured on Golf Channel program "Golf in America"

2009-10-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

A recent Golf in America program on Golf Channel profiled Oakland Turf Education Initiative, which introduces inner-city youth to potential career paths in sports turf & golf course management, environmental sciences, and the green industry. Participating students go on study tours and field trips, attend after school programs, and participate in internships.

You can watch the segment here.

My favorite part of the story is when the reporter asks Metro Superintendent Gary Ingram how long he will be participating in OTEI. Gary's answer: "Are you asking me how long I plan to live?"

Here is another recent story on OTEI from the GCSAA:

Win free tickets to President's Cup

2009-09-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

Heckuva deal: BART has a contest for free VIP tickets to next month's President's Cup. From the MyBART.gov site:

Golf lovers - you've died and gone to hole-in-one heaven. myBART is giving five lucky winners VIP tickets to The Presidents Cup, October 6 - 11. Serious golf fans only, please.

The Presidents Cup, a team match play competition featuring 24 of the world's top golfers -- 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world, excluding Europe -- is held every two years, and since 1996 has alternated between United States and international venues.

Winners will receive a pair of tickets for each day of The Presidents Cup competition, Tuesday-Sunday.

Your tickets will allow unlimited access to the grounds and Trophy Club, with full hospitality services right on the signature par-4 15th hole . This includes a continental breakfast buffet, luncheon buffet and late afternoon hors d'oeuvres each day as well as an open-bar with premium beverage assortment from 11:00 a.m. until one half hour after play each day.

Three lucky winners will also get invitations to The Presidents Cup Gala, Opening or Closing Ceremonies.

Metro regular James Hahn wins Canadian Tour event

2009-07-07T08:50:00.001-07:00

Alameda's James Hahn, who can be found practicing often (and being very friendly and generous with golf tips) at Metropolitan Golf Links, shot a final round 66 to win the TELUS Edmonton Open.

"There is an unreal feeling about all of this," Hahn said. "I came over here last year and gave myself two or three years before I would even start contending. I didn't expect a win to come so soon although you dream about it all the time."

Hahn collected $24,000 for the win.

Hahn, who played for UC Berkeley (which makes its home at Metro) shares the course record (64) at Metro.

Congrats, James!

Congrats to winner of Metro Madness

2009-06-03T08:11:00.000-07:00

John Rampa receives congratulations from GM Darryl Davis and tournament director Jerry Krause for his 6&5 victory in the recent Metro Madness match play tournament. Davis is showing good sportsmanship here, as Rampa defeated him in the Sweet Sixteen Round ;)

Sistas on the Links featured in African American Golfers Digest

2009-05-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

The new Metro-based club Sistas on the Links is getting some attention in the golf media.

African America Golfers Digest has a story on the 54-person club created by Janet Johnson. Here's a brief excerpt:

According to Janet, "Our home course is Metropolitan Golf Links in Oakland and our mission is to united and expose African American women to the game of golf, introduce young women and nurture their growth ... I have discovered that so many black women did not know they could play this game, or how to approach learning the game, and many had never picked up a golf club. These same women are now playing tournaments with us--it's wonderful!"

Sistas on the Links has an open enrollment period Oct. 15 through Nov. 15. For more information contat Janet Johnson at (510) 236-7118 or jjohnsonconsult1@peoplepc.com

Craig Snyder helping me clean up my game

2009-05-09T09:56:00.000-07:00

"Do you know the importance of cleaning your clubs?" asked Craig Snyder as he got a glimpse of my mud-caked Titleist 755 irons at the beginning of a recent lesson.

Over the course of the next hour, Craig persuaded me not only to scrub my clubs, but showed me how to remove some of the gunk from my swing as well. Craig, one of the members of the Rich Marik Pure Golf instruction team, taught at Nike Junior Golf Camps for 13 summers after a successful playing career at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Most recently he brought his golf expertise and easy-going teaching style to Metropolitan Golf Links. Craig believes simplifying your golf swing with the correct information can quickly and easily improve your results and enjoyment.

After watching me hit a few balls Craig instantly spotted some of my long-standing problems: sucking the club inside, getting across the line at the top, and hitting nasty hooks. Craig said many of my swing ills are caused by standing too far away from the ball, so he moved me closer, worked with me on some path and plane issues, and gave me a simple but effective drill to groove the changes.

I'm already seeing results.

Craig works with all kinds of students. I recommend him highly.

csnyder@playmetro.com
(415) 596-9499

Creature from the deep, dark, murky waters

2009-05-05T18:32:00.001-07:00

I snapped this photo with my cruddy Blackberry camera just off the 5th green...

New toy for golf nuts

2009-05-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

I've been messing around with a high-speed consumer camera from Casio. The Exilim EX-FC100 can shoot 30 images at 6 megapixel resolution in one mere second, and allows for slow-motion video shooting of up to 1000 frames per second. It's the slow-mo stuff that's interesting for golf nuts. I've found that 210 FPS gives the best results for capturing golf swings. To wit, here is some recent video that Metro instructor Gregg Thrall captured with this camera. He recorded Nationwide Tour player Dong Yi on his recent visit to the Metro driving range.

(Image quality is better than the compressed stuff you see here)

Paddy gains 30 yards with the Happy Gilmore swing

2009-05-01T22:43:00.001-07:00

Metro junior golfer Carlos Briones wins SF City Championship

2009-03-22T07:04:00.001-07:00

14 year-old Carlos Briones, a member of the Metropolitan Golf Links Junior Golf Program, is the youngest-ever winner of the San Francisco City Championship.

Wow.

Carlos is is good company. Past winners of the championship (the country's oldest municipal amateur tourney) include 1964 US Open Champion Ken Venturi, 1999 US Women's Open Champion Julie Inkster, and 1969 Masters Champion George Archer.

California lawmaker introduces "language rights" bill in response to LPGA

2009-02-24T10:51:00.000-08:00

From Sen. Leland Yee, who represents San Francisco and San Mateo:

SACRAMENTO – While speaking one’s native language is protected in cases of employment and housing under state law, such protections are not provided under the state’s civil rights act, which prohibits discrimination within business establishments.

As a result, Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) today introduced legislation to add the use of any language to the list of protections under the Unruh Civil Rights Act. Currently, the Act prohibits business establishments from discriminating on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, or medical condition.

The issue stems from a proposed policy announced last summer by the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) to suspend players who do not speak English. The LPGA later rescinded the proposal after objections from Senator Yee and over 50 civil rights organizations.

“Unless English is justified by a business necessity, no one should be discriminated against simply for speaking their language,” said Yee. “SB 242 will rightfully add language to the list of protected classes within California’s civil rights act.”

In September of 2008, Senator Yee led an effort to oppose a discriminatory policy by the LPGA which would have required players on Tour to be proficient in English starting this year. Despite there being no relevance to the sport, the LPGA claimed that it was important for players to be able to interact with American media and event sponsors. Ironically, many of the sponsors are international companies and a number of the tournaments are not held in the United States. No other professional sports league in the United States has such a mandate.

“It is quite disheartening that in the 21st century any organization would think such a policy is acceptable,” said Yee. “With the passage of SB 242 such discriminatory mandates will not only be unfair, but illegal.”

Under SB 242, it would be a violation of state law for an entity to adopt or enforce a policy that limits or prohibits the use of any language in a business establishment, unless the language restriction is justified by a business necessity and notification has been provided of the circumstances and the time when the language restriction is required and of the consequences.

A business necessity would be defined as “an overriding legitimate business purpose for which all of the following are true: the language restriction is necessary to the safe and efficient operation of the business; the language restriction effectively fulfills the business purpose it is supposed to serve; and an alternative practice to the language restriction that would accomplish the business purpose equally well with a lesser discriminatory impact does not exist.”

#17 fairway looking good...

2009-01-26T14:30:00.000-08:00

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Clouds from 6

2009-01-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Back 9 Sunday fun

2009-01-18T10:42:00.001-08:00

I played a very enjoyable 9 holes with these guys: Tim Murray, Mike Brill, and Tony Overbaugh (L to R).

Golf, then NFL Championship Sunday. Good times.

Oakland's First Tee chapter kicks into gear with successful club drive

2009-01-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

Local golfers donated about 200 golf clubs to help meet the equipment needs of Oakland's new First Tee chapter, which expects to begin working with young golfers in April.

Metropolitan Golf Links, home of the First Tee chapter, hosted the club drive Jan. 10.

"It was a complete success in contributing to junior golf in the Oakland area and raising awareness for our program," said Cliff McEnery, assistant executive director of the Oakland First Tee chapter.

Many of the donated clubs will be modified to fit kids. A few of the choice drivers are now on eBay to help raise money for the chapter.

Callaway Hyper X Tour Driver

Titleist 983K Driver

Nike Sasquatch Driver

Cleveland H-Bore Driver

TaylorMade Burner 3 Wood

The First Tee home office is also donating 50 sets of new clubs to help the Oakland chapter get off the ground.

Oakland's chapter will serve 300 kids beginning in April. It's just begun a capital contribution campaign. Those who would like to contribute or volunteer their time (lots of opportunities available, no golf experience required) to the First Tee of Oakland should see Darryl Davis at Metropolitan Golf Links, or call 510-352-2002, or visit www.thefirstteeoakland.org.

The First Tee of Oakland could also use some women's and children's golf clubs. You can drop them off in the pro shop at Metro, or at the Lake Chabot course, which will also host First Tee programs.

One final note: Colin Powell will be the featured speaker at a national meeting of the First Tee in San Jose in March. Here's more info on the gala dinner featuring the former Secretary of State.

The mission of The First Tee is to "impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf."

Obama's golf swing

2008-12-31T20:10:00.001-08:00

Let's just say he could use a couple of lessons from one of the instructors here at Metro ...

Short game tips from Josh Zander

2008-12-26T12:03:00.000-08:00

Golf Digest.com has a nice video featuring short game tips from Josh Zander ("Six Short-Game Solutions for Saving Par"). Zander teaches at the Stanford University course and the Presidio.

His first tip is to get Stacky & Tilty for pitch shots (although he doesn't call it S&T, that's basically what it is). The video is not embeddable, so you'll have to click on the link above.

Lack of embeddable videos on most golf sites is an annoyance, as well short-sighted. Golf sites should seek to spread their content, not keep it behind walled gardens.

A round with Sam

2008-12-21T08:56:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of playing 18 with Sam Moriana the other day. At 79, he's a force of nature. The long-time Metro volunteer hits the ball solidly, talks good golf trash, and oh yeah, referees high school football games.

Sam is on the Metropolitan Golf Links Course Evaluation Committee.

In this photo, Sam is walking off the 14th tee after finding the fairway once again. He's known to call himself "Fairway Sam" at least a few times during his round.

The benefit of one lesson

2008-12-21T08:48:00.000-08:00

I took a brief putting lesson from Gregg Thrall the other day. He showed me I was aiming left on every putt, and provided me with some drills to correct the problem.

I showed immediate improvement, but most importantly I know what to work on now. The source of my putting woes -- especially on those 3-4 footers -- was previously a mystery to me.

I also changed from a 35 inch Odyssey Marxman putter to a 33 inch Yes! club. I'm enjoying the simplicity of a blade putter, and the shorter cub seems to suit me better.

Best of SwingVision

2008-12-21T08:12:00.000-08:00

Here's Aaron Baddeley, doing the Stack & Tilt thing. It's the swing I'm trying to emulate most.

Here's AK. Dig the alignment.

Jim Furyk. Freaky.

Sergio. Mr. Lag.

Mike Weir. Another stacker/tilter.

Good golf company

2008-12-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

I've decided to take photos of the people I get paired at Metro and post them here (only by permission of course). My most recent outing found me playing with Tim Ogles and Chris Ingenito, board members of the Metropolitan Members Golf Club. They witnessed my terrible round, in which I put up 7 double bogeys. SEVEN. Yoiks. I went 41-47. The previous round? 39-39. Crazy.

Rounding out the foursome was my buddy Anthony Perez. Anthony and I are both messing around with the Stack & Tilt swing. It's promising, but I still start hooking the ball off the course at some point during every round.

Dong Yi makes it to Q School final

2008-11-30T17:42:00.000-08:00

Alameda native Dong Yi, who shares the course record at Metro with pal James Hahn, has secured a spot on the Nationwide Tour and could qualify for the PGA Tour with a top 25 finish in the final stage of Q School. Ron Salsig has the story:

"I knew I was close teeing off that last hole," Yi said. "Talk about Q-School pressure, that's it."

Yi hit his tee shot into a fairway bunker on the 460-yard par-4 hole. He was 160 yards to the pin, but had to hit a 9-iron to clear the lip of the bunker. His ball ended up in the right rough, short of the green, 25 feet from the hole. He chipped to five feet.

And there he was, staring at a five-footer for his life, a five-footer that meant the difference between another year on the mini-tours, or finally qualifying for at least the Nationwide Tour. When the putt dropped into the hole, he felt a life-long effort exhale in relief.
"Now at least I know I will play somewhere in the PGA Tour hierarchy next year," Yi said. "But I'm gunning for the top 25."

Metro to be home of new First Tee chapter

2008-10-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

The Charles Schwab Cup Championship has donated $5,000 to start a new First Tee chapter in Oakland. Metropolitan Golf Links will be the chapter's base.

The First Tee, an international youth development program, impacts the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development through the game of golf.

“As we begin our Chapter next month, clearly the generous donation from The Charles Schwab Cup makes it possible for us to help more young people reach their potential and achieve success in life” said Barbara Essig, Executive Director of The First Tee of Oakland. “These funds will play a positive role on the youth in our community.”

The check presentation took place at Metropolitan Golf Links, owned by the City of Oakland and operated by Courseco Inc.

“In cooperation with the City of Oakland, we are privileged to support The First Tee by providing the course as the programming facility for the Chapter.” said Darryl Davis, General Manager of Metropolitan Golf Links, “We hope you can join us and city officials as we celebrate the generous donation from Charles Schwab Cup Championship.”

Hahn ties course record

2008-09-20T09:53:00.000-07:00

James Hahn tied Metro's course record of 63, shooting a 30-33 on Friday, September 19, 2008.

Hahn barely missed a 10-foot birdie putt on 18 that would have bested the course record set by Dong Yi, a fellow Canadian Tour player and Alameda native. Both Hahn and Yi played golf at the University of California Berkeley.

I ran into Hahn right after his round. He downplayed his achievement, saying that merely tying the course record is nothing to brag about. I strongly disagree. Big ups to James.

Hahn has secured his Canadian Tour card for next season, but first he'll go through Q School at San Juan Oaks next month to see if he can make the Nationwide or PGA Tours.

Metro to host first and final rounds of Bay Area Ryder Cup Challenge

2008-08-20T12:23:00.000-07:00

The Bay Area Ryder Cup Challenge is a multi-day qualification tournament to be played at Metro and at four other courses in the Bay Area.

Six person teams will play in three separate matchplay competitions. Here's the format: Two players will play best ball, two will play alternate shot, and two will play singles. All rounds will be match play format using 80% of handicaps.

Following the familiar NCAA basketball bracket format, 32 teams will compete the first day at Metropolitan on Sunday, Sept. 28. The 16 qualifying teams will move on to play Crystal Springs in Burlingame on October 5, with the 8 winning teams moving on to play StoneTree in Novato on October 11. Semi-finals will take the remaining four teams to Pleasanton's Callippe Preserve on Oct. 16 where the finalists will match up to compete in the finals at Metro on Nov. 1.

PRIZES:
Grand Prize winners will receive a luxury suite for the Nov. 30 Oakland Raiders game vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, free entry into next year's event, and names etched on the perpetual trophy.

Second Place - $150 per player ($900 per team) as well as golf certificates for golf at participating courses.

Third and Fourth Place - $75 per player ($450 per team) as well as golf certificates for golf at participating courses.

The entry fee is $150 per player, and includes green fees and cart fees for all rounds of golf, range balls, tee prize for entry, BBQ luncheon on the first day of qualifying at Metro on Sept. 28 as well as entry for the Captain and co-Captain of each team to participate in the pairing party Friday Sept. 26.

Click here to signup online.

Welcome Jerome Cansino

2008-05-28T11:12:00.000-07:00

Jerome Cansino is the new food and beverage manager at Metro. He comes to us from the Wedgewood Wedding and Banquet Center at San Ramon Golf Club.

Jerome runs The Sweet Spot Cafe at Metro, and is the guy to see about weddings and banquets here.

Carl Hiaasen's Downhill Lie

2008-05-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

I have a treat for you today. I interviewed novelist and newspaper columnist Carl Hiaasen (author of delightful books such as Strip Tease and Sick Puppy) about his new book Downhill Lie: A Hacker's Return to a Ruinous Sport. Click on the player below to hear the interview.

Thanks, Ed

2008-04-11T13:12:00.001-07:00

Longtime starter Ed Downing worked his last shift this week. I hope he'll be back one day. Until then, I'm sure Ed will be taking me for a few skins at area courses like he always does. Here's Ed in action on his last day this week:

Elmhurst Prep students visit Metro

2008-04-11T08:53:00.001-07:00

The Oakland Turfgrass Education Initiative (OTEI) sponsored a field trip to Metro on Thursday, April 10, 2008. Students from Elmhurst Community Prep toured the facilities, and received some golf instruction from Metro's teaching staff.

OTEI is a community outreach program for Oakland's inner-city youth. The OTEI program offers middle school and high school students the opportunity to explore the turf and landscape industry and the game of golf through field trips, classroom guest speakers,
internships, industry Conferences, after-school programs, scholarships, career and job fairs, golf outings, special community projects, agricultural chemistry and plant biology courses, and turf seminars for high school and college level students.

Metro works to mitigate Coot population

2008-04-08T20:53:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you've had to shoo some Coots away from your ball at Metro and wondered, "What's the deal with these birds?" I put that question to Superintendent Gary Ingram, CGCS in the presentation below. Click the play button to learn about Coots and what Gary's crew has been doing to minimize the impact on golfers.

Childs wins San Francisco city championship

2008-03-12T06:43:00.000-07:00

Hearty congrats to Alameda High School's Emily Childs, who practices often at Metro. She won the San Francisco City Golf Championship at Harding Park over the weekend. Childs defeated Doroty Schwartz 1-up in a 36 hole match. The San Francisco Chronicle has the story:

The women's final offered its own taut drama, with Childs and Schwartz all-square for most of the afternoon back nine. Childs, a 17-year-old, Colorado-bound senior at Alameda High, finally broke the deadlock with a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 17 to take a 1-up lead.

Both players made bogey on the difficult closing hole, giving Childs the win 22 years after her father, John, was the medalist in this tournament.

"It was big going to 18 not all-square," Childs said. "If you're 1-up and have a bad hole, at least you know you're not done."

LPGA players Julie Inkster and Doroty Delasin won this tournament in previous years. On the men's side, past champs include Ken Venturi.

Gene Bakkum @ work

2008-03-07T08:03:00.001-08:00

Gene Bakkum, one of Metro's fantastic instructors. He's helped me a lot.

My divot line

2008-03-07T07:59:00.000-08:00

Not exactly Vijay-quality, but sort of straight-ish. Wedges and a 7-iron.

Course evaluation committee leads to positive changes

2008-03-02T16:21:00.000-08:00

Golfers can be an opinionated bunch. We have many thoughts on what could make a course better, and that definitely includes me. But Fred Butler's opinion carries a little more weight than my own.

Butler, who sits on the board of the men's club at Metro, is the newest member of the Metropolitan Golf Links Course Evaluation Committee. The committee is a group of golfers, Metro Diplomats, and course management personnel who get together about once a month to play the course and then evaluate what they just experienced.

Butler generally likes what he sees.

"Metro provides a challenge, especially when the wind blows, but the course is not tricked out like many," he said. Butler praises the course for its drainage, accessibility and affordability, but says the bunkers and bird situation need improvement.

The committee rates the course on 23 criteria, including:

-Greens
-Tees
-Fairways
-Rough
-Bunkers
-Cart paths
-Entrance and parking lots
-Clubhouse and grounds
-Food and beverage service
-Driving range
-Golf carts
-Pace of play

Each area is ranked on a 5-point system, with a 5 being excellent, and a 1 being poor. Metro's practice greens and golf carts scored highest on a recent report, each garnering a near-perfect 4.6. The lowest score, still a "standard" at 3.2, was the fairways. Thirteen of 23 criteria received scores of 4 or better. The remaining 9 areas received ratings between 3 and 4.

The committee has suggested Metro should dispatch its course volunteers to fill more fairway divots with sand and sand and improve its bird reduction program. And indeed, Metro is taking action. General Manager Darryl Davis recently led a group of diplomats on a sand and seed detail; Metro is working with Waste Management to disperse the gull population; and superintendent Gary Ingram has installed some temporary fencing to address the problem with those little black birds known as "coots."

I'd be happy to pass along your thoughts on Metro. Send me a message at jongordon(at)gmail

Metro Starter Ed Downing at the U.S. Amateur

2007-08-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

I ran into Ed Downing, a long time Starter at Metro, at the U.S. Amateur championship match at the Olympic Club Sunday. Turns out that a friend of Ed's was hosting Michael Thompson at his home all week. Thompson, a senior at Alabama, fell to Colt Knost in the final match. Ed was Thompson's designated escort to and from the Olympic Club. Ed got to know Thompson, and said he was a great guy.

Michael Thompson

I asked Ed to write a few sentences about his experience. He kindly obliged:

I got to spend the week at Olympic as a result of one of my best friends being a member there. He had volunteered to host one of the players, Michael Thompson, during his stay in San Francisco. In the beginning, we joked about how cool it would be if Michael made it to the finals. We looked him up on the web and found out that he was a ranked amateur. He finished fourth at the NCAA's this year. To our surprise and joy, he did make it to the finals.

I rode with my friend Jim and Michael to and from the tournament every day except Thursday when I worked my shift at Metro. The first 2 days were stroke play and 64 of the 312 players moved on to match play. Michael shot 145 and finished 40th in the stroke play. His first match play match was against Web Simpson, the top ranked amateur in the country and a member of the Walker Cup team. Michael won that match 5 and 3. This is when we began to think he might do well. He won two matches on Thursday. The second one went 20 holes. He won both his quarter-finals and semi-finals matches on Friday and Saturday without having to play the last 2 holes. Sunday's 36 hole finals match went 35 holes before Michael was defeated by Colt Knost, the reigning Publinx champion.

During the week , I got to know Michael's parents and swing coach very well. They are really nice people. He has had the same swing coach, Suzie Meyers, since he was 14. She is a former LPGA player. They didn't do anything to Michael's swing all week. She was just there to give him confidence and support.

Michael had an air of confidence and maturity that I didn't see in many other players that week. He was a genuinely nice and humble young man. He was an eagle scout as a kid. On the rare occasion when he hit a bad shot, his demeanor never changed.

He was long. He hit 4 iron on the Lake course #3 hole, a 248 yard par 3. He drove the green several times on the uphill 286 yard par 4 seventh. In the semi-final, he hit it to 2 feet on that hole for a kick-in eagle. He says he gets his power from his legs, but you couldn't see much leg movement in his swing. He also says that he rarely tries to swing hard. The best part of his game was his putting. He made a lot of 15 footers to win or halve holes.

In short, It was great fun to be that close to a competition for a national golf championship. Until the crowds got big on the week-end, we were literally walking along with the players and checking the sprinkler heads for yardage. It was so much more enjoyable than many of the PGA events I have attended. I will be a fan of Michael Thompson as long as he is competing. By the way, he plans to finish his senior year at Alabama, play in the Masters and US Open, and turn pro.

Ed introduced me to Thompson's mother, his swing coach (former LPGA player Susie Meyers), and pointed out some other interesting folks to me, including Knost's mother and the president of the Olympic Club.

I also recognized some other folks who play at Metro from time to time.

The final U.S. Amateur-related bit of news is that when I played Friday, Diplomat Ngawang Tsephel told me that elsewhere on the course, some 16-year-old who had just played in the tourney was sneaking in a round at Metro before flying out of Oakland.

In which I visit Callaway HQ to learn about golf technology...

2007-08-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

From my other blog, wavLength:

In a press appearance after winning the 89th PGA Championship, Tiger Woods credited advancing technology for helping his fellow PGA Tour golfers close the gap between him and the rest of the field. Woods talked about how modern clubs and balls help players hit it longer and straighter.

The best players love the latest golf equipment. The tiniest technological improvements can make a big difference in earnings. Recreational players spend a great deal of money chasing new golf tech as well, but are hacks like you and me getting any better? Not so much.

Over the past decade, technology has produced drastic changes to golf clubs and balls. Today's equipment is designed by elite scientists who are bumping up against the laws of physics in a battle to make our golf shots fly straighter and longer. While technology is helping people enjoy the game more, average folks don't seem to be getting any better at this most difficult of games. Why is that?

To learn more about how technology is driving the game of golf, I recently visited the headquarters of Callaway Golf in Carlsbad, CA. Callaway, which recently passed the $1 billion annual sales mark, is a recognized leader in golf technology. For a golf nut like me, this trip was a real treat.

I met with top Callaway R&D folks and got a high-tech club fitting from the same guy who works with pro golfers such as Phil Mickelson and Annika Sorenstam.

I am posting the interviews here in MP3 format.

First let me tell you about my session with Randy Peterson, Callaway's director of fitting and instruction. Peterson had me hit some balls on the range at the Callaway Performance Center to assess my swing (I was afraid my swing would make him retch but he said it was actually pretty good, yay), then set me up indoors to be measured on state-of-the-art equipment that gauges launch angle, spin rate, and the club's angle of attack. These measurements - taken with super high-speed cameras - are designed to help players select clubs that will produce the best results for their swings.

Listen to Q/A with Randy Peterson - MP3

Peterson recommended these clubs for me: FT-5 Driver, X-20 Tour irons, and X fairways woods. They're all new, high-tech clubs designed to hit the ball straighter and farther.

Here I am hitting balls at the Callaway Performance Center

I've been playing the Callaway clubs for about 10 rounds of golf. They're temporarily replacing my old, low-tech, ill-fitting clubs. Will the latest club technology, coupled with an advanced fitting, help my game? Early signs are positive. I'll let you know more by the end of summer.

On to more interviews:

Jeff Colton, a Harvey Mudd College-educated physicist, is Callaway's senior vice president of research and development.

(Listen to Q/A with Jeff Colton - MP3)

We talked about a number of issues, including:

-How much science and technology go into making new golf clubs
-Why art is an important consideration in clubs
-How physics and USGA rules impose limits on how far a ball can travel
-The technology behind Callaway's square-shaped driver

Jeff Colton

Callaway lured Alan Hocknell out of engineering school in England, where he was doing some groundbreaking work in "impact dynamics." Hocknell is vice president of innovation and advanced design.

(Listen to Q/A with Alan Hocknell - MP3).

We talked about

-The difference between today's and yesterday's drivers
-The role of computer simulation in producing prototypes
-Why, despite friendlier clubs, golfers aren't any better today than they were before
-The frontiers of golf club design

Alan Hocknell

I didn't get the chance to meet Callaway's top golf ball scientist, Mike Yagley, in person. But I caught up with him by phone. Even though golf balls don't look much different than they did 10 years ago, technology has transformed them as much as drivers.

(Listen to Q/A with Mike Yagley - MP3)

I talked with Yagley about

-How today's golf balls are different
-The differences between expensive and cheap balls
-Where golf ball design is headed

Finally, for a bit of a skeptical perspective on golf technology, I had a nice long conversation with Frank Thomas, former head of all things technical for the United States Golf Association. Thomas believes technology helps the average golfer a little, but golf lessons will help a whole lot more.

(Listen to Q/A with Frank Thomas - MP3).

I talked with Thomas about

-Why new, high tech clubs don't make people much better at golf
-Why golf lessons are more important than equipment
-The placebo effect of new clubs which keeps golf consumers coming back for more

Danzig wins Oakland City Putting Championship

2007-05-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

The 2nd annual Oakland City Putting Championship has been decided. Daniel Danzig is the winner, for which he received a $250 gift certificate to the Metro pro shop. Danzig got a first round bye due to a no-show, then defeated opponents in the semi-final and final rounds. Danzig staged a strong comeback in the final -- he was two holes down after 9, but finished off his opponent on the 16th hole. Here's a photo I snapped of our winner standing next to Metro GM Darryl Davis.

Danzig's opponent in the final round was Gary Shingleton, who topped 2006 champ Doug Sager in the semi-finals. Shingleton didn't go home empty-handed: He walked away with a $150 gift certificate. Here's a photo of Gary, along with Danzig and Davis.

Final pairings for putting tourney set

2007-05-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

Here are the matches for the final day of the Oakland City Putting Championship on Sat., May 19.

10:00 am Match 1 - Ngawang Tsephel versus Nigel Smith

10:10 am Match 2 - Jason Gwaltney versus Daniel Danzig

10:20 am Match 3 - Joel Spinola versus Gary Shingleton

10:30 am Match 4 - Van Hall versus Doug Sager (2006 Defending Champion)

Winners from Matches 1 and 2 will compete in Match 5 at 10:40 am in the Semi-final match

Winners from Matches 3 and 4 will compete in Match 6 at 10:50 am in the Semi-final match

Winners from Match 5 and Match 6 will compete in the final match at 11:00 am.

The winner will receive a gift certificate worth $250 and second prize will receive a $150 gift certificate.

Congratulations to the finalists and good luck!

Today's featured hole: #3

2007-05-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

I really like the par 5 holes at Metro. Here is the first. The yardage book advice seems spot-on.

For the most part, I like to play par 5's to leave myself between 80-100 yards for my third shot. So I hit something like driver-5 iron-gap wedge here.

Sports legends compete at Metro

2007-05-08T09:21:00.000-07:00

Sure, Tiger & MJ played a well-publicized practice round at Wachovia last week. But Metro was the scene of an impressive twosome of its own: NBA legend Bill Russell and baseball great Joe Morgan played together in a tournament last weekend. Here's a photo I snapped of the dynamic duo on the 18th green.

Today's featured hole: #2

2007-05-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

Here's hole #2 from the Metro yardage book. I like to play my tee shots to the right of the fairway bunker. The key on this hole is to get your ball on the correct portion of the green.

Enter the Oakland City Putting Championship

2007-04-29T07:59:00.000-07:00

May 12 is the final qualifying event for the Oakland City Putting Championship. Previous qualifying days were rained out. Here's your chance to show your putting skills -- and it's only $1 to enter. You can enter as many times as you want. The finals, a matchplay tourney, will be held May 19. I'll be there to oversee the events. I'll be the guy with the camera, taking pictures and making you nervous ;)

Today's featured hole: #1

2007-04-28T21:51:00.000-07:00

From the Metro yardage book, here's a look at the first hole. I like to hit my tee shot between the left edge of the fairway and the aiming pole.

Cal teams short game area taking shape

2007-04-28T21:31:00.000-07:00

The short game practice area being built for the Cal Bears golf teams (Metro instructors will also be giving lessons here) is beginning to take shape. I hear it should open sometime this summer. I snapped a few photos of it today.

Chipping: Working it out

2007-04-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

My chipping has been bad lately. Very, very bad. I had gotten in the habit of chipping with one club - my lob wedge - thinking I could just vary my swing based on the distance I needed. I was horribly imprecise with the lob wedge, so I spent some time on Metro's short game area trying to find a different, more effective chipping method. It was a mental exercise more than anything. I've decided to go use one chipping motion - always the same length of swing - with different clubs. I worked out that a lob wedge chip will go about 6 paces, a sand wedge 8 paces, gap wedge 10 paces, etc. I go all the way down to a six iron. And let me tell ya, it's working like magic. I'm getting it very close all of the sudden, and I feel good about chipping again. What a relief.

Treat yourself to StoneTree

2007-04-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

I had the absolute pleasure of playing StoneTree Golf Club in Novato earlier this week. Visually stunning, superb condition, tough but fair. Like Metro, it was designed by Fred Bliss and Johnny Miller (also Sandy Tatum and Jim Summers).

I played from the Championship tees. With a course rating of 73.3 and a slope of 143, I was actually not too displeased with my 87. Tell you what though, no score would have bothered me. I was happy just to be there. But next time I'm going to move up to a slightly less challenging set of tees. And there will be a next time. Soon I hope...

The Multimedia Masters

2007-04-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

The Masters is a stodgy old event in some ways, but it's certainly out front when it comes to its Internet offerings. Besides the fine Masters.org site, you may want to check out AT&T's "Blue Room" this year. You'll be able to see live play by play coverage before the broadcast, including live video of Amen Corner and the practice range. The site will also have lots of player interviews.

This is one of my favorite weeks of the year. Better than the Super Bowl.

Green aeration set

2007-04-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

Lots of folks have been asking me about when the greens will be aerated. GM Darryl Davis tells me it will be April 23-24. So there you go. Set your calendars.

Personally, I'm really looking forward to the aeration, or at least the outcome. Those greens are mighty firm, don't you think? I've really had to change my game to adjust.

Looking for a carpenter

2007-03-31T05:49:00.000-07:00

Metro's Lynn Jones tells me she's looking for a carpenter to help solve a little storage problem for rental clubs. Talk to Lynn in the pro shop if you are willing to help or know someone who can. This is a services-for-golf trade, not a paid gig.

Wedding and banquet center expands

2007-03-31T05:37:00.000-07:00

This new gazebo is part of the growing Wedgewood Wedding & Banquet Center.

Former Cal players blogging for LPGA.com

2007-03-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

Sarah Huarte and Sophia Sheridan, rookies on the LPGA Tour, are writing blogs for the tour's Web site. Cool. I remember seeing Sheridan practicing here at Metro. She was fun to watch. I wonder which members of the current Cal team will make it to the LPGA?

A great new golf web site

2007-03-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

I've been largely underwhelmed by most golf-related Web sites. But the newly redesigned Golf.com, from Golf Magazine and Sports Illustrated, breaks the mold with great design and useful content. Take this month's Golf Magazine cover story on the "O Factor." It was a little hard to understand without video. Now I can go to the Web site, get some free video (hear me, Golf Channel.com?) to go along with the print article. What's best, the site lets me embed the video on my own page, ala YouTube. So here you go:

Set your calendar for April 14

2007-03-12T10:49:00.000-07:00

Metro's Season Opener Expo will feature the latest offerings from MacGregor, Callaway, Ping, Cobra, TaylorMade, and Nike. Launch monitors will be available.

In addition, Metro's Lynn Jones will be on hand for custom club fittings for Henry-Griffits. Contact Lynn at 510-390-0120 to schedule.

You'll also have the chance to enter the City of Oakland Putting Championship. April 14 is the first qualifying date. The event will start at 10am and last until 3pm. You can try to qualify as many times as you like, at $1 per attempt. Qualifiers will be seeded into a match play bracket.

Finally, Metro will be celebrating its 4th birthday. You'll have the chance to enter a drawing to win a foldable Hummer bike.

See you there...

More kudos for Metro

2007-03-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

I was reading the April issue of Golf Magazine on an airplane from Minneapolis to San Francisco when I came across another nice mention of Metropolitan Golf Links.

The issue includes a page on the best courses near major airports. The magazine gets the name our our course wrong, calling it "Oakland Metroplitan," but the glowing description of the course makes up for it:

"Once a forlorn muni, Oakland Metropolitan was redesigned by Johnny Miller, who defended the layout with fun-house greens. The feel is casual but the conditions say country club. Under five minutes from baggage claim to bag drop."

Just a few months ago, Golf Digest gave Metro a top rating. The word is out.

Metro holds free clinic for young golfers

2007-03-10T08:13:00.000-08:00

On February 24th, more than 100 youth, 10 sponsors, community organizations and golf pros came together to teach golf and life skills to Oakland’s under-served youth.

Golf professionals held 2 hour sessions on golf etiquette, chipping, putting and life skills. Children from Oakland Parks & Recreation, Urban Services YMCA, Oakland Babe Ruth Baseball, and Project Soar tested their skills with professional golf equipment for the first time. Oakland Parks & Recreation provided transportation to and from Metro.

In addition, members of the Metropolitan Junior Golf Program demonstrated golf shots and assisted with instruction. The clinic also included lunch.

"Thanks to our participating organizations, our youth now have another alternative to the streets through the game of golf," said Terry-T Butler, marketing director of Urban Services YMCA. "The next Tiger woods may be born."

Community Organizations and sponsors included:

Metropolitan Golf Links, Urban Services YMCA, The Port of Oakland, Oakland Parks & Recreation, Metropolitan Junior Golf Program, Oakland Babe Ruth, More Choices.Org, Oakland Post, Oakland Turfgrass Education Initiative, Project Soar, CourseCo Inc.

The event was hosted by Metro GM Darryl A. Davis & Terry-T Butler.

Playing metro with GPS

2007-02-19T08:47:00.000-08:00

I had a very enlightening 9 holes the other day. I played with Metro's SkyCaddie GPS demo unit.

The device uses global positioning satellites to give you target yardage (to various parts of the green, to hazards, etc.) It can also calculate the distance you hit shots. I came away mighty impressed, and am seriously considering acquiring one next time my golf budget allows.

Several observations:

1) SkyCaddie gave me more confidence in my swings, because I knew the exact yardage. Club selection doubt is bad for my swing.

2) SkyCaddie made me choose smaller targets -- the front right of a green, for example. More precise information helps narrow my target focus. That's a good thing.

3) SkyCaddie confirmed Metro's yardage markers as being accurate. I never found more than a one yard disparity. It also showed me that my own judgements on yardage aren't too far off -- I usually eyeballed yardages within 5 to 8 yards accuracy. That's good to know. I can make a good guess most of the time, and that gives me a little more confidence as well.

4) I think most of us overestimate our driving distance prowess. I measure the best drive I hit through 9 holes. Felt like 250-260. SkyCaddie pegged it at 235 yards. D'Oh. But hey, soft fairways! Give me some of that PGA Tour roll, baby.

5) I loved what the device did for me, but I'm not sure I like the bother of checking some fancy digital doodad all the time. Feels inorganic, and a little like cheating.

I shot the front 9 in 37, pretty good for me. I could make an argument the SkyCaddie saved me a stroke or two. You can demo the unit yourself. Ask about it in the pro shop.

Hahn qualifies for international tour

2007-02-19T08:35:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Oakland's James Hahn, a former Cal player, for qualifiying for the Korea PGA Tour! More info at this web site.

Free golf clinic for youth

2007-02-11T13:55:00.000-08:00

Metro GM Darryl Davis just clued me in to a good event coming up Saturday, Feb. 24.

There will be a free golf clinic for young people from 10:30 am to 4:00 pm. There will be four one hour clinics covering the fundamentals of golf. These clinics will start at 10:20, 11:45, 1:00, and 2:15. It's a first-come, first-served sort of deal, with a limit of 25 people per session. Range balls and equipment will be provided.

This Black History Month event is sponsored by Metropolitan Golf Links, Urban Services YMCA, The Port of Oakland Oakland Parks & Recreation, Metropolitan Junior Golf Program, Oakland Babe Ruth, More Choices Inc, Town Business Network, CourseCo Inc, and the Oakland Turfgrass Education Initiative (OTEI).

Trust me, get a lesson

2007-01-29T10:44:00.000-08:00

I recently felt a little lost with my swing. My club was crossing the line at the top, and I couldn't figure out why. I was looking at my backswing in my reflection on a clubhouse window, and Metro instructor Greg Thrall comes over, diagnoses the problem in under 30 seconds, and the next day I fire a 76, which ties my personal best at Metro.

To paraphrase the PGA Tour commercials, these guys (Metro instructors) are good. Think about taking a lesson.

It's about balance

2007-01-01T19:57:00.000-08:00

I've been striking the ball much better the last few times at Metro because of one swing thought: balance. I find if I set up to the ball with good balance, then swing thinking only about staying balanced all the way to the follow through, everything just sort of falls into line. I know, this is not a new or radical thought. But it's working. I wanted to learn a little more about balance, so I did a search on this blog's golf-specific search engine and turned up a few good articles for you.

Balance and Rhythm in the Golf Swing at About.com

You can improve balance in your swing at PGA.com

Improving your balance and your backswing at PGATour.com

Balancing act at GolfOnline.com

CourseCo's Callippe named one of the best new courses in America

2006-12-17T12:11:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Callippe Golf Preserve in Pleasanton, which Golf Digest has just named of the best new courses you can play for under $75. Callippe and Metro are both part of the CourseCo family of courses in Northern California.

Here's a really cool virtual tour of Callippe, hosted by the guys from Hooked On Golf.

Metro gets high ranking from Golf Digest

2006-12-17T11:53:00.000-08:00

So I was just hanging out on the Web, and came across this ESPN page about Oakland. It's part of a city guide travel feature. One element of the page is a ranking of area golf courses (rated by Golf Digest) and guess who comes out on top? Woot!

1. Metropolitan Golf Links
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

2. Harding Park Golf Club
Golf Digest Rating: 4.5 Stars

3. Crystal Springs Golf Club (Crystal Springs Golf Course)
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

4. Hiddenbrooke Golf Club
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

5. Half Moon Bay Golf Links (Ocean)
2000 Fairway Dr. Half Moon Bay, CA (24.8 miles from City)
650-726-4438
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

6. Half Moon Bay Golf Links (Links)
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

7. Roddy Ranch Golf Club
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

8. The Course at Wente Vineyards
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

9. Poppy Ridge Golf Course (Chardonnay/Zinfandel)
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

10. Shadow Lakes Golf Club
Golf Digest Rating: 4.0 Stars

S.F. golf survey - share your thoughts

2006-12-14T11:51:00.000-08:00

I got this in my email today:

The National Golf Foundation is currently conducting a survey to gauge golfer opinions of the City of San Franciscos six municipal golf courses (located within five facilities).

The San Francisco municipal golf system comprises the following courses:

* Fleming (9-hole course located within Harding Park)
* Gleneagles International Golf Course
* Golden Gate Golf Course
* Harding Park Municipal Golf Course
* Lincoln Park Golf Course
* Sharp Park Golf Course

If you have played one or more of these golf courses within the last 12 months, please click on the link below and fill out the survey for each course that you have played.

Take the survey

Note: If you've played at more than one of the courses listed, click the link at the end of the survey and you'll be directed to the main menu, where you'll be able to select another course.

Get your golf news here

2006-12-10T11:16:00.000-08:00

Added: Golf news from Sports Illustrated, Golf Channel, PGA, and BBC. Look for this feature in the right hand column of this page. Enjoy!

Metro's golf-only search engine: Try it!

2006-12-09T19:53:00.000-08:00

Elsewhere on this page (in the column on the right), you'll find a unique search engine. It searches only trusted golf sites, such as those from Golf Digest, the Golf Channel and the PGA. What you get is very targeted information. You don't have to wade through lots of irrelevant hits. Here are the results of a search I did on fixing a slice. You'll see that I got relevant information from golf.com, golfdigest.com, pga.com, golfonline.com, etc. This little tool should help you cut the the clutter and get your golf questions answered faster.

It drains when it rains

2006-12-08T16:44:00.000-08:00

Now that rainy season is upon us, we can appreciate how playable Metro is during the wet months. I've marveled over the last couple of seasons how well the course handles water. I had a little chat with Superintendent Gary Ingram the other day. He told me about the extensive drainage work that went into the course.

"In real estate, it's location, location, location," said Ingram. "In golf, it's drainage, drainage, drainage."

An iron fitting

2006-11-26T12:13:00.000-08:00

Metro instructor Lynn Jones is now a certified club fitter for Henry-Griffits, a well-respected clubmaker. Lynn graciously demonstrated a club-fitting session for me the other day, and I found it to be a very interesting process.

Lynn fit me into irons that were a little longer, softer and more upright than my current sticks. Lynn showed me how golfers sometime develop bad habits to make their shots go straight because they are fighting their poor-fitting clubs. My irons were a little bit flat, so a well-struck ball tended to go right. To compensate, I was getting too active with my hands to make the ball go straight or draw.

Here's what Lynn has to say about the process:

The 3 principles guiding her approach using the Henry-Griffits system are:

1. Equipment affects motion - This means that properly fitted equipment strengthens the golf swing instead of the golfer creating compensating moves to make the club work;

2. Swing in balance - Strong, repeatable swings are only possible when there is balance through the entire swing;

3. Customize the club to strengthen the swing - Since most off-the-rack equipment is set to standards set by touring pros, they may not fit most amateurs. Clubs fitted to the individual golfer will create the most opportunity for improvement.

The fitting session will run you $40. Henry-Griffits clubs are built in Idaho. You'll get them about a week after you place an order through Lynn. I liked the irons I hit -- very solid.

Metro course record holder Dong Yi advances to Q School second stage

2006-11-10T08:26:00.000-08:00

Alameda's Dong Yi, a former Cal player who makes a home on the Canadian Tour, will try to advanced past the second stage of the PGA Q School for the first time when he plays at the Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont, CA Nov 16-19.

Yi will tee it up against some players that golf fans will recognize, including Bobby Clampett, Esteban Toledo, Spencer Levin, Steve Pate and Peter Tomasulo.

Metro's course record is a tidy 63, turned in by Yi on May 30, 2005.

New PGA Professional at Metro

2006-10-30T08:24:00.000-08:00

John Landers, who recently joined the staff of Metropolitan Golf Links after a long teaching career at Penmar Golf Course near Venice, CA, was elected to PGA membership earlier this month.

Becoming a PGA Professional is a long, rigorous process that involves test after test, both written and skills-based.

Landers passed his playing test on his fourth attempt on a course in Palm Springs. He enjoyed the pressure.

"I loved being on the razor's edge," said Landers.

Landers worked to become a PGA member for several years. Why go through the process?

"If I didn't keep learning, my students wouldn't keep learning," said Landers.

In order to become a member, candidates must make a professional presentation to other PGA members. Landers chose skin cancer as his topic. To that end, Landers has some advice to Metro golfers.

"Lather up with sunscreen every time you play," he said.

You'll find Landers behind the counter in the pro shop, where he's learning more about the business side of the golf industry. Make sure to say hello.

Scoring game handicap

2006-10-29T17:02:00.000-08:00

At the suggestion of Metro instructor Gene Bakkum, I self-administered the Dave Pelz Scoring Game Handicap test over the weekend. Gene advised me to identify the weaker areas of my 7.2 handicap game. This test, which I took over two days, produced some fascinating results. Basically, you hit 10 shots from different stations. You're assigned points based on proximity to the scoring zone (6 feet around the hole from most stations, and a 3 feet semi-circle behind the hole on shorter putts). Those points are converted to a handicap for each kind of shot. Here are my results, which very wildly.

3/4 wedge (50 yards): 25 handicap. Ouch.
1/2 wedge (30 yards): 4 handicap. Better.
Bunker (30 yards): 21 handicap. Not good.
Bunker (8 yards): 3 handicap. I'm not worthy.
Fwy pitch (15 yards): 12 handicap. Could be better.
Rough pitch (15 yards): 2 handicap. Caveat: very LIGHT rough
Cut Lob (15 yds over bunker): 1 handicap. Wow. Got lucky?
Short chip (10 yards): 10 handicap. Disappointed.
Long chip (20 yards): +8. Seriously. Don't make me repeat it.

Lag putts (40, 60, 80 feet): 6 handicap.
In-between putts (25 to 35 feet): +3 handicap. Could I do it again?
Makeable putts (12 to 24 feet): 10 handicap. Should be better.
Short putts (3 feet): +2 handicap. Made 10 of 10.
Short putts (6 feet): +4 handicap. 10 of 10 again. Take it to course?
Big breaking putts: 6 handicap. These are very hard putts.

My overall short game matrix handicap is a 6.5, while my putting handicap is a 2.5.

I suspect I performed well above my normal capabilities in many stations. This exercise has shown me the areas I need to work on the most (long bunker and 3/4 wedge shots). See you on the short game practice area.

Childs fires a 70 to win BSAL at Chabot; NCS next

2006-10-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

There are some mighty good young players among the regulars at Metro. Among them is Links Club member Emily Childs, a junior at Alameda High School, who won the BSAL championship at Lake Chabot Golf Course recently (by nine strokes!) and will show her skills at the North Coast Section tourney in Brentwood on Monday. From InsideBayArea.com:

OAKLAND — An example of Emily Childs' composure Monday at Lake Chabot Golf Course was evident on the 15th hole at the Bay Shore Athletic League championships.

With her ball nestled near steel netting to the left of the fairway, the Alameda High junior calmly sent a shot on the ground back onto the fairway, and eventually saved par.

She won the individual title with a 1-under-par 70, nine strokes better than both Joy Kim of Albany and Mia Kabasakalis of College Prep, who tied for second.

"I hit everything straight, and I was hitting greens. I didn't make very many long putts — but I was hitting straight. I didn't hit any bad drives," said Childs, who was consistent with a score of 34 on the front nine and 36 on the back nine.

UPDATE: Childs fired a 72 to take 3rd place at NCS tourney.

Cal Bears win Alister MacKenzie Invitational

2006-10-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

The Cal Bears men's golf team, which makes Metropolitan Golf Links its home, took top honors at the Alister MacKenzie Invitational in Fairfield earlier this month. The Bears were led by Michael Wilson. Congrats!

FAIRFAX, CALIF. - Led by individual champion Michael Wilson, the California men's golf team shot an impressive 26-under three round score of 826 to win the fifth annual Alister MacKenzie Invitational Tuesday at the Meadow Club in Fairfax, Calif. The Golden Bears, who captured the Alister MacKenzie last season and in 2003 as well, outscored second place San Jose State (842, -10), and third place Oregon State (848, -4). Individually, Wilson, who was a member of Cal's 2004 National Championship squad, led the tournament the entire way with an 11-under 202 after shooting rounds of 65, 67 and 70. He also tied a school record with his third career individual tournament title, having won the Mid-Pines Tournament in Greensboro, N.C. as a freshman in the fall of 2002, the CordeValle Classic last fall, and now the Alister MacKenzie in 2006.

Celebrating the Life of Jeremiah Clinton

2006-10-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

Metropolitan Golf Links Outside Services Supervisor Jeremiah Clinton died October 4 as a result of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.

Jeremiah was born on June 4, 1975. He attended schools in Alameda and San Leandro. He graduated from Arroyo High School in 1993 and was pursuing a nursing career at Chabot College.

A celebration of Jeremy's life will be held at Marina Park at Monarch Bay Drive and Fairway in San Leandro on Sunday October 22 at 1 pm. Metropolitan golf Links will host a memorial tournament at noon on October 24. Seventy-five percent of the $100 entry fee will go to Jeremiah's family to help with bereavement expenses. Make your own foursome, or we will pair you up. To reserve your spot, call the golf shop at 510-569-5555, ext. 10. If you cannot make the tournament but would like to make a contribution, call Metro's Guy Blume at 510-569-5555, ext. 13.

What it's like to play with the pros on the Champions Tour

2006-10-19T09:49:00.000-07:00

Mia Kabasakalis, a Metropolitan Links Club member, junior program volunteer and student of Metro director of Instruction Rich Marik, competed this summer in the nationally-televised First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. Kabasakalis, a high school senior, recently committed to Harvard. She kindly agreed to an e-mail interview about her experience playing with the pros.

Q. What did you learn about your game by playing in the First Tee Open?

Playing in the First Tee Open was a wonderful experience. It gave me a great sense of what it would be like to play on tour, something that I am set on doing. I definitely noticed how incredible their short games were, they could get up and down from anywhere on the course! They don't hit it as far as the men on the PGA Tour, but their short games allow them to make up the shots, and I definitely came away with the realization of how importance putting and chipping is.

Q. How was the experience different from what you expected?

The setup was incredible, it was as if I was playing in a real tournament on tour, hospitality was amazing, the courses were in great condition, and it was always sort of a shock to see my name on the digital scoreboard every few holes.

Q. Tell me about your playing partner.

My playing partner was Mike Reid, known as "Radar" on tour because he hits it so straight. He's extremely talented, he actually won the Senior PGA in 2005! I learned a lot from watching his game, technique, types of shots, but most of all his attitude. He was never fazed when he hit a bad shot, or didn't get the break he wanted, and that was really great to see, and gave me a lot of inspiration.

Q. Describe your best shot of the tournament.

I had a few good holes actually. We played Pebble the first day, and I actually birdied two holes in a row, so my best hole, and my favorite was the fifth, a par 3. I was coming off of a great birdie on the fourth, and hit a great approach shot onto the green, right at the pin, and had a 12 footer for birdie, which I made!

Q. How did you meet the challenge of playing in such a high profile event, with stars and media everywhere?

I just had a lot of fun and approached it as I would any other tournament. I actually played with Cheyenne Woods during one of my practice rounds - she was so nice, a really great girl - and it was really impressive to see the way that she handled herself, since there were so many people watching her with so many expectations. The media and spectators just added to the overall feel of the tournament, which I found exciting and not too scary. I just tried to turn it into a positive.

(Photo courtesy of Junior Golf Association of Northern California)

A re-introduction

2006-10-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

In this blog, I hope to keep you up to date with the goings on at Metropolitan Golf Links. Expect news, tips from Metro's fine instructors, and lots more. Feel free to send me a message if you have questions for Metro management, experiences to share about golfing Metro, or anything else. My address is: jongordon(at)gmail.com.

Just a little about me: I've been volunteering at Metro for about two years now. I've been a starter, a divot-filler, and now course blogger. I'm a 7.2 handicap, but I still feel like I'm no good. Chronic golfer disease I guess.

See you on the course...

The Club Team Challenge: Sign up!

2006-10-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

When: Sunday, October 29, 2006 - 1pm Shotgun

Where: Metropolitan Golf Links, of course

What: Six person teams. Each golfer plays their own ball. Highest and lowest net scores thrown out and remaining 4 added together for a total team score. Two players from each team will be paired with 2 players from another team to make foursomes. Extras include box lunch, hosted cocktail hour ater play, goodie bag, proximity contest, and long drive.

Who: All NCGA Associate Clubs are invited to field a 6 player team. All players must have a current USGA index. Men will play from the blue tees. Women will play the red tees.

Cost: $59 per player. Includes greens fee, cart, range balls, food and prizes.

1st place – 50% off on an event for your club

2nd place – 25% off

3rd place – 15% off

To register your team for this event, contact Leonard Monroe @ 510-569-5555, ext. 12

Kabasakalis featured in Chronicle story

2006-10-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

Metro regular Mia Kabasakalis, who recently competed in the First Tee Open, is the focus of a San Francisco Chronicle story on the boom in women's golf.

She spends at least three hours a night doing homework, and at least that much time each day practicing.

Golf instructor Rich Marik ... has been teaching Kabasakalis for three years at Metropolitan Golf Course in Oakland.

"She has a great work ethic. She has great fundamentals," Marik said. "As she gains more strength, she will continue to get better."

Kabasakalis is not an overpowering hitter at 5-foot-4, but weight-training and Pilates have helped her hit it in the 240-yard range.

Mia is a student of Metro's Director of Instruction Rich Marik; a Metropolitan Links Club member, and a volunteer with the Metropolitan Junior Golf Program.

Metro juniors to meet Tiger Woods

2006-10-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

Saturday, 10 members of the Metropolitan Junior Golf Program will get a chance to learn from the master. They'll attend a clinic by Tiger Woods at the Tiger Woods Foundation in Anaheim.

The young golfers earned the honor by being top performers in a competition that included a skills challenge. They were also judged on their attendance record and knowledge of rules and etiquette. Not only do they get to meet the best golfer in the world -- Tiger's foundation is picking up the tab for the flight, hotel and a couple of days at Disneyland. And that includes lucky parents, too. Congrats to these Metro juniors:

Linda Brown
Catherine Chan
Cristina Chan
Olivia Chang
Acen Datuin
Maria Davis
Portia Kenney
Roderick Kenney
Sean Li
Joshua Yuen

NEW - Yardages from fairway poles

2006-09-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

The black and white poles in Metro fairways are suggested targets, and soon they'll have yardage indicators affixed to them (they are NOT 150 yard poles). Here are the yardages to the greens' centers, as determined by satellite measurement.

#1 101 yards
#2 122 yards
#3 249 yards
#4 218 yards
#5 Par 3. No pole.
#6 214 yards
#7 Par 3. No pole.
#8 146 yards
#9 162 yards
#10 294 yards
#11 178 yards
#12 Par 3. No pole.
#13 116 yards
#14 175 yards
#15 Par 3. No pole.
#16 134 yards
#17 276 yards
#18 158 yards

There you go. A little math will also tell you how far it is from the tee to the pole.

Kendra and the birds

2006-09-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year when golf courses, parks and other outdoor public places are working hardest to control excess numbers of geese and gulls.

Metro's primary defense against bird droppings is the friendly Border Collie you've seen around the grounds, Kendra. In the picture above, Kendra is hot on the trail of a goose. I asked Metro Superintendent Gary Ingram about birds at Metro, and here's what he has to say:

"Before we had Kendra during grow-in almost half of our labor was used to clean up the mess so we could mow. This time of year is when we have the highest population of both geese and gulls. Most of the droppings are from 8:00pm to 4:00 am on weekdays and weekend afternoons when Kendra is at home."

Limited hours on Sept. 18

2006-09-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

Heads up: All Metropolitan Golf Links facilities will be closed after 11 a.m. on Monday, September 18 for a private event.

Didn't find the #8 fairway...

2006-09-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

...but I did stay at the Oakland Holiday Inn Express last night.

Oakland's newest hotel, located 1/2 mile from the airport and across the street from Metro, is offering some nice golf packages.

Check it out.

Metro has another good deal for folks who stay at the Hilton, which is right next to the course also.

Hotel guests get free rental clubs and resident rates if they reserve through the hotel front desk and have the charges applied to their room.

Volunteers wanted

2006-09-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

Metropolitan Golf Links is now accepting volunteers for On Course Diplomats and Starters. All shifts are six hours long, one day per week. Here are some of the benefits:

-Almost unlimited stand-by free golf privileges (no play before shotgun tournaments)

-One free medium bucket of range balls per day

-Use of the short game practice area

-50% off meals and drinks while on duty

As a former starter, I can tell you this is a great deal. The job is fun. Metro treats you well. The benefits are terrific, and there are only a few restrictions. You pay $6 for a power cart (I usually walk anyway); and customers always go before volunteers if there's a waiting list. The best On Course Diplomats and Starters are efficient, patient, diplomatic, friendly and golf-smart.

You can pick up an application in the Golf Shop. Tell 'em the Linksblogger sent ya.

Meet Jim Hanley

2006-09-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

Jim is a member of the volunteer staff at Metropolitan Golf Links. You see him at the starter’s podium on Mondays. He’s been on the job since December 2003.

Q. Describe your job as a starter at Metro.

The starter calls groups of golfers to the first tee shortly before their assigned starting time, confirms that they have paid green fees, explains basic course rules and policies, briefly summarizes current course conditions, answers questions golfers may have and starts them on their round at the assigned tee time. The role is part traffic control, part information source and occasionally, part mediator. The starter is the first link in maintaining a 4 1/2 hour pace of play and is helpful in alerting on-course diplomats and pro-shop staff to any problems which develop on course.

Q. What's your general philosophy on keeping the 1st tee running smoothly?

Golfers want to have fun playing, play well and not waste time. A starter should be friendly, energetic, ready to share the information golfers need to get started on time and enjoy their round at Metro. A starter should be positive and respectful to everyone.

Q. You spent your career in nuclear physics, right? Any similiarity between nuclear physics and 1st tee management?

I'm an engineer and a lawyer. I worked for the Atomic Energy Commission and Department of Energy for 32 years before retiring in Dec. 1999. My responsibilities included monitoring of work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and other Government research facilities for compliance with Government contract requirements. There are few similarities between nuclear physics and first tee management, but there is one; the theory of "chaos". The chaos theory is often used to explain certain types of nuclear interactions. It could also clearly be used to explain first tee interactions on a busy saturday morning; true chaos at times.

Q. You look an awful lot like Gary McCord. You know that, right?

The first day I worked at Metro someone walked up to the first tee grinning and shouted "Gary McCord". It happens often. I don't follow McCord and barely recognized the name at first. I wish I could play like Gary McCord, make money like Gary McCord and have a sense of humor like McCord.

Q. Any closing thoughts?

I've always enjoyed a variety of sports, but I didn't take up golf until after I retired. Working at Metro has been a wonderful way to become interested in and excited about a new sport. I find golf a great new way to exercise. The lessons I've taken at Metro (from Greg Thrall) have worked wonders. The on-going encouragement from the Metro pro golfers and staff and the new circle of golf buddies I've found have all been a delightful surprise. Thanks Metro.

Metro regular qualifies for First Tee Open

2006-08-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Mia Kabasakalis of Alameda. She qualified to play in the First Tee Open at Pebble Beach this weekend. This is the event where talented young golfers tee it up alongside Champions Tour stars such as Hale Irwin, Peter Jacobsen and Tom Kite.

"Each Labor Day weekend, The Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach showcases the talent and character of young people who participate at The First Tee facilities worldwide. An official Champions Tour event, the tournament pairs one junior with a Champions Tour player and two amateurs. Seventy-eight junior spots are awarded--30 from three regional qualifiers, 40 from a golf and life skills selection event in July, and eight exemptions distributed by The Monterey Peninsula Foundation, the host organization. The September 1-3, 2006 tournament will be televised on The Golf Channel and NBC for the third straight year." Source: thefirsttee.org

Mia is a student of Metro's Director of Instruction Rich Marik; a Metropolitan Links Club member, and a volunteer with the Metropolitan Junior Golf Program.

Other Bay Area junior qualifiers inlcude Christina Hirano, Jennifer Hirano, Diane Kwon, Joanne Lee, Joi Pentin, Joseph Bramlett, Adam Ichikawa, Gregor Main, Casey Payawal, Eric Pitcaithley, and Martin Trainer.

"Kids have to know the rules to play golf."

2006-08-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

Each Saturday, Metropolitan hosts the Metropolitan Junior Golf Program, a non-profit group for children ages six to 17. The young players receive instruction on the driving range, short game practice area, putting green, and the back 9. But the first item on the agenda is a mandatory golf rules and etiquette seminar taught by Leonard "Googie" Kirtley, Jr. Googie is president of the Metropolitan Junior Golf Program. I attended last Saturday's meeting, where about 60 kids crammed a meeting room in the maintenance building. Googie drilled the youngsters on the sometimes complicated Rules of Golf, from the differences between match and stroke play to the proper order of play. Let me tell ya -- they know the rules better than many experienced adult golfers.

Green aeration just around the corner

2006-08-25T17:25:00.000-07:00

The greens at Metropolitan Golf Links will be aerated August 29 and 30. Director of Golf Steve Porter tells me that Metro punches its greens with small tines and does a good job of filling all the little holes with sand, so the greens are quite playable after two or three days. Steve says you'll barely be able to tell the greens were aerated after one week.

Why do golf courses aerate greens? It's about getting air, water, and nutrients to the roots, according to the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

About.com features an article on what the rules of golf say about aerated greens (don't expect relief).

Cattails

2006-08-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

cattails

One of my favorite botanical features of Metropolitan Golf Links is the abundance of the humble typha species, known commonly as "cattails." I took the photo on the right from the vantage point of the #5 cart path looking over to the #6 fairway. You can find these wetland-loving cattails all over the world: in North America, Central America, Great Britain, Eurasia, Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan. Here at Metro, they're just for looking at (you wouldnt' want to hit a ball from them) but they've been used for many things elsewhere. Parts of the plant are edible. Leaves and stems have been used to make bedding, thatching and matting, and to make baskets, boats, rafts, shoes, ropes and paper. Who knew?

Metro hosts National Golf League tournament

2006-08-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

sager
Originally uploaded by jon99.

The San Francisco Spin competed against other teams from the National Golf League this past Saturday, Aug. 19 at Metropolitan Golf Links. In this photo, the Spin's Doug Sager is teeing off at #1 in the first match of the day, a Fourball competition. Here are the results of the tournament.

A shot too far

2006-08-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

A reader writes in with a question for Gene Bakkum, assistant director of instruction at Metropolitan Golf Links:

Q. The other day, I was playing #14 at Metro and I had 125 yards to the flagstick from the fairway. That's a 9-iron for me. I hit it crisp, sending it about 145 to 150 yards, well over the green. The wind was at my back, but it was only about 5 to 10 mph. This happens to me sometimes -- an iron shot goes way longer than it is supposed to. A member of my foursome told me it was a "shafting issue." What are the possible causes when you unexpectedly "nuke" an iron shot?

D.G., Alameda

A. It's possible that the combination of "flushing" the ball with the wind at your back could have accounted for the overshot. If you're not usually catching the ball that cleanly, it's possible that you optimized your launch angle and spin rate just enough to add another 5 - 10 yards on the shot.

Along with the shot optimization, the wind mph adds nearly the same amount in yardage when hitting downwind, so if the wind was near 10 mph, then it would add nearly 10 yards to your shot, totaling the distance to about 145 yards.

It's also possible that you delofted your 9 iron just enough at impact to fly a bit more like an 8 iron. I hope this helps.

Gene Bakkum

Have a question for one of Metro's fine instructors? Send it to jongordon at gmail dot com.

See the Spin at Metropolitan

2006-08-13T20:05:00.000-07:00

Come to Metropolitan Golf Links this Saturday, August 19, to see an exciting competition in the fledgling National Golf League. Competitions pit teams of players against each other. It's sort of like the Ryder Cup. The NGL encourages fans to get involved in the action. From the NGL Web site:

Fans are showing more curiosity and exuberance and are eager to applaud a good shot but often are reluctant to root for a particular player. Like other sports, the city pride created by the NGL will influence the fans and media perpetuating the competitive momentum.

The idea of “team play” will enhance the game of golf with new strategies and innovative coaching techniques. It will establish new rivalries that mirror other sports. As the popularity increases, media will have a new, stimulating league to extend its coverage to increased audiences. Players are enthusiastic about a new venue, one that offers an alternative to the traditional tours. Like other professional leagues, the NGL will cater to its customer - the golf fan and create a new accessible stage.

There are two divisions, Northern and Southern California, with six teams in each division. The league plans to expand to other parts of the country next year.

Teams include pros and amateurs, men and women. Metropolitan Golf Links is the home course to one of the teams, the San Francisco Spin. Team members include NCGA points player and frequent Metro golfer Doug Sager; Metro employee Aris Pope; and recent Golf Channel Big Break participant Divina Delasin.

Read about the National Golf League in the San Francisco Chronicle and Davis Enterprise. Listen to a KCBS interview with National Golf League founder Bob Aube here (MP3).

The competition begins at 1 pm. See you there!

Blogging Metro

2006-08-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce myself. I'm Jon Gordon, a Metropolitan Golf Links volunteer. I've worked as a starter, and lately I've been filling divots over at the short game and teaching areas. My handicap index is an 8.5, but I do not feel worthy of it.

My new gig is to write this Weblog. The idea is to communicate news of the course to you the customers, and to offer a forum for your input.

Feel free to contact me via email -- jongordon at gmail dot com. Let's talk.