Golf in a Post Corona World: Dry Creek Ranch

We, again, interrupt our regularly scheduled Scotland series to bring a second installment of Golf in a Post Corona world. If you have not read the first installment that reviews the Park and Play protocols from the NCGA you can read it here. If you choose to play be sure to strictly follow the guidelines and social distancing, regardless of how the courses are implementing the measures.

Initially we were not going to review Dry Creek Ranch Golf Course— primarily because their Corona distancing measures are inconsistent at best, and we didn’t want to publicize it when the measures are haphazard. However, now it seems to be the only golf course within a 1.5 hour drive of the Bay Area where you can play, and well, it’s a genuinely interesting golf course to tackle.

Dry Creek Ranch Golf course is 25 minutes north of Stockton, CA, on the border of San Joaquin and Sacramento counties. When I say on the border of these two counties I mean literally. The first tee is in Sacramento county and the first fairway is in San Joaquin county. Thus the reason it’s been able to stay open is that the place of business is in Sacramento county where golf has been deemed an essential exercise. Same with San Luis Obisbo county.

This course is a gnarled, angry old version of its former self…like a handsome movie star from the 60’s who now plays the “get off of my lawn” old man role. Yet you can still experience some of the charm and debonair features of what this once was, and frankly could be again with some money put into it. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a destination golf course, but there is something about it that will tug at you… just a bit.

Built in the 1960’s and designed by a protege of the Alastair McKinzie golf course architect Jack Fleming (designer of TPC Harding Park), one can’t help wonder why the heck such a renowned architect would be involved in a project in Galt, CA — literally the crossroads of nowhere. But when you do the research you learn Fleming actually did a number of courses in the area including in Manteca. At the beginning of the Freeway era it must have felt like manifest destiny to bring golf to the Central Valley of California. And that takes us to the first unique feature of this golf course. A freeway literally runs right through the course: in fact, to play holes 11-16 you travel under a six lane freeway to the other side.

Back to the course design. In its day it was designed as a challenging tree lined parkland golf course with some very long holes, creative dog legs, and painfully small greens. At times, this course feels more like it was designed in the 30’s rather than the 60’s as some of the greens appear to be no larger than a large dinner plate. Nowadays, the strategically well placed trees have grown into monsters out-sizing their original intent to be a minor nuisance to being a major mind game. Creative shot making comes in very handy on this course, and if you can work the ball both ways plus control trajectory height, you will find this to be a very fun course to play. If you can’t, you’ll just have to take your medicine on the some holes that have grown into monstrosities.

I do wish they would adopt the “Park and Play” protocol from the NCGA in full. They have removed the rakes from many bunkers, but that’s about it, so you need to be mindful. Unfortunately, you have to go into the pro shop to pay whereas other golf courses you can call in with your credit card number. They also left the water thermoses out on the course, and there is no cup mitigation at all, they did not raise it or put a pool noodle in It.

The clubhouse feels like a bait shop, the bathroom is a nightmare, and the driving range supposedly makes the driving range in Tin Cup look like Augusta by relative measure. That said, it’s a place where you can get out and play in this post Corona world. And that makes it an oasis.

Rankings:

• Bucket list rank (from 1to 5 buckets): 0 Buckets
• Caddies: Are you kidding?!
• Location: Crossroads of nowhere
• Spectacle/ visual: 6 It’s ragged but pretty
• History: 4 the golf course designer is well known
• New/ancient: Modern
• Playability : Ooof..
• Memorability : 8 you sure won’t forget it anytime soon
• Buddy-a-bility : um…
• Service/etc: That’s not a specialty here
• Value: 6
• Shopping: Hmmmm
• Warm up facilities/Range: Yikes
• Food & Drink: Nope.