by Rick Surlow, Publisher

You know how when you are in an elevator, there is rarely a 13th floor? The buttons go from 12 to 14. Heck, if I did that in elementary school, I’d have flunked math. (Well, I almost did anyway, but will spare you the details.) I’ve always found it kind of silly for the number 13 to be so readily abandoned. That is even more so today, as we enter our 13th year of publishing your golfing bible. Fear not, I feel compelled to say—we shall embrace the number 13 with appreciation and even, perhaps, the tiniest bit of swagger. I like to think of our 13th anniversary as possessing the charms of a baker’s dozen rather than something to avoid.

Ten years after the course opened and graced the cover of Golf Guide, the gem of Roddy Ranch still has no homes reachable with any club in your bag, despite the huge building boom that took place in nearby communities over the past decade. Among the more fun and challenging golf courses in Northern California, Roddy greets you at every hole with a new look and demand. If you have yet to treat yourself to its many pleasures, time to get on over there, Pardner. In spite of the western theme, they do not have horse-drawn golf carts.

Our Web traffic is up at GOLFGUIDE.ORG, and for good reason. Seems like more folk are discovering they can get all the goodies found in the print version of Golf Guide in our online version. In addition to the pleasing photography, our Web site contains captivating write-ups of dozens of courses highlighted in each issue of Golf Guide, along with unique driving maps that make it even easier to be on time for your next round of golf. Store activity has also been brisk, with the most popular items still our unique golf certificates that enable you to play over 70 different courses at significant savings. Of course, the money you save is only temporary, as this simply allows you to feel more generous as you enjoy your post rounds at the 19th hole.

by Rick Surlow, Publisher

GOLFGUIDE.ORG now includes a directory of golf courses throughout California, (meaning 1,000+ courses), and 100+ courses in southern Oregon and western Nevada. All from our site. In addition to the expanded website, a Southern California edition of Golf Guide is now in circulation thanks to the efforts of experienced publishers and golf enthusiasts Wade and Pam McCurry.

There are a few other matters we’re excited about as we go to press with this print version at the start of a new decade. GOLFGUIDESTORE.COM now offers golf certificates from more than 70 courses in California, Oregon and Nevada. That means savvy readers can save from 20 percent to 70 percent on green fees, which in turn translates into: you can afford to play more golf.

And then there are GOLFGUIDE PLAY DAYS…Last year, we sponsored some play days at a couple of the more spectacular courses in the state that also happen to be highlighted in both our print edition and web directory. Look for more such events in 2010, which should include a return to TPC San Francisco Bay at Stonebrae, Pasatiempo Golf Club, Winchester Country Club and more. Check with our website, GOLFGUIDE.ORG for dates, details and sign-ups.

Finally, our cover course this issue, Mare Island Golf Club, is a hidden treasure, located, exactly as its name suggests, on an actual island! You need not be a pirate to enjoy this gem, but you owe it to yourself and to the course’s rich legacy in Bay Area golf history to get out there and breathe deeply of the ocean breezes and all that is best of this treasured pastime we share.

by Rick Surlow, Publisher

Whaddaya know? It’s my favorite time of year to play golf. Not that I don’t enjoy playing any time of year, but the fall is really something special.

Here in the Bay Area, fall is when it warms up near the coast, and those pesky winds that sometimes challenge our summertime play seem to die down. The greens have recovered from the summertime aeration and usually roll true. (If only I could always putt as true…Well, if I could, I’d probably be playing golf on tour instead of publishing this fine guidebook.)

In reality, I have no idea what it would be like to make par most of the time, with a smattering of birdies and eagles to break up the monotony. My rounds seem to be filled with bogies, and when my pars outnumber my doubles, I consider it a good round.

As many of you have noticed, there seems to be a few more players on the course with you these days. Finally, the slowdown that has plagued the golf course business these past few years seems to be turning around. This should translate into better course conditions, along with more comrades to play with.

Given the upward trend, it’s worth noting what a drag slow play can be on a quality round of golf. When playing, be sure to agree to play “ready golf.” Keep track of your playing partners’ shots, and help the search-and-rescue effort when those shots have gone astray. And as lovely as it may be out on the golf course, be sure your group spends no more that 15 minutes on any given hole. In fact, traffic circulates much better for everyone when you’re playing at a 10 -12-minute-per hole clip.

Finally, try to remember this: When you’re playing golf and miss a shot, you could be doing something else altogether. But why would you want to?

by Rick Surlow, Publisher

As we wind down another year of publishing NorCal Golf Guide (NCGG), our final offering begins with a look at our cover course: Monterey Pines Golf Course in Monterey.

Down the peninsula, Crystal Springs continues to turn heads, as does Adobe Creek in the southern Sonoma Wine Country. Both these courses play great in the fall and winter months. Also returning to our Guide is the Sonoma Golf Club, where the season-ending Senior Champions Tour stops off at the end of October. With the course having switched to private/resort status, the luxury-laden Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa will now be more attractive than ever to visitors who can soak in the spa and then soak up the history and charm of this classic course.

Finally, we have a directory featuring contact information for many of the golf organizations dedicated to the game. If you don’t know where to find an answer, perhaps our NCGG directory will help.

Here’s to a fabulous fall of golf and good cheer.

by Rick Surlow, Publisher

A funny thing is happening in the golfing world. It’s actually becoming easier to book tee times and then to play without delays.

A couple of factors are in play with this development. One is the increasing number of world class golf courses being built not only in the Bay Area, but all over this golf-mad land. Another is the economic downturn, which has compelled some people to cut back on their recreational budgets. Let us hope the tide soon turns on this latter factor, lest society’s mental health budget skyrockets due to golfers not getting their minimum daily requirement of golf.

The plus side for now is that the opportunities for great golf continue to grow. So come your next off day, here’s to expanding your horizons by inviting a friend, wife, child or anybody with whom you might enjoy sharing the magic and conviviality of golf.

Consider: How many other sports afford you the opportunity to romp around in the exact same setting as the pros? When the golf gods are with you, you can drive and reach the 18th green in two at Pebble Beach, but what prayer do you have to launch a home run into McCovey Cove at Pac Bell Park?

This year, the selection of courses to play has never been better, and golf courses certainly want your business. They also want your feedback.

With the warm weather months ending and golfing opportunities abounding, yes, dear readers, it’s O.K. to play again!

by Rick Surlow, Publisher

For twelve years now, we have been engaged in publishing the definitive directory of golf courses for the area. Personally, I’ve been in the magazine publishing business for over 25 years, and it probably won’t surprise anyone reading this that publishing the Golf Guide is by far the most rewarding venture I’ve undertaken. Perhaps this is in part due to my passion for the game of golf?

You see, my friends do not always consider me the most rational person when it comes to the game I love. Maybe you also have friends who think you a bit dingy in your relationship to the game?

The only time I won’t play is if the course is closed due to foul weather, which around here is quite infrequent. For me to wear long pants, it had better be pretty cold and windy, too. Needless to say, I don’t have to wear long pants very often.

Simply stated, I love the game of golf, in spite of my inconsistent performance. So I’m pleased to report that this issue includes a few new courses to tempt us. As we grow, we intend to feature additional courses – which is where you can help. If you can’t find your favorite courses in this guide, let us know. If you know the contact person for that facility, let us know that too, along with any other features you’d like to see in this publication. The best way is via email: rick@golfguide.org.

Remember, we publish only three times a year, and our goal is to consistently improve and update this resource for you, the golf fanatic. Don’t be shy, and always keep in mind as you gaze out your window at the start of each day: There is no guarantee you’ll be able to play tomorrow when today beckons your game.

by Rick Surlow, Publisher

One of the reservations I often hear from people wondering whether they should take up golf is that “it takes up so much time.” As any even modestly experienced golfer knows, that reservation evaporates quickly once you get out there on the links and realize how well spent the time is. Then there’s the issue of how much time we actually do have in life. Let’s see: 24- hour days, 365-day years—how many of those hours and days have been spent doing all manner of things less productive, healthy and plain fun than playing golf?

All of us working types strive to provide the necessities of life for ourselves and our families. What we’ve come to learn, though, is that recreation is also one of those necessities. For me, the fact that playing a round of golf takes a few hours is something to savor. Personally, I find it much easier to recall golfing experiences than many other activities in my life. That says something about the heightened sense of awareness we experience while playing. This awareness encompasses not only ourselves but those who are sharing the round with us. Not a bad place to be.

Speaking of time and awareness, as wonderful as it is to be strolling in the park-like setting of golf courses in our region, it can still be painful to be following a group playing r-e-a-l s-l-o-w. Just remember, no matter how much time you have, those behind you may be playing to a different rhythm. So always be considerate of your fellow golfers. Their idea of a good time might not include watching you plumb bob and line up your putt for five minutes while they wait to take their approach shot to the green you have taken over.

The good news in not being slowed down by slow play is you get to play 36, so you can spend even more time doing that thing you do.

by Rick Surlow, Publisher

In this, our twelfth year of publishing NorCal Golf Guide, we are grateful for the overwhelming response and support our readers have given our magazine and website. If you have been reading us for a few years, you know this is not the place to find the latest professional tour statistics, nor to achieve great insights into the spectacular personal lives of PGA tour professionals. What you find here instead are the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all the golf courses within Northern & Central California, Southern & Central Oregon and the Reno/Tahoe areas, thus compli-cating your life with questions such as: Where shall I play next? To assist you with this challenging question, we even provide in-depth information on a few dozen courses, including color photos, maps, course statistics and write-ups that assist you in choosing which of the nearly 500+ golf courses in the region you would like to challenge soon.

Again, thank you for reading and supporting NorCal Golf Guide. We’re pleased to return the favor by supporting your golf game as much as possible.

by Rick Surlow, Publisher

When the great Ben Hogan was asked many years ago by Tom Waston how many shots he felt he missed in his final round of 67 to win the 1951 U.S. Open, he warmly said, “Every shot is a missed shot – unless it goes in the hole.”

I guess that means we have only 18 “make” shots per round. All the misses are merely stepping stones to arrive at the shots that go in the hole.

What a refreshing notion to know that it is virtually impossible to play this game perfectly. What it’s really about is making good “misses” to position yourself to “make” the ball dive into the hole 18 times each round.

For some peculiar reason, this notion lessens the negative effect on the psyche when one chili dips or shanks a shot. Unless, of course, those severe misses manage to find the right hole to slip into. It is always amazing when a bad shot goes good. You are grateful for the accomplishment, but embarrassed by the means.

Much more often than not, my severe misses usually mean a higher score, thus more opportunities to try to “make” my ball reach its specific destination.

I try to play with the realization that perfection is out of my reach, but that it’s a whole lot of fun to play every shot as if perfection was possible.

Which it is, come to think of it – because every day on a golf course is as close to perfection as a golfer needs to get.

by Rick Surlow, Publisher

When those of us of a certain age consider the trajectory of our (so very amateur) golf careers, we often focus on the diminished strength that sees our drives get shorter by the decade. In reality, however, short putts— the insufficient application of force to get our ball to the intended target—are every bit as much of a drag on our game. Sometimes, waning skills can be as much a matter of subtlety and mental focus as of brute strength.

Nevertheless, the nurturing of subtle skills—including one’s “touch” in putting— can be heavily influenced by…you guessed it…practice practice practice. And fortunately for golfers, such practice can take place in the pleasurable, often sublime conditions available on golf courses both near and far.

Furthering the good news is that golf is not just a pleasurable (though sometimes frustrating) recreational activity, but also a business that employs thousands of fine people who depend on their work to support their families and to support other businesses in the fine circular dance known as an “economy.” This is just one more reason to go play golf: it allows you to do your little part in stimulating the economy while causing your own endorphins to procreate. Not a bad win-win scenario.

The golf courses that grace the pages of this little magazine are the ones who are bucking the forces of a down economy and making a stand for the game of golf and your many options to play it. Nice to be wanted by such desirable partners, isn’t it?