SBC golfers can still tee up for holidays
The lack of heavy rains this winter hasn’t been the best news
for ski buffs heading to the Sierra Nevada but it has been great
news for golfers that are itching to tee it up this holiday
season.
So if you’re looking to try out that new oversized driver or
those new golf shoes that you got for Christmas, don’t wait until
springtime to get out on the green.
SBC golfers can still tee up for holidays
The lack of heavy rains this winter hasn’t been the best news for ski buffs heading to the Sierra Nevada but it has been great news for golfers that are itching to tee it up this holiday season.
So if you’re looking to try out that new oversized driver or those new golf shoes that you got for Christmas, don’t wait until springtime to get out on the green.
In the Hollister area, it’s rained just enough to green the courses up but not enough to impact play.
At both San Juan Oaks Golf Club and Ridgemark Golf and Country Club conditions have been so good that as of Wednesday carts were still allowed on the fairways at both courses.
“The golf course is in good shape,” San Juan Oak Head Professional Steve Janisch said. “We just haven’t had a lot of rain. We also put a top dressing of sand on the fairways a few weeks ago that has helped tremendously with drainage.”
Since play is reduced to a minimum during the winter months, Janisch also pointed out that golfers would have no problem getting a tee time and would be able to enjoy their experience in conditions more akin to spring and fall golf.
“We’re playing it (the ball) down right now out here,” Janisch said. “The course has been in great shape since we hosted the Q-School (PGA Tour qualifying tournament) in November. Since then, the course has stayed in fabulous shape. The greens were also aerated five or six weeks ago so they are in good shape too.”
San Juan Oak’s is PGA Tour player Fred Couples first signature course in California. The picturesque par-72 layout is 7,133 from the back tees, and has four other tee areas to accommodate to golfers of all skill levels.
Ridgemark Golf and Country Club includes two challenging layouts, and, according to one golfer, “the greens out here are the best I’ve ever seen them right now.”
Ridgemark’s Diablo Course measures 6,582 from the championship tee and the Gabilan Course is 6,721 from all the way back. It too has additional tee areas to accommodate golfers of all skill levels.
“The golf courses are in great shape down here and business has been good throughout the holiday period,” Ridgemark General Manager Eric Dietz said. “Because of our unique micro climate, it puts us in a good position. Our weather patterns are different down here. We don’t get as much rain as San Jose, and because of that, we get a lot of play from that area too.”
Rates at Ridgemark all include a cart and they are as follows. Monday through Friday $45, weekends and holidays are $60.
Monday through Friday rates at San Juan Oaks are $55 to walk and $71 with a cart. Senior citizens pay $40 to walk and $56 to ride on those days. San Benito county residents can also play the course for a reduced fee of $35 to walk and $51 to ride Monday through Friday.
Weekend rates at the San Juan Oaks are $80 to walk and $96 to ride. There are no special senior rates or county resident rates on weekends. For additional information or to book a tee time, call San Juan Oaks at 636-6115 or Ridgemark at 637-8151.
