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 Click here for a video tour of Talega. It’s difficult to distinguish among all of Orange County’s high-end daily-fee courses, but Randy Shannon has helped ensure Talega Golf Club is still around the top of the regional totem pole. Since taking over as general manager in March, Shannon has overseen improvements ranging from layout enhancements to expanded membership benefits. “We can feel the momentum,” said Shannon, a PGA member. The San Clemente course completed its seasonal maintenance shortly after Labor Day, so players have already been reaping the benefits of superb conditions while enjoying the breezy ocean atmosphere. In addition to having a new fleet of GPS-enhanced carts, the facility has upgraded its bunker maintenance equipment. “Our sand traps are much improved,” Shannon said. Earlier this year, Talega revamped its Signature Club membership program with improved benefits while keeping prices the same. A standard program is $6,000 annually for unlimited golf, and a weekday-only option is $4,000. Prospective members can save when purchasing an additional membership for a spouse or signing on for a three- or five-year commitment — also, when a 12-month package is paid in full, a 13th month is free. A corporate package for four employees of a single company is available, as well. New Signature Club benefits include even more affordable guest rates (up to $30 off), the ability to book rounds up to 20 days in advance, and the scheduling of more member-only events. “At the minimum, we hold at least one event per month for members, sometimes two. We’ve really increased participation and camaraderie,” said Shannon, who added that those interested in joining should act promptly since not many spots are left. Talega also is giving away a free membership. Enter the contest by signing up for the e-mail club on the course’s website before Dec. 31, 2008. The winner will be announced Jan. 1, 2009. For more information: (949) 369-6226 or visit talegagolfclub.com. Enjoy Sunday brunch at Tijeras Creek The layout at Tijeras Creek Golf Club in Rancho Santa Margarita is memorable because of distinct differences between the two nines — while the front is relatively flat and adorned with water hazards, the back is known more for its tree-lined fairways and challenging elevation changes. Patrons can now take advantage of another great pairing at the club — a weekly Sunday brunch buffet at TJ’s Cantina, featuring an array of breakfast options and different lunch specialties each week. Breakfast highlights include custom omelette and waffle stations, while lunch items range from prime rib and roast beef to ham and Chicken Parmigiana. “We mix it up just to keep it fresh and new, because we’ve already developed a lot of repeat customers,” said Tom Horaney, assistant general manager and food and beverage director. “We want them to have a new experience each time.” Brunch includes unlimited trips and is $15.95 for adults and $9.95 for children ages 6-12 (kids under 6 are free). Not only does the spacious dining room offer serene views of the golf course, the interior also has three televisions, giving customers the opportunity to watch NFL games if they want. Outside patio seating is available, too. Tijeras Creek is a popular venue for holiday parties and group gatherings, and it’s not too late to make a reservation. Contact Horaney to learn more. For more information: (949) 589-9793 or visit tijerascreek.com.  Monarch Beach introduces limited annual memberships Click here for a video tour of Monarch Beach. The Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed layout at Monarch Beach Golf Links is one of the most renowned in Orange County. Now, fans of the posh Dana Point venue have an opportunity to enjoy the course as a member. Beginning this month, Monarch Beach is offering a limited number of annual memberships, which cost $7,500 and provide unlimited golf until the end of 2009. So, joining before the end of 2008 means the chance to enjoy more than a calendar year of golf at the same rate. Other perks include: A one-night stay at the adjacent St. Regis Resort, a Troon National Twosome discount card, the ability to make tee times up to 10 days in advance, discounts on guest green fees ranging between 30 and 50 percent, and 25 percent off golf lessons and non-sale merchandise items. “We’ve had quite a few requests for a program like this in the past,” said General Manager and Director of Golf Alan Deck. “We just felt like it would be a program that would be worth offering at this point.” Deck also is preparing for a term as president of Orange County Golf Coast, a role he will begin around the start of the new year. Monarch Beach is one of seven member golf courses of the organization. “I’m really excited. The Golf Coast has a lot of good things going on,” he said. For more information: (949) 240-8247 or visit monarchbeachgolf.com. Watch Monday Night Football at Shorecliffs With the NFL season already halfway over, games are becoming more meaningful — especially prime-time contests featured weekly on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. San Clemente’s Shorecliffs Golf Course, always known for having a unique array of specials, has engineered another popular promotion: From now until the final MNF game on Dec. 22, Shorecliffs patrons can play nine holes of golf for $15 (cart included) after 3 p.m. and stick around to watch the action at the bar, where there are complimentary appetizers and raffle prizes awarded after each quarter. Two rounds of golf are given away each night, and a custom set of Ping irons will be raffled at the last game. “It’s been very popular,” said Tom Prince, chief marketing officer of Pacific Golf Enterprises, which manages Shorecliffs. Another seasonal offer at Shorecliffs is the Fall Fun Pass — for $499 per person, a member is entitled to 60 days of unlimited golf. Currently, the scenic San Clemente course also is offering a great incentive to those who book group or tournament outings. For parties of at least 24 players, Shorecliffs will return $400 worth of tee prizes that can be used at the group’s discretion. Prizes range from rounds of golf to merchandise. Call the tournament hotline at (949) 456-5278 for more details. For more information: (949) 492-1177 or visit pacificgolfenterprises.com. Alta Vista makes it easy to become a new member Alta Vista Country Club General Manager Karl Reul understands the fragile state of the economy, but he also knows his facility currently has some of the most creative membership offers among private Southland venues. New members can join with an annual installment plan, which requires a 25 percent down payment on the initiation fee that can then be paid off without interest over the next three years. There’s even a monthly installment option that is zero-down, and initiation is financed at seven percent interest over four years. Reul also is proud of the fact that Alta Vista has weekday-only memberships. “We’re one of the few country clubs in Southern California that does that,” he said. To find out more about membership options, send an inquiry via Alta Vista’s website. The Placentia club has been basking in the glow of recent improvements, as current members have been enjoying the new clubhouse, which was completed with $1.5 million in renovations last year. Those changes have complemented the enhanced golf course, which underwent a renovation in 2006. The lush, tree-lined par-72 track features diverse routing and five sets of tees. “The golf course conditions and the clubhouse have never been better,” said Reul. For more information: (714) 524-1591 or visit altavistacc.com.  New clubhouse could come to Newport Beach Country Club Newport Beach Country Club, one of the most renowned private clubs in Orange County, submitted a proposal for a new clubhouse early this summer. The proposal, which would call for an entirely new 56,000-square-foot facility, is now subject to the approval of the City of Newport Beach and the California Coastal Commission. The club has hired a consultant to work with those agencies in order to resolve any potential issues. No timetable is in place for when it could be passed. “We’re real excited about moving forward with this plan,” said Perry Dickey, Newport Beach Country Club’s president and chief operating officer. “Our membership has been notified, and everybody seems to be on board. It’s the buzz of the community.” The new structure would be approximately double the size of the existing clubhouse and offer members raised views of both the golf course and the Pacific Ocean. Though no construction schedule can be set, Dickey has made it a point of emphasis that any type of work will not impede on the facility’s annual hosting of the Champions Tour’s Toshiba Classic, which is normally held during early March. For more information: (949) 644-9550 or visit newportbeachcc.com.  Arroyo Trabuco to bolster range with synthetic turf Already featuring one of the most expansive grass driving ranges in Orange County, Mission Viejo’s Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club plans to upgrade the practice area with a row of synthetic turf hitting stations. The project, slated to be completed some time in early 2009, will not take away any of the grass area — whenever conditions warrant the closure of grass, such as weather or maintenance, the turf, which will be based on a layer of decomposed granite, will still allow patrons to hit balls. The installment will stretch from the instruction academy station at the east side of the 40,000-square-foot range to the clubfitting area at the west end. “This will help eliminate any range closures,” said Director of Operations Peter Dalkas. Arroyo Trabuco is still booking its ballroom for holiday gatherings or other group outings. The 5,600-square-foot venue offers seating for up to 300 people. To learn more, call catering sales manager Alyson Gabladon at (949) 305-5111. Two of the course’s promotions remain popular fixtures. Golfers are invited to come out every Thursday and participate in “Fast Thursdays,” where completing a round in under four hours and 15 minutes earns a golfer five Trabuco Bucks good throughout the property. And every Sunday, those paying for a round of golf are entitled to 50 percent off brunch at O’Neill’s, served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information: (949) 305-5100 or visit arroyotrabuco.com. Bunker restoration continues at Anaheim Hills Click here for a video tour of Anaheim Hills. Anaheim Hills Golf Course is about a third of the way finished with a comprehensive sand trap renovation project. Bunker enhancements on the first six holes are to be completed this month, while improvements to the rest of the 18-hole layout are slated for conclusion in early 2009. Modifications vary for each structure, but the common theme will be that each bunker will have better playability. Construction for the course’s approximately 50 traps is being done one hole at a time, so disruption during rounds is minimal. City of Anaheim Golf Superintendent Michael Lautenbach has announced that Newport Beach-based course architect Casey O’Callaghan has been hired for planning prospective renovation works at Anaheim Hills. No project particulars have been mapped out as of yet, though two options are being considered: one is a restoration of prominent course elements without any serious alterations, and the other calls for major changes to the layout. “We’re working on these plans just to have them ready. Once we have them, we can determine what we can do and when we can do it,” Lautenbach said. At Anaheim’s other property, Dad Miller Golf Course, Lautenbach said the clubhouse’s restroom remodeling was finished last month. For more information: (714) 998-3041 for Anaheim Hills, (714) 765-3481 for Dad Miller, or playanaheimgolf.com. Get fit for free at Tustin Ranch One can never underestimate the value of proper clubfitting, a fact the accomplished instruction staff at Tustin Ranch Golf Club knows especially well. If clubfitting is something you’ve thought about doing but have put off because of concerns about cost or time commitment, Tustin Ranch has a solution. On Saturday, Nov. 29, the course’s team of clubfitters will be conducting a Free Fit day. Simply call ahead to make a fitting appointment between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and have access to custom equipment systems from Titleist, Ping, Mizuno, TaylorMade, Callaway and Cobra. In addition to a complimentary fitting, golfers can save on discounted clubs and earn 10 percent off new, custom-fit clubs purchased that day. “This event is our way of giving back,” said Erik Horve, PGA director of instruction at The Golf School of Tustin Ranch. “It’s to showcase what our staff can do. We’re teachers before we’re clubfitters, and a mis-fit club affects the motion in the golf swing.” Besides Horve, who was named the Southern California PGA’s clubfitter of the year in 2005, other PGA instructors who will be on hand include Ken Klisz, who earned the same award in 2006, Karen Tucker, the runner-up for that honor in 2007, and Ming Lao. For more information: (714) 730-1611 or visit tustinranchgolf.com. Westridge rolls out 2009 memberships The new year is just around the corner, and if you’re thinking about affordable Orange County membership opportunities, consider Westridge Golf Club. Beginning this month, the La Habra public facility is selling a trio of programs, which go into effect on Jan. 1, 2009. One of the most popular is the Diamond membership — it offers unlimited golf from Monday through Friday and a range of amenities, including the ability to make reservations up to 14 days in advance and a 20 percent discount off both pro shop merchandise and restaurant food. Just for signing up, members also receive four free rounds for guests valid on any weekday. “We’re trying to promote this now because space is limited, as we’ll have a lot of members renewing,” said Director of Golf Jon Marquez. “The Diamond package offers the highest value.” For exact rates and more thorough descriptions of membership options, contact the pro shop. With overseeding complete, Westridge is primed for solid conditions throughout the winter. The par-72 course is one of the most scenic in the region, featuring an array of uniquely shaped bunkers and water hazards. For more information: (562) 690-4200 or visit westridgegolfclub.com. Save at San Clemente during twilight Click here for a video tour of San Clemente. Because sunshine is more sparse now that daylight saving time is over, San Clemente Golf Course has made it easier for golfers to take advantage of green fee discounts with convenient twilight times. Starting this month, winter twilight hours begin at 1 p.m., with green fees at $25 and discounts available for juniors and seniors. Super twilight (available Monday through Thursday) commences at 3 p.m. with a rate of only $13, and juniors can play for only $1 when accompanied by an adult. San Clemente is a charismatic layout with one of the most beautiful short holes anywhere — the par-3 15th. Better players will be pleased to find some strategy is needed to score on difficult holes, while golfers of all skills should find solace in the cool ocean breezes that consistently flow onto the course. For more information: (949) 361-8384 or visit sanclementegc.com. |
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