Conference 7.286::golf

    Some of the fires are still going, but most have been knocked down. 
    The Santana (Some say Santa Ana - there is a dispute on the origin of
    the name) Winds are coming back today for the weekend.  This is not
    good news for the fires under way and adds to the chance of new ones
    starting and the old ones flaring up again.  The winds are NOT expected
    to be as strong and they were on Wednesday.
    
    There is considerable smoke in the air.  Ash is falling all over.  I
    live 20/25 miles from the nearest fire and near the beach and STILL had
    a very noticable covering of ash on the car and outside furniture
    Thursday morning and some this morning.  It is not a good time to be
    outside exerting oneself.
    
    One couse near Sherman Lake is being affected by the fire.  I think it
    is a private (club) course.  This is in southern Ventura County near
    the LA county line.  Aliso Creek Course in Laguna Beach has also been
    affected.  I do not believe it was in the path of the fire but it is a
    mile or so away from the main fire there.  I played there this last
    Saturday.  It is a short, but VERY narrow 9 hole course in the
    wilderness.  It is routinly hit with winter floods.  It is a very
    beautiful course in spite of that with 6 of the 9 holes across the
    creek running down the cannyon.
    
    Other than that, I am not aware of anyother courses being affected,
    expect for the smoke/ash.  This weekend could be different.
    
    Ralph

    
    Thanks for the update ralph lets hope its over soon. Sounds like that 9
    hole takes some hammer with regular floods. In England we have had
    bad weather, non stop rain, so wet you could not light a fag outside,
    the 18th fairway at the Belfry (scence of Ryder cup) was completly
    flooded.
    
    Best of luck
    
    Leigh

    Leigh,
    
    A number of fires are still going, but danager/threat to populated
    areas has reduced some.  Smoke and ash is pretty much cleared up, at
    least in my area.
    
    A question for you, Leigh or anybody else.  Perhaps it is answered
    elsewhere, but I have heard that there is a difference between
    'American' and 'European' courses.  Not a clue what that would be, any
    ideas?
    
    Are you headed over this way in the near future?
    
    Ralph

    
    re difference between Europen/American course
    
    American courses tend to be more "target golf" there is a definite
    fairway that is usually surrounded by woods/trees/some obstacle to 
    give you motivation to hit the fairway
    
    European courses tend to be more links style, more open, with 
    ugle disgusting (to get out of) bunkers, they are more open in
    terms of looking almost field like (no insult implied so don't 
    read one in :-) )
    
    American course tend to give you a smaller variety of options into the
    green, the greens are surrounded by hazards, whereas Europen course
    are more open to your shot making mood at the moment and allow you 
    to run the ball up.
    
    Of course all this is from playing only American course, only in 
    New England and reading.
    
    --Bob
    

    I respectfully disagree with .4. Many of our "Great" courses (ones by
    Ross, Tillinghast, MacKenzie, MacDonald and Raynor) are like the
    British "Parkland" courses - Like Sunningdale's Old Course - and not
    necessarily "target" in nature. Many of 'em have definite runways up
    the front of the greens. Newer courses are a different story...
    
    In Britain, many of the courses were built on "links" terrain - land
    created by sandy soil washed from the ocean, or shaped by the action of
    surging tides and winds. Regrettably, we build condos on land like that
    here. There probably aren't 5 great "links" courses in the whole US,
    and even Pebble Beach and Cypress point aren't pure "links," other than
    their proximity to the sea.
    
    Another difference is maintenance - In Britain, you bump and run it.
    Here, you throw darts, because we water fairways and greens. I like the
    British courses, but I like some of ours, too.
    
    __Jack

    
    Ralph,
    
    I think .4 and .5 give a pretty good view on the difference between
    the US an British courses.  Links courses are associated with our
    golf as so called "target golf" is with yours.
    
    Jacks discription of links is bang on a story I have is the first time
    I played a links course was at Royal North Devon, we got to the course
    real early nobody was in site honest my face dropped it was like
    looking out over Hackney Marshes, the mist was all around, I could see
    no outline of a course, I was ready to go.
    
    By the time I was off a few people had appeared and the mist was away I
    could now see a green however standing on the tee I did have to ask if
    it was a fairway or a field (sheep were all around), to cut a long
    story and many shots short it was one of my best days out, brilliant.
    
    Regarding the vistit, yes I am trying to get over for a holiday in the
    next two years a friend has just returned from a 2 week trip to
    California and loved it.
    
    Leigh

    Thank you.  Now I get a better picture.  Both styles appeal to me, the
    challange to go from tee to cup is what it is all about.
    
    Let me know how you progress toward your trip over here and I will
    arrange some 'target' golf for you.
    
    Ralph