November 19, 2010 - Tierra Rejada Golf Club, Moorpark, California

Happy Anniversary to me and my wonderful husband of 23 years!  Every day with you has been a gift.  I love you very much and look forward to sharing more laughs and love and creating more memories (golf and otherwise).


My last full blog entry was riddled with frustration.  I was so upset about my game that I almost didn't want to play today.  But I went to the driving range yesterday and practiced some of the new techniques I had learned from Joe.  I was feeling better about my game and hoped I would show some improvement over the last time I played.

We golfed with Seth Perry (for his birthday he received a round of golf at the Tierra Rejada Golf Club) and Bill Switzky.  Seth is a personal trainer and is married to Amy, who runs the awesome boot camp I go to three times a week.  She has changed my body (and Stan loves it as much as I do).  Amy's Boot Camp  Wouldn't you know it, but today's boot camp was particularly tough.  The one day I didn't want an arm workout . . . that's what I got.  I prayed my arms wouldn't be shaky the rest of the day.

The weather report wasn't great.  No rain was forecast, but it was very gray and rain was expected from Saturday through Monday.  Cloudy weather is great for boot camp (it keeps the sweat factor down), but I wasn't excited about playing golf in the cold.  So, I got home, showered off the sweat and the sand (our boot camp was on the beach today), threw on a few layers of clothes and brought along a jacket for good measure.  Stan picked up Bill and Seth while I was prepping, and I jumped in the car for the ride to Moorpark (about 45 minutes).  Along the way drizzle happened.   I wasn't happy about the development, and Seth asked me if I would melt in the rain.  I confirmed that I would, but we were committed to playing golf no matter what.  Stan reminded me that we had played in the rain before.  Yeah, but that was in La Quinta and Hawaii and it was 90 degrees outside, not 60 degrees!  I admit that I am a fair weather athlete.  I like perfect conditions while playing tennis or golf, and I want my pool or ocean water to be in the 70s or 80s before I get in.  You can't always get what you want.

Moorpark is a very nice area - part agriculture and open space, part suburbs.  Our daughter and her new husband got married at beautiful Walnut Grove just last July - a left turn off the same exit that we turned right on.  Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Ranch  Moorpark is a nice venue for a golf course.  Tierra Rejada Golf Club

A light rain was now falling as we went to the clubhouse to check in (a special rate of $50 per person, including the cart), but that didn't dampen our spirits, by golly!  We went to the driving range where we made a sorry attempt to warm up by stretching a bit (we had to - we had a personal trainer to try and impress), and by the time our game started the rain had stopped.  I forgot my cell phone at home, so I didn't have Evernote to chronicle our exploits.  I'll have to rely on my extremely poor memory to recount the day.

Stan, Bill and Seth - all smiles.

The first hole, a par 5, was a monster.  Seth played from the blues (580 yards), Stan and Bill from the whites (544 yards) and I played from the golds (511 yards).  If anyone had played from the blacks, they would have had 610 yards to cover.  The hole was very pretty, though.  There was a pond and babbling brook by the green, although it took forever for me to get there.  The front nine is chock-full of par 5s, three to be exact, and they are long ones.  The merciful thing about that is that there are only two of them on the back nine.  

Our tee time was around noon, and we were pretty hungry by the time we were finished with the first hole.  That could also be because we were exhausted from the distance we had to cover just to get to the second hole.  Bill did an instant replay of the sandwiches he made last week, with a no-onion adjustment to my sandwich.  He claims he has it down to a science, and I'd have to agree - yummy sliced turkey piled high with cheese, lettuce and a smear of both dijon and mayonnaise.  Thanks again Bill for being a sandwich maker extraordinaire!  Stan and I supplied drinks, carrot and celery sticks, apples and the ever-present Lays potato chips.  

 The second hole was a par 3.  Stan made par (yay!), Seth and I bogeyed and Bill shot a 6.  On the 3rd hole, a par 4, I made par!!!  I was starting to feel my way around the course, even though this was one of the tougher courses I had played.  It reminded me a bit of the course in Paso Robles.  I have to make a note here that Bill shot a 14 on this hole.  He was bound and determined to finish, and was in good humor about it.  He cracked a few jokes here and there, which continued onto the 4th hole.  But things were not going well for our friend, and we were concerned that Little Billy might make an appearance.  

This course has a lot of elevation changes.  There are many holes played uphill and many played downhill.  There are blind spots off the tee, a ravine or two and very narrow fairways.  The designers have given each hole cute little names like "Opening Belle," "Lily Pond" and "Ridgeline."  The name for the 4th hole is "Bootleg Hill."  I have renamed it "Implode."  Each and every one of us (except Seth) shot a 10.  At least that's where I stopped counting.  It's a sharp dogleg right, and I cannot remember how many shots it took for me to get to the green.  To be honest, I don't even remember if I picked up the ball because I had no chance of even making double par.  Seth birdied the 5th hole, I shot an 8 and Bill and Stan shot 6.

Stan and Seth bonded over the incredible chasm that was the 6th hole.  To have to shoot over that seemed next to impossible, but they both did it.  

I made it too!

Bill's frustration level was starting to elevate, although I have to give him credit for keeping things under wraps.  He decided to pack it in after the 6th hole.  He stayed with us until after the 9th, when we dropped him at the clubhouse where he could have a drink and keep warm while the three of us finished off the rest of the course.  We were sad to see him go, but it was certainly understandable; who wants to be upset for another two hours?

Seth is a beautiful golfer.  I know he wasn't happy with his play today, but to me he was terrific.  He has great form, hits the ball solid and far and looks every part like he could be on tour.  Even better?  He's a lot of fun to play with.  He is leagues above us, yet never made us feel that we were dragging him down in any way.  

Stan has been playing great golf lately.  I do believe he has turned a corner.  Not only did he shoot a 96 the last time he played, but Mike Mahr just told me that Stan had a 40 to 50 foot putt that he sank on the 18th hole that day.  Stan has been driving, approaching and putting very well today.  I'm very happy for him that his game is improving.  It makes it so much more fun to play when your ball goes straight, far and where you want it to.

The back was better for Seth and me.  Stan shot about the same.  Although I shot a couple of 8s, I made par on the 11th and 14th and bogeyed the 12th.  Stan made par on the 14th and bogeyed the 11th and 13th.  Seth made par on the 12th and 16th, bogeyed the 11th, 13th, 14th and 15th and birdied the 17th.  And we did enjoy the beauty of the back nine.

Seth near the water's edge.

Enjoying the beauty of the course.  I really am happy even though I don't look it!

I would love to come back and try this course again.  There is something about it that is very inviting.  I don't know if it's the rolling hills and natural beauty, the smell of the California Bay, the challenge of the course or that I think I can do better, but I want to give it another go.  I was fairly happy with my play considering the length and unfamiliarity - I shot 117.  Stan shot 109, absolutely marvelous, and Seth the Wonder Boy shot a very disappointing (to him) 89.  Oh brother!