One of the 3 Water Hazzards Added
Skylinks Golf Course
Skylinks Golf
Course is a public course operated by American Golf. Skylinks finished
a $5 million renovation in October, 2004. It used to be a flat, wide open
coarse with a few trees and some bunkers. Now it is a much more challenging
(difficult) course, with yardage from the back tees stretching out to 6,900 yards.
The Blue or Tournament tees have a yardage of 6,560 yards. The first
difference I noticed playing this course, is that is is no longer flat as a pancake.
It has hills, sloping North, South, East and West. Uphill lies, downhill lies,
sidehill lies can now all be enjoyed at Skylinks on most of the fairways.
Next were the narrowed down fairways. And then I
hit my 3d shot ( a short pitch, having missed to the right) onto the 1st green.
Greens here used
to be relatively easy, but they have undulated like the rest of the course,
are much better maintained, and tend to be quick. And during the course of play, I was introduced to
many of the
fairway and green side bunkers that did not used to be there. They make one pay for
an errant first, second or third (or fourth) shot.
The course was in very good shape, but drainage to the low spots did cause a
few muddy and marshy areas.
This can be a problem with sloping courses, since even on a golf course,
water runs downhill. Overall, though it is a very good course to play, and added a few strokes to
my scorecard. The designer, Cal Olson, did a good job in rebuilding this course, and
it now challenges El Dorado as the best course in Long Beach.
To support the expensive renovation, the green fees are now $71
(Weekends, non resident) and around $55 for residents.
I have yet to play a round on the Weekend in under 6 hours, but I suppose that
like the freeways, the golf courses are packed with birdie and parr seekers.
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