Many have said that through every adversity there is a seed of equal or greater benefit. Of course, when you are right in the middle of a major challenge, it is often hard to take solace in such words. Little did John and Elizabeth Kline know when their first born daughter MacKinzie was born with a congenital heart defect in the spring of 1992, that she would one day be an extraordinary child with dreams of being a professional golfer.
Neither Kline nor his wife had played much golf and neither knew very much about the sport that would soon capture their daughter’s heart. If one saw “Mac”, as she is affectionately called by her family and friends, walking around the Encinitas Ranch Golf Course snack bar area, one might mistake her for any typical blonde hair, pony tailed 9-year old kid. If you followed her to the driving range and watched her practice one would soon realize she is anything but typical. Get a chance to spend some time with her or talk to her and you would quickly realize how very special she is.
“She has a great aura around her and everybody loves her,” says John Mason, the Director of Instruction at Encinitas Ranch Golf Course and Mac’s coach for the last three years. To truly appreciate her vibrant smile and fully comprehend her incredible story, you must start at the beginning of Mac’s story…..
MacKinzie Jean Kline was born March 30, 1992 with a heart defect described as Single Ventricle with transposition of the greater vessels. Her liver is transverse (meaning it is on the left side of her body) and she is aspleenia, which means she was born without a spleen. Simply put, transposition is when oxygenated blood from the lung flows in the wrong direction. This causes poor oxygenation to the body. You do not have to be a medical student to understand that proper oxygenation is vital to sustain life. MacKinzie’s Single Ventricle pumps her blood through her body and the blood flow to and from her lung goes by gravitational flow. She was only 3 months old when Dr. John Lamberti of San Diego Children’s Hospital performed open- heart surgery. The two- part procedure called a Hemi-Fontan was the first of two open-heart surgeries needed to modify Mac’s heart. The second procedure was performed when she was 23 months old. The Klines were overjoyed their daughter would survive surgery, but doctors said Mac would never be like “normal” children or be able to participate in sport, especially any aerobic activity. This challenge did not stop the Klines from looking for ways to expand Mac’s horizons. They figured they would find less physically stressful things she could participate in-hence, golf. The doctors were right, she is definitely not normal. Mac far succeeds that.
Naturally left handed, her parents introduced her to the game of golf as a lefty. She continued to swing her starter clubs for the next two years in her backyard, but before long, the Klines realized Mac enjoyed swinging so much they should take her to a golf course and invest in proper instruction. They soon met John Mason, an accomplished player and a solid PGA instructor at nearby Encinitas Ranch. Before too long, Mason recommended Mac change from swinging left-handed to swinging right-handed. “I felt she would benefit in the long run since it is best if your front arm is stronger. She was swinging equally as well from the right side and she did not feel awkward. Since she hit the ball well both ways and she is naturally left handed, it would be beneficial as she matured as a golfer,” Mason said. When Mason decided to turn her around in December of 1999, Mac had only 60 days or so to prepare for her tournament debut. She had already registered to play in her first junior golf tournament with the North County Junior Golf Association. She won that tournament and went on to win 19 more of the 24 tournaments she entered before the 2000 season was over. Mac was the San Diego County Jr. Golf Association’s Golfer of the Year in her 8- and under age division and placed 5th in the prestigious Jr. World Championships during her first season of competition. Currently, she is club champion at both Encinitas Ranch and Rancho Carlsbad. Her second year of junior golf was equally as impressive, never finishing out of the top three. Mac won 16 of the 31 events she entered, finished second in 13, and third in two others. In the last round of the Jr. World Championship she was paired with Cheyenne Woods (adorable niece of you-know-who). With the press buzzing around their group the entire day, Mac managed to make four birdies and finish with a 3- under final round 55. This moved her into a tie for second place, however, she won the card off because of her strong back nine. She took home the coveted runner-up trophy. “I really wanted to win the Jr. World. Although many of the players are older than I am, I knew I still had a chance. I played well, so I think this was the highlight of my summer”, Mac explains.
She plays in tournaments all year round and has traveled all around the country earning national awards, including the Heather Farr Award. It is no surprise that recently Mac was nominated for consideration for the Giovanni Villani Award. Both awards are given to youngsters who are passionate about the game of golf, who have incredible spirit, and display strong character. The Villani Award is given to a San Diego Jr. Golfer who succeeds despite adversity. “Mac is amazing in that she treats everyone well. It really doesn’t matter if her playing partners shoot 100 or they beat her, she is always kind and considerate. Mac is very humble, meek and mild mannered. She could very well be cocky, but she isn’t. I’m not sure you can teach that quality”, Mason says.
On average, Mason has given her lessons twice a week since they met. “ I started out mostly with her swing mechanics and the basics. It took about a year to solidify the fundamentals. Now, we spend a lot of time on her short game, especially her putting.”
Both Mac and Mason agree that the weakest area of her game right now is the fact she starts poorly because she gets too nervous. Hard to believe, since anyone who knows her agrees that the strongest part of her game is her mind. “Her greatest asset is her mind. She is patient, focused, has incredible concentration levels and is very determined” says Mason. Although she has a lot of golf between now and then, she will tell you, “My goal is to win Jr. World 2002.”
Most mornings, Mac practices putting for an hour before she goes to school, but before you think she is perfect, she will quickly add “but sometimes I sleep in”. If she doesn’t hit the putting green at 7:00 am , she is definitely on it sometime between 3:30 and 5:30 in the afternoon when she returns to the course for more practice. Mason also wants Mac continually working on her physical strength. He tries to incorporate physical training into their training program. “We work a lot on fitness. Mac has great timing and good clubhead speed. She also has great balance and eye hand coordination, but she can’t over exert herself so we stick to pushups, sit ups and try to walk as much as possible.” She walks a lot since Mac plays a minimum of 36 holes per week. Unlike most third graders, she would rather walk with a pull cart than ride in a golf cart. Encinitas Ranch, sprawling over the hills of Encinitas, CA. is not the easiest of courses to walk either!
The only thing besides the first tee jitters that seems to rattle her even keeled personality is the fact she may have another heart surgery soon. “I feel a little worried or nervous about the possibility of surgery. I was really hoping I wouldn’t have to have another one. I shouldn’t get too upset though because I know it doesn’t hurt and the doctors are really good.” Spoken like a true champion, showing courage and bravery even when things are challenging. Despite the possible surgery, she says she has a lot to accomplish in order to hit her goals. “I want to go to college and then play professional golf when I grow up. I really want to play on the Ladies Tour and after I retire I want to teach golf.” Right now her goals are high and although she sets the standards for the 10 and under crowd, everyone should take notice of her commitment to excellence.
Vital Statistics
Name: MacKinzie Jean Kline
Birthday: 3/30/92
Nickname: Mac
Siblings: Younger sister, Madison
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Brown
Height: 4’5”
Weight: 67 lbs.
Best Score on Regulation Course: 81 @ Talking Stick (from Jade Tees – 5,800 yds)
Scottsdale, AZ.
Most Birdies in a single round: 4
Hole-In-One: Not Yet!
Clubs: Custom fit Taylor Made irons and woods
Putter: Titleist
Ball: Callaway Red
Favorite Club: Driver
Favorite Food: Steak
Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Subjects: Reading/Math/Science
Pets: A dog named Lucky
Jacqui Nicoletti McSorley is co-author to the book Golf Guide for Parents and Players (Mansion Grove House), along with Johnny Gonzales. Additionally, Jacqui played professionally on the Japan LGPA Tour, and is currently a sought-after LPGA Teacher and started an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf site in northern San Diego county.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Jill McGill is Enjoying the Moment
Most athletes will tell you how incredibly lucky they are to do what they do for a living. Jill McGill is no exception. Minus lugging the 70-lb. golf bag through airports, she loves her life. Like many professional golfers before her, the road to achievement has been scattered with many ups and downs. Professionally 2006 wasn’t the year she had hoped for; but personally, 2006 was the year she had always dreamed of. Jill said, “Well, I am not happy with my 80th place ranking, but in light of the fact that I will be married December 9th, I enjoyed my best year personally. I’m doing well.”
McGill loves the Del Mar area where she and husband Patrick Byerly reside. The 34- year old from Denver, Colorado fell in love with southern California while watching the Rose Bowl as a freshman in high school. She fell in love with San Diego when she came to play in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championship at Torrey Pines.
The six- foot beautiful blond didn’t grow up in a “golf family”. “ When I was 9 or 10, I remember my mother telling me that after swim and tennis, I couldn’t hang out all by the pool all day. She said that I would have to do something constructive, so I started to play golf.” Although McGill has shown promise at every stage of her golf career, she hasn’t let golf consume her life. Even in her early high school days, she almost chose not to play. “It was kind of lonely. I was on the boys team.” However, knowing she really wanted to go to college in California and that she would need a golf scholarship, she sent out letters to colleges. “I didn’t play a lot of junior golf, but I played well in a couple of key events. I shot 71-71 in the U.S. Junior Girls and then I also played well in the Junior World.”
She peaked the interest of her “dream school” and earned a scholarship to the University of Southern California. By her senior year at USC, she was an obvious All-American and the #1 ranked amateur player in the country after winning the Women’s U.S. Amateur, played at San Diego Country Club. Before she graduated she just fell short of winning back to back U.S. Amateurs, but won the prestigious U.S. Public Links Championships. It was only after the national championship success and all of the media attention did Jill seriously consider a life on the LPGA tour. She was unsuccessful in her first attempt at the LPGA Tour qualifying school, but used that year to finish her schooling at USC and go on to graduate with a degree in Communications. One of the highlights of her career and pivotal turn in her career came in 1995 at the Women’s British Open. “I finished in second place behind Karrie Webb. That was a huge confidence boost. It made me realize that I could play with the best and that I belonged out there. It really helped me through “Q” school.
Fast forward ten years and almost two million dollars in career earnings and you have McGill, now a seasoned veteran in a tour getting younger year by year. She is still enthusiastic about traveling to all corners of the world, meeting new people and loves the excitement of tournament golf. While she wouldn’t share her specific goals, she did share how excited she is to have someone to share her passions with as she gears up for the 2007 season. McGill’s success has always been self-driven and her greatest desire for the new year is to be able to live in the moment. She really is striving to let go of the outcome and the results. “I want to detach myself from all of that, let the results take care of themselves, and live in the moment.”
In addition to her professional success, she is most proud of the opportunities she has to work with charities; especially troubled kids involved in the Get a Grip Foundation. She also gives her time to the Boys and Girls Clubs, as well as being the player spokesperson for two LPGA*USGA Girls Golf Programs in San Diego. McGill also is involved in raising awareness of skin cancer.
When she isn’t on tour this year in search of her first LPGA tournament victory, she will be around San Diego enjoying what other San Diegans enjoy. While at home, she and her husband love the active, healthy lifestyle available. Both are avid college sports fans, they both love to work out, they love the beach and since he is a marathon runner, McGill is running a bit more. Her new husband is not a golfer, but she loves to play at San Diego, Fairbanks and La Jolla Country Clubs. “The people at these courses have been wonderful to me over the years. They make me feel so at home!” McGill says, “I truly feel like I am on vacation when I am at home!”
Jacqui Nicoletti McSorley is co-author to the book Golf Guide for Parents and Players (Mansion Grove House), along with Johnny Gonzales. Additionally, Jacqui played professionally on the Japan LGPA Tour, and is currently a sought-after LPGA Teacher and started an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf site in northern San Diego county.
McGill loves the Del Mar area where she and husband Patrick Byerly reside. The 34- year old from Denver, Colorado fell in love with southern California while watching the Rose Bowl as a freshman in high school. She fell in love with San Diego when she came to play in the Callaway Junior World Golf Championship at Torrey Pines.
The six- foot beautiful blond didn’t grow up in a “golf family”. “ When I was 9 or 10, I remember my mother telling me that after swim and tennis, I couldn’t hang out all by the pool all day. She said that I would have to do something constructive, so I started to play golf.” Although McGill has shown promise at every stage of her golf career, she hasn’t let golf consume her life. Even in her early high school days, she almost chose not to play. “It was kind of lonely. I was on the boys team.” However, knowing she really wanted to go to college in California and that she would need a golf scholarship, she sent out letters to colleges. “I didn’t play a lot of junior golf, but I played well in a couple of key events. I shot 71-71 in the U.S. Junior Girls and then I also played well in the Junior World.”
She peaked the interest of her “dream school” and earned a scholarship to the University of Southern California. By her senior year at USC, she was an obvious All-American and the #1 ranked amateur player in the country after winning the Women’s U.S. Amateur, played at San Diego Country Club. Before she graduated she just fell short of winning back to back U.S. Amateurs, but won the prestigious U.S. Public Links Championships. It was only after the national championship success and all of the media attention did Jill seriously consider a life on the LPGA tour. She was unsuccessful in her first attempt at the LPGA Tour qualifying school, but used that year to finish her schooling at USC and go on to graduate with a degree in Communications. One of the highlights of her career and pivotal turn in her career came in 1995 at the Women’s British Open. “I finished in second place behind Karrie Webb. That was a huge confidence boost. It made me realize that I could play with the best and that I belonged out there. It really helped me through “Q” school.
Fast forward ten years and almost two million dollars in career earnings and you have McGill, now a seasoned veteran in a tour getting younger year by year. She is still enthusiastic about traveling to all corners of the world, meeting new people and loves the excitement of tournament golf. While she wouldn’t share her specific goals, she did share how excited she is to have someone to share her passions with as she gears up for the 2007 season. McGill’s success has always been self-driven and her greatest desire for the new year is to be able to live in the moment. She really is striving to let go of the outcome and the results. “I want to detach myself from all of that, let the results take care of themselves, and live in the moment.”
In addition to her professional success, she is most proud of the opportunities she has to work with charities; especially troubled kids involved in the Get a Grip Foundation. She also gives her time to the Boys and Girls Clubs, as well as being the player spokesperson for two LPGA*USGA Girls Golf Programs in San Diego. McGill also is involved in raising awareness of skin cancer.
When she isn’t on tour this year in search of her first LPGA tournament victory, she will be around San Diego enjoying what other San Diegans enjoy. While at home, she and her husband love the active, healthy lifestyle available. Both are avid college sports fans, they both love to work out, they love the beach and since he is a marathon runner, McGill is running a bit more. Her new husband is not a golfer, but she loves to play at San Diego, Fairbanks and La Jolla Country Clubs. “The people at these courses have been wonderful to me over the years. They make me feel so at home!” McGill says, “I truly feel like I am on vacation when I am at home!”
Jacqui Nicoletti McSorley is co-author to the book Golf Guide for Parents and Players (Mansion Grove House), along with Johnny Gonzales. Additionally, Jacqui played professionally on the Japan LGPA Tour, and is currently a sought-after LPGA Teacher and started an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf site in northern San Diego county.
Bajamar: Jewel of the Baja Peninsula
Bajamar. For some, it may bring back memories of a wild weekend north of Ensenada that included a lot of cervezas, tequila, and lost balls. Golfers may remember trucking down to the Bajamar Golf Course in the late 70’s and early 80’s only to find a barren course. It used to be a course with remote tee boxes, a lot of desert, and fairways sprinkled over the hills of the baja peninsula. The ocean views were nice, but the brutal conditions made the golf hard to enjoy. It really isn’t much fun when you lose three dozen golf balls, and at the price of balls these days that would be reason enough to skip the trip across the border!
However, that was then and this is now. The Bajamar Ocean Front Golf Resort spans over 1,600 acres and has some of the most majestic views a golfer can find. The newest nine, Oceano, is spectacular. For those golfers privileged enough to have played Pebble Beach, it is a beautiful reminder of how incredible it is to play along side the crashing surf. For those who have never played Pebble Beach, and may never do so due to the escalating green fees (around $400), Bajamar is a great opportunity to play golf in one of the most gorgeous natural settings on the West Coast.
Patrick Shaw, a PGA professional, has been the Head Golf Professional at Bajamar for two years. He encourages players of all abilities to come down and enjoy the facilities. “The course has new owners and is under new management. We are not a five star resort, but the atmosphere is so relaxing. It is a different world down here – there is no pollution, no traffic, and it is very quiet.” Shaw, a native Bostonian, feels like he has a bit of Cape Cod to offer. “This course reminds me of some of the East Coast Ocean front golf I grew up playing. Yet, you get to enjoy playing year round. It’s like the old days for me, riding my bike to work!” Shaw says. There are four sets of tees, which allows any level of player to enjoy their round. All three nines have their own distinct personalities and present their own set of challenges. You literally have an ocean view on every hole on the course whether it is from the tee box, the fairway or the green.
The Vista course, the first course built for this property, was designed by Percy Clifford in 1976. The Vista, “The View”, is super challenging. The gold tees are 3605 yards and from the blue tees, it plays 3316 yards. The course is more manageable for the middle to high handicapper from the white tees as it plays just over 3000 yards. There are several blind tee shots on this nine where a little course knowledge goes a long way.
The Lagos course is named appropriately “The Lakes” since four of the nine holes have lakes that come into play. The ninth hole is a challenging par 3 coming into the clubhouse with water surrounding the green. Shaw describes this nine as the “fun nine”. There are many dog- legs and a lot of target golf shots over water. This nine has three par 3’s making par 35. The yardage is considerably shorter than the other two courses from the blue and white tees, possibly setting a player up for some lower scores, but from the gold tees, holes 6,7,8, and 9 are extremely challenging. A player may find it difficult to carry the trouble on a couple of these holes should they decide to play from the tips. The Lagos nine was part of the original course, but was re-designed by David Fleming in 1991.
The Oceano course is magnificent with a stretch of four holes hugging the rugged coastline. Carlos Moreno has been an assistant professional at Bajamar for three years. His description is perfect. He said, “the terrain and the design of the golf holes fit like a glove. You really can’t picture anything else being there.” Shaw, Moreno, and anyone else who plays the scenic course usually agree, “you put this golf course anywhere else and you would pay two and three times the green fee you pay now.” Oceano is a little longer than Vista from the white tees, but is still very fair for the middle to high handicapper. The low handicap player definitely should play either the blue or the gold tees and enjoy the challenges this course has to offer. While not painstakingly long, it is very challenging at over 3500 yards from the gold and almost 3300 yards from the blue. Long enough, especially if the ocean breeze is blowing. The beautiful par- three fifth starts an incredible four-hole journey along the cliffs and crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean. Although the carry is not as long as that of the sixteenth hole at Cypress Point on the Monterey Peninsula, it takes a good golf shot from the back tees to clear the booming surf and rocky inlet. The next three holes run right along the craggy coastline just like Pebble Beach’s ninth and tenth holes. There is not a lot of bail out to the left as off the fairway is scrubby desert-like terrain that may eat the golf ball too. The fairways slightly slope towards the sea and holes seven and eight are liberally bunkered through out as well. Finishing on Oceano is a lot like finishing at Cypress. The last hole is all- uphill and gives you a slightly blind view of where the pin may be on the large three- tiered green. A mistake in club selection may cost you. However you finish, you will definitely enjoy the panoramic view of the Pacific behind you.
All three nines are in good condition. Eddie Mena is a veteran green superintendent coming from Shadowridge Country Club with ten years of experience. Mena has done a great job keeping the course in good condition considering the difficulty of keeping the salt out of the water. The greens are bent with poana and the fairways are a bermuda mix. There is not a lot of rough on this course, mostly you will find yourself in the rough terrain and natural habitat of the rugged coastline should you miss the fairway. However, you will find some rough around the aprons and areas surrounding the greens. There is more area to miss than in the past, and because of the multiple tee configurations, you can reach the fairways if you play the appropriate tees. However, hit it crooked and you will pay. Just off the fairways on most holes are a lot of cactus, brush and bushes, which are described as baranca and played as a lateral hazard. Personally, I like the natural terrain and the less manicured look once you venture off the fairway.
Even if there are many golfers playing Bajamar, it often feels like you have the whole course to yourself since no two fairways are side by side. Play can be slow at times on the weekend with rounds taking five hours or so (no more than most public facilities), but with the beautiful views one does not seem to mind as much. Green fees are reasonable with weekend rates at $80 per player including golf cart. During the week, the green fee is $65. If you come and stay at the Sierra Plaza, there is a stay and play rate of $87 available with double occupancy. There are group rates and the facilities are perfect for corporate outings and special occasions.
The haciendas are charming and there is a beautiful courtyard for entertaining. In addition to all of the great golf, the resort also has a wonderful restaurant and tower for golfers to enjoy panoramic views of the course as they enjoy delicious Mexican cuisine. The surroundings are simple and very quiet and offer a perfect get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is a short trip (about an hour) from the San Diego Port of Entry, yet without the hassles of exotic travel, you feel like you have gone a long way from home. Bajamar is a great place to take a golf vacation, or just to hang out for the day. Plan your time of travel well so that you are not caught up in the congestion at the U.S. border crossing. The roads to and from the Bajamar Resort are toll roads (costing you $2.25 at two different tollbooths) and help make the trip easy, convenient and less stressful for those less comfortable entering Mexico. Our neighbors to the South are great hosts and everyone speaks English at the Resort making it a great get- away destination.
Jacqui McSorley is co-author of Golf Guide for Parents and Players, along with Johnny Gonzales. She played professionally on the Japan LPGA Tour and currently is an avid supporter of the golf community in northern San Diego county, as she started an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf site.
However, that was then and this is now. The Bajamar Ocean Front Golf Resort spans over 1,600 acres and has some of the most majestic views a golfer can find. The newest nine, Oceano, is spectacular. For those golfers privileged enough to have played Pebble Beach, it is a beautiful reminder of how incredible it is to play along side the crashing surf. For those who have never played Pebble Beach, and may never do so due to the escalating green fees (around $400), Bajamar is a great opportunity to play golf in one of the most gorgeous natural settings on the West Coast.
Patrick Shaw, a PGA professional, has been the Head Golf Professional at Bajamar for two years. He encourages players of all abilities to come down and enjoy the facilities. “The course has new owners and is under new management. We are not a five star resort, but the atmosphere is so relaxing. It is a different world down here – there is no pollution, no traffic, and it is very quiet.” Shaw, a native Bostonian, feels like he has a bit of Cape Cod to offer. “This course reminds me of some of the East Coast Ocean front golf I grew up playing. Yet, you get to enjoy playing year round. It’s like the old days for me, riding my bike to work!” Shaw says. There are four sets of tees, which allows any level of player to enjoy their round. All three nines have their own distinct personalities and present their own set of challenges. You literally have an ocean view on every hole on the course whether it is from the tee box, the fairway or the green.
The Vista course, the first course built for this property, was designed by Percy Clifford in 1976. The Vista, “The View”, is super challenging. The gold tees are 3605 yards and from the blue tees, it plays 3316 yards. The course is more manageable for the middle to high handicapper from the white tees as it plays just over 3000 yards. There are several blind tee shots on this nine where a little course knowledge goes a long way.
The Lagos course is named appropriately “The Lakes” since four of the nine holes have lakes that come into play. The ninth hole is a challenging par 3 coming into the clubhouse with water surrounding the green. Shaw describes this nine as the “fun nine”. There are many dog- legs and a lot of target golf shots over water. This nine has three par 3’s making par 35. The yardage is considerably shorter than the other two courses from the blue and white tees, possibly setting a player up for some lower scores, but from the gold tees, holes 6,7,8, and 9 are extremely challenging. A player may find it difficult to carry the trouble on a couple of these holes should they decide to play from the tips. The Lagos nine was part of the original course, but was re-designed by David Fleming in 1991.
The Oceano course is magnificent with a stretch of four holes hugging the rugged coastline. Carlos Moreno has been an assistant professional at Bajamar for three years. His description is perfect. He said, “the terrain and the design of the golf holes fit like a glove. You really can’t picture anything else being there.” Shaw, Moreno, and anyone else who plays the scenic course usually agree, “you put this golf course anywhere else and you would pay two and three times the green fee you pay now.” Oceano is a little longer than Vista from the white tees, but is still very fair for the middle to high handicapper. The low handicap player definitely should play either the blue or the gold tees and enjoy the challenges this course has to offer. While not painstakingly long, it is very challenging at over 3500 yards from the gold and almost 3300 yards from the blue. Long enough, especially if the ocean breeze is blowing. The beautiful par- three fifth starts an incredible four-hole journey along the cliffs and crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean. Although the carry is not as long as that of the sixteenth hole at Cypress Point on the Monterey Peninsula, it takes a good golf shot from the back tees to clear the booming surf and rocky inlet. The next three holes run right along the craggy coastline just like Pebble Beach’s ninth and tenth holes. There is not a lot of bail out to the left as off the fairway is scrubby desert-like terrain that may eat the golf ball too. The fairways slightly slope towards the sea and holes seven and eight are liberally bunkered through out as well. Finishing on Oceano is a lot like finishing at Cypress. The last hole is all- uphill and gives you a slightly blind view of where the pin may be on the large three- tiered green. A mistake in club selection may cost you. However you finish, you will definitely enjoy the panoramic view of the Pacific behind you.
All three nines are in good condition. Eddie Mena is a veteran green superintendent coming from Shadowridge Country Club with ten years of experience. Mena has done a great job keeping the course in good condition considering the difficulty of keeping the salt out of the water. The greens are bent with poana and the fairways are a bermuda mix. There is not a lot of rough on this course, mostly you will find yourself in the rough terrain and natural habitat of the rugged coastline should you miss the fairway. However, you will find some rough around the aprons and areas surrounding the greens. There is more area to miss than in the past, and because of the multiple tee configurations, you can reach the fairways if you play the appropriate tees. However, hit it crooked and you will pay. Just off the fairways on most holes are a lot of cactus, brush and bushes, which are described as baranca and played as a lateral hazard. Personally, I like the natural terrain and the less manicured look once you venture off the fairway.
Even if there are many golfers playing Bajamar, it often feels like you have the whole course to yourself since no two fairways are side by side. Play can be slow at times on the weekend with rounds taking five hours or so (no more than most public facilities), but with the beautiful views one does not seem to mind as much. Green fees are reasonable with weekend rates at $80 per player including golf cart. During the week, the green fee is $65. If you come and stay at the Sierra Plaza, there is a stay and play rate of $87 available with double occupancy. There are group rates and the facilities are perfect for corporate outings and special occasions.
The haciendas are charming and there is a beautiful courtyard for entertaining. In addition to all of the great golf, the resort also has a wonderful restaurant and tower for golfers to enjoy panoramic views of the course as they enjoy delicious Mexican cuisine. The surroundings are simple and very quiet and offer a perfect get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is a short trip (about an hour) from the San Diego Port of Entry, yet without the hassles of exotic travel, you feel like you have gone a long way from home. Bajamar is a great place to take a golf vacation, or just to hang out for the day. Plan your time of travel well so that you are not caught up in the congestion at the U.S. border crossing. The roads to and from the Bajamar Resort are toll roads (costing you $2.25 at two different tollbooths) and help make the trip easy, convenient and less stressful for those less comfortable entering Mexico. Our neighbors to the South are great hosts and everyone speaks English at the Resort making it a great get- away destination.
Jacqui McSorley is co-author of Golf Guide for Parents and Players, along with Johnny Gonzales. She played professionally on the Japan LPGA Tour and currently is an avid supporter of the golf community in northern San Diego county, as she started an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf site.
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