Distance: 120 miles from downtown Sacramento.
Travel time: About 2 hours, 15 minutes.
Address: 2 Miramontes Point Road, Half Moon Bay.
Phone: (650) 726-4438.
Web site: www.hmbgolflinks.com
Golf: 36 holes. The Old Course opened in 1973 and is the choice of regulars because it offers more variety, requires better shot-making and is more protected from the wind. Its only ocean-view hole is the spectacular 18th. The Ocean Course, opened in 1997 on the bluffs of the Pacific Ocean, is by far the easier of the two. "You can blow it just about anywhere and have a reasonable shot in," said Kevin Niessner, the director of golf. That said, play the Ocean Course if you can only play one because it offers ocean views on 14 holes and hosted the LPGA Samsung World Championship in October. Walking is allowed on the Ocean Course. The rates are the same for both courses: $180 weekday, $205 weekend, which includes a cart but not a 6 percent local tax. Neither course offers a driving range.
Local knowledge: Putts breaks toward the ocean. On the Old Course, the closer to the ocean, the more it holds true.
Stay and play: The course has established relationships with the Ritz-Carlton (overlooks the courses), Oceano Hotel (overlooks Pillar Point Harbor) and Half Moon Bay Lodge (the least expensive of the three) for seamless lodging and golf reservations. There are currently no package discounts – the cost is simply the sum of the parts – but that will soon change, according to marketing director Amy McNeil. Starting in December, packaged golf and lodging discounts will be found through the course's eClub (see below) and respective hotel Web sites.
What/where to eat/drink: The Scharffen Berger chocolate cake at Cetrella prompts even the most civilized diners to consider licking their plate. The calamari at Barbara's Fish Trap. The salmon ravioli at Mezza Luna. Cameron's Pub for wearing flip flops and watching sports. Crab Landing (steak, sushi, seafood) opened Tuesday.
More than golf: There's wine tasting at Fogarty Winery at an elevation of 2,000 feet – Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the specialties. E Plant World is an Orchid hothouse that offers great prices, a huge assortment. There's also lighthouse tours, whale watching mid-December through March, a scenic bike path and roadside farmer's markets offering the freshest squash, artichokes and Brussels sprouts. Live music is readily found on weekends all year and all nights during the summer.
Weather: The annual average temperature is 61.9. The warmest month is September (66.6) and coolest is January (58.0). Layered dress is always advisable.
Final gimme: Join Half Moon Bay's eClub (lower right of the course's Web site) for discounts up to 50 percent announced a month in advance in winter.
– Steve Pajak
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.