DirtyDuffer:
Thats awesome you’ve played in the Valley. In high school I worked at a hotel right next to McCormick Ranch CC, we played for free there, I literally learned to golf on that course…….‘80-‘81
I loved McCormick Ranch, two fabulous courses in the Palm and Pine. I actually have 4 pictures on my walls in my living room, photos I had taken myself, then had them blown up to A3 size and framed:
Pine Course, 4th hole, view from the tee;
Palm Course, 9th hole, view from the clubhouse balcony overlooking the 9th;
Palm Course, 17th hole, view from behind the green (while my playing partners were putting out).
I had labelled the backs of the framed photos, but unfortunately one seems to have fallen off and I can't remember the hole (it was over 20 years ago!). I loved the 9th hole on the Palm Course with the island fairway, just perfect for my 1-iron.
And I mentioned the one photo included my playing partners on the 17th, with the pro in our team - Graham Farr - putting out. Graham was the club pro at Telford Golf & Country Club at the time, where I was a member for a few years. He was a good standard local club professional, and some years later both coached and caddied for KJ Choi on the US PGA Tour. He probably wouldn't want me saying this, but he qualified for the Open Championship at Royal St Georges. The tournament was won by Greg Norman, but after not too bad a 1st round, Graham drove into Hell Bunker on the 4th hole in the 2nd round (which we all at WGT drive over without any problems - shows how unrealistic it is with the drivers and balls we have!), and it took him a few shots to get out and therefore missing the cut. Ironically, his first caddying assignment for KJ Choi was at... Royal St Georges in the Open Championship in 2003! Graham's son - Oliver Farr - is now a European Tour professional himself.
And finally, as you mentioned the Valley, I've remembered we also played at Moon Valley the first year, followed in the evening with dinner and presentation, also attended by none other than Karsten Solheim, founder of Karsten Manufacturing (makers of Ping golf clubs), and who the Solheim Cup was named after. And I remember now that I've also played at The Phoenician, a rather expensive course where they coloured the water blue, and also Boulders, an even more expensive course - I think it cost around $200 for a round per person!
Great memories!