Bee's Dream 18 showcases best golf in Valley

Published online on Sunday, Jul. 22, 2007

Similar stories:

•

Experience the Dream 18

Experience the Dream 18

With apologies to Stanley Kubrick and Hal the computer, we're tempted to call our recent trek "2007: A Golf Odyssey."

A Fresno Bee van hauled 10 golfers more than 400 miles in three days to play 18 holes from Chowchilla to Springville. It was exhilarating and exhausting.

Golf is a game of leisure, played at a steady pace that allows for thought and enjoyment of the surroundings. Our trek was frenetic, allowing for jangled nerves and jumbled swing thoughts.

•

Golf Course Review - The Homestead (Cascades/Old Courses)

Golf Course Review - The Homestead (Cascades/Old Courses)

FACTS AND STATS: Cascades Course Architect: William S. Flynn (1923), Robert Trent Jones (1961), Restoration work (2005). Year Opened: 1923. Location: Hot Springs, Virginia. Slope: 137. Rating: 73.0. Par: 70. Yardage: 6,679.

Hole-by-Hole:

1 - Par 4 398 Yds 10 - Par 4 381 Yds

•

Weaver puts it in another gear

Weaver puts it in another gear

Michael Weaver may not be old enough to appreciate history. But Monday's final round of the Fresno City Amateur proved he sure knows how to make it.

The 18-year-old not only became the youngest City Am champion in the event's 82-year history, he did so with record-setting panache.

Weaver shot a 5-under 67 at Riverside Golf Course to finish at 15-under 201, establishing a scoring mark for the 54-hole tournament.

•

The Dream 18 Golf Course" tooltipId="mi_tt4"> The Dream 18 Golf Course

The Dream 18 Golf Course

So, where are the 18 best holes of golf in the Central Valley? The Bee, its readers and several local pros and longtime players have compiled the choices and played the holes. The results ... [DREAM 18 PROJECT] . Here are the downloadable course graphics: Front 9 and Back 9 .

•

2009 Boys Golf All-Star Team

2009 Boys Golf All-Star Team

There was a time when Michael Weaver’s parents couldn’t get him near a golf course. Now they can’t pull him away.

It’s that dedication to the sport since an early age that paid off in a brilliant 2009 season for Clovis West and culminated with The Bee’s Boys Golfer of the Year honor.

“People say he’s a natural. But if they only knew how hard he works, there’s nothing natural to it,” Golden Eagles coach Tom Deel said. “No one has a better work ethic.”

The central San Joaquin Valley's ultimate golf course stretches from Chowchilla nearly to Springville.

You probably don't want to walk it.

You'll recognize much of it when The Bee presents a detailed hole-by-hole breakdown on Aug. 12 because you've played many of the holes. You've cursed them and screamed in pleasure. Thrown your clubs in anger and dropped your putter in amazement. Watched in horror as your ball disappeared into a pond or river. Watched in awe as a hawk sailed overhead or a flock of geese slowly swam upstream.

Call it the Dream 18 -- The Bee's fantasy golf adventure. We chose our favorite 18 holes from hundreds of par 3s, 4s and 5s spread across the Valley's farmland, river banks, hillsides and urban pockets.

Some are from country clubs, some from muni and public courses. Most are difficult, most are scenic and all are fun to play.

In consultation with Bee readers, local pros and veterans of the Valley links, we have assembled a course we believe would stand up to any in California.

In fact, no one could build a course like this. The central San Joaquin Valley is blessed with some great real estate, which we have blended into one 18-hole masterpiece.

We understand the questions you'll ask when you see our list. Why did you include that one? Why did you leave out this one? And just how fast does a pheasant run, anyway?

We didn't intend to be inclusive. There are so many more great golf holes than will fit into one 18-hole layout. The selection process was difficult, but we believe you will admire our lineup even as you might question some of it.

Yes, it's par-71. Some of our par-4s are so long, we figured we could do without a fourth par-5. And some of our par-3s are short enough to throw the ball at -- if you have a strong arm -- but they are about as treacherous as quicksand.

The PGA Tour left town when it realized Running Horse would be only a hole in the ground come October. We're here to show them there's a lot of good golf available right here in California's heartland.