Local : Recreation
It ' s Your
SWING
Don Delorenzo
Don is the PGA GM of Gilroy Municipal Golf Course and Gavilan Golf Course . He is the 2014 Gilroy Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year and a PGA of America ’ s Bill Stausbaugh award recipient for excellence in education . Contact Don or book your tee time at : 408.848.0490 or at gilroygolfcourse . com
Great Golf Awaits ...
Have You Played Our Local Courses Lately ?
If you haven ’ t played any of our local golf courses lately then you ’ re missing out . We have some of the most unique , challenging and affordable golf right here in your own backyard . And the good news to the golfer is that each one is going through its own different improvements to enhance the experience for you , the local South County golfer .
Let ’ s start with Gavilan College golf course . Over the winter and spring , much of the irrigation system has been re-designed to improve the coverage of all the sprinklers . What used to be brown dead grass is now revitalized green grass that reaches from fence line to fence line . New sand has been added to many of the sand traps and new target markers have been added to the driving range . But the most significant improvement that is ongoing as we speak is the removal of dozens of dead trees and the replanting of new species that are more tolerant to the Gilroy summer heat . The next time you cruise out to the enjoyable and affordable nine hole track , you will undoubtedly see the difference .
At Eagle Ridge , golf course architect David Ginkel has designed a full course bunker renovation that started in the spring and will continue throughout the summer . The original layout at Eagle Ridge had almost 90 sand traps that totaled over 145,000 square feet . As most local golfers know , they were not very playable even in the best of conditions . The new design has reduced the total amount of traps down to around 45 and the square footage down to around 66,000 . I don ’ t know about you but when I play a course I like it when my chances of hitting a sand trap are reduced by nearly twothirds ! The areas around the bunkers have been replaced with fresh new sod and the sparkling white sand seems to draw your ball right to it . They are so nice , you “ almost ” don ’ t mind being in them . But don ’ t let they ’ re beauty fool you ; they have been strategically placed to scoop up that errant shot or tempt you with the “ risk versus reward ” scenario .
Last but not least is the oldest public course in Santa Clara County , Gilroy Golf Course . Gilroy ’ s course turns 100 years old in 2023 and when we hit that date it will have gone through a whole plethora of improvements . Some changes have been driven by a 75 unit housing development ( Hoey Ranch North ) and the new CalTrans roundabout that will be on Highway 152 about 100 yards east of the current entrance to the golf course . Both projects are slated to break ground in June 2021 . Due to the roundabout , the current entrance off Highway 152 will be closed and you will enter the golf course from the east of hole # 9 . That left us with the dilemma of what to do with hole # 9 . Do we shorten it down to 110 yards to accommodate the access road to the parking lot ? That in itself wouldn ’ t have been too bad . But when a 75 ft . screen was going to be required to the east and north of the hole , I brought up another option .
So “ Back to the Future ” we go . When the Gilroy Golf Course was originally built in 1923 , a par 3 , hole # 4 was played before the current dogleg par 5 . That was used until the early 1970 ’ s when it was abandoned for the current par 3 # 5 . That hole has been “ reborn ” into a 120 yard par 3 that nestles perfectly into a hillside surrounded by oak trees and a bunker to swallow up wayward short iron shots . New expanded tees have been constructed for both the par 3 and the par 5 . Golfers should be playing the new route by August 2021 . This re-route will make the signature hole # 8 turn into the final hole . Not to be left out , this new finishing hole has a brand new expanded tee and a new cart turnaround and retaining wall .
The other exciting and much needed improvement that will be complete by summer ’ s end is the resurfacing of all the cart paths . The water line for the housing project must come through the course so , as part of this disruption , the golf course will get new cart paths . So make your way out to your local courses soon to see all the new and exciting things that are waiting for you when you arrive . Tee it high … let it fly … and have fun . PLAY GOLF !
gmhtoday . com gmhTODAY Magazine SUMMER 2021 77