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Tuesday
Feb242009

"Golf as it should be."

Derek Lawrenson of The Daily Mail played Rustic Canyon recently and offered this review:

Are we agreed that playing golf in America is, on the whole, overpriced, overcrowded and overrated? Let me describe an experience at a course called Rustic Canyon just north of Los Angeles that conclusively demonstrates it doesn't have to be this way.

Here was a revelatory little gem where there was no clubhouse the size of a mansion, and no bag drop for people too lazy to walk from the car park.

There were no water hazards, no fairways lined with unimaginative swathes of rough, and no greens surrounded by bunkers, thus allowing you to play the ball along the ground, should you choose, rather than being forced to play target golf.

In short, all the principles that makes links golf the biggest thrill in the game have been applied by designer Geoff Shackelford, including greens next to tees which meant - shock, horror! - you could even walk rather than take a buggy.

Best of all, it cost £20 to play, and was in magnificent condition.

Golf as it should be.

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