Strawberry Farms: Secluded Sand Canyon Golf Draws Big League Stars
By 
IRVINE, CA -- Mark McGwire will still be hitting the long ball this spring, it just won’t be for the St. Louis Cardinals.
It will be at Strawberry Farms Golf Club.
McGwire, who broke Roger Maris’ season home-run record in 1998 with 70, has been seen taking golf lessons at Strawberry Farms and just purchased two adjacent lots in the exclusive Shady Canyon area next door, which also includes the brand-new Shady Canyon Country Club.
Strawberry Farms was a natural for an ex-major leaguer like McGwire -- the golf club was developed by Doug DeCinces, former California Angel third baseman. Just inside the front door you will find countless photos of major leaguers who love golf from hockey, baseball, basketball and football -- folks like Roger Clemens, Deacon Jones, Sparky Anderson, Teemu Selani and Terry Donahue, just to drop a few names.
“We have so many professional athletes out here that you can lose count,” said general manager Rick Howard. “I’d love to take a photo of these guys sitting in a golf cart. Some of them are so big that you see a cart driving off and half of both golfers’ bodies are hanging off the sides of the golf cart.”
Strawberry Farms Golf Club was designed by Jim Lipe of Jack Nicklaus’ design team and opened in 1997. The 6,700-yard, par-71 track traverses through former strawberry fields, and to this day, part of the acreage, as you drive into the property, is still farmed. It’s a rare pastoral setting inside one of the world’s most populated metropolitan areas.
The clubhouse will immediately grab your attention with its farmhouse look and authentic 1929 Nebraska windmill in front of the building. A big red barn sits just behind the clubhouse and is used for cart storage as well as banquets, weddings and corporate events.
Strawberry Farms, located near the University of California-Irvine, is also characterized by granite hillsides, rugged canyons, wetlands, waterfalls and a 35-acre reservoir that is the centerpiece of the back nine. The course also skirts the old Sand Canyon Creek and its rural charm makes you forget about the hustle and bustle of the nearby freeways.
“This is definitely the place to come when you feel big-city pressures getting to you,” said Ralph Glover of Pasadena. “You don’t hear any highway sounds back in the canyon and you just feel like you are out in the country, away from any kind of negative things that might be going on in your hectic life. The golf is great.”
The 10th, a 337-yard, par 4, is intimidating from the tee, especially if the wind is in your face, but it’s really not that scary. Your view is the huge Sand Canyon reservoir and the tee shot has plenty of opportunity to be wet.
The par-3 11th, is 180 yards of hit-it-straight golf. If you don’t you will be in trouble. It borders the right bank of the huge lake.
When you reach the 631-yard, par-5 12th, you are back in the deepest part of Sand Creek Canyon and the scenery includes roadrunners, cactus, grass hollows, bunkers, mounds and the new fairways of Shady Canyon Country Club.
Heading home you will face water and the scenic risk-reward 18th, a 404-yard hole that features a rock wall to the right with water cascading down, a pot bunker and a steep drop-off left of the green to a deep ravine.
Strawberry Farms’ fairways are Bermuda Tifway II and the smooth greens are SR1020 bent grass. You will love the conditions, the scenery, the friendliness of the staff and most of all the feeling that you are far out in the country. If you ever visited nearby Knott’s Berry Farm, now an amusement park, way back in the 1950s, that’s the feeling you get from a visit here.
Directions: From the John Wayne Airport in Orange County, take I-405 going south and exit at University Pkwy, turn right at the end of the off-ramp and then turn at the first left, which is the entrance to the course.
Internet Coupons:
http://www.strawberryfarmsgolf.com/offers.html.
Preferred Player Club: Log on to:
www.strawberryfarmsgolf.com/ppcard.html for information.
Where to Eat: Strawberry Farms Restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers guests a place to relax with friends while enjoying a beverage and a meal prepared by the award-winning chef. The restaurant and wrap-around terrace are available for special events.
Orange County’s Golf Coast:
The folks at Orange County: California’s Golf Coast have their own internet address at www.occgolf.com for information about planning your golf trip to Orange County or call 800-555-1982.
Disneyland, California Adventure:
When you take the kids to Disneyland, just a short drive from Strawberry Farms, don’t miss the new California Adventure next door and the “Soarin' Over California” attraction -- it is great fun for any age. Soarers enter through a massive hangar, where you await your mission briefing. Then get ready for the ride of your life -- an exhilarating airborne adventure over the diverse wonders of California.
For more information on Disneyland log onto: http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneylandresort/index.
Newport Beach Convention and Visitor’s Bureau:
For information on the great vacation possibilites of Newport Beach and Orange County or a free visitors guide, please call 800-94-COAST, fax at 949-722-1612 or email them at info@nbcvb.com. Internet address is www.newportbeach-cvb.com.
Other web sites: Knott’s Berry Farm: www.knotts.com.
SeaWorld: www.seaworld.com.
Orange County: www.orangecounty.com.
Where to Stay:
The Hyatt Newporter, 1107 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach, CA 92660. Phone: 949-729-1234, Fax: 949/644-1552, Sales Fax: 949/759-3253. Internet: www.hyattnewporter.com/hyatt_home.cfm.
The Hyatt Newporter,located at Jamboree Drive and Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway), was the site of the 1953 Boy Scout National Jamboree, where more than 50,000 Boy Scouts camped out in tents.
Today, the tents are gone, and the grounds are covered with palm trees and natural trails -- ideal for scenic walks, jogging and cycling. Back Bay Drive, a five-mile nature trail for cycling or jogging, parallels the ecological preserve of Newport Bay. Bicycles are available for cycling to nearby Balboa Island, Newport Harbor or the beach. Volleyball, shuffleboard and table tennis are all available on-site.
The Hyatt Newporter also has a nine-hole executive par-three golf course named Back Bay, and is a perfect place for a family, including small children, to learn the game or sharpen skills of the short game. You also have access to 16 lighted tennis courts, spa facilities, sauna and whirlpool.
Where to Dine at The Hyatt Newporter:
The Hyatt Newporter features the Jamboree Grill, Knuckles Historical Sports Bar, The Lobby Bar-Cigar and Martini Lounge.
If You Go
Strawberry Farms Golf Club
11 Strawberry Farms Road
Irvine, CA 92612
Telephone: 949-551-1811.
Internet: www.strawberryfamsgolf.com.
February 21, 2002
David R. Holland is an award-winning former sportswriter for The Dallas Morning News, football magazine publisher, and author of The Colorado Golf Bible. Before launching a career as a travel/golf writer, he achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force reserve, serving during the Vietnam and Desert Storm eras. Follow Dave on Twitter here.
Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management.
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jj wrote on: Feb 24, 2009
I was very disappointed to find after we played that the course restricts to only cart path on Monday and Tuesdays. It causes very slow play and a lot of walking because all of the course is roped off. We were told in the parking lot after play that this restriction existed on only these two days because players used discount golf coupons on these days.
Too bad will not go back.
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bigmccullum wrote on: Feb 14, 2006
Would be a nice place if the pro shop guy (stocky caucasian guy about 5' 9) was better trained and less annoying.
This staff is a jerk. He's very rude when we asked for information and gave us first time players a bad impression of the establishment. We were at the Strawberry Farm pro shop on Monday, 2/13/06 in the afternoon.
Not going back for sure.
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bigmccullum wrote on: Feb 15, 2006
The pro shop guy on 2/13/06 afternnon could be a caucasian or fair skinned Hispanic.
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Gary White wrote on: Aug 8, 2005
Mr Howard is very hyped up on the big names that play the course but not the club members.
-Disorganized check-in desk
-Bag drop often not attended
-No food service at the turn
-Sometimes they are there to clean your clubs at the end of your round, some times not
-Slow play, often stacked up.
It's too bad. Its a pretty and challenging course. Just down the street is a very classy course, Oak Creek. Same price as Strawberry. But great service,
all the touches of a class place. Towels, bottled water, air to clean your shoes, spike replacement, and great bag team. And the course is in great shape.
I think we will keep our membership only at Oak Creek.
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bigmccullum wrote on: Feb 14, 2006
Thanks. I absolutely agree. I've the "membership" here as well as Oak Creek. I prefer Oak Creek.
Strawberry Farms has dropped in standards.
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