By Fred Robledo
There are many reasons why the Greenhorn Creek Resort in Angels Camp, California is a preferred vacation destination for so many from all over the world.
First, as real estate agents like to say, it’s location, location, location. Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range between Yosemite and Lake Tahoe and just a couple of hours east of the bay area, Angels Camp is a gateway to everything Calaveras County has to offer.
“There is so much to do here all year,” said Mike Kristoff, the general manager at Greenhorn Creek Resort. “There’s a ski resort nearby, so close you can ski and play golf in the same day.”
There are also award-winning wineries scattered throughout the historic mine towns that were thriving during the Gold Rush days in the 1850s.
That brings up the second point. The history of the area. Angels Camp was named after Henry Angel who had set up a trading post in 1848, two years before the Gold Rush. Once gold was discovered, that trading post grew into a thriving community. For those who want to get a sense of what life was in those days, they can take a tour of Main Street where many of the original buildings have been preserved.
Greenhorn Creek got its name because it was in an area where inexperienced “Greenhorn” prospectors were sent down to the creek which was believed to be worthless. But gold was discovered in the diggings and it became known as Greenhorn Creek.
Third is the lore of Mark Twain, the celebrated journalist whose first successful short story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, is the reason the area celebrates the Calaveras County Jumping Frog Jubilee every year during the third weekend in May. It is no small event. Visitors from all over the world come to see if any frog can break the world record of 21 feet, 5 ≤ inches set by Rosie the Ribeter in 1986.
And finally there is the Greenhorn Creek Resort, for which golfers can thank the vision of Barden Stevenot and Fritz Grupe. Stevenot recognized the beauty of the land with its undulating hills and majestic oaks and knew it would be the perfect setting for a golf course and community. Don Boos designed the original course which opened in 1996.
The Grupe family, renowned as builders of award-winning single family homes and master-planned communities, purchased the property just before the turn of the century and has continued its legacy of commitment to caring for people, the community and the environment.
Fritz Grupe knew he had something special, but he wanted more, so he hired an old friend, Robert Trent Jones II, to redesign the golf course in 1996. Soon thereafter, the course began collecting various awards as one of the most spectacular courses in Northern California.
But it’s more than the golf course that makes Greenhorn Creek a world class resort. It also has a Golf Academy, 30 practice stalls on the driving range and chipping and putting greens. All of it sits in the shadow of a stunning lodge that features a well-stocked golf shop and the highly acclaimed Camps Restaurant which offers regional produce, fine wines, hand-cut meats and steaks, fresh fish and hand-tossed salads.
Camps is also a favorite of the locals on weekends because of the music for listening and dancing pleasure.
On my recent trip to Greenhorn Creek, my day started with a hearty breakfast at Camps. Then before embarking on my round, I asked Kristoff what to expect from the conditions on the course.
“I would rather let you experience that for yourself,” Kristoff said. “I am pretty certain you are going to like it.”
That turned out to be a vast understatement.
The layout of the course follows the rolling contours of the lush land between majestic oaks, down through some creek-lined valleys, across wetlands all set to a backdrop of the towering Sierra foothills.
The fairways have ample width in the driving areas with plenty of bunkers in strategic areas to give long hitters options. The greens were extremely quick, but in pristine condition and putts rolled true. Despite the speed of the greens, they didn’t have many putts that broke sharply. The breaks were subtle and one has to pay attention to the direction of the foothills and the water on the course. The condition of the course was flawless. I never had a bad lie in a fairway and the rough was consistent and fair.
There is even a sense of history on the course. The lakes on the 5th, 6th and 7th holes were originally a drainage area where miners panned for gold in the 1860s and 70s, and a standing chimney and rock wall on the 4th hole are historical sites from the golden era.
Although it’s a par 72 course, it is different from most with five par 5s and five par 3s and you will never encounter a hole that resembles another. They are each different and memorable. It is rare that I come off a course for the first time and can remember every single hole.
There are five sets of tees ranging from 6,749 yards from the Golds (73.2 rating, 142 slope) to 4,887 yards from the Greens (69.5 rating, 122 slope), but at this course they create two more sets of tees by combining some Blue and White tees and calling it the Blue/White Combo, and some Red and White tees as the Red/White Combo. I opted for the Blue/White Combo tees at 6,014 yards (70 rating, 133 slope).
Players with handicaps in the 10-18 range are encouraged to play the Blue/White Combo tees and they meshed well with my game – short but straight off the tee, fairly good iron player, a good putter on some days. Even from the tees I played, I found myself using every club I had.
Three of the par 4s were less than 350 yards which enabled me to play them with a driver and iron (on those holes where I hit good drives). For the better players, they stretch from 382 to 460 yards.
There were dogleg and trees on some of the short par 4s which brought options into play. There were also deep ravines and plenty of wetlands waiting for bad decisions or errant shots.
Four of the par 5s were in the 475 to 485 range. Again, this allowed me two hit two good shots to leave myself short irons into the greens. Putting two good shots in a row is not my forte, but I was rewarded on this course when I did so. The long hitters play them from 494 to 592 yards.
The par 3s range from 157 to 213 yards and one must navigate wetlands, lakes, bunkers or elevation on most of them.
The 13th hole is the signature hole and you should bring a camera and take it all in before you play it. From the elevated tee, you are treated to a panoramic view of the Sierra foothills. The hole only measures 150 yards from the tips, but the elevation of the tee makes the hole play about two clubs shorter. The problem in trying to figure out distance is the pond that guards the right half of the green, the swirling winds and the series of bunkers behind the green that catches shots from those who overclub because of the water.
I would like to report I played the hole perfectly from 135 yards, but I would be lying. My first shot found the lake; my second was well left of the green, but dry. A chip and two putts gave me a double bogey.
The closing hole is a reachable par 5, even from the Gold tees at 485 yards. It’s pretty straight away with a wide fairway but the problem for long hitters comes with a second shot that has to avoid a group of trees which are in front of the lake that protects the large green.
This is a course where you come off the last green wanting another crack at it. Once you learn where to hit your tee shots, you are sure you will be able to improve the second time around. But here’s a tip for you when you play it the second time. Try to play at about the same time. The course can be much different in the afternoon when the wind tends to kick up than in the morning when all is calm.
Morning or afternoon, however, it is an outstanding track, worthy of all of the accolades it has received. I left the course thinking this would be a great place for small groups or golf clubs to hold their annual club championships or their annual road trips.
“That’s exactly what we had in mind when we built the Caddy Shack,” said Kristoff. “We think the Caddy Shack is the perfect place for small groups of 12 or fewer golfers.”
Located next to the 9th hole and adjacent to the driving range, the Caddy Shack opened in September and is a 5-bedroom unit that includes a kitchen, a family room with a high def TV set and a game room. Outside is a barbecue, a patio, picnic tables and a horse shoe pit.
For larger groups, there are many two and three-bedroom cottages available with weekday and weekend rates beginning at $200 per night. Each home features a full kitchen with all the amenities necessary for entertaining. There are also guest suites available in some of the cottages beginning at $125 per night.
Those staying at the Caddy Shack or in one of the cottages also have access to the Fitness Center, the pool and Jacuzzi and the tennis courts.
Although the Greenhorn Creek resort was the highlight of my brief trip, I was in the area long enough to visit a few of the legendary wineries and some of the historic towns in the area. But at the end of the day, it was the memories of the spectacular golf course that stayed with me.
WHERE TO STAY
Greenhorn Creek Resort
711 McCauley Ranch Road
Angels Camp, CA 95222
209-729-8111
www.Greenhorncreek.com
Saddleback Creek Resort
1001 Saddle Creek Drive
Copperopolis, CA 95228
800-611-7722
www.Saddlecreek.com
STAY AND PLAY GOLD COUNTRY GOLF PACKAGE
Stay at Greenhorn Creek Resort or Saddleback Creek Resort for one or two nights and play each course on subsequent days. The package begins at $99 per person per day and the two-night stay includes:
• 18 holes of golf on each course, including cart and range balls.
• Lodging for foursomes in a resort condominium or cottage at Greenhorn Creek or a bungalow at Saddle Creek. Couples may stay, for the same price per person, in a bungalow suite at Saddle Creek, Cottage suite or one bedroom condo at Greenhorn Creek.
• Group lodging is available at the Caddy Shack for up to 12 golfers. Groups can also stay in condos, bungalows or cottages. Call for group or tournament rates.
• Weekend packages are available. One night packages are available midweek with golf on arrival and the following day at the participating course.
Advance reservations are required. For more information or to make reservations, call Greenhorn Creek Resort at 888-736-5900 or Saddle Creek at 800-611-7722.
HISTORICAL MUSEUMS
Angels Camp Museum
753 S. Main Street
Angels Camp, CA 95222
209-736-2963
Features more than three acres of historic treasures and exhibits including Mark Twain exhibit.
Calaveras County Museum Complex
30 N. Main Street
San Andreas, CA 95249
209-754-4658
Features courthouse, jail where legendary outlaw Black Bart was held and Hall of Records.
Murphys Old Timers Museum
470 Main Street
Murphys, CA 95247
209-728-1160
Dedicated to the history and preservation of artifacts of Murphys and its generations since the Gold Rush.
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