Monarch Bay Golf Club, San Leandro, CA

I played this course, last Saturday, for the Varian Medical Systems Annual Tournament for employees, friends and families. The greens on this course are slick as greased lightening. I had heard from the pro at the Fremont Park Golf Course 9-hole that Monarch Bay had a history of trouble with the grass because of the salty sea breeze but recently had a grass expert fix the problem. Wow, was he ever right. And the scenery on the course was phenominal, with Bay Area marshland on one side and the Bay on the other, with a view of San Francisco and the Bay Bridge from the Southeast and the Penninsula and the San Mateo Bridge from the Northeast. The most amazing event was a fox, who walked right up to the side of our golfcart and posed for a few pictures. I suppose he gets plenty to eat out there, with all the birds and golfers. Nice good ole boys in the shop with a grill and pro shop, as well as driving range, putting and chipping areas. Crazy as we were, we started the tournament in the rain but it died off and left us with a nice day of golf, after the opening tournament challenges (putting and chipping competitions). A gem in the middle of the Bay. I am an average golfer of several years but my friend from work was a beginner and was happy (it was a best ball tournament so play went along just fine). Because of the early rain, we were almost the only ones on the course, though we filled it out pretty well.