6 years ago I was in the area and even having played all of them, MPCC was a heartbreaking no go. Luck and meeting new friends were crucial to secure a round on both courses this year and it was way above what I have expected. Many say the Club is the best Private Golf Facility in USA and if not true, it is a serious contender for a Top 5 with Winged Foot, LACC, Oak Hill, Merion, Baltusrol, Philly Cricket and some more … it is everything you can dream of a golf experience and of 2 great golf courses.

We played both courses in consecutive days and round 1 was on the Shore on a Wednesday during the Club Championship, so both courses were in immaculate condition. 8 friends from Argentina hosted by 3 very kind Members who not only made us play both courses but also experience the Club in full monty.

We arrived 12pm for a light lunch at the Men’s Grill and obvious ProShop Tour before taking use of the amazing practice facilities by the Club House (they have another one beside Dunes 11^th called Point Joe Range which might be the best on earth facing the ocean), everything was set for a great round with greens rolling at 12’ in the stimp. One thing is in between the 2 courses they have 4 different grasses, Dunes Rye Grass Fairways and Bent Grass Greens and the Shore very tight Fescue fairways and Poa Annua greens, quite a challenge for the Greenkeeping staff!!

I will separately take the Dunes, but will start with Shore which starts by the Club into the forest towards the Ocean arriving at 5^th Hole and getting back at 15^th to ride back to the Club through the forest again, quite an amazing piece of land and even better routing by Mike Strantz in this case.

Shore is the one Courses used for the AT&T National PGA Tour Event and Members are thinking in using the Dunes to alternate the host which would be great in order to show the Audience their beloved Golf Club in full display. There is even a blend course using all the shoreline holes but unfortunately it can’t be used on Tour due to the grasses difference in between them.

Shore is maybe gentler, less demanding off the tee with wider landing areas and not as dramatic green complexes as the Dunes has, but not easy at all to score. You need to be sharp with your irons and wedges, clever on where to aim your approaches and extremely precise with putting, the biggest challenge of the course apart from trying to not get distracted by the amazing views the course offers.

1^st Hole is a par 5 from an elevated tee by the Club House downhill quite open and to a huge green, a long approach led to a putt of over 60 feet!!! One landmark I have on this trip to California is having played many very good short par 3s and 3is one of those, surrounded by forest it is quite a nice hole. 5 is a short 4 that unfortunately we could not get close as it played into the wind but what a cool view over the green! 6 is a 3 shot par 5 with houses on the right side (with quite nice views I imagine) and the coast on the left … better than most!