New Robinson Ranch Course Opens to Raves
Robinson Ranch in Canyon Country opened its Valley Course on Friday to rave reviews from the first golfers to play the course on the fringe of the Angelus National Forest.
Officials at the 36-hole facility designed by Ted Robinson and his son, Ted Jr., promised the Valley would be a cut above the Mountain Course, which has been a critical success since it opened in December.
“People coming into the pro shop after they finish are doing somersaults,” said Rick Smith, head pro at Robinson Ranch. “They just love it, especially the back nine, which is spectacular.
“The grass is probably about 85% grown in. We told people it was a little thin in spots, especially on No. 1 and No. 9, but we’re probably a little more critical. Guys have come in and said it’s better than the courses they usually play.”
The Valley Course, which plays to a par of 71, measures 6,903 yards from the back tees and has a 74.5 rating from the Southern California Golf Assn., with a slope of 140.
It is narrower and longer than the Mountain Course, which measures 6,508 yards.
“Robinson Ranch is easily the best of the new courses in the area,” said Tim Hogarth of Northridge, the California Amateur champion, after a round recently on the Mountain Course. “The greens are so smooth.
“I can’t wait for the Valley Course to open because they say it’s going to be even better.”
Robinson Ranch is located on Sand Canyon Road, approximately one mile south of the Antelope Valley Freeway.
BASKETBALL
* Crescenta Valley’s boys’ team has won the academic award for highest grade-point average in Division I. The Falcons had the fourth-best team GPA out of more than 500 schools in the Southern Section at 3.48.
The Glendale Lions Club selected guard Mark McCauley of Crescenta Valley as the top boys’ athlete in the Glendale area and soccer player Julie Herrold of Crescenta Valley and softball player Cori Herbert of Hoover as its co-girls’ athletes of the year.
* Boys’ teams are being sought for a tournament at Village Christian High July 28-29.
Each team is guaranteed five games with a possibility of six. Registration fees of $185 are due by June 10.
Information: Coach Patrick Hamblin, (818) 767-8382, ext. 293.
TRACK AND FIELD
* Don Strametz of Cal State Northridge has been selected Big Sky Conference women’s outdoor coach of the year for the second consecutive season.
Strametz, the fourth coach in conference history to win the award in consecutive years, has earned the distinction three times. He also won it in 1997.
Strametz led the Northridge women to their second consecutive conference title last week in Sacramento.
* Cal State Northridge’s women’s 400-meter relay team of LaShaunda Fowler, Anicia Rimm, Krystal Harris and Annetta Wells, who won the invitational 400 meters in 45.85 seconds at the Modesto Relays, will be highlighted when the May 13 meet is rebroadcast at 4 p.m. today on Fox Sports West.
FOOTBALL
* Practice begins Tuesday at Birmingham High for the West team that will play the East in the Valley Youth Conference high school all-star game set for June 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Cal State Northridge.
Bob Francola of Kennedy is coaching the West, with Mike Herrington of Hart directing the East.
SWIMMING
* The Conejo Simi Aquatics Memorial Day meet takes place this weekend at Oxnard High.
The meet, which began Friday and continues today and Sunday , includes clubs from the region as well as Bakersfield, San Diego and Seattle.
VOLLEYBALL
* The Ventura Volleyball Ventures will conduct a grass tournament today at Arroyo Verde Park in Ventura.
The event is the first of the summer for the California Beach Volleyball Assn.’s grass doubles tournament series.
The tournament includes men’s, women’s and coed competition in three divisions, as well as boys’ and girls’ divisions.
Registration is scheduled for 8 a.m., with play beginning at 9 a.m. Cost is $30 per team.
Participants must be California Beach Volleyball Assn. members. Membership applications will be available at registration.
Information: (805) 658-7577.
TENNIS
* Jim Whalen, former Ventura College men’s coach, and Paul Xanthos, former men’s coach at Pierce, were among nine retired coaches inducted into the California Community College Tennis Coaches Assn. Hall of Fame two weeks ago during a ceremony at the Atrium Hotel in Irvine.
Others inductees were Dan Braden of West Valley College, Pete Brown of Trade Tech, Georgie Chivington of Chabot, Tom Chivington of Foothill, Benny Crigger of Long Beach and Pat Moorehouse-MacPhee and Jack Sanford of Santa Barbara.
BASEBALL
* Kevin Howard, former Westlake High infielder, had four hits Friday to help Miami defeat Wagner, 19-5, in an opening game of the NCAA playoffs in Coral Gables, Fla.