FORE Magazine

Top Menu

  • About Me
  • Contact Us
  • Home

Main Menu

  • Current Issue
  • Digital Book
  • Profiles
  • Sustainability
  • Travel
  • 19th Hole
  • Classic Course
  • FORE Her
  • More
    • Know the Rules
    • Handicap Hints
    • SCGA Junior
    • Where Are They Now?
    • News
    • Public Affairs
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login

logo

FORE Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Digital Book
  • Profiles
  • Sustainability
  • Travel
  • 19th Hole
  • Classic Course
  • FORE Her
  • More
    • Know the Rules
    • Handicap Hints
    • SCGA Junior
    • Where Are They Now?
    • News
    • Public Affairs
Fall 2018Profiles
Home›Issues›Fall 2018›Play Fast And Have Fun: Rancho Park Golf Club

Play Fast And Have Fun: Rancho Park Golf Club

By Jonathan Coe
October 22, 2018
8066
0
Share:

Similar to the city of Los Angeles itself, the Rancho Park Golf Club is a spiderweb of different demographics. Young, old, professional, blue collar, student … you name it. If they golf, breathe and have a sense of humor, they’re welcome at Rancho.

“We like people who want to compete,” said Thor Tandberg, the president at Rancho Park GC. “But at the same time, having fun takes priority. We take golf seriously, but we don’t take one another seriously. Players who are scratch get along perfectly well with 18 handicaps.”

If Rancho were to have a mission statement, it would read something like this: “Play fast and have fun!” Those are two things most any Los Angeles golfer can get behind. After struggling with a terrible reputation for years due to slow play, Rancho Park has finally flipped the script and it’s paying off.

“After beating our heads against the wall for many years, we decided to institute some draconian pace-of-play policies and that immediately turned things around.” reflected Tandberg.

The threat of a real penalty was enough to get everyone moving and the new policy emboldened everyone on the course to act as a marshal. As a result, Rancho rounds are noticeably brisk, as members don’t ask, ‘Who’s away?’ but rather hit the ball as soon as they’re ready.

When they aren’t playing on their historic course — home of the Los Angeles Open on 17 occasions from 1956 to 1983
— Rancho Park members are packing their clubs and hitting the road to raise camaraderie to the highest of heights.

“Our idea of real fun is a three-day weekend road trip with our club members,” Tandberg said. “We’ll rent a big house, cook massive dinners, play poker and, of course, play three days of golf with a very large skins pot each day.”

San Diego, Palm Springs and Central California are the usual hangouts and room pick order is always based on age, with the oldest members getting first pick and the youngest getting stuck on couches.

“The big joke is that none of the older folks are ever going to die because they don’t want to give up their room choice,” said Tandberg, chuckling. “That’s the sort of gallows humor you’ll find at Rancho. Nothing is sacred here, except the Rules of Golf, of course.” .

+Want to learn more about Rancho Park Golf Club and other similar golf communities in your area? Visit clubfinder.scga.org to find a fun and welcoming club near you!

Previous Article

Charging Bruin: Devon Bling Shows He Belongs ...

Next Article

Kids, Having Fun Out There?

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Jonathan Coe

Related articles More from author

  • Profiles

    The Greenskeeper’s Revenge

    February 15, 2017
    By Jonathan Coe
  • plusFOREProfiles

    Here She Comes … Golf Club In Hand: 2015 Miss America Kira Kazantsev Rediscovers Her Love of the Game

    June 1, 2016
    By Julia Pine
  • ProfilesSummer 2018

    Let’s Get Lost On The Hawaiian Island Of Lanai

    August 1, 2018
    By George Fuller
  • 19th HoleProfiles

    ANA in the DNA for Rancho Mirage Restaurateur Miho Suma

    January 26, 2017
    By Judd Spicer
  • Fall 2018Travel

    Irish Ayes: An Epic Journey That Just Keeps Getting Better

    October 18, 2018
    By Tod Leonard
  • Fall 2018FORE HerProfiles

    First Cut – Equal Pay: It’s The Right Thing To Do

    October 22, 2018
    By Jill Painter Lopez

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Recent Posts

  • FeaturedIn The ClubhouseSpring 2025

    John Henebry

  • FeaturedHandicap HintsIn The ClubhouseSpring 2025

    Fun & Games

  • At The TurnFeaturedSCGA JuniorSpring 2025

    Mr. & Mrs. Porter

  • FeaturedIn The ClubhouseSpring 2025

    Original Wonder Woman

  • 19th HoleFeaturedSummer 2024

    A Feast for the Senses

FeaturedIn The ClubhouseSpring 2025

John Henebry

A Personal Remembrance Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. A ballroom at Desert IslandCC in the Coachella Valley pocket of Rancho Mirage. The “Celebration of Life” for my dear friend, my colleague, ...
  • Fun & Games

    By Kevin O'Connor
    May 15, 2025
  • Rule 25

    By Jimmy Becker
    May 15, 2025
  • Doing More With Less

    By Kevin Fitzgerald
    May 15, 2025
  • Original Wonder Woman

    By Joe Passov
    May 15, 2025
© 2016 FORE Magazine About Us | Contact Us | Advertise