Agostini On Golf: Creekside, a young course, is in pretty good shape

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Creekside, opened 18 years ago, has grown into a viable option for city and regional golfers.

Its large greens remain a more than adequate test for players of all calibers, and the course can be stretched from 6,000 yards to more than 6,600 yards. Creekside from the tips is enough golf for anyone.

Another thing: Its relative youth, compared to city companions at Dryden Park and Modesto Municipal, allows Creekside to shake off episodes like the major storms in October.

"Creekside wasn't too bad," said Riverbank's Danny Fielder, regional golf course superintendent for Valley Crest, the company that has handled maintenance for the three city courses for 13 years. "We had the usual stuff blown out of the trees and we had to pick up a lot of debris. But these are trees that have been well-maintained for a long time."

Redwoods, magnolias and sycamores were planted at Creekside and clearly were a better fit than the old stone pines at Dryden. Then again, course builders knew more about their business in the early 1990s than the time Dryden (late 1950s) and Muni (early 1930s) were opened.

Creekside's problem is poor drainage, a curious issue given its contemporary status. For one thing, the bunkers often flood after significant rain. The crowned fairways figured to enhance drainage but it hasn't happened.

"When it pours, Dryden seems to do better, but the slightest rain hurts Creekside," said Fielder, who oversees the city courses along with Van Buskirk, Swenson Park, Lyons and Diablo Creek (Concord) for Valley Crest. "There are a lot of low-lying areas at Creekside that do not drain well."

Fielder and his staff bring Creekside to its best condition for three events — the Modesto City in June, in the Creekside Invitational in September and the Club Championship in October. The recent purchase of a roller for the greens, used twice to three days a week at Creekside, juiced the green speed to 11 or 12 for the Club Championship, Fielder said.

Valley Crest also reduced maintenance cost by more than $100,000, at the request of the city.

"A lot of the savings came from tree care. We tried to cut back on things that don't affect day-to-day play," Fielder said. "As a partner with the city, we're concerned about the future of golf in Modesto. "We're going to be here no matter what."

• RENO-TAHOE CONFLICT — Northern California golf fans were surprised by the Reno-Tahoe Open's announcement last week to move their 2010 dates from late August to July 15-18, which puts the event head-to-head against the popular American Century Celebrity Golf Championship at Edgewood Tahoe.

The conflict will affect local golf fans and volunteers who support both tournaments. The PGA Tour event, which now will be held the same weekend as the British Open, is held at Montreux CC south of Reno.

The RTO, which has operated in the shadow of a World Golf Championship tournament held on the same weekend, has sought different dates for years. Reno's hotels already are filled by the popular Hot August Nights classic car festival. The earlier date should result in a slightly better field because the WGC tournament siphons away more marquee players than the British Open. Still, celebrity tournament officials weren't exactly doing handsprings over the news.

Their tournament, which has been around for 21 years — a decade longer than the RTO — draws a top-tier celebrity field, compared to the B List Tour level in Reno. Can both tournaments survive in the same market on the same weekend? The celebrity tournament, shown live on NBC (the RTO is seen on The Golf Channel), also drew 36,000 this summer to Edgewood, compared to 25,000 at Montreux.

"This is a disservice to golf fans in the region that have had two annual tournaments," said Carol Chaplin, executive director of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority. "The American Century Championship has 21 years of continuity, great partners from title through associate sponsors, loyal community support, annual growth and has contributed over $3 million to local and national charities. Plus, it's Lake Tahoe. To us, it seems shortsighted but it will play out in the public market where we're happy to compete on the basis of the entertainment value."

John Sande, chairman of the board of the Reno-Tahoe Open Foundation (and also a former football star at Stanford), believes both events can share the same spotlight.

"The celebrity tournament has been successful for years. We think having two events like this is a strong indication that this region may be the best region anywhere for golf," Sande said.

• HOLE-IN-ONE — Michael Brite, Modesto, 176-yard third at Del Rio CC (River), 4-iron.

Bee staff writer Ron Agostini can be reached at ragostini@modbee.com or 578-2302.