The unofficial birthplace of Disneyland. Catalina welcomes more than a million tourists per year, and it's easy to see why. The place is perfect... almost too perfect as Erik Anders Lang finds on this Adventures in Golf, presented by United.
Just outside Catalina's main strip of shops, sights and funnel cake lies the oldest course west of the Mississippi (depending on who you ask). Today, Catalina Island Golf Course is a fun, narrow and beautiful nine-hole with impressive views.
It's also host to the "Mexican Open," a bi-weekly shotgun tourney put on by the locals that Erik experienced for himself.
While the "Mexican Open" is awesome, is just a blink into the course's deep, rich history.
What started as a three-hole course in the late 1892 was upgraded into a nine-hole course in 1894. Thanks to William Wrigley Jr. (see: Wrigley Gum), it became an 18-hole course in 1928 until it was reverted back to the nine we play today during WW2.
The course was host to a pro event hosted by one of the true GOATs. The Bobby Jones Invitational Tournament, which started in 1931 and played its last round in 1955.
Golf's greatest have teed it up here at one point or another, including Tiger Woods, who played it first when he was 4 and again at 14.
While touring the area, Erik meets living Latino legend Lolo Saldana at his barber shop. At 97-years-old (as of filming in 2021) Lolo is as sharp as the scissors he uses to cut hair with. He shares classic stories about his pro days playing against Ken Venturi and how Catalina evolved into the idyllic landmark we see today.
Oh, and if you're into mariachi music, definitely stick around until the end.
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1 ноя 2021
