Though I have rarely played since my college days, I enjoy watching golf on television. The tension-filled tournaments are, at least for me, relaxing to watch and I am particularly drawn to the regional geography that one observes from the aerial coverage.
Yesterday's coverage of the PGA Championship, from Harding Park in San Francisco, included shots of breaching whales in the Pacific as well as spectacular views of the San Francisco Peninsula. One of the views was of an isolated ridge to the southeast of the golf course; consulting Google Maps, I learned that it was San Bruno Mountain, a fault-block formation composed primarily of Franciscan graywacke (a composite of continental, oceanic and volcanic sediments). Most of the ridge, which parallels the San Andreas Fault and has a summit elevation of 1319 feet, is protected within San Bruno Mountain State Park. Due to its location, between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, the Park harbors a mix of rare and endemic species (primarily plants and insects); unfortunately, due to its prominence, the ridge is also graced by a cluster of transmission towers.
Once again, a golf tournament has offered a geography lesson as well. Even familiar terrain is better appreciated from a blimp (or drone)!
