Building Strawberry Farms Golf Club with Doug DeCinces

Doug DeCinces didn’t just live one childhood dream—he lived two. First, he stepped into the spotlight as a Major League Baseball player, taking over third base for the legendary Brooks Robinson in Baltimore. Then, after a successful career with the Orioles and California Angels, he pursued his second dream—construction—following in the footsteps of his father.

0:00 – Doug DeCinces welcome to the show
1:00 – Podcast today about what’s not found online
1:30 – Replacing Brooks Robinson at 3B (Baltimore)
2:30 – “We want Brooks” chant 36,000 fans
3:00 – How/Why in 1982 traded to California Angels
5:30 – Construction in Doug’s roots (dad was GC)
7:40 – How Doug got into golf business – Japanese business man
11:00 – Land planner says “I’ve got a piece of property you might be interested in…”
12:00 – Orange County files bankruptcy (1994)
14:00 – Enter the California gnatcatcher
13:40 – Negotiations were tough – got a 5-0 vote
14:50 – John Petke and Hardy Strozier (environment consultants)
16:30 – Catch the brown birds (protect eggs of gnatcatcher)
17:30 – Early partners: Dick Pickup, Ron Lane and Bill Donovan
19:00 – Course open 1997
19:45 – Arnold Palmer Management (IRWD edict) (quickly released)
20:00 – Credit to Jim Lipe (award-winning golf course architect)
22:30 – How it was named “Strawberry Farms”
25:00 – Rick Howard (GM) almost 18 years handled the course
27:00 – “Was there ever a plan for 9 or 18 more holes?”
29:30 – Tanaka Farms provides a great service
30:20 – Doug’s favorite hole – waterfall on 18
33:00 – A 9-year old boy that lived out two dreams