A round of golf is a contest between man and nature, much like betting a tree that it can't drink a gallon of milk. Pit yourself against Mother Nature with today's Groupon: for $50, you get four nine-hole rounds of golf with a pull cart and four driving-range tokens from McInnis Park Golf Center in San Rafael (up to a $132 value).

Carved out of the scenic Marin Park Wildlife area, McInnis Park Golf Center's nine-hole course offers a short, 1,842-yard jaunt for club-wielders of all abilities. With five par 3s, heavily bunkered greens, and only one hole surpassing 300 yards in length, the par 31 course is accessible for novice duffers, yet still compelling for seasoned golfers seeking an elusive hole-in-one or the shards of Arnold Palmer's shattered sherry glass, which fulfills an ancient prophecy. Tote your clubs in a pull-cart as you drink in sweeping vistas of San Francisco Bay and Mount Tamalpais, steeling yourself to face the course's three water hazards. Today's deal also includes four driving-range tokens, which supply 48 balls to carry (solo or with friends) to one of the double-decker facility's 52 stalls, then rain down on the callous ground that prevents you from flying.

McInnis Park Golf Center's rates fluctuate throughout the week.