A golf course is the only place one can see men freely brandishing iron rods without having to worry that their days of pestering biker gangs are over. Bust out your swatting sticks and try to remain calm with today's Groupon: for $70, you get an 18-hole round of golf at Poppy Ridge Golf Course in Livermore (up to a $77 value, cart rental included) and an introductory membership to the Northern California Golf Association (up to a $75 value). The NCGA membership lasts throughout 2011, but the golf round must be played before March 31.

Etched into the hills of Livermore Valley wine country, the award-winning Poppy Ridge Golf Course challenges fairway-navigators to conquer its 27-hole, Scottish heath-inspired layout. The course's four sets of tees per hole help golfers adjust for their skill levels, and master architect Rees Jones's extensive bunkering makes the sparingly used quicksand trap that much more surprising.

This deal also includes NCGA membership, which affords golfers with an avalanche of benefits. Hole hunters get discounts of up to 75% on rounds at more than 80 courses, as well as price breaks on nonlinks perks, such as NBA tickets, Dell computers, hotels, and more. Discounted access to members-only private events lowers the velvet rope, and free clinics can teach players how to stop slicing their shots into golf-ball-incinerating lava hazards. The membership will last until the end of the year, at which time the NCGA will help golfers find a full-time club if they wish.

This Groupon is not valid on Saturdays. Poppy Ridge Golf Course is scheduled for aeration March 22-23.

Reviews

Thirty Yelpers give Poppy Ridge Golf Course an average of four stars:

• Overall, maintained well and pace of play was fast when I teed off at 12:30pm on a Sat on May 1. I'd play here 2-3 times a year. – Dai T., Yelp, 5/4/10
• Great course with good greens. Lots of variability to the holes to keep the round interesting. – Darren E., Yelp, 8/21/10