Bakersfield, CA Pool & Area

UWPoolGod1

UWPoolGod1

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Looking for an update on the Bakersfield pool scene. Poolhalls, leagues, players, etc. Places to go and things to do in town. Golf courses and other also would be nice.

The V.P. of my company asked me today to move to Bakersfield and oversee the operations there. Of course it is based on what they are offering. As of now these are their terms (weak of course):
$10K for moving down.
Year of housing (they already are renting a 2-bedroom apartment for the Regional Manager.
A month of subsistence ...at $25/day is about $750

Of course I also want a pay increase because of the cost of living, impact of my life, want to purchase a house in a housing market 1.7 times higher than where I am at, etc.

From what I've heard so far its kind of a hole and hotter than hell.

Any input on pool and the job is appreciated. Thanks!
 
Give Kenny Dodd a call. As I recall he use to live there. I can have him call you if you like.
 
UWPoolGod1 said:
Looking for an update on the Bakersfield pool scene. Poolhalls, leagues, players, etc. Places to go and things to do in town. Golf courses and other also would be nice.

The V.P. of my company asked me today to move to Bakersfield and oversee the operations there. Of course it is based on what they are offering. As of now these are their terms (weak of course):
$10K for moving down.
Year of housing (they already are renting a 2-bedroom apartment for the Regional Manager.
A month of subsistence ...at $25/day is about $750

Of course I also want a pay increase because of the cost of living, impact of my life, want to purchase a house in a housing market 1.7 times higher than where I am at, etc.

From what I've heard so far its kind of a hole and hotter than hell.

Any input on pool and the job is appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Bakersfield has about 3 nice pool halls, none that bring in pro action that I know of. The APA has been very active here for a number of years. The APA 9-ball player of the year Brian Parks for 2005 & 2006 lives here. The BCA is just now trying to get started and has league play 2 nights a week.
There are quite a few nice golf courses, feeder league hockey team and baseball team. Nice areana (where I will be going to see Ron White next Friday) with some nice things to do if you look for them.

Houses run about 270-350 for a nice 3 bedroom at this time.

And yes, it gets hotter than hell here in the summer time. But, in the winter we have tulle fog. So thick you have to lean out the car window and look straight down to see the white line. With a permeating chill that will go right thru an overcoat.

Here is a list of things going on in and around Bakersfield
http://www.co.kern.ca.us/apps/eventcal/evtcaldsp.asp

Hope this helps.
 
when we drive up north, the area you are thinking about moving to gets termed "the armpit of california" by us, and deservedly so. prevailing winds tend to blow south or south west, if you look at bakersfield on a topographic map, it is at the south end of our great central valley here. it gets ALL the pollution from central and northern CA (including san francisco). not a good place to be living (or even breathing). when it rains, all that stuff comes down. i would not recommend living there, especially if you have kids.

no pool there either, good players are only 2 hours to the south however. on the bright side, the mexican food is very good.
 
I have been all over CA and Bakersfield is in the bottom 5% of places I would want to live !!!

Russ.......
 
Beautiful Bakersfield

NOT!!! I'm afraid that Bakersfield was not what the Mamas and Papas had in mind when they sang California Dreamin'.I would show your employer these posts and negotiate a sweeter deal.
 
poolhustler said:
I have been all over CA and Bakersfield is in the bottom 5% of places I would want to live !!!

Russ.......
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I agree that Bakersfield does suck, but there are many places worse to live in Ca. As far as pool goes, I've really never heard of any players coming out of Bakersfield. No real pool tradition that I've ever heard of and I used to live 2 hours away from there. The one thing it does have going for it is that its not that its around 4 hour drive to the bay area, 2 hour drive to L.A., San Diego is about 4 hours, and Sacramento is around 4hours as well. So any tournaments in Ca, Vegas, or Reno are a resonable distance.
 
thebigdog said:
As far as pool goes, I've really never heard of any players coming out of Bakersfield. No real pool tradition that I've ever heard of and I used to live 2 hours away from there.
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I can easily think of at least ONE good player that resides in Bakersfield. I think he won the HT's first sunday of the month tournament this past weekend and you do have to be able to shoot a lil to do that:) .
 
At least Bakersfield HAS a pool hall.:)

I live about 2 hours away on the coast and there is none here.

I have to go 100 miles south to Santa Barbara for any pool.

Cost of living is way cheap in Bakersfield compared to many other places in Ca.

SR
 
I wouldn't necessarily have to live in Bakersfield, just be within driving distance for work. Any surrounding area ideas are helpful too.
 
UWPoolGod1 said:
Looking for an update on the Bakersfield pool scene. Poolhalls, leagues, players, etc. Places to go and things to do in town. Golf courses and other also would be nice.

The V.P. of my company asked me today to move to Bakersfield and oversee the operations there. Of course it is based on what they are offering. As of now these are their terms (weak of course):
$10K for moving down.
Year of housing (they already are renting a 2-bedroom apartment for the Regional Manager.
A month of subsistence ...at $25/day is about $750

Of course I also want a pay increase because of the cost of living, impact of my life, want to purchase a house in a housing market 1.7 times higher than where I am at, etc.

From what I've heard so far its kind of a hole and hotter than hell.

Any input on pool and the job is appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...

There are some nice mountain areas about 35 - 45 minutes from Bakersfield, Bear Valley Springs and Stallion Springs - worth visting.

Isn't Brian Parks from Bakersfield? He's a good player and a very nice guy - plays in the U.S. Open each year and a number of regional tournaments.

Chris
 
I lived there for six years in the 70's while I owned the Cue Ball Recreation. Number one, business was good and I bought a nice home in the Panarama Heights area. The Kern River is nearby and a day of rafting is a lot of fun. Just be careful and wear a life vest. People drown in that river every Summer. Lake Ming is nearby and they have boat drags there that are very exciting. Famosa Drag Strip has some big meets and Mesa Marin Raceway has stock car races. Kern River Park is huge with lots to do.

If you like Country and Western music, you'll love Bakersfield, the home of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. Great Junior College football team at Bakersfield College, always one of the best in the country. Cal State Bakersfield is an excellent four year college. Bakersfield is like a little slice of Oklahoma in California. I liked it there. Friendly people and not expensive by West Coast standards.

Yes, it's hot in the Summer, but nothing like Vegas, Phoenix or Palm Springs. The Summer nights are beautiful and quiet. I used to sleep outside in my backyard. The Kern County Fair every year is a blast also. Minor league baseball and ice hockey teams as well. And very close to Lake Isabella and some beautiful country. Drive up past Isabella to Kernville. An awesome little place. And then go up to Camp Nelson in the Sequoia National Park. You're guaranteed to go back if you visit once. As nice as Yosemite and not so crowded.

A little slower pace than the big city which I also liked. And don't forget to visit Dewars Ice Cream shop, only the best ice cream West of the Mississippi. A family tradition for 90 years and everything is made right there. It's not all bad in Bakersfield!
 
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UWPoolGod1 said:
I wouldn't necessarily have to live in Bakersfield, just be within driving distance for work. Any surrounding area ideas are helpful too.
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I hope these Bakersfield posts aren't scaring you off. Us jaded Southern Californians have always slammed Bakersfield for as long as I can remember. Generally, if there wasn't a coastline nearby, then that city was a target for redneck jokes. Since most us have never lived there, we have a narrow view of this town from just passing through. Jay Helfert and flettir are likely your best sources for Bakersfield living.

I understand Brian Parks lives outside of town, near Lake Isabella. Good player and a gentlemen.

It would be nice to have you in our section of the country, UWPoolGood1.
 
Bakersfield Player

hilla_hilla said:
I can easily think of at least ONE good player that resides in Bakersfield. I think he won the HT's first sunday of the month tournament this past weekend and you do have to be able to shoot a lil to do that:) .
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You are talking about Brian Parks, he has won that big monthly at HT's more than once. He will also be in the US Open for the 3rd year. He hasn't won yet, but he does pretty well every year.
I am pretty sure he lives in town, not at Lake Isabella. He uses Jay's former pool hall The Cue Ball as his base of operations.

I was born and raised in Bakersfield and was in the military so away from Bakersfield for 24 years. One thing I have noticed, most of the negative things you hear about this town come from people who do not, nor ever have lived here. Yes, it has smog, hot summers and valley fever, (you may want to look that up on the web) but it also has some really nice people and it grows on you once you live here for a while and give it a chance.
 
Yeah I am not super jaded by peoples responses. I pass judgement after witnessing first hand.

I have lived in Washington State my whole life, Vancouver/Seattle, and don't think there is a better place in the country. Yeah we may get a little rain, but also get a little snow. We don't have high humidity, bug problems, hurricanes, twisters, 5' of snow, unbearable heat, etc, etc.

My typical day being down there will consist of getting to work M-F at 7AM, working at the office, job walks, or site visits until 5:00PM. After that it is to the poolhall, league, gym, home with pooltable. I golf, play pool, visit friends and hang out. Play on the computer if I'm bored.

I guess the more important question is: Are there any women in town or do they move away at first opportunity? :D :p
 
UWPoolGod1 said:
My typical day being down there will consist of getting to work M-F at 7AM, working at the office, job walks, or site visits until 5:00PM. After that it is to the poolhall, league, gym, home with pooltable. I golf, play pool, visit friends and hang out. Play on the computer if I'm bored.

I guess the more important question is: Are there any women in town or do they move away at first opportunity? :D :p
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In answer to your most important question. Yes there are some women left in town. Besides a 2 and 4 year college our APA league was one of the few to have enough womens teams to send 2 teams to the national last year.
 
UWPoolGod1 said:
Yeah I am not super jaded by peoples responses. I pass judgement after witnessing first hand.

I have lived in Washington State my whole life, Vancouver/Seattle, and don't think there is a better place in the country. Yeah we may get a little rain, but also get a little snow. We don't have high humidity, bug problems, hurricanes, twisters, 5' of snow, unbearable heat, etc, etc.

My typical day being down there will consist of getting to work M-F at 7AM, working at the office, job walks, or site visits until 5:00PM. After that it is to the poolhall, league, gym, home with pooltable. I golf, play pool, visit friends and hang out. Play on the computer if I'm bored.

I guess the more important question is: Are there any women in town or do they move away at first opportunity? :D :p
Click to expand...

I want to update a little on this region. There are some old opinions I'm hearing here too.

It's going to be a stark difference compared to Seattle/Vancouver, but you might like it.

Bakersfield is in the "Central Valley" adjacent to and inland from the central coast farming belt. While it is largely a college and blue collar town, with some run down parts of the city, it is a growing changing city, as is the entire central coast region. There has been stark change in cities like Paso Robles for example. Vineyards, almonds, and olive groves are replacing the sugar beet and onion fields we once had in the area.

My wife and I stayed in Paso Robles at this winery estate a few months ago - it was one of the most enjoyable country estates we've ever been to:

http://www.summerwoodwine.com/inn_welcome.html

Much of the grapes used for bottling in the central coast, which has some very respectable boutique wineries, are grown in the San Joaquim Valley, where Bakersfield is the largest city (Kern country). This area produces fine grapes, particularly Sryah, Cabernet, and Zinfandel.

California State University, Bakersfield, brings a lot of young people into the city. Bakersfield is a thriving, fast growing city. Right now, I would say Bakersfield is a typical middle class city, but with a very promising future.
The town has both good and bad areas, but it's realtively inexpensive rents and real estate compared to most of southern and central coast cities.

For families and older couples, I like Bear Valley Springs, a small private community in the mountains about 30 - 40 minutes from Bakersfield near Tehatchapi.

http://www.bearvalleysprings.com/

Unlike other parts of Southern California, you might find golf both accessible and affordable - perhaps you might look into this non-equity membership at Bakersfield Country Club:


https://www.memberstatements.com/tour/tours.cfm?tourID=1523

The old business leaders I knew from this area were members - I understand it's a nice track - and it's a place to go to get connected.

Bakersfield has a country bumpkin image to most Southern Californians, but compared to our Hollywood types, crowded freeways, and taggers - that's not too bad.

Chris
 
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thebigdog said:
I agree that Bakersfield does suck, but there are many places worse to live in Ca. As far as pool goes, I've really never heard of any players coming out of Bakersfield.
Click to expand...

JAY HELFERT & BAKERSFIELD BOBBY!
 
TATE said:
I want to update a little on this region. There are some old opinions I'm hearing here too.

It's going to be a stark difference compared to Seattle/Vancouver, but you might like it.

Bakersfield is in the "Central Valley" adjacent to and inland from the central coast farming belt. While it is largely a college and blue collar town, with some run down parts of the city, it is a growing changing city, as is the entire central coast region. There has been stark change in cities like Paso Robles for example. Vineyards, almonds, and olive groves are replacing the sugar beet and onion fields we once had in the area.

My wife and I stayed in Paso Robles at this winery estate a few months ago - it was one of the most enjoyable country estates we've ever been to:

http://www.summerwoodwine.com/inn_welcome.html

Much of the grapes used for bottling in the central coast, which has some very respectable boutique wineries, are grown in the San Joaquim Valley, where Bakersfield is the largest city (Kern country). This area produces fine grapes, particularly Sryah, Cabernet, and Zinfandel.

California State University, Bakersfield, brings a lot of young people into the city. Bakersfield is a thriving, fast growing city. Right now, I would say Bakersfield is a typical middle class city, but with a very promising future.
The town has both good and bad areas, but it's realtively inexpensive rents and real estate compared to most of southern and central coast cities.

For families and older couples, I like Bear Valley Springs, a small private community in the mountains about 30 - 40 minutes from Bakersfield near Tehatchapi.

http://www.bearvalleysprings.com/

Unlike other parts of Southern California, you might find golf both accessible and affordable - perhaps you might look into this non-equity membership at Bakersfield Country Club:


https://www.memberstatements.com/tour/tours.cfm?tourID=1523

The old business leaders I knew from this area were members - I understand it's a nice track - and it's a place to go to get connected.

Bakersfield has a country bumpkin image to most Southern Californians, but compared to our Hollywood types, crowded freeways, and taggers - that's not too bad.

Chris
Click to expand...

Thanks for this info Chris. By the way, the San Joaquin Valley is the richest and most productive farmland in the USA. A few hundred miles long and 50-75 miles across. A pretty big piece of fertile soil.
 
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