the golf course travel bag
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Welcome!
southern california /palm springs
Olivas Links
Simi Hills
Trump National Los Angeles
Los Verdes golf course
Catalina Island Golf Course
The legends golf course at temeku hills
Desert Dunes
Cimarron golf resort
Mesquite (Now Closed)
Morongo golf club at tukwet canyon
Terra Lago (North Course
Mountain View Course At Desert Willow
Mountain Vista Golf Club Santa Rosa Course
Simi Hills Simi Valley
Address: 5031 Alamo St. Simi Valley, Ca. 93063 Phone: 805-522-0803 Website: https://www.simihillsgolf.com
I have a lot of favorite courses and Simi Hills is one of those courses and probably makes the top ten. It is a golf course that has just about everything you want in a course-uphill, downhill, flat, forced carries that are reasonable, length, good bunker placement, generous fairways, and fast greens. I could go on, but I won't. I like the layout as it goes through the hills on the front nine and runs by a creek on the back nine. My favorite hole on the course is the uphill par 3 fourth at 155 Yards followed by the par 4 5th which is short at 306 Yards but your tee shot must be exact because there is a lake to the left which comes into play. Hey, this is fun.
Tees: Par 71
Black 6651 YRDS. Men Rating 71.5 Slope 128 Women Rating 78.7 Slope 138: Gold 6381 YRDS. Men Rating 70.2 Slope 124 Women Rating 77.1 Slope 135: Silver 5920 YRDS. Men Rating 68.0 Slope 119 Women Rating 74.5 Slope 130: Bronze 5309 YRDS. Men Rating 65.2 Slope 111 Women Rating 70.9 Slope 125: Copper 4294 YRDS. Men Rating 60.7 Slope 99 Women Rating 64.8 Slope 105
Green Fees: $28-$64 Plus Cart
Range: Yes
Trump National Los Angeles
Address: One Trump National Drive Rancho Palos Verdes, Ca. 90775 Phone: 310-303-3240 Website: https://www.trumpnationallosangeles.com
Check Out My You Tube Video:https://youtu.be/sY5i6cytoqM
Yes, there is a view of the Pacific Ocean on every hole
Yes, there is a view of the Pacific Ocean on every hole. Another thing I wanted to share here was that I was very apprehensive about playing here. My misconception about the place was that it would be very "uppity" and unfriendly almost overly formal. Yes, the place did have an upscale feel, as it should, but it was really kind of "homey" and warm. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and there goal was to make you feel right at home. I liked that. As far as the course goes, I found it a challenge but fair. The greens were large and fast. Fairways were generous and it was kind of different riding behind the falling water of the waterfalls. Yes, there was water on the course, but the placement of the water was not punitive but playable. I liked the course and it was fun to play. By the way, everything on the greens breaks toward the ocean. The good thing about that is you can see the ocean on every hole. Check out the YouTube Video.
Tees
Black Par 72 6844 YRDS. Men Rating 74.6 Slope 144: Blue 6273 YRDS. Men Par 71 Rating 71.9 Slope 136 Women Par 75 Rating 78.0 Slope 146: White 5885 YRDS. Men Par 69 Rating 69.9 Slope 130 Women Par 69 Rating 75.3 Slope 142: Red 5293 YRDS. Men Par 67 Rating 67.1 Slope 121 Women Par 67 Rating 71.1 Slope 134: Gold 4497 Men Par 63 Rating 63.6 Slope 111 Women Par 63 Rating 67.8 Slope 122
Green Fees: $160-$280 Call The Pro Shop For Exact Rates
RAnge: Yes (Breathtaking)
Los Verdes RAncho Palos Verdes
Address: 7000 West Los Verdes Dr. Rancho Palos Verdes, Ca. 90275 Phone: 310-377-7888 Website: https://www.losverdesgc.com
It has been a very long time since I have played this course but I understand that it hasn't changed very much. Its one of the busiest munis in the State of California and is very hard to get on. The views from the course are spectacular and on a clear day you can see Catalina Island across the Channel. The course isn't so bad either. I don't remember much about the course, but I do remember that it was a lot of fun to play. It is located on the bluffs above the Pacific Ocean but if my mind serves me right it was not that hilly. The greens were of average size and putted true. I would say that it is very much worth the wait and I recommend playing it if you can get on.
Tees
Blue 6617 YRDS. Men Rating 72.0 Slope 124 Women Rating 79.0 Slope 137: White 6234 YRDS. Men Rating 70.3 Slope 120 Women Rating 76.7 Slope 131: Silver 5772 YRDS. Men Rating 68.0 Slope 115 Women Rating 74.0 Slope 123: Orange 4373 YRDS. Men Rating 62.0 Slope 101 Women Rating 67.1 Slope 115
Green Fees: $27-$53 Plus Cart
Range: Yes
Catalina Island Golf Club (9 hole course)
Address: 1 Country Club Road Avalon, Ca. 90704 Phone: 310-510-0530 Website: https://visitcatalinaisland.com/things-to-do/golf
Check Out Our YouTube Video https://youtu.be/5QIxV0Oj8dw
Yes, there is a golf course on Catalina Island. In fact, its a very historical one at that. It is actually one of the first golf courses west of the Mississippi River. You may get an argument from some other courses, but that is what the claim is. This used to be an 18 hole championship course, but was downsized, shortened and rerouted during WWII to a nine hole layout. Even though it is a shell of its former self, it is a lot of fun to play. The course is basically flat and the par fours are short. The par threes are a lot of fun to play as well. The first hole will get your juices flowing. You tee off from an elevated tee and you have to tee off with a road below you. What a great way to start a round of golf. Take a look at the YouTube video.
Tees: Par 64 (9 holes Twice)
Blue 4402 YRDS. Men Rating 61.6 Slope 107: Blue/White Combo 4282 YRDS. Men Rating 61.1 Slope 106: White 4162 YRDS. Men Rating 60.6 Slope 105 Women Rating 64.6 Slope 108: Red/White Combo 3712 YRDS. Women Rating 61.9 Slope 103: Red Women Rating 60.0 Slope 98
green fees: $35-$40 Plus Cart
Range: No (Net)
The Legends Golf Club at Temeku Hills
Address: 41687 Temeku Drive Temecula, Ca. 92521 Phone: 951-694-9998 Website: https://www.thelegendsgc.com
My daughter and I were in Temecula for her California State Championships Tournament and we thought we would get in a round at the SCGA Member Course where the tournament was going to be held. We were told that my daughter could not play the course because she would be disqualified. We didn't want that to happen obviously, but we wanted for her to get a practice round in somewhere. We asked the pro where we should go and he suggested The Legends at Temeku Hills. I'm glad he did. The Legends is a Ted Robinson design so you can just bet there is going to be a lot of water and sand on the course. Guess what, there was. It was a pretty good layout actually. The course was basically flat, fairways were generous and the greens putted true. Oh and yes there was water. There was only one hole that I had issue with and that was the par 5 second. The driving area was just too small and the hole sloped toward a ravine. Other than that it was fun to play and very fair.
Gray (Tournament) 6610 YRDS. Men Par 72 Rating 72.5 Slope 130: Gold 6503 YRDS. Men Par 72 Rating 72.0 Slope 129: Blue 6177 YRDS. Men Par 71 Rating 70.3 Slope 125 Women Par 72 Rating 76.3 Slope 138: White Men Par 71 Rating 68.7 Slope 121 Women Par 72 Rating 74.4 Slope 134: Silver 5396 YRDS. Men Par 68 Rating 66.7 Slope 115 Women Par 72 Rating 72.3 Slope 129: Red 5053 YRDS. Men Par 68 Rating 65.2 Slope 110 Women Par 72 Rating 70.4 Slope 126:
green fees: $25-$65 Plus Cart
Range: Yes
Desert Dunes
Address: 19-300 Palm Drive Desert Hot Springs, Ca. 92240 Phone: 760-251-5370 Website: https://www.desertdunesgc.com
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So I had to choose three golf courses in the Palm Springs area in January which is high season whose green fees were under $100. This was for a magazine assignment when I was writing for West Coast Golfer Magazine. Where do I start? I stayed in Desert Hot Springs and Palm Drive is the main drag between Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs. Out in the middle of nowhere on Palm Drive was a sign "Desert Dunes Golf Course" so I made the left turn and went to the course. I'm very glad I did. This is a Rees Jones design and is very upscale. It is mostly flat and is a desert type course where many of the holes are cut out of the desert terrain with no other holes around them. There is water. The fairways are fairly wide and generous and I was impressed by the greens. The course, even though it was flat, was challenging and that challenge was heightened by the fact that it got very windy. I was told that it gets windy in this part of the desert. I believe it now after playing the course. Desert Dunes is a good test of golf and a lot of fun.
Tees:
Black 6686 YRDS. Men Rating 73.8 Slope 142: Gold 6614 YRDS Men Rating 72.7 Slope 134: White 6205 YRDS. Men Rating 70.2 Slope 124 Women Rating 75.9 Slope 126: Silver 5359 YRDS. Women Rating 70.7 Slope 116
Green Fees: $65-$95
Range: Yes
cimarron golf resort
two courses: Boulder (Championship) and Pebble (Executive)
Address: 67-603 30th Avenue Cathedral City, Ca. 92234 Phone: 760-251-5370 Website: https://www.cimarrongolf.com
Cimarron is a true desert course, built in a desert wash or dried up river bed. The course is flat and has many sand collection areas that frame the fairways. That's not to say that the fairways weren't lush and the greens big and fast. There are very few trees on the course and basically the trees that are on the course are scrub bushes. Son't get me wrong, even though the course was basically flat, it was a challenge and kept my interest. I had an absolute ball playing the course.
Tees: Boulder Course Par 71 (Men)
Black (Cimarron) Men 6782 YRDS. Rating 71.6 Slope 122: Blue (Championship) 6328 YRDS. Men Rating 69.7 Slope 117 Women Par 75 Rating 77 Slope 132: Blue/White (Combo) 6011 YRDS. Men Rating 68.2 Slope 114: White (Middle) 5777 YRDS. Men Rating 67.1 Slope 112 Women Par 71 Rating 71 Slope 120: Red/White Combo 5239 YRDS. Women Par 71 Rating 70.7 Rating 120: Red 5043 YRDS. Men 69.5 Slope 104 Women Rating 69.5 Slope 116
Tees: Pebble Course Par 55 (Executive)
Black (Cimarron) 3019 YRDS. Men Rating 54.6 Slope 78 Women Par 56 Rating 58.0 Slope 78: Blue (Championship) 2615 YRDS. Men Rating 53.7 Slope 78 Women Rating 53.7 Slope 78: Forward (Red) 2237 YRDS. Men Rating 52.7 Slope 78 Women 52.7 Slope 78
green Fees (Boulder Course) $65-$95
Range: Yes
Mesquite Golf Club (Now Closed)
Address: 2700 Mesquite Ave. Palm Springs, Ca. 92264 Phone: 760-323-9377 Website: https://mesquitegolfcc.com
This course is very historical in that it was the first golf course to be built in Palm Springs. In fact, most of the celebrities who called Palm Springs home such as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby have played there. It is unique in that there are 3 par 3's, 3 par 4's and 3 par 5's on both nines. Unfortunately the Bert Stamps design has fallen on hard times. The course is not very well maintained and is not in the best of shape. It has some wonderful holes, but what can you say. What a shame because I really enjoyed the layout. It is very inexpensive to play if you can get by the poor conditions.
Tees: Men Par 71 Women Par 70
Black 6312 YRDS Rating 69.5 Slope 122: Blue 5945 YRDS. Rating 68.0 Slope 118: Yellow 5330 YRDS. Women Rating 70.8 Slope 120
green fees: $25-$60
Range: Yes
Morongo golf club at tukwet canyon (Beaumont, Ca.)
Address: 36211 Champions Dr. Beaumont, Ca. 92223 Phone: 951-845-0014
Website: https://tukwetcanyon.com
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Where do you find a golf course in the Palm Springs area where the green fee is under $100 in January? It is a difficult task, I must say. We couldn't find one in the Palm Springs area proper, so we had to travel to Beaumont, about 20 miles to the west of Palm Springs. We found Morongo Golf Club in Beaumont, Ca. on Golf Now. Well, what can I say? OK, I will stay in the positive here. There are two courses here, The Champions and The Legends courses. We played the Champions course because supposedly the Legends course was closed. I asked why the Legends was closed and nobody had the faintest idea. OK, let's keep things positive here. We started on the back nine, again I asked why with no explanation. What about the course itself? I kind of liked the layout. It was a bit hilly with a creek running through it. You had to hit your spots, otherwise you found yourself reaching in your bag for another ProV because you just put your ball into the barranca. The barranca wasn't in an unfair place, you just didn't know how far it was to carry it because you have never played here. Don't get me wrong, I liked the holes but it definitely is a course you need to play once in order to score and find the spots. The greens were fairly large and a bit not overly undulating. I felt that they putted true and if I remember correctly a bit firm. Don't hit your ball in the bunkers though. They are like concrete and filled with boulders-lots of pebbles actually with very little sand. Would I come back and play this course again? The jury is out but I doubt it.
Tees (Two Courses-The Champions and The Legends):
Champions:
Gold 7377 YRDS. Rating 76 Slope 141: Black 6804 YRDS. Rating 73.6 Slope 136:
White 5948 YRDS. Rating 69.4 Slope 124: Red (Men) 5274 YRDS. Rating 66.2
Slope 116: Red (Women) 5274 YRDS. Rating 72.4 Slope: 128
Combination Tees are available--See the yardages, ratings and slopes on the actual scorecard
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Legends:
Gold 7442 YRDS. Rating 75.8 Slope 140: Black 6803 YRDS. Rating 72.9 Slope 133:
Blue 6394 YRDS. Rating 71.1 Slope 127: White 5871 YRDS. Rating 68.4 Slope 120:
Red (Men) 5169 YRDS. Rating 65.0 Slope 111: Red (Women) 5169 YRDS. Rating 70.8 Slope 131
Combination Tees are available--See the yardages, ratings and slopes on the actual scorecard
Green Fees: $70-$60 A Senior Rate Is Offered $50 Weekdays $60 Weekends and Holidays
Range: Yes
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Terra Lago (North Course)
Address: 84000 Terra Lago Parkway Indio, California Phone: 760-775-2000
Website: https://golfterralago.com
When you travel down to The Palm Desert area with the intent to play golf, you are faced with a daunting question, where do we play? It seems as though you can throw a rock in any direction and hit a great golf course. You want to find a good course that is in good condition and not pay an arm and a leg as far as green fees. Oh, and make sure it's not a goat track. We found Terra Lago on Golf Moose and decided that it was worth taking the chance to play it as it was very reasonable and the reviews were acceptable. I'm very glad we took the chance and We definitely would play the course again.
There are two courses at Terra Lago, the North Course and The South Course. The resort closes one course so that they can rest the course and do needed maintenance. The South Course was closed when we were there so we played the North Course, although we were told that both courses were very similar and we weren't loosing out by playing the North Course.
Let's move on to the course itself. It was a lot of fun to play and I played the white tees which for me were more than enough for me to handle with my wife playing the red tees. It was very well bunkered with large, well bunkered greens. There were bailout areas around the greens but those greens were surrounded by some scary bunkers. Most of the greens were elevated from the fairways which added to the interest of the hole. There was also water on the course on a couple of holes, with #15 having an island green. I'm not a fan of island greens, but oh well it was fun. When we go back to Palm Springs next year (we already have the time share booked) we will play Terra Lago again and maybe play the South Course.
tees (north course):
Professional: 7060 Yards Men's Rating 73.7 Men's Slope 137: Championship 6511 Yards Men's Rating 71.4 Men's Slope 132: Regular 5870 Yards Men's Rating 68.5 Men's Slope 125 Women's Rating 75.0 Women's Slope 134: Forward 5067 Yards Women's Rating 69.7 Women's Slope 124
Rates: $45-$48 with cart Please Check The Website for Green Fees
Range: Yes (Practice Facility)
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