Iron-Wood 9 hole Golf Course
This course is a GEM. I have never played a more beautiful nine hole course anywhere, and few municipal courses I have played can compare in condition, or visual appeal. Despite the long drive up from Mission Viejo to Cerritos I will play this course again.
This is a nine hole executive course with two par 4’s of 272 over water and 316 down a narrow tree lined fairway. The par 3’s range from 100 to 151 yards with water, bunkers, and trees used as defense. As of today overall conditions are excellent.
The course staff from clubhouse to greens keepers were active, friendly and carrying of the both the course and golfer. The starter was friendly, efficient, and I must be getting older looking as he insisted on giving me the senior rate, despite the fact I am 58, and the rate applies at 60. $9, can’t beat it.
Maintenance was going on around the course. Bunkers being raked, Turf on the tee box of # 2 being replaced, and the base leveled. We saw Marshals filling fairway and tee box divots. No one was in the way.
Parking lot is cozy but convenient. The driving range is spacious, and offers both grass and mats apparently without additional fee. Turf condition on the grass side was lush, though damp in some spots. The range itself looks better than many courses. A small bucket 51 balls was $5.50.
Restrooms at the club house are clean, as are all the facilities. Something I have not seen before, when leaving a compressed air hose is provide to blow the grass of your push cart (this is a walking course) and shoes.
We tee’d off at 10:30 am, on a very humid 85 degree day, no breeze. The women’s club had already been out, and finished, so the parking lot and club house were full, as was the range, but the course was nearly empty. We would have no one in front of us, and wouldn’t have any one behind us for more than three holes.
Visually this course is spectacular for a par 3 muni. There are rock walled ponds with turtles, carp, mosquito fish, ducks that come into play on several holes. Tall mature trees line the fairways, even the bridges over the ponds, creeks have the classic big private course feel.
Tee boxes were overall lush, a narrow area about two club lengths wide was assigned on most holes, and thus divot damage at the front of the box was significant. Most were filled. There was divot mix on each tee, and it was being used, either by players or staff. Lies were often slanted. Level areas were available on each tee box, but were selectively not used on several obviously to add complexity, not out of poor maintenance.
Fairways were trimmed tight, with excellent grass coverage throughout the course. Admittedly other than the par fours you shouldn’t be in the fairway, it was nice that they were perfect if you did end up in them.
Bunkers were deep, often steep faces, and created challenges for creating birdie opportunities getting close to the flag on most holes as they had to be challenged to avoid long putts due to the shapes of the greens, and the relationship to the tee box. Neither I nor my playing partner was in any bunkers, but they appeared to be filled, soft, and uniformly well maintained. Those that showed signs of having been played in were raked showing golfers who respect the course and other golfers that will come behind them.
Rough was penal. There are large expanses of rough on this course, all of it, every square foot possessed a manicured appearance, and uniform depth which I would estimate between two and three inches. If you ended up under one of the many mature trees with low hanging branches you would have to punch out from the deep rough. Despite the fullness of the tree’s I did not notice any bare or thin spots in the rough.
Greens with one exception were immaculate, with few ball marks. One hole did have a pair of damaged brown spots each about two feet square. That was the only noticeable flaw on any of the greens. I would describe the speed on the greens as medium. Rolls were true, although under the shade of the greenside trees some breaks were harder than others to read. The fourth green featured an upper and lower tear, guess where the pin was.
Special merit goes to the fifth hole, which requires the golfer to get the ball up and over a substantial tree to have any shot at the green. Playing only 100 yards there is virtually no way unless you only hit worm burners to get on this green off the tee without flighting the ball up an over the tree. The 9th hole requires the golfer to carry the ball between 120 yards, to 140 yards over water, short faces a strong slope back to the water. This is a visually appealing closing hole.
I can’t think of a muni that I have played that is in better condition, has the visual appeal of this little course. Yes it’s bordered by a freeway which I didn’t find objectionable, under high tension power lines, and along a river bed (drainage funnel) none of which really intrude on this little gem.
I personally feel it’s the best nine dollars I have spent on a course. Just wish it was in Orange County and not a 50 mile drive. My best friend lives close to the course so I suspect I will be back soon.
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