Played on 9/29 and we got out as a 5some. Whoa nelly, were we read the riot act for that. Shame on us for even considering this; how dare we. We're all in the 9-17 handicap range so we were going to be fine as far as pace was concerned and I understand some courses have issues with slow pace of play when there are 5 players and will set a time and day limit for 5somes, but holy cow were we made to feel like an enemy. From the initial phone call to the "greeting" at check in, we were warned in no uncertain terms that being tarred and feathered would be the warm up to what we would experience if we fell behind. As it turned out we had to wait at every tee but, whatever. We took it like men. The warmest greeting, probably similar to the guy who will greet some of us in Hades when we shed our mortal vessels as Marshall Applewhite once said, was reserved to the little white bearded starter at the first tee. Such a quaint little fellow. A couple F-bomb bon mots, a sprinkle of "I don't give a sh#ts" and then off we were sent. Thankfully it wasn't a priest, a monk, a rabbi, an Imam and Pat Robertson who made up our 5some otherwise..... I'll just say, please reassign this guy. A couple of our guys were ready to trim his beard with a 9 iron. The course is in good shape, not spring ready of course but OK. Always a nice layout and some difficult holes with a lot of character. The fairways were very tight in places and very closely mown, bunkers had real nice fluffy sand as I unfortunately found out a couple of times and overall conditions were fine. The greens have mostly recovered from the recent aerating but the speeds are inconsistent and some bumpiness is still there so they need a little more seasoning but they're getting there. We had fun and laughed off the beginning part of our day but I know one of our group may accidentally forget to apply his brakes at the first tee next time.

I'd heard and read about CrossCreek (Why no space between Cross and Creek?) and I finally had an opportunity to play this course using Greenskeeper's unlimited play for $40 coupon. The first thing I noted was the location was in an area I had no idea was developed in any way. From the 15 freeway all you can see are some dark imposing "almost" mountains and once you crest those and head down to the valleys and hills below you, you're presented with a truly idyllic setting. There are mansions and ranches and orchards as far as the eye can see and appropriately in this wine country, a few vineyards. Just about as beautiful a setting as you can find to place a course on but would the course match the beauty of the surroundings? Thankfully, the answer is yes. Its a wonderful layout that winds through hills, over small streams and small canyons with expansive views and small details that add to your golf experience. In many of these canyons and stream beds you'll see very large old growth oak trees that have been around for at least a couple hundred years, judging by the size and girth of the trunks and impressive canopies. On hole #17, a short par 3, the backdrop is stunning with rock formations and a lush forest with a creek below you; I half expected Lord Greystoke himself to swing by followed by all of his apes. Just a beautiful hole. Its also very rare for us to have a feeling of near total isolation away from residential areas and industry as we golf but that's what you get here. There are no homes bordering the holes just distant views of said ranches and orchards and it becomes a bit of a sublime experience that at times makes your mind wander away from golf and a little bit of Zen creeps in. The course itself is extremely well designed with a variety of very challenging holes and some easy ones but all flow nicely. The greens rolled very true and tee boxes were level and the fairways were nice and lush. I struggle to find anything negative to say about this place. This was a unique experience and coupled with the really friendly staff and excellent practice facilities, its about as good a golf experience as you can have without belonging to a private club in Rancho Santa Fe, a similar feeling location. If you haven't been here yet, do make the trip; it will be more than worth it and don't forget to stop, do your chakra chant and .... breathe ....exhale...... and take it all in and....be very thankful.

Well, well, well! What a difference! I last ventured out to Fairmount Park GC over a year ago and it had just reopened after the city had taken over and frankly, it had opened for business way too soon. The conditions were very poor but only because the rehab had not taken yet. The clubhouse had been renovated and you could see where they were going with this grand old 9 holes. It's so nice to be able to report that they've really done a great job. This course and the lovely park that surrounds it have both been dear to my heart through an association I have from my childhood. I grew up in Brooklyn NY and I lived across the street from Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Prospect Park is an almost 600 acre monster of a park that was beautifully designed in 1867 by Fredrick Law Olmstead. The connection? Well it turns out that Olmstead's company came out to these parts and in 1911 designed Fairmount Park and it is kind of a junior version of that masterpiece! This is an ancient place and to know that the course is being brought back to its old glory after many, many years of neglect is pretty cool. As it stands now, there are real lush fairways, fairly level and grassy tee boxes and the greens are now.......well greens as opposed to dirts. The bunkers need a little more attention but no worse than what we see on any local course. The practice area has also been improved with a nice range and the practice putting greens roll true and closely match the course greens. The price is ridiculously low and if you're not disabled or a little too long in the tooth, this place should be walked and not just because it's a strong flat regulation 9 holes. Its also a course that's a throwback; an old course where people once played with hickory sticks and those courses should be walked and should be revered. Welcome back Fairmount GC. It's fun to experience you like you were designed and I can't think of a better place to introduce youngsters and new players to our great game.

It is a pretty cool thing to play a course who's routing has hardly changed since the time that Palmer and Player played it. It used to be on the tour many moons ago and you can definitely see by it's length and course design that this was a tour level design. Unfortunately, the conditions are no longer tour quality. The City of Hesperia now operates this place and what you now get is a bit of mid level municipal course upkeep. Decent tee boxes, ok fairways, good greens. It's the devil in the details though that prove disappointing. The landscaping is poor, the clubhouse is .....meh. I remember playing here years ago when there was still a swimming pool, the ponds had water and the course was cared for so it is a shame because in this old body beats the heart of a champion. It is a long and challenging course and definitely a test for anyone. I would suggest walking this course and the rates are dirt cheap. If you close your eyes as you walk up number 18, a brute of a hole with little margin for error from the back tees, you can see to your left next to the green an apartment complex that was obviously the old hotel and you can imagine what it may have been like with perfect conditions, a cheering crowd, a mid-century clubhouse looking it's best and all that cigarette smoke rising from the galleries. It was probably quite a sight ....... but it isn't anymore. For the fee it is a good deal but if you're driving up from the lowlands, it just isn't worth the trip right now. Municipal governments have a hard time as it is with their finances and this place would need a good size cash infusion that I just don't see coming down the pike. I think it is what it is and will be what it is for the foreseeable future.

This is definitely a class operation with a great attention to detail in the landscaping and in the little attempts to bring golf (and tennis) history to the players. There is a beautiful, well appointed clubhouse, great practice areas, the 18 hole putting course and even and Old Tom Morris quote on a large sign. Add it all up and you do feel that this place is different and they care about your experience. There are two courses and they're in fact very different. Focusing on the South you know you're playing a man's course when you look at the scorecard and see that the white tees play over 6,700 yards and the blues over 7,000 yards! Jack's Blacks, the championship tees are over 7,400 yards. Whew! Make sure to bring your huevos. The course is well designed and flows nicely from one hole to the next. Gone are the towering and beautiful eucalyptus trees, felled years ago by disease but the newer trees planted in their place are starting to mature and a return to the old look of the course is on it's way, particularly on the 4th hole that used to look very daunting with what looked like Sherwood Forest to maneuver through. There are way too many great holes to highlight with plenty of risk-reward holes and did I mention this course is long? It's a par 74! This place is very unique and well worth the cost. It is a must play for anyone. Except if you're a 97 pound weakling.

Indian Hills Golf Club is a sister course to the nearby Jurupa Hills Golf Club and is part of a cluster of courses that also includes Paradise Knolls and Goose Creek, all within a miles of one another except the Goose which is a little further away. Like Paradise Knolls, Indian Hills doesn't have a range but some old timers will recall the Rube Goldberg contraption that was Macgyvered to bring balls back when they used to have a fifty yard hitting net. Using no science just a net, PVC and gravity, balls miraculously came back to be collected easily. While it worked, it just looked ugly as hell. The course has a terrific layout with no parallel fairways and yes, there are plenty of hills. The tee boxes are in good shape and the greens are usually very true and the fairways are better than typical for this cluster of courses, Goose Creek being the great exception. Bunkers are generally fair with a dirt/sand mix. There are some extremely challenging holes including number 3 a long uphill par 3 that plays longer than you think and a tiered green. Number 9 may be one of the tougher par 4's anywhere with water along the right side and a long second shot into a large green. Number 14 is narrow, uphill and has OB all along the left side. To get to the green requires a blind shot to a tiered green. The back 9 is where it gets interesting. The course meanders along a ridge line, climbing and dropping and it's one scenic hole after another culminating with their iconic hole number 16. It's a scenic hole that is extremely elevated with a generous fairway below. This is probably one of the biggest drop offs around and can be compared to Glen Ivy's and Pechanga's long drops. From that fairway you're hitting to a huge green with a massive bunker to the left protecting it. To the right is a pond with a plantation looking building that makes you feel like you're in Augusta until you realize it's some insurance company but still a nice touch and memorable. Never ran into any Indians in my round but maybe they used to roam the area and I'm sure I landed in couple of their burial grounds. This is a fun course with huge elevation changes and scenic views that you usually don't experience at these low prices. Enjoy!

If wildlife is your thing here's your golf course my deer. Or I should say, my, there sure are a lot of deer on this golf course. This is an L.A. County course and you know the routine with those courses as far as conditions etc. but a little extra care goes into this one and frankly, the layout is so unique and the setting so beautiful, you tend to turn the other cheek and not notice the occasional rutted dirt path. There are deep canyons to traverse and large old oaks and pine trees that inconveniently get in the way and disprove that 90% air theory. The greens are a story all by themselves. Think "Haunted Shack" years ago at Knott's Berry Farm. These things defy the laws of physics and like at the Haunted Shack, your putts will go uphill when they should go downhill, but water still pours the right way. In this land of the three putt, many a dogmeat will be paid out and you'll need several rounds to figure the greens out. Summers can see the course get beaten down a bit and dry but in the spring it is beautiful and lots of fun. Deer, hawks, coyotes and lots of squirrels are regularly in the gallery to watch your bad shots and you definitely feel like you're far away and up in the mountains away from the hustle and bustle. Give this course a try but be careful on the weekends; its really popular and you may get a longer time to look at the wildlife than most biologists.

Sometimes, a low budget round of golf is all you need to satisfy that golf itch and that is what you get at Whispering Lakes. But low budget may be too harsh. Instead of Motel 6, think Comfort Inn. While I have never heard the lakes whisper to me, I have caught a whiff of the water reclamation plant next door and that, coupled with the perfume coming from the nearby dairies can make for a very interesting olfactory experience, particularly on those hot, steamy summer days. Most of the holes are redundant and there is a feeling you're playing the old El Rancho Verde at times but there are definitely challenges and from the tips this can be a bit of a brute. The conditions are greatly improved with decent fairways, level tee boxes and gone are the spongy greens; now rolling true and consistent. The bunkers are dirt but "soft" dirt so not horrible but we shouldn't get in those things anyway. The prefab clubhouse is one of the nicest of this type with a nice patio area and clean restrooms and even the parking lot has been improved. The price to play is low making this one of the better deals around and for a father and son wanting to spend quality time together, or just a sudden desire to get 18 in, this one is a good pick.