What happened to Pechanga? It looked like they're cutting back on costs! Doesn't make sense for a casino course. No tees or markers at the driving range. Small water bottles. Unprepared bunkers. Redu... Continue »

What happened to Pechanga? It looked like they're cutting back on costs! Doesn't make sense for a casino course. No tees or markers at the driving range. Small water bottles. Unprepared bunkers. Reduced staff.

Seemed like most of the players were playing on 2fer discounts or comps. Although the course seemed to be full, the snack bar and the bar/restaurant were empty.

Anyway, the course was still in great shape with the possible exception of the bunkers. They were wet and heavy. It still played tough due to the wind, fast greens, rough, bunkers and constant out-of-play areas. The greens are very hard for me to read due in part to the hill-side influence.

I had pars on all three of the toughest holes for me, 5, 9 and 13. So that was good. But it was feast or famine for me with a few pars on each side, compounded by doubles and pick-ups.

But #13, the previously hardest hole for me, was cut back due to problems with a neighbor.

And I agree with a previous poster that #6 and #18 are pretty "tricked-up".

What confounded us the most was how to play the constant forests, "lateral" waste areas and long tee carries. The starter said to play them all as lateral water hazards, but in looking on the card for local rules, it was completely void of any instructions. Some areas were marked with hazard stakes, but most weren't. And with some of the carries at 200 yds. or more, we looked for drop areas to no avail.

Given the 100 degree heat and having previously encountered a monster rattlesnake there, I was very reluctant to go searching for balls anywhere but the fairways.

I talked to one of the assistants after the round and he professed aggravation over the situation. By the rules, unmarked areas must be played from or re-tee'd. Customers are confused and forced to hunt for balls and go back to re-tee, etc. And some carries are just too long for many golfers. What do you do then without drop areas? And not knowing if you've hit into a lateral hazard or not, what do you do then? Hit a provisional?

As a result, we had quite a few pick-ups and X's ruining our scores and enjoyment. And we are all single of low teens indexes!

For us, we agreed to define our own local rules the next time.

Since it's such a great course, it's just an aggravation that we'll have to live with.