Moreno Valley Ranch, the centerpiece of a planned community that's been growing since the mid-90s, is a 27 hole facility with three distinctly different 9s from which to choose. Featuring a large natural grass range, multiple putting greens, and a comfortable and non-presumptuous clubhouse, Moreno Valley Ranch is a relaxed locale with friendly staff members and exceptionally reasonable prices. Rumor has it that the course went through some tougher times with regards to conditions, but I can happily report that this is no longer the case. I spoke with several longtime regulars over the course of my 36 holes on the property, and I'm convinced that Moreno Valley Ranch is on an upward trend from which you and I and the golfing public at large will benefit.
Your first choice in playing at Moreno Valley Ranch, if tee time availability is not a major issue, will be which set of nines to play. With three VERY different choices, the 27 hole option they offer on weekdays is probably an appealing option to make sure you don’t miss anything.
The Mountain course, to me, is the highlight of Moreno Valley Ranch. Though it's the shortest of the three 9s, it is easily the most exhilerating. The signature hole of the entire property is the par 3 7th on the Mountain, a do-or-die proposition from a mountaintop to a nearby plateau - essentially an island green with a view fit for a postcard. The scenery from the Mountain nine is the best you'll find, and some of the spectacular backdrops make you wonder if the next hole can find a way to top those that came before. It is a short course, with only the 5th challenging the short hitter, but it's by far the most fun of the three.
The Valley course is, as the name implies, in a valley below the main clubhouse area. As pretty much an out and back set of nine holes, it is the longest and flattest of the nines. The first two holes make excellent use of a water feature, and both greens are bulkheaded by railroad ties if you like that kind of thing. Other than that, I would say the Valley is the most "championship" of the three nines, though probably the least unique.
The Lake course is a good compromise between the Valley and the Mountain - almost a bridge between the two styles. There are flattish long holes like the 1st, and there are windswept, elevation changing holes like the 4th and 5th. The 6th gets special notice here as a nice little par 4, playing downhill and giving players of any length a reasonable look at a second shot to this diagonally and cleverly protected green. Beware of any left pin here.
If you're looking for my opinion on which set to play, let me say this. After my first go-around on each of these courses several years ago, I felt the Mountain was easily my top choice, followed by the Valley with the Lake bringing up the rear. Upon this most recent play, though, my sentiment has changed and if given 10 plays to distribute as I saw fit, I'd award 5 to the Mountain, 3 to the Lake, and 2 to the Valley. Others will happily disagree with me.
As I mentioned, the word on the street is that Moreno Valley Ranch's current conditions are a vast improvement over what they were in previous years. I can definitely see where their efforts have paid off, but I would like to see progress made in areas like getting the rough to be a bit more consistent. The greens were excellent, though a bit soft, and they rolled very nicely at a medium pace. Rarely was I presented with a putt where I felt no confidence in my ability to keep my ball from running well by. As you will see in the photos, the course is not the Augusta-lush green that so many golfers expect, but count me as one who does not mind seeing some brown so long as the playability is still there. The only areas where I felt playability was lacking was when the rough would go from bare spots to 4-5 inches deep in a couple of yards.
Easily the worst aspect of the conditioning was the sand traps. Many of them were in conditions that a low-budget par 3 muni would be embarrassed by - on a Saturday morning round, I'd expect that they would take the time to get a member of the maintenance team out to give the traps a rake. Unfortunately, this was not the case and the results were far too many bunkers unraked, compacted from irrigation runoff, and virtually unplayable. Then again, they're hazards…but still.
Overall, Moreno Valley Ranch represents an excellent model of value and variety. With 27 unique holes, the chances are good that you'll walk away with a few dear favorites, a few you hated, and a few you can't wait to get another crack at. I like this place, and if you can catch it on a clear day, be sure to bring your camera for the 7th on the Mountain.
