Wanted to make a few corrections here from some of the critiques:

Billy Bell had nothing to do with the design or the construction of this course. This course was designed by an LA County Engineer, J.H. Smith in 1937. Smith used the WPA to help construct the course on the old Lucky Baldwin-owned estate, which happened to be the first site of Santa Anita Race Track.

The golf holes are all inspired by several famous holes throughout the world. Hole #1, aptly named Thomas after George C. Thomas, the designer/creator of Riviera, LACC, Bel Air, Ojai and many more and is a copy of a hole at Griffith Park's Harding Course, which was also designed by Thomas.

The 5th is a reverse version of the Rail Hole #16th at the Old Course of St. Andrews; as is the 17th, which is a modified version (the tee shot is reversed) of the famed, Road Hole. Hole #8 is a subtle, but well done Chasm or Biarritz hole originally made famous in America by C.B. MacDonald and Seth Raynor. The same goes for the "Redan" 12th which may be one of the strongest par 3's on a public course in LA County, if not all Southern California.

The course opened the first nine holes for play on April 24, 1937. The second nine was opened in October, later that year.

Joe, On the tees, yes. walk a bit further out on to the driving range fairway and see for yourself.

Contact me at tommy_n@earthlink.net I'll tell you more.

Joe bush,
Its going to be interesting to see them punch the driving range at Rustic Canyon given that its artificial turf.

Sand yes, punch turf, no.

But you do bring up a very good point...why on earth is there artificial turf to begin with? Especially in that beautiful canyon and on that beautiful golf course!

Was just checking in to see everyone's opinions on Rustic Canyon, and was glad to see the warm reviews.

Being that I was at Rustic Canyon for much of the construction and during grow-in, as well as play it on a regular basis, I want to tell you the effort Jeff Hicks makes to keep this golf course in the best of shape given the parameters.

Some of you might grade RC as light or thin in some areas, especially in the rouge areas and off of the tee. This is INTENTIONAL, in an effort to let all of you golfers understand that this is a course that is based off the original nature of the site--it wasn't created. Most of the contours you see in the fairways were existing when the natural grasses of the area were cleared, much like the earlier courses from Golf's Golden Age in California, so please take-in and enjoy the nautral beauty of Happy Camp Canyon, and Rustic Canyon.

In an effort to help the cause to affordable golf, which yes, is kinda nervy since the recent price increase, but will help ions in the cause, if you happen to see a un-filled divot or pock mark on the greens or even in the fairways, properly attend to it. It makes the course great for all of us.

Enjoy Rustic Canyon. It was designed and built for all golfers in Southern California who like to play the way the game was meant to be played, and this is the type of course that when playing it, you become a better golfer because you are concentrating on hitting the shots you know how to hit, or have always wanted to try!