I played 1/9/2018 where no one else was out us 2. It rained the night before and little showers in the morning kept everyone away being cart path only. Public parking is pretty far away so we used t... Continue »

I played 1/9/2018 where no one else was out us 2. It rained the night before and little showers in the morning kept everyone away being cart path only. Public parking is pretty far away so we used the valet service. Practice area here is top notch and there is everything you need with plenty of space. Fairways were great shape with few water puddles here and there in the low lying areas which we took liberal free relief from. Rough is short but lush so it does grab your club if not swung with the acceptable descending club path. Only downside to the course is they have relative slow greens compared to the other 2 courses here. It's a fun layout and would have made it even better had the greens been fast. Course is very playable with variety of holes and some great risk and reward holes with challenging par 3's. Will look forward to playing it again next time I am back in town.

This was our last round of our 54-hole marathon/sprint through Mission Hills. Obviously, we saved the most notable course for last and it ended up being our favorite. We teed off around 3:20 and only ... Continue »

This was our last round of our 54-hole marathon/sprint through Mission Hills. Obviously, we saved the most notable course for last and it ended up being our favorite. We teed off around 3:20 and only encountered a few other players on the course on a warm afternoon.

Other than the greens, Dinah Shore was definitely the best conditioned of the three. There were minimal weak spots in the fairways and the rough was more lush and green throughout this course. The bunkers were also amazing and blindingly white! The greens were generally good. The first one appeared to have been aerated recently, so it was slow and bumpy. However, the rest were fine and played similar to the Palmer course. Firm and rolling at medium speeds.

Having watched this course on TV over the years, it was fun to play it in person. In person, I thought it had a prettier overall look and more dynamic design than it appears on the TV coverage. There are a few really great holes like number 6 with the double-jump peninsula fairway that offers all sorts of risk/reward options. And of course, the 18th is a great finishing par-5 with Poppie's Pond there along with the Dinah Shore statue, iconic bridge and wall of Kraft/Nabisco/ANA Inspiration champions plaques. Of course, we were tempted to jump in after a long, hot day and nobody around the clubhouse to stop us on a really slow afternoon. You have to earn that right, though, and my bogey on that hole didn't warrant celebration. Overall, a really good course at a fantastic three-course complex. Mission Hills is certainly worth a visit if you ever have the chance.

Played the Dinah Shore course on 6/21 in extreme heat (113 by the time we made the turn!). With the exception of slow greens, this course is in excellent condition. It looked like they let the greens... Continue »

Played the Dinah Shore course on 6/21 in extreme heat (113 by the time we made the turn!). With the exception of slow greens, this course is in excellent condition. It looked like they let the greens grow a little longer than normal due to the heat wave in the last few days, but while they were slow, they were smooth and consistent, you just had to hit the ball a little harder. The fairways, tee boxes, and rough are all in excellent condition while the sand was nearly perfect.

Customer service is what'd you'd expect from a Club Corp private venue, generally very good with a touch of "elitism." They did let me use their locker room to shower off which was nice, and the pro shop has a good selection of souvenirs. The other facilities are pretty typical, good driving range, separate chipping area but no bunker to practice sand shots (at least I couldn't find one). Carts do not have GPS so be sure to bring your own range finder.

The course itself is a beast. For the most part it's right in front of you with few blind shots, but it beats you with ball placement & well placed bunkers. We played the ANA tees where the lady's play in the tournament and you really have to be able to work the ball right AND left off the tee if you want to score well. Even the so-called "easy" holes have demanding tee shots with bunkers guarding the landing area or trees blocking angles. It's a good collection of par 5's, highlighted by the iconic 18th guarded by Poppy's Pond (which looks nasty to jump into BTW). I've got a ton more respect for Brittany Lincicome for hitting that green in 2 with Major Championship pressure, it takes two giant golf shots, both carrying hazards. Other notable holes are the tough par 4 6th that plays much harder than the 375 yards the scorecard indicates. Word of advice, don't try to carry the water, it offers no benefit, take a 3 wood or hybrid out to the right and go the long way.

Overall I definitely recommend this course if you get the chance to play it. Just avoid the extreme triple digit temps!