Finally have had a couple chances to play Rams Hill related to business and family trips to San Diego. The drive is long and difficult but beautiful; the course is in poor to fair condition due to a ... Continue »

Finally have had a couple chances to play Rams Hill related to business and family trips to San Diego. The drive is long and difficult but beautiful; the course is in poor to fair condition due to a fairway fungus, but still in good enough shape to play fairly and has very good greens and excellent traps and lovely surrounds; Borrego Springs itself is an experience one should not miss; and the club’s Stay and Play offerings are top notch and the club is extremely helpful in making quality arrangements at a fair price. I can’t wait to play it when it is in the condition for which it is famous.
I played the blues at about 6400 yards, I would encourage the club to create a combo that is 6600 and thus 200 fewer than the copper tees; several par 4s are just out of rational range for me from those 6800 yard copper tees. With winter rules in effect due to some severe bareness throughout the course due to a fungus suffered a few months ago, it was not hard to find good grass from which to hit when necessary, and on a few holes (4 stands out) one could see the usual excellent and lush conditions. I also played twice in very high winds, which was annoying but still fun because the routing is excellent with a great mix of hole lengths and hazards. I spoke with the superintendent and he promised everything will be back in excellent condition for the fall reopening. The overall care and attention to detail is still evident in the surrounds, despite the fairway fungus issue. Can’t wait to see it in top shape.
The bunkers are excellent, and fairly placed; always had a way out, and good shots did not go in at random. The greens are very good and the breaks less than they appear, good putts are rewarded. There is no trickery on this course and you can see it all in front of you. Several long par 4s require a good short game if you miss the greens with a long club in, but the green complexes and surrounds are fair and give you a fair chance to get up and down. Overall the course is challenging but fair and quality shots are rewarded consistently.
The range is very good and includes a bunker and good target options. Not to be missed is a cart drive to the north end of the range, where an excellent bunker and chipping area awaits, rarely used but really a great touch for anyone who likes to practice.
The staff are outstanding. And the free tacos at the halfway house and the free cookie at the end of the round are a nice touch. The grill and bar are very good. Some argue they serve the best breakfast in town.
Stay and play offerings abound for groups of all sizes and even for a single or double, right at the course property. Just down the road is an old school resort, La Casa del Zorro, which is a mini La Quinta Resort with many different room offerings to accommodate all sorts of groups and a plethora of pools; they work with the golf course on stay and play offerings. The Bistro restaurant there has a fantastic menu and a superb cook, outstanding eating. Stanlund’s Inn and Suites is also an old school and less expensive good choice a little closer to town, with some rooms with kitchenettes. The town is old desert, no fast food chains but several good places to pick up groceries or to dine. The surrounding desert is really a sight to see, and the many metal sculptures throughout the local desert give the place a touch all its own. Stargazing is breathtaking, it is a “Dark Sky” community and, well, wow.
The drive is a challenge but well worth it. Coming over the mountains from the west is a slowish and windy trip but worth every glance out the window, and the drive down the mountain into the town is exciting stuff.
This is a golf course I could play over and over again and I plan to do so. It is perfect for a 3 golf day trip. Worth the drive. Kind of a must play in my book. Can’t wait to return, sad it has to be shut down all summer, but yeah, really too hot.