In what's become a bit of a yearly birthday tradition, I played Rolling Hills CC again this past week and enjoyed my best-ever round there, so that was pretty fantastic. Walked from the Copper tees with my foursome using their top-shelf push carts, but their real carts are also in great shape.

Fantastic practice area at RHCC to start the day, and the course itself in terms of layout is pretty great, but not without its few faults starting to expose themselves with more time out on the track. The second hole remains a mystery in terms of what the designer was thinking, and after now having been open for over a year, my buddy (the member) has deemed the course as 'great for the middle handicap golfer, but too easy for the low and too hard for the high.' Take that for what it's worth. You'll also slowly find more and more homes being built up in the lots that surround the course, so it's slowly starting to feel less open and free.

The recent rains wreaked some havoc on the fairways (which are never 'pristine' in the first place) which led to a lot of GUR areas, some big patches where it looked like sod was being laid down, and thin collection areas that are feeling the brunt of course design forcing every shot in their direction. The rough is in great shape though, as are the tee boxes. Bunkers were in pretty good shape but not the super fluffy variety.

What is absolutely epic about RHCC are the greens and their massive profiles and tricky breaks. They're huge, but also in pretty immaculate shape. They roll very quick and can be difficult to stop on the surface without well-struck, high-trajectory shots, or smart golf by running balls right up to the front and letting them roll on accordingly. But definitely some of the best greens and green complexes you'll find anywhere in Los Angeles.

Always a great time though with those friends playing this exclusive course that is not currently in its best shape, but more than enough good things out there to enjoy a super day hitting the sticks.

12/13 guru outing with Jim, Sal, and Mr(birdie chain)GK himself played the blues MIssion/Prersidio in a little over 5hr following a tourney group of sorts with a hard to watch gfroup ahead of us with lessons being given on almost every shot but after a 3 hr front they were finished on 12 and we breezed in to the finish,
My 1st time here and was impressed and challenged by the layout, very scenic and felt somewhat remote even in a city setting. Fairways still held a significant amount of moisture and some were roped off, others were mostly lush but soft, and some had thin/bare areas. Rough was wet and in some areas not able to be mowed leaving some difficult recoveries. Tees were level but needed mowing. Found 1 greenside bunker well groomed and nicely compacted soft sand.
And then there were the greens starting with the practice area which looked rather beguine until I rolled a few the slope was unfathomable a theme which carried over to the course itself. I struggled all day with pace and break being right with one or the other about 1/2 the time. Condition wise greens were really nice, quite healthy, fairly firm rolling medium fast and mostly smooth.
Check in was easy by friendly welcoming staff. Driving range had mats that were beginning to show some wear but nice range balls. Descent carts with interactive GPS.
Very enjoyable outing with good playing partners on a course I will definitely play again especially with some good deal offers out there.

Finished up a 36 hole GK guru day with a round on 12/9. Customer service was outstanding. Grabbed a quick bite prior to the round and had to pick from about 6 different hot dog combos, they all looked delicious.

The course was just incredible. The fairways were so perfect that they could easily pass for high end artificial without a blade out of place. Bunkers were filled with some thick white sand that I come to expect from Palm Springs area courses. Greens were smooth and on the quicker side, having the sun up and burning off the morning moisture helped.

Halfway through our round, I looked around and could not believe I was in the middle of a city. The course makes you feel very secluded, even from other groups. There's even a few wayward pelicans and cranes in the many water features around the course. I loved the par 3s and the 18th is a great par 5 finisher, with water protecting the green.

Highly recommend a round here and absolutely worth it.

Played on Monday, 12/9, with the GK gurus. This was my second time here, but the 1st was over 5 years ago and I could only remember the great service. Service was again outstanding, even the parking lot construction crew who moved their heavy equipment after I unknowingly parked in the middle of their work area.

Course was in phenomenal condition. Just lush and green everywhere. Course was pretty wet, but no pooling in the low area or bunkers. The bunkers had nice heavy white sand, which I'm definitely not used to but everyone else was fine with it. Rough was gnarly. Greens ran smooth but a lot slower than they looked due to the early morning wetness.

Celebrity could easily have been designed for Instagram, 50 years before the Gram was even thought of. Just tall trees, lush green grass, bright flower beds, and incredible water features everywhere. The course looks quirky before playing, when you notice 1 par 3 and 1 par 5 on each 9, but there is a great variety in the par 4s to keep it interesting. And those par 3s and par 5s are some of the most spectacularly photogenic holes on the course. One thing overlooked in the winter is the amount of ice/water machines on the course to make the summer play a bit easier.

Celebrity is a must play in an area with a ton of great courses.

Played the GK Plays on 12/7. I have been listening to the hype of Rams Hill for a couple of years now and I've been yearning to visit. I'm happy to say it did not disappoint. Course has a great feel and views from the clubhouse and patio area. Nice practice areas with an all grass driving range and large putting green with plenty of slopes.

While standing on the first tee, I mentioned the wide fairway and was warned not to get use to it. Rams Hill has a great variety of wide and narrow fairways. The front nine carries much of the distance with some longer par 4s and the back 9 has some fun risky short ones. The fairways were mostly lush, with just a few spots were the winter grass had issues. Greens were smooth and ran great, just a bit slower than they looked. The rain over the last week or so caused some wet areas and killed any roll outs. And despite the rain, the bunkers were filled with fluffy sand and no muddy areas. The rough was up and caused issues trying to get out of it. Course had elevation changes, rolling mounds in the fairways and rough, and views for days.

I loved it! Definitely want to go back when the course is running firm and fast. I can't believe how close it is to most of Southern California. While it's not a day trip from Vegas, Rams Hill should be included in any Palm Springs area trips.

Played 12-9-19 with John, Gary, and Pedro teeing of around 7:10 and finishing in about 4 hours. Tee boxes were lush and level. Fairways were in great shape with minimal roll out with great lies. Rough very lush and thick, around 2 inches. Bunkers had very nice heavy white sand. Greens were rolling a little slow but true and in great condition. Overall great conditions. Very scenic course with nice views of the surrounding mountains, minor elevation changes with several water hazards that come into play. Customer service always great here. Thanks to IWGR for having us out and John for setting it up.

Teed off as a foursome at 10:50am on Thursday, 12/12. Completed the round at 3:15pm. Pace of play was fine, with little-to-no waiting. The course is in good links condition. The fairways are firm and tight, with just enough cushion under the ball to make a good strike. The rough is a mix of grasses. Some areas are a bit thick and others are sparse and clumpy. The areas immediately surrounding the greens are very nice; green, lush and about 1 inch high. Very nice to chip from. The greens ran quite fast, with plenty of slope for a lot of break on many putts. Being above the hole was a real penalty. The greens were very nice. They rolled true and were quite firm. Of the two greenside bunkers I was in, one of them had plenty of firm sand, and the other had much softer sand. Both were fine to hit from. The course is in good shape, and a challenge once you hit the greens.

Played Fri dec 13th, at 704, we won a 4 some tee time at a charity event a month ago. We checked in and got off early playing Vista and Lake. Course is in real good shape, tee boxes really nice, fairways and roungh was good, not in any bunkers so no comment, greens were very rececptive, ball marks to repair all day. This is a private course and I was surprised at all the unrepaired ball marks there were on the greens. The greens were very fast, going down hill, the ball just wouldn't stop. It was a very enjoyable day.

Played out here this morning at 745am. Course is pretty wet in the mornings, was cart path only on probably 6-7 holes which obviously slowed down POP although still got around in about 4.5 hours. Course layout is quirky and tight and doglegged. Definitely a course that is all about ball placement off of the tee, once out of position tough to get back. Course conditions were very nice highlighted by near perfect greens. Fairways were a little long in spots and the ball doesn’t sit up great but they looked nice. Rough was pretty tough in the morning with the wetness out there. Bunkers were all great from what I saw and the one I was in. Price was only 50 bucks which I thought was a good deal for the conditions. Not my favorite layout but definitely makes you hit a variety of shots off the tee.

Overview: bmcnicoll and I stayed one more day ... so as to play Eagle Falls after the 36 hole GK Guru day at the Celebrity Course and Firecliff. Brian suggested that we either play Escena Golf Club or Eagle Falls. Considering that I have not played either course I did not care, but it just worked out better for me to play at Eagle Falls.
Eagle Falls is a Clive Clark designed 18 hole course (Mr. Clark also designed the Celebrity Course at Indian Wells Golf Resort) that was built in 2007 and is located right next to the I-10 freeway and Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. It is pretty well hidden behind the casino, but all the GK reviews said that I would really enjoy the course.

Clubhouse and Snack Bar: It did not concern me at all when I pulled into the parking lot and saw the clubhouse and snack bar. After reading all the GK reviews, I expected something very basic and it did not surprise me at all. I grew up riding my bike to our public course in Buffalo and the clubhouse there was very simple too. Pay your money, get something to drink and eat and be on you way.
All the player assistants were very friendly and the ladies in the snack bar were very nice.

Course: Brian drove the golf cart across the bridge and it was like we were transformed into another world ...the lush conditions of the par 5 18th hole and the water fall just to the left of the green. We go around the corner and then you see the driving range with a view of the beautiful mountains to the north. The driving range was in great shape and I was shaking my head because everything looked perfect. We had a 9:24 am tee time and I thought for sure that it would be busy. The starter then told us that there were only 52 names on the tee sheet today ... could not believe it.
We proceeded to the 1st tee and what a nice way to start off the day ... a par 4 with a little bit of a dogleg to the right with perfect conditions. The fairways and rough looked just as good as the Celebrity Course and Firecliff. It was a great course ... wall to wall overseed with super conditions. Rough was thick and the greens ran at a good medium speed and were very smooth. My favorite holes were all the par 5's and the short par 4 11th ... Brian knocked it on the green and two putted for a birdie, while I missed the 7 footer for birdie. I can't comment about the sand because I was not in a bunker all day, but it looked pretty good.

Final Thoughts: Pace of play was not an issue as we got around the course in 2 hours and 40 minutes. We did not play the 10th hole because it looked the foursome in front of us were not going to let us play through ... so we just passed them. Plus, #10 looked like just an ordinary par 4. I was totally impressed with the course and its conditions. It is definitely a hidden treasure in the Coachella Valley and the rates are great ... even in the high season. It is a definite must play when you visit the Palm Springs area. Brian ... thanks for suggesting that we play Eagle Falls and I enjoyed the 2 days that we played together.

Played on Saturday, 12/7, with the Pisarkski clan and Gregholla. Tee times were just after 11 and we started a few minutes late.

PROS: Turf conditions were incredible. Lush fairways. Thick rough. Greens were smooth and quick, just some ball marks here and there. Tee boxes were pretty level.

CONS: The sand in the bunkers was pretty thin, like an inch than hard packed. Pace was horrendous. We were warned there was a tournament in front, but I've never seen a tourney where a 4some had more than 4 tee shots (a combined 9 tee balls on the 18th). See Matt's review for the customer service experience.

Golf wise, the course is phenomenal. Great conditions, and an interesting lay out. Course is house free and has some great views, with a price consistent with Palm Springs courses this time of the year.

Played 12/10/19 mid morning. A shortish drive from the strip and you get to the gate of the club. Drive in and the castle clubhouse is right there in front of you. The circle drive has a large claret jug on the island and old Tom Morris statue faces you at the bag drop.
Only about a dozen cars in the lot on this warmer than normal (60's) and sunny December day light breeze partly sunny.
Course as described in previous reviews has replica holes from The Open rotunda. This time of year the rough is dormant and the fairways tee boxes and greens are painted green and create a stunning definition framing each hole. Tee boxes level. Rough would give you ok or not lie depending on how the dormant grass decided. Fairways playing fast and firm with many mounds and undulations. Greens firm and tight and rolling like a pool table. This day playing like the courses over the pond when there are great weather conditions.
No water hazards to negotiate, but on to the bunkers. Here is were the courses defense gets it's teeth. For example, number 5 cart path only because of the blind pot bunkers in the fairway (numerous) and safety concern you'd drive your cart into one before seeing it. Can't see any from the tee box. Either have course knowledge of their location or look at the hole picture at tee box with a note about the hole and course it replicates and estimate your distance to determine how to best play. Perhaps a yardage book is available I don't know. In this day and age a course of this caliber I'd think should cart GPS it would certainly help with strategy off the tee box(es). Almost every bunker I had the misfortune to get into (at least 6) I was up against the high bank with no escape other than to open my 58 degree wedge flat tray like and try to blast over it. This usually resulted in either a second try in the sand or getting up on the lip held on by the dormant grass. Not knowing the bunker location on one par 5 put me in "hells bunker" (14th St. Andrews) on my second shot. I hit well towards the middle after a so-so drive right fairway. Blind shot. Ball landed on lip and rolled back in according to the trail, so I just missed flying it and would have been lying two in great shape. Instead it was indeed hell for my ability no " fore"giveness, I didn't escape it.
Did not lose any balls this day keeping it in the boundaries and miss hits generally would come back in play. Just stay out of the native areas where the pack of coyotes dwell.
Great venue great service friendly greater and starter. Played as a 2-some and passed the 4 in front of us on the 5th hole as they visited the beverage cart and had great POP from there.
A recommend course.