This was our first time playing golf in the Palm Springs area in the fall, and the first time playing this course. As expected, the course was bustling with activity. It's an odd sight, as we are normally doing the "death march" during the summertime, and the only person that you see is the starter. Of course, the course looks very green from the overseeding. We teed off as a twosome and trudged behind a foursome for a bit over 4 1/2 hours (which is a far cry from 3 1/2 hours in July). We played the Mountain and Royal nines. If you've ever played Cathedral Canyon, the "S", or Bermuda Dunes, this course will have a similar feel.

I think that the rye grass makes a major difference in play. I found myself teeing the ball higher on the boxes, and the ball sat down a bit in the fairway. It made for a longer course, for sure. After several holes, I was really missing the bermuda. Rye just isn't for me. The greens were in good shape, and they were sitting down for short irons and wedges (shock #1). I was also fixing some divots on a few of them (shock #2). They were medium fast and consistent. I liked them.

The two nines were both tight-ish, but I swang driver all day. The short par-fours were really fun. They made you think, and they demanded accuracy. The long par fours can be a bear to get to in regulation, but they're pretty straightforward. The par-five holes are good fun, too. Lots of water features to get your attention. In all, I enjoyed the experience. It was a longer day, but we expected that... We'll come back in the summer to see what awaits us. Have fun out there and stay well!

For the first time in three months, we ventured out to play some golf. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to tee it up. We played on Saturday, June 6th. The weather was surreal at 80 degrees, at 11 a.m. I don't know that we'll ever come across weather like that at this time of year, again. The resort was closed, due to you-know-what, so the usual bustling activity was nonexistant.

This course has always been one of my favorites in the area. It winds through housing and villas, but they are set back a bit from the playing area. One aspect about this course that might surprise people is that it is somewhat undulating and has quite a bit on contouring. As an example, we actually hit close to a foursome in front of us, due to the fact that they were all gathered in a swale in the fairway, and we had no idea they were down there. At times, the contouring can take your ball off of the fairway, but I also noted that the stadium effect could kick an errant ball back into play. The bunkers are of varying shapes and sizes, and that adds to the enjoyment of the course.

Often times, Pete makes you think twice before you attempt to blast your tee shot. The fairway bunkers are well-placed, and most all of them have some depth. Of course, the shots over water add to the sweat factor, too. The shaping of the lakes into what would normally be fairway and rough make you think about how much water you really want to carry.

The green complexes are superb. There's quite a bit of contouring around the greens, and the number and placement of the bunkers (and their depth) just add to the challenge. There's also a few green complexes where the water comes hard up against the edge. Anything slightly off will end up in the drink, as the shaping draws the ball down to it. Beware.

The course is in good shape, overall. There's a few "summer spots" on the fairways, but you can still play off of them. The rough is short and very playable. The bunkers were all groomed, except for the areas where previous players had hit their shots. The greens were smooth and had no divots. They played at medium speed and were consistent. Of note, the eighteenth green was burned out for some reason, but it putted smoothly. It's the only green on the course that has that look, and the staff must be annoyed by that fact, as that hole is one of the more iconic holes in the area. Recommended. Enjoy!

We played Upland Hills on Sunday afternoon. This course meanders through a nice neighborhood, and plays tight up against it. Most all holes are tree-lined on both sides (and that saves more than a few windows). I enjoyed this course. It often plays tight off of the tee, but you've got a chance to get it close if you keep it in the fairway. It's a flat-ish course, but the design keeps your interest. The holes near the clubhouse (and the clubhouse itself) are very sharp. It looks like it gets a lot of play, and I kept that in mind when I did my detailed review. I wouldn't pay the prime rate to play it on the weekend, but it is worth the other fees. I would recommend it to my fellow golfers. Enjoy!

We played this course, yesterday (Dec. 13). It's very sharp looking, and it has a country club feel. The clubhouse is very nice. The borders of the tees and fairways are handsomely accented. I love the attention to detail all around the course.

Now, let's dispense with the niceties :). This is one mean, rough, tough golf course. It plays every bit as tough as the rating and slope indicate. The course has a tendency to be quite intimidating. When you look out from the tees, they have a tendency to make you tug on your collar a bit. The fairways are tight as a drum throughout the course. If you don't like to play from tight lies, then this is not the course for you. The approach shots are often even more daunting than the tee shots. There are large bunkers that guard the greens, and the pins are often tucked behind them. Playing safe is no guarantee of two-putting on the undulating, fast, and downright intimidating greens. If you're off the green, you'd better have exquisite touch with your wedges. I practice on my short game, and I still found myself feeling a bit overwhelmed, at times.

There were two things that were very disappointing to me. On every green, before it was my turn to putt, I could easily fix four to six divots. This is not a reflection of the staff and maintenance crew. I don't think I saw anybody in any group fixing a divot throughout the day. The second item that really bothered me was the bunkers. At some point, over the past 5-6 years, I've noticed that my fellow golfers aren't that interested in raking bunkers, and this course is no different. It's such a shame to see. These bunkers have excellent sand, and it's a pleasure (?) to play from them when you happen to find one. You can see that the crews take care of the bunkers...and folks just don't maintain them. Too bad.

In closing, be sure that your game is in order before taking up this challenge. It's not for the feint of heart. Practice putting on the kitchen floor and maybe go hit some wedges at your local miniature golf course, beforehand. Good luck!

We got a chance to play Tierra Rejada on Thursday the 21st. We went off the first tee around noon, and the pace of play was terrific. It was a nice day out there. This is a challenging and visually-intimidating course. It's also a "know thyself" course in my view. I've had to get comfortable with the fact that, often, you can't see where your tee shot or approach shot lands. You've got to trust in the club that you've chosen. The four par-five holes are some of the toughest that we've played. The second shot on all of those holes make you think and demand accuracy. Regarding the par-3 holes, from what I've read, I think that I'm one of the very few that actually likes all of them. (I think that I'm one of the black sheep on this site, though.) For those of you who haven't played here, yet, Tierra can be a bit overwhelming. On several holes, you're hitting over chapparal-filled deep ravines, so pick the correct tees for your game. Also, you'll find that some greens have false fronts or swales just in front of them, and that definitely adds to the challenge of your approach, especially with a red pin. Finally, don't forget to take a look around...the views, elevation changes, and wildlife really add to the experience. Enjoy and hit it close!

We got a chance to play here last Saturday (7/15/17). I was really looking forward to playing this course, as the last time that we were here, I had a hitch in my swing that would have made Charles Barkley proud :(. When we got to the starter, he told us that the course was in rough shape, due to the fact that they had punched the greens and the fairways. He said that we could play a few holes to see if we could manage, and that we could play the Valley course if we didn't like the conditions. That was nice of them. I told them that we would check it out. Though, the fairways were punched, they were far from unplayable. The greens were heavily punched, but they weren't too bad. My better half was satisfied (happy wife, happy life), so we continued playing the course.

One thing that I didn't remember from the first time at the Palms were the fairways. Many of them were like moguls on a slalom course, or those that you would see at a motorcross track. I thought that those features added to the character of this course. It's not what you would expect of a course in this particular area. Another thing that I didn't recall was the depth of the bunkers. They are pretty deep, and the sand was somewhat wet and compacted, so it was a trick to get out of some of them. Further, they guard many of the greens quite well, so you can expect to be in a few of them, should you choose to play here. I love all of the water features throughout the course, along with the ducks, geese, and swans that inhabit them. Keep the water in mind, if you elect to take on this challenge. As was stated in one of last month's reviews, the finishing holes are terrific. The 17th is probably my favorite par 3 in the Palm Springs area, and the 18th is fun and scenic. I recommend this course, especially when everything heals up. Good luck!

We played Summer, yesterday (Mar. 18th), for the first time in about a year. Last year, in all honesty, I couldn't recommend this course. What a difference a year has made, though. With all of the rain, a picture of the 18th sent to us from the course staff, and a few positive reviews, we decided to make the trip out to the links. As soon as I got out of the car, I was pleasantly surprised with the portion of the course that I could see. This course has come a long, long way from the condition it was in just a few years back. The young fairway grass has taken root (for the most part), and course is starting to shape up. The greens are all looking good, now. I couldn't write that last year, and that was the biggest reason that we haven't been back in awhile. The tee boxes look good, too. The water hazards actually have water, now, and that adds to the course's appeal and difficulty.

Now, is this course perfect? No, it is not. If you're looking for country club conditions, then I wouldn't bother playing it. There are some stubborn bare patches in the fairway, where the grass is just not taking root, yet. Further, it looks as if there's some turf reduction taking place on a few of the fairways. While it's not aesthetically pleasing, it certainly didn't affect my game. There's no rough on this course, except around the greens, but that's what I would expect of this type of course. The bunkers were all nicely groomed, although, I found one that was very wet (my bad luck). All through the day, I just kept remarking on the improvements, and I wanted to be sure to let others know that this course is on the mend. I'm sure there are other golfers out there that remember when the 10th fairway was nothing but dirt just a few years ago. Not anymore. It was nice to see. Others may remember when the greens were dead around the edges, were diseased, and had weeds growing out of them. That is no more. My compliments and thanks to the staff. Keep up the good work. We will be back, soon.

This was the first of two courses that we played this past weekend in Palm Springs. We've played this course twice before, and we looked forward to coming back. Though, the course is reasonably flat, it does have some undulations, and even blind shots on occasion. The holes have varying styles and shapes, and that makes it interesting and good fun. The par-five holes are generally a little longer, but the par-four holes can really vary. There's a drivable par four hole, a par four with an island fairway, and a par four that doglegs hard right around water, just to give you a few examples. The par-3 seventeenth hole has always been one of my favorite short par threes in the state, and the par-3 eighth (?) is a stunner (and very tough). Though, the course is a little rough around the edges in a few places, it was well worth the $18.00 twilight fee. The greens don't look as aesthetically pleasing as those at other clubs, but they rolled very smooth for us and were medium speed. We'll be going back to play this course, soon!

We had chance to play Crosscreek for the second time in the last few weeks. We were very impressed by the course on our first visit, and we agreed that it would fun to come back to play it, soon. This course is visually stunning. It's set in a valley, and the surrounding mountains provide for quite a view. As for the course, I'm going to throw out a pun and state that it's rough. It's been awhile since I've encountered rough as thick and wiry as that at Crosscreek. So much of the course management, here, is finding a way to avoid the rough. It was very difficult to decide how much more club was needed in order to reach the fairway/green. Further, it often turned my short irons over, and I'd have a low burner 20-30 yards wide of my target. Now, just past the rough, you have the natural chapparal and oak trees with which to contend. If you get in that stuff, then finding your ball (amongst the poison oak and snakes) will be a tough chore. It's quite a challenge from start to finish. Some folks may declare that a few of the holes are unfair, and it might be difficult to argue against them. Putting that aside, though, it's definitely worth the trip. Good luck!

First, I'd like to direct everyone to gymflake's description of the course. I couldn't have described it better. I really enjoyed this course. It was everything that I had read about in previous reviews. Heck, I liked the course before we even reached the clubhouse. If you've spent any time looking at (and dreaming about) links courses in books and magazines, then this one would fit the bill. Have you ever looked at a links hole and wondered to yourself, "Where are the tee boxes, and where in the world is the fairway?". Again, this course fits the bill. It just looks and feels links golf from beginning to end. The tight and firm fairways are what I would expect from a links-style course. So, too, are the shaggy, asymmetrical, shaggy bunkers, expansive aprons, and non-typical greens. The bunker placement is so intriguing. The aprons are nearly as tight as the greens, and they all have have soft to severe swales and humps. As for the greens...wow. There's so much character to the greens, and they are all so fast. They demand imagination and a deft touch. In conclusion, I'd offer that you really have to "feel" this course from tee to green, and from the first hole to the last. Keeping in mind that his course has so many rave reviews (including mine), I'd have to add that if you like to rip driver on every hole, and if you like to "pull the string" on your approach shots, this course will be an exercise in frustration for you. To all the others....enjoy!

I played this course on July 23rd, and I really enjoyed the experience. All of the guys in the clubhouse were courteous and good-natured, and the cart girls were friendly, and they would swing by on occasion to see if I needed anything to eat or drink. My thanks to all of the staff.

As for the course, well, I've been thinking about it ever since I walked off of the 18th green. It's a good challenge, but it's fun to play, too. (Some courses with similar ratings and slopes can be exasperating to me by the end of the day.) I played from the white tees, and I noted that the course could be extremely long if a player wanted that added challenge. I found that my tee shots had to be very accurate. There's a good portion of doglegs on this course, and the fairway bunkers are very well placed. Further, the fairway bunkers that I was in had very steep faces, and I could not reach the greens as a result. The fairways were in good condition, but I noted that I had a number of sidehill and downhill lies. Now for the greens... Perhaps, the greens were the toughest part of this course. For the first three holes, I read the break to go one way, only to find the ball go in the other direction. Thereafter, I would go to the opposite side of the cup to get a better read. That seemed to help me. A bunch of the greens have two or three tiers. The tiers created natural ridges, and the greens were quite often very undulating, as a result. (Those ridges allow the staff to put the pins in some wicked positions.) Three times, I hit shots directly at the pin, only to watch them trail off to one side or the other (and a good distance, too). It would really help a golfer if he or she could play with someone who has seen these greens a few times, because it can mean the difference between a three foot putt and a twenty-five footer. I did enjoy these greens, though. They were medium fast and just smooth on smooth for the most part. (By the way, I wish folks would fix their divots more often on this course.) I can't wait to play this course, again...and I still haven't played The Legends. Good luck to you and have fun out there.

We braved the elements, yesterday, and got a chance to play another one of our favorites. It was great to get an opportunity to play another round, here, and it was a pleasure to find it in such good condition.

This is a target-style golf course that demands accuracy from both the tee and the fairway. You must have trust and confidence in your iron game, and you've got to "know thyself" regarding the challenge of cutting corners on the numerous doglegs that this course offers to you. Now, once you've reached the green, you might find it to be somewhat difficult to read the breaks. I always keep the mountains in mind before I roll the ball toward the hole. They are often the overriding factor when determining the break.

Looking back on my round, yesterday, I realized that it was important to do well on the short (and fun) par-5 holes, because I would need those strokes when it came to playing the difficult (and mostly long) par-3 holes. The short, dogleg par-four holes are always fun (just as long as I don't try to "bite off" too much real estate). As always, good luck to you out there!