My friend and I had an afternoon golf fandango yesterday at Ironwood's south course with the entire property to ourselves with the exception of maybe 7-10 people we saw the entire afternoon. We hopped... Continue »

My friend and I had an afternoon golf fandango yesterday at Ironwood's south course with the entire property to ourselves with the exception of maybe 7-10 people we saw the entire afternoon. We hopped on at around 1:30 pm and basically went around two loops until the end of the day.

The course is of course in late season/pre-overseeding shape but still quite playable and the greens are still in fantastic shape, running very fast and true. The fairways appear a little on the browner side with patches of lush still popping up here and there, but every lie was still pretty much perfect to hit from and there were very few thin or awkward lies.

Bunkers were a little more thin than the last time I was out here which made them more difficult to gauge along the way, while the tee boxes (and markers) were a bit haphazard, again everything being subject to closure very soon. In fact, the North course is currently closed and in the middle of re-seeding.

The course plays much longer than its yardage book indicates but it's not as punishing as some of the other higher-elevation desert courses in the area. Most fairway are quite ample and inviting, so good scores are very possible if you're hitting your ball straight.

The driving range was only half open but it was more than enough for our needs on short notice, while the carts are in good shape but do not have any type of GPS system. POP? As you can guess, we basically finished our first 18 in just over two hours so that's was pretty amazing. Looking forward to coming back out here again in November when the course is back in all its glory.

Lucky enough to play out at Ironwood again this week and once again the experience did not disappoint. It may have actually been in better shape (if that's possible) than when I played here a few week... Continue »

Lucky enough to play out at Ironwood again this week and once again the experience did not disappoint. It may have actually been in better shape (if that's possible) than when I played here a few weeks ago for the first time.

Greens absolutely immaculate and putting just perfectly. I'm not sure how but I got the speed down pretty well and managed just 26 putts for the afternoon. It sure does help when you pick a line, hit the putter square and the ball goes where it's intended to. Pure bliss.

Fairways and rough deep carpet and lush, while the bunkers have rakes and are very exquisite. Tee boxes? As you would imagine - absolutely perfect. We played from the blue tees again which is plenty of challenge.

Plush carts but no GPS. Fantastic amenities everywhere to be found. We did catch up to a slower group in front of us for a little bit longer POP than is customary here, but we caught a picture perfect high 70s day in Palm Desert and enjoyed every second of it out there.

Never miss an opportunity to check out this dazzler.

Saved the best for last on Day Three of our Palm Desert golf getaway this week by playing the lesser-known but incredibly gorgeous Ironwood Country Club south course. Expectations were that of a nicel... Continue »

Saved the best for last on Day Three of our Palm Desert golf getaway this week by playing the lesser-known but incredibly gorgeous Ironwood Country Club south course. Expectations were that of a nicely manicured but ultimately 'basic' desert course ... expectations were wildly wrong. This is a true gem. First off, the layout is wonderful with 18 strong holes that are never overpowering but always intriguing. This is a great place for a mid-range handicapper to feel like they're playing with the big boys, but enough length and toughness on the speedy, slick greens to test the scratch player. Fairways on most holes are pretty ample, but there are plenty of trees and bunkers to keep you honest. The par 3s are very strong and incredibly picturesque, while the par 5s are gettable with a strong game off the tee. The par 4s are a great mix of it all. Fantastic. Conditions? Wow. Plain and simple. Not a real knock on a single thing. The greens are tremendous. Absolutely perfect condition, roll true and fast, but not gimmicky or silly in the least. Very approachable and accepting of high approach shots, while the runners will run on that glass. But they're gorgeous. Fairways and rough are just perfect carpet - not a single bad lie the entire afternoon. From tee to green a golf treat in the truest sense. Tee boxes (we played from the blues) were in excellent shape and provided some fun tee shots, while the sand in the bunkers was also top notch, and they even provide rakes for the carts. Speaking of the carts, nothing too fancy but well kept. No GPS on them is surprising, but then again this is a small private course so most likely the members get to know this track pretty quickly and don't need the extra tech. But for us, it was great to have the handheld GPS and range finders for some of the longer carries over water. The facilities are also pretty fantastic with a modern and beautifully constructed clubhouse, and a super driving range that's in as good a shape as the course itself. It's two-sided with the bombers hitting nearest the clubhouse, while the instruction and technical teaching takes place on the opposite side. The South course is understood to be the gem of this club, so I was very fortunate to be able to play it and would love the opportunity to try out the north course if its condition is akin to its sister course. A truly terrific golf experience from start to finish and can't recommend it enough. I also took pictures of each tee box and the range and will be uploading those later tonight.