Southern California's No. 1 Source for Golf
STROKE OF THE DAY |
"I know I'm getting better at golf because I'm hitting fewer spectators. " |
-President Gerald Ford |
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 The name has changed, but the East Valley Golf Club in Beaumont is still a tremendous test of golf. When the 36-hole Schmidt-Curley design opened in 2000, it was the PGA of Southern California Golf Club. Set in the rolling countryside, the PGA had visions of hosting major golf championships while delivering an affordable, world-class golf experience to the public. The property has since been sold, but the SCPGA has retained its business offices on the premises. If it's been a few years since you've been to the property, there have been a few changes outside of the name on the marquee. Numerous housing developments have sprouted up around the Champions and Legends courses, but they don't drastically infringe on the remote, open feel that made the place so special in the early days. Both layouts were designed to be equal in difficulty, but each possesses distinctive personalities. GET READY The courses at East Valley Golf Club will have you using every club in your bag. With multiple sets of tees, either course can play shorter than 6,000 yards or longer than 7,000 yards. Players should take advantage of the all-grass practice facility because preparation is recommended no matter which course you're playing. GOOD SELECTION Both courses have eclectic holes of varying length that require shotmaking skills and imagination. Length, accuracy and touch are necessary if you plan to score well. The Champions layout has a slightly scruffier feel than its counterpart. The bunkers are large with steep faces and ragged edges, and the greens are massive and undulating. The holes are well-framed by bunkers and native shrubbery, and the fairways are often wider than they appear from the tee. The natural vegetation that lines most of the fairways is extremely dense and penal. The Legends course opens with a more target-oriented feel before it kicks into high gear, winding its way up to the highest point - the par-3 fourth, a shrimp of a hole that plays just over 100 yards over a chasm. The course then loops out to the furthest point of the property playing mostly through rolling terrain and quiet wilderness before heading back to the clubhouse. The greens on the Legends course are more subtle in their design style and the bunkers are less penal, and the landing areas could be described as a little more generous than those on the Champions layout. If I had to choose, I'd probably start with the Legends course because it's slightly more user-friendly than the Champions layout. SUMMARY Located off the 10 freeway about 30 minutes west of Palm Springs, East Valley Golf Club provides a test of golf comparable to any public course you'll play in the desert. It's a big-league golf experience with a mixture of parkland and desert features at a price that won't make you cringe. RATES AND INFORMATION East Valley Golf Club is located at 36211 Champions Drive in Beaumont. Green fees are $65 on weekdays and $85 on weekends through June. Summer discounts begin July 1 and are a great deal, because at an elevation of 2,400 feet, the club is significantly cooler than the desert courses in the Palm Springs area. SG Call (877) 742-2500 or visit eastvalleygolfclub.com for more details. |
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