A beautiful golf course in Palm Desert.
It's late August 2013 and the greens have recently been punched and sanded, and the fairways have a few places where the sod has been cut to be replaced by new, but still this is one of the best golf courses I've played so far in the desert, public or private.
Back in 2008 I think, this course was used as one of the courses in the rotation for the Bob Hope Classic. As far as I've heard, it was short lived since it's near the 10 Freeway, it can get windy. If the Pros were playing from the 7,300 yard tees with a wind, I can see why they wouldn't want to play it again. It is tough from back there.
From the Pro tees it's a long course without wind, but it's fair and it's a nice layout. Many holes have water down the length of them, creating a very tough challenge. With the wind, this course from the back tees is almost unfair. But for a casual round of golf, you have four men's tees to choose from to make it as easy as you'd like.
While this course is very nice to look at, and it has some great views of the Coachella Valley and surrounding mountains, you need to keep your head in the game or this course will jump up and bite you. All the par-3's have lots of character. Some over water, some downhill, some very long and next to a chasm, so you need to stay on your toes.
I wasn't completely on my game this day and had some lapses in judgement and it cost me some unnecessary strokes. But I also made some good shots and made some great shots. I did have a hard time putting, but it was due to the slightly sanded and punched greens. I plan on going back when the greens grow back in and playing back at the Blue tees, if not the Black (depending on the wind that day).
The club house is very nice with a first class caliber restaurant, The Bellatrix, and a nice lounge to get lunch after golf. This is a country club quality golf facility and well worth the greens fee. They also have a very nice practice area with Titleist range balls.
So if you are looking for a place to play on a top notch golf course, The Classic Club needs to be on your list.
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