Global Sports: My Day at the Classic Club Golf Resort

Monday, January 16, 2012

My Day at the Classic Club Golf Resort

By Mitchell Sussman


During my last vacation in Palm Springs my brother, who was in from Las Vegas, and I were looking for a memorable place to play golf in what some consider the "Golf Capital" of the world. After searching various websites and golf magazines we found the Classic Club in Palm Desert.

Designed by Arnold Palmer, this course was once the host location for the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Nationally recognized as one of the best public golf courses in the United States, the design the course is challenging, to say the least.

According to the promotional literature that they have on line and at the course, the Classic Club has over 30 acres of lakes and streams, 14 bridges and an abundance of pine trees and desert foliage. The elevated undulating greens are surrounded by bunkers large and small protecting the greens and in key spots of the fairway ready to catch an errant drive or approach shot. So that it is not so daunting for the amateur, like my brother and I, there are five (5) sets of tees which substantially shorten the 7,305-yard course.

My favorite holes is the par 5 ninth. It is right out of a post card, with a dogleg right and water on your left. The water comes into play on both the second and third shot. The island green is a great target for your third shot and it can be reached by a well placed approach.

Another hole that is both fun and challenging is the par 3 twelfth hole. Surrounded by water on three sides, it requires a very accurate tee shot over water. There is a sand trap in the back, so simply playing safe and long is not the answer to this hole.

The course was voted by Golf Digest as one of the "Top five new public courses in the Americas" in 2006 and was recently ranked #8 in California on Golfweek's list of "America's Best Courses."

Amenities include a GPS tracker in all the carts and a gifted ball marker given to all the players by the starter. There is on course service of food and drink and a nice book with the each hole of the course marked out, so you don't have to guess how far you are from the hazards and green.

When I finished my round, I headed for the clubhouse which is Tuscan inspired. The crowd at the bar consisted of both locals and travelers alike. The big screens TV had on a variety of sporting activities, with the Golf Channel on 24 / 7. I lingered in the clubhouse till my cell phone rang. It was my wife, wondering when I was coming home. I dutifully left, but not until I hit the pro shop for some appropriate souvenirs of a day well spent.




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