Journey at Pechanga

Certainly one of the best courses open to the public in Southern California, the Journey at Pechanga is laid out with interesting turns at every corner, incredible scenery, and an all-around setting that will make you want to come back time after time. The course, which was designed by Arthur Hills and Steve Forrest, opened in 2007. With great views of the Temecula Valley, the course was built on the ancestral land of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians. And it's also the home of what's known as the "Great Oak," one of the largest indigenous coastal live oak trees in the United States. Many of these trees are between 850 and 1,500 years old. As for the course, Hills and Forrest routed it around these mature oaks and through the rolling hills that stretch from Pechanga Creek to the South Temecula Mountains. Golfers must navigate the elevation change and avoid these mature trees, which often frame holes and protect greens. The course tips out at 7,219 yards with a rating of 74.8, but there are four other sets of tees, starting out at 4,940 yards. The no. 1 handicap hole is the longest hole on the course, the 578-yard ninth. The tee shot plays over a large native area to a fairway with a bunker right in the middle. From there, it's on to a narrow green with two large bunkers protecting it. The Journey at Pechanga also has outstanding practice facilities, from its full driving range and short game area and putting greens to its golf academy, where guests can get some of the finest golf instruction in the area. Inside the 62,000-square foot clubhouse is one of the largest golf shops in Southern California. There you'll find a wide selection of men?s and women?s clothing, shoes, clubs, and other accessories. The clubhouse is also where you'll find the Journey's End restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and featuring some of the resort's best menu selections.