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It takes ingenuity to make a course stand out. When CrossCreek Golf Club opened in the Temecula foothills six years ago, players might have felt that they had taken a wrong turn and ended up on a period movie set upon arrival. The staff dressed in knickers, button-down shirts and ties, all while taking on the persona of famous golfers from the game’s golden era. While the staff no longer impersonates golfing ghosts, the club has maintained its secluded feel and classic style. With no homes or roads intruding on the layout, the Arthur Hills design is as close as you can get to being at one with nature while driving a golf cart equipped with a GPS system. The ambiance: Although you can no longer engage Old Tom Morris or Francis Ouimet in chit-chat, the staff remains attentive and courteous. Green fees range from $45 to $105, and a waiting list has formed for the club’s unlimited golf memberships, which start at $250 per month. For our round, we played the par-71 course from the gold tees at 6,310 yards. The short ones: CrossCreek Golf Club has a beautiful collection of par 3s. The four holes are aesthetically pleasing, with the most challenging being No. 3, a 176-yard hole with the green nestled into a hillside. A creek guards the front of the green and large oak trees loom on the right. A knoll protrudes from the left and affects chips and putts coming from that side of the cup. The most picturesque par 3 is the 137-yard 17th hole. A creek borders the front of the green, which could force players to hit it deep. But a difficult pitch to a shallow green awaits if that route is taken. The long ones: There are only three par 5s at CrossCreek, and big hitters have the opportunity to get home in two at each. A long drive on the 483-yard fifth hole leaves you in go-for-it range, but the green is narrow and well-protected by a creek, large trees, bunkers and sloping terrain. The most thought-provoking par 5 is the 472-yard 14th hole. A long drive that avoids the left fairway bunker leaves a shot of 200 yards or less to the well-bunkered, sloping green. Even if you manage to hold your approach, the swales in the green make two-putting anything but routine. Everything in between: Variety is the spice of life and CrossCreek has that with its par 4s. The strategic routing on each gives players the option for hitting irons, fairway woods or drivers off the tee. Multiple rounds will tell you how aggressive you can get with each tee shot. Each nine culminates with testers, with the 430-yard ninth hole typically playing into the breeze. Most players are left with a long iron or fairway wood into a deep green that is protected by a large lake on the left. The 418-yard finishing hole requires a big drive down the left-center of the fairway, which leaves a short- to mid-iron approach shot to a large green carved out of the landscape. The round-up: CrossCreek is a tough test of golf, but also a real escape for anyone who wants to get away from the world for a few hours. The course forces you to hit every club in your bag, and the GPS system on the golf cart is worth its weight in Pro V1s by providing accurate yardage to some of the more visually deceptive shots. CrossCreek is a golf experience that improves with each visit. Location and contact information: CrossCreek Golf Club is located at 43860 Glen Meadows Road in Temecula. For tee times or more information, call (800) 818-4397 or visit www.crosscreekgolfclub.com. SG |
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