| TRADITIONAL DESIGNS - | | | | the "Tarantula." The golfers' tee-off from |
| | | | some 100 feet above the green, approximately |
| Certified Preowned Callaway Golf Clubs | | | | 200 yards away. |
| | | | |
| Some 25 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, | | | | THE TOUGHEST HOLE - |
| and right in the middle of Southern | | | | |
| California's urban and suburban growth, | | | | The toughest hole on the Valley Course rated |
| Robinson Ranch has captured the feeling of | | | | by the lowest handicap index on the scorecard |
| golfing in the country. Co-architects, Ted | | | | is the par 4, hole four. This hole is a |
| Robinson Sr. and Ted Jr., whose family has | | | | slight dogleg left, bordered by a left side |
| ties to the Golden State dating back to when | | | | fairway bunker and a dry stream bed to the |
| the early settlers traveled the Sierra | | | | right. The second shot to reach the green in |
| Nevada=s by foot, have given golfers a | | | | regulation is between two large heritage oak |
| glimpse of California's lost heritage, "The | | | | trees. |
| Way It Used to Be." | | | | |
| | | | Jetsetters Magazine Golf MallThe strangest |
| The 400-acre complex sets on rolling hills, | | | | hole (nine) on Valley and maybe the true |
| rock outcroppings and dry stream beds with | | | | signature hole, called "Saddleback" is a par |
| hundreds of stately oak trees, natural | | | | 5 with one fairway to the left and another |
| alluvial and coastal sage, bordering the | | | | fairway to the right. A large heritage oak |
| Angeles National Forest. It is one of the few | | | | tree in the middle separates the two fairways |
| places a golfer is more likely to look at | | | | and is very reachable with the driver. If you |
| some of the wildlife, such as raccoons, | | | | hit left, it is a traditional three-shot |
| weasels, deer, bobcats, coyote, fox and even | | | | hole, laying up short of the lake that fronts |
| bear - instead of looking at their wild golf | | | | the moderately sloping putting surface with a |
| shots! | | | | waterfall backdrop. However, if the golfer |
| | | | hits the ball to the right Saddleback fairway |
| Ted Robinson, Sr. has designed more than 170 | | | | with a bit of zip on their driver, they stand |
| courses around the world. As a team, both | | | | the chance to reach the green in two! This |
| father and son combined their experience in, | | | | golfer/reporter had the fortune to hit a |
| and passion for, golf with a spectacular | | | | provisional (ball) after the first gamble to |
| layout. For instance, bi-level and undulating | | | | go right posed a few doubts after watching it |
| greens, numerous dogleg par 4's and 5's, | | | | fall from the elevated tee-off box some 90 |
| uphill fairways, cliff-hanging tee-off boxes, | | | | feet above the fairway. Therefore, I hit my |
| strategically-placed deep bunkers, | | | | second ball to the left fairway. Luckily, I |
| stream-dissecting fairways, | | | | learned my lesson without taking my medicine, |
| middle-of-the-fairway oak trees, sometimes | | | | and shortly later I was able to find my |
| wide-open and beautiful fairways, canyons | | | | daring first shot to par the hole! |
| surrounding greens, and refreshing, but | | | | |
| non-golfer-friendly lakes are some of the | | | | All the greens rated 10 on this reporter's |
| eclectic features of the two courses - | | | | meter as being one of the finest in the |
| Mountain and Valley. | | | | entire West. One has to wonder if PGA tour |
| | | | golf professionals like Tiger Woods and Davis |
| One of the true signature holes of the Valley | | | | Love III gets these fine of greens to putt on |
| Course is the scenic par 3, hole seven called | | | | "week-in-and-week-out?! |