Rolling Hills Country Club

Read my review below from last year. Course has really grown in and conditions were close to perfect. The wind was up - hard and fast conditions the numerous course contours definitely assisted. DMK designed a masterpiece....if you get a chance to play Rolling Hills CC don't miss it....it's a true under the radar gem. Picture posted might be my all time favorite 9th hole (an infinity Par 3). An excellent variety of holes - you'll use every club in your bag.

We played this DMK course and being Irish, it really reminded of playing the west coast links courses of Ireland (Lahinch/Tralee/Connemara) just with much better weather ! The greens are simply great fun, run fast and very true. It was one of my favourite rounds of golf this year. The clubhouse staff were all super friendly and the F&B facilities were solid.

I was a tad skeptical that a Scottish links type course could be pulled off on the back side of the Palos Verdes south of Los Angeles. A few drams of Glen Alba and yes McLay-Kidd pulled it off. Extremely pleasant playable redesign. Clubhouse and facilities are top notch - what you'd expect from a private club that costs 155K to join with a waiting list. An 18 hole putting course and a range that can be converted in a youth par 3 course to boot.

Tee boxes and green complexes similar in design to Mammoth Dunes at Sand Valley except on a slightly smaller scale. Some of the original routing was kept however a significant portion of the old course was scraped and sculpted with 3.5 million plus homes in process of construction in some areas. With land at premium some tight areas to the routing. Large interesting undulating greens with so many flag positions it's difficult to imagine a member would ever get bored. Nice flow to the routing which does not return to the clubhouse after the 9th. Visually stunning - mounds collection areas traps and shaped so your ball remains in play. Even as a first timer you can figure out what you have ahead of you and play to sides of fairways and greens - several instances where my ball was collected back into the fairway or proper part of the green well after the shot was struck. Somewhat walker friendly as well - David was most thoughtful with what there was to work with. Light breezes this course is really fun - a strong Santa Ana wind Rolling Hills will really show it's teeth and there's plenty of room in the design to account for that.

My current rating is 4.75 stars. Can't give it 5 because the course needs a few years to grow in and age a tad. My main complaint is that the tee boxes are hardly level - I love the overall design of the teeing areas (with several tiers to facilitate easy maintenance just like Mammoth/Sand Valley)wish more attention had been paid to them.

Didn't visit the locker room but don't miss the men's room in the banquet hall - several old B&W's of celebs that played the old course on the wall never seen. A stunning deck with couches and views of the 18th green post round (pray for no smog and you get downtown LA and Mt. Baldy views as well) - and be sure to stay for a sunset martini - you'll be rewarded with dapples of colors on the home hole featuring a fescue surround bunker in the middle of the green complex.

If you're honored with a chance to play Rolling Hills do not miss it. Highly recommended.