Inland Empire Golf Course Reviews
Oak Quarry Golf Club ReviewRiverside, CA
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Oak Quarry Golf Club Summary: This golf course has a very unique feel about it as it winds its way over around and very close to several old rock quarries in the foothills of Riverside as part of the adventure. With several good holes and many with hazards in play, accuracy off the tee is required. The back nine ends up being a little wider but brings in water on a couple of holes as well. This is a tough track for the average golfer, but fair enough to have a good time as well. The best golf holes are reviewed below:
Oak Quarry Hole 2: Three of the four par fives are 572 yards from the back, and this one, overall, is the best of the bunch. The driving area is fairly wide, but there is hazard on either side. The layup second is fairly open but the green is beset by a large bunker to its left and hazard long, leaving right as the best bailout if needed. |
Oak Quarry Hole 4: This golf hole is pretty and unusual at the same time. From the elevated tee, the player can see the fairway is split by a wide strip of rough. The left fairway is closer to the canyon and is more narrow, but provides a shorter approach to the green. The right fairway is more safe, but will likely leave a longer approach to the green. This green is surrounded from left front to back right by a wrap-around bunker and the whole setting is like an inset amphitheater with nothing but blasted rock walls on three sides.
Oak Quarry Hole 5: This long par three offers obvious trouble in the form of hazard short and a large, deep bunker fronting the left half of the green. Pin placements on the left half of the green make this golf hole at least one half stroke harder. (right)
Oak Quarry Hole 6 (below): Bordered by a steep (and I mean STEEP) cliff on the left of the entire golf hole, the drive here is a strategic one, with all the risk and reward being involved with the option left over the bunker. From anywhere on the fairway, the green is narrow and hazard is long and left. Bailout right is possible, but the up and down is a tough proposition when pins are cut to the right of center.
Oak Quarry Hole 6 (below): Bordered by a steep (and I mean STEEP) cliff on the left of the entire golf hole, the drive here is a strategic one, with all the risk and reward being involved with the option left over the bunker. From anywhere on the fairway, the green is narrow and hazard is long and left. Bailout right is possible, but the up and down is a tough proposition when pins are cut to the right of center.
Oak Quarry Hole 9: Possibly the most visually pleasing drive on the golf course is found on this downhill closer to the front nine. The canyon and series of bunkers along the left frame the hole very well, and the best angle to the green can be found from just inside them on the right. The approach is slightly uphill to a green protected by a big bunker to the right and a subtle tier in its middle.
Oak Quarry Hole 12: This is the easiest hole on the back nine, as it is pretty wide and only has a few bunkers along the way. If a long drive is hit over the bunker at the corner of dogleg right, the par five becomes reachable in two, but going right is the only major mistake, so care must be taken.
Oak Quarry Hole 13: This toughest par four on the back nine is straight, but tight. The real trouble is the hazard to the right, but the steep hillside and deep grasses left are no picnic either. The green is well protected by bunkers and is slightly uphill.
Oak Quarry Hole 14: This par three is built near the low point of the golf course property, above the quarry lake and below the sheer white face of the remaining rock face. It is pretty in an unusual way and very daunting. Although it is downhill, the distance is still 214 yards, requiring a longer iron. There is no room left and very little short, but there is some respite to the right. The ball will hang in the air for awhile so the player will get time to despair or be elated by what unfolds.
Oak Quarry Hole 15: This par four is short and not particularly difficult, but the drive from right under the rock face makes an interesting sound when struck well. The green is also tiered and tough to putt.
Oak Quarry Hole 16: This par five is the obligatory water hazard hole, which comes into play on the second and third shots. The green is small and leaves very little room for bailing out to the right, especially for front pins.
Oak Quarry Hole 18: The last golf hole of the day is not long, but the theme is "don't go right" as bunkers and water lurk there on both shots. Of course, over-correcting and going left still means hillside.
