Palm Springs Golf Course Reviews
The Reserve Golf Course Review
Palm Desert, CA
73.5 rating; 137 slope |
The Reserve Overview: The Reserve is a very exclusive,
impeccably maintained private golf club.
Situated in the upper recesses of Palm Desert,
the location for the course it beautiful as it is snuggled up against red-rock
mountains. The holes themselves are
varied with generally wide fairways and uncharacteristically perfectly soft (due
to under ground air conditioning and irrigation) greens. The best golf holes are reviewed below:
The Reserve Hole 2: One of the best and most beautiful short par fours anywhere, the second hole allows the golfer to hit anything from five iron to driver off the tee. The fairway is speckled with sand traps, so any shot must be well played. The green has a hump in the middle that pushes shots to back pin placements long, so distance control is a must on the approach.
The Reserve Hole 2: One of the best and most beautiful short par fours anywhere, the second hole allows the golfer to hit anything from five iron to driver off the tee. The fairway is speckled with sand traps, so any shot must be well played. The green has a hump in the middle that pushes shots to back pin placements long, so distance control is a must on the approach.
The Reserve Hole 3: This tough par three features a lake down the right side and a grassy hill on the left. Like number two, the green’s highest point is in the middle, with the back half running away from the player. As such, the golfer must get distance and angle right to have a good shot at par.
The Reserve Hole 6: This par five offers a great view of the Palm Desert area and forces a good tee shot that must clear the desert and not find it to the left or to the right. The second shot must avoid the large bunkers that split the fairway in order to leave an easy approach to the green.
The Reserve Hole 7: It is rare that a hole is great for sonic reasons, but this one qualifies. The mountain that borders the left side shapes the slight dogleg right nature of the hole. The drive, when hit, echoes wonderfully off the mountain, which can occur again if the second is played from the left side of the fairway. The approach is uphill and can find the mountain if hit too long.
The Reserve Hole 9: The finish to the front nine features an uphill par four with a drive that must fly between the two bunkers on either side of the fairway and hopefully crest the top of the hill. The second shot must then clear a little stream well in front of the green that spews from a waterfall that was installed in the mountain to the left. The hazard is more surreal and for effect than a stroke danger, but it is a good finish to the front nonetheless. (not pictured)
The Reserve Hole 14: This short par four features a lake down the left side. The green is drivable, but if pushed or pulled the mistake will cost the golfer a penalty stroke.
The Reserve Hole 14: This short par four features a lake down the left side. The green is drivable, but if pushed or pulled the mistake will cost the golfer a penalty stroke.
The Reserve Hole 16: The first of back to back par threes on the back nine is shorter and is played what feels like a bowl surrounded by the local hills. The green is deep and has a tier in the middle, making distance control key.
The Reserve Hole 18: The last hole of the day is one of the best. The views from the elevated tees are fantastic. The tee shot should be played between the desert left and the creek to the right. This creek finds its way into a lake that fronts the green. The final shot of the day must be played over this lake to a well-bunkered green.
