Aliso Creek Inn and Golf Course (Laguna Beach, CA)

[Peter Ferlicca]

As I was in Orange County yesterday checking out possible places to live while I encounter my new job at Shady Canyon Golf Club, my wife and I decided to relax at the beach to a little bit.  We went to Laguna Beach and spent an hour watching the waves and digging our feet in the sand at Aliso Beach.  I have heard people talk about Aliso Creek Inn and Golf Course, but I never went to see what it looked like.  So, we decided to drive down the road into the canyon and see what it offered.  The lodges looked old, but very enjoyable, and then we pulled up to the golf course parking lot, and there was a deer just walking along.  My wife about freaked, because living in Palm Desert, let alone SoCal, coming across a deer isn't an everyday occurrence.  All of a sudden I felt like I was in Northern California, sort of the same kind of property at Carmel Valley Ranch up in Monterey.  The first hole looked amazing, a 300 yard Par 4 with Aliso Creek running right in front of the green. 

I plan on playing this course when I move to Orange County in a week, but why doesn't this course get any love or comments?  It is a VERY AFFORDABLE 9 hole course in hectic SoCal that is tucked back in a canyon away from it all.  Considering that most places it takes you over 5 hours to play 18 holes in California, taking 2 hours out of your day to play here seems about as good as it gets.

Would love to hear your reviews of this place, as it looks absolutely idyllic 

[Jon Spaulding]

It's a great local course, credited to Bell Sr. Gets a lot of love from me!

It's a beautiful location, playing back into an untouched canyon with rock outcroppings, backing up to a regional park (and a sewage treatment plant).

The par 3's are a real highlight, as is the short par 4 7th which was redone by Todd after winter flooding 8-9 years ago.

Not that cheap....it has quite a local following and is owned by the Montage, which is likely the best hotel between San Ysidro Ranch and the border. I've had loops there take 1.0-2.5 hours.

There was a proposal to add 9 holes, it was shot down some time ago when the resort, the local water authority, and the local militant environmentalists couldn't agree.

Now that you're down here, mark your calendar to go watch Aliso Creek river surfing in the wintertime when we have a gully washer.

[Bruce Bearer]

Peter,

This is (was) one of those courses you didn't want anyone else to find!!  When I moved to Orange County in 1984, me and a few buddies would play there mid-week in the late afternoons and fairly often have the whole place to ourselves.   It's in a beautiful canyon, no signs of civilization... awesome.  With that, we could care less the greens were a mess (moss growth, torn up by crows looking for worms, etc.).

I haven't been there in 20 years so thanks for posting this!  Hope to see you down there when you move out here.  Also, feel free to send me a PM if I give you any suggestions or help getting acclimated to Orange County.

BB