Place: Stone Eagle Golf Club, Palm Desert , CA
Season: Winter (Rye grass over-seeding disguises dormant Bermuda strains)
Weather Conditions: 60’s- 70’s Fahrenheit. Calm.
Host: Dear friend, former club champion, atheist and self-proclaimed gift of the gods.
* All yardages are given and tee shots are pictured from the back markers, unless noted otherwise.
The practice range hints at the challenge provided by the course’s firm and uneven fairways (photos do not do the contours justice) that, while generously proportioned, are surrounded by a highly penal assortment of rocks and earth. The members have lovingly dubbed this mineral mixture “kitty litter.”
#1 Par 4 402 yards
The 1st tee presents a spectacular panorama, with holes seemingly traversing up and down the surface of Mars. One’s opening tee shot will drop down a bit, but the upslope of the fairway quickly brings the drive to a halt, despite the firm surface presented. For the approach, take an extra club or two to reach the green -- it sits up at the same level as the tee.
#2 Par 4 398 yards
Playing much longer than the opening hole, the 2nd asks for a strongly-hit drive through a gap in the rocks to a generous fairway that runs steadily uphill. The fairway also slopes a bit from left-to-right, often forcing golfers to play a long approach over the first bunkers encountered on the course.
Looking across the 2nd green from starboard, one sees the back-to-front tilt of the tricky, undulating green and the partial punchbowl.
#3 Par 3 164 yards
The rear portion of the green is tilted away from the tee, adding difficulty for those attempting to access back pin locations. Do not miss long or right.
#4 Par 4 464 yards
The first downhill hole at Stone Eagle offers a dazzling view of the Coachella Valley below. Mortals should take their line at the right edge of the 18th green in the distance, as anything left of that will be funneled toward a hidden lake. Sadly, a waterfall feeding the lake runs down behind the tee box, adding quite a bit of noise to an otherwise quiet, peaceful property. The slopes found within this fairway are unreal.
The approach to the 4th green will almost certainly be played from an uneven lie. Those that bail well right off the tee will be forced to contend with a rocky hillock that blocks out the right side of the green. Left pins are less troublesome.
Looking across 4th green from behind/right, it is clear that three putts will be common for those left with lengthy lag attempts.
#5 par 4 418 yards
The teeing grounds here comprise a part of the dam used to hydrate the ravine. A strong uphill drive is needed to bring the green within reach. Left is dead, so naturally left/center is ideal.
The approach to the 5th green is one of the most difficult uphill shots on the course. Most players will be best served by aiming for the green’s right edge with a slight draw and attempting to get up and down for a “4,” as the green is at the edge of the ravine on the left.
#6 par 4 364 yards
While the tee shot simply begs players to cut the corner, the wise play here is to aim at the left edge of the bunker beyond the fairway. From there, one has a full wedge to a small green in the saddle seen to the right.
Although the green will gather shots to some degree, anything falling short, long or right of the surface will be repelled and possibly left in dire straits.
Looking back across the 6th green, one sees that the fairway is contiguous with the par 3 7th hole. This allows walking golfers to play #7 as a short par 4 in lieu of climbing far and high to the true tee boxes. Note the carry bunker in the distance set to challenge those attempting to drive the green.
#7 Par 3 218 yards
Thie drop-shot is played away from an amazing view of the Coachella behind the tee (not pictured). Winds may affect a ball’s flight more here than anywhere else on the course and many compelling recovery shots are offered around the green for shots blown off course. But sadly, the choice to place the tees on such a lofty perch completely ruins any semblance of course “walkability.”
Looking across the 7th green to the 6th (i.e. looking back at the “Walker ’s par 4 7th).
#8 Par 5 501 yards
A deep bunker guards the shortest route down the right side of the fairway, inhabiting what was once a ravine before the 8th fairway was built. Plenty of room is availability for conservative play down the left.
Attempts to reach the green in two must be struck with authority to carry this rocky abyss.
#9 Par 4 418 yards
Seen here from the front tees, the 9th hole does not require copious amounts of power from the tee. Yet, careless placement of one’s drive might yield approach shots from a tricky lie (again, photos fail to capture the prodigious movement within the fairways).
From the center of the fairway, the approach to the 9th green offers the subtle scent of birdie.
#10 386 yards
Much like at the second, drives here are played through a gap to a steadily-climbing fairway. An accurate poke to left center is optimal, while weak fades will fall to the lower right portion of the prepared pitch.
The second shot at the 10th is bound to be a long and testing up the hill, much like at the 5th but favoring a fade.
Misses had best be hole high left. This angle presents the best opportunity for recovery and a glimpse of the taco stand.
#11 Par 4 404
A decent hole in its own right, but perhaps a bit too similar to the 9th in terms of its length, directional orientation and descending, right-to-left slope terrain, the 11th offers another birdie chance for better players.
Fortunately, the congruency of the playing characteristics with the 9th hole is not complete. This bunker found in the left/center of the 11th fairway helps to distinguish the hole. It also forces one to consider clubbing down off the tee.
This view is across 11th green from the right. Just left of and above the flag, one can see the back tee for the par 3 15th from where players hit between the two hillocks to the green seen at the right side of the frame.
#12 Par 3 153 yards
Another drop shot par 3, but much shorter than the 7th, this hole can rack up a big score if the tee shot is poorly struck. Par is a simple chore for consistent players, while birdies will prove elusive on the subtly rippled green.
A distant view of the 12th (taken from the 14th fairway below) lends the appearance of a verdant island in the rocks.
#13 Par 5 548 yards
The teeing grounds are set in a small hollow, making it difficult to gauge the effects of the wind. There is also more room to the left than appearances would suggest from here.
From the forward tees, the extreme width of the fairway comes into full view. Long drives that sneak past the right bunker bring the green in range for eagle hunters.
Shots that end up in this bunker offer dicey lay-up prospects. The ravine requires a carry of ~150 yards from the center of the bunker, depending on the chosen angle of attack.
A view over the 13th green back to the fairway (left) with 14th running away on the right.
#14 Par 4 415 yards
This brawny par 4 plays a bit uphill and asks for a strong drive to the right center. Hooks and pulls may find the kitty liter in a ravine at the left. The approach must then carry the litter chasm and should favor the starboard of the green to avoid cavernous bunkering.
#15 Par 3 185 yards
As previously mentioned, the 15th plays between hillocks to green that falls away at the front and back. The right side is protected by a bunker while the left will yield a friendly kick or a hanging lie.
#16 Par 4 352 yards
The bold and the powerful can have a go for the right edge of this green with driver, while the plodders can place a long iron or fairway wood toward one of the right side bunkers. At the far left of frame, the 18th green is perched at the valley’s edge.
#17 Par 5 512 yards
The last genuine birdie opportunity comes here. Plenty of space is offered to encourage aggressive drives.
From the fairway, the second shot options are plentiful, so long as one carries past the narrow shoot to the landing area beyond.
Players contending with this short, uphill leave must select their approach club very carefully.
This view across the 17th green (from left) depicts how tightly the left bunker guards the 17th green-- the right bunker allows for a wider margin of error.
#18 Par 4 (and a half) 499 yards
A tough closer for those seeking par, the 18th ensures that close matches could go either way. This tee is the place to hit one purely.
This view is from the 16th tee, across the 17th fairway to the 18th green.
Even after a good strike, one must hope for a helpful forward kick to a flat place on the short grass to make the green a realistic target for shot number two. When used, the back left pin location renders this hole a par 5 for most members.
#19 Par 3 151 yards
Set between rocky hummocks at the edge of the valley, the 19th hole features a large green that falls away on all sides. Matches undecided after 18 holes will be quickly sorted here, although any sane person with enough daylight left should opt for a 19-hole playoff.
