When it comes to golf, it’s not about how far you can drive the ball off the tee or bail yourself out of a bunker. Time after time, it often comes down to your precision and poise on the green. Here are courses that will test your short game.
Classic Course at Mile Square
Considered to have some of the best greens in Orange County, The Classic Course at Mile Square will without doubt challenge your ability on and around the greens.
In general, the greens are large and undulating creating a myriad of problems for the golfer. It is not often that good greens cause golfers to have nightmares when they finish playing them but the greens at Mile Square are treacherous. Couple this with some deep bunkers that protect the greens and your short game is going to be put under immense pressure even for your friendly bet.
If you are planning on playing here, you should sharpen up your short game before you head out.
The Links at RiverLakes Ranch
RiverLakes Ranch is another course that will have those fearful of bunkers running for the hills. The Fream designed course is almost Scottish Links in style and with that comes the never-ending challenge of deep, pot bunkers that create not only a wonderful backdrop to the holes, incorporated beautifully into the design of the course but trouble for any golfer that finds them.
As you would expect of a links course the greens are large and undulating making three-putts all too common. Another great test for your bunker shot mastery.
Rancho San Marcos Golf Course
Rancho San Marcos is a delightful course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and is a fine example of his imagination to create a deceptively difficult golf course. Built at the foot of the Sant Ynez Mountains, the course provides golfers with a challenge from tee to green, but as with many Trent Jones Jr. designs, the difficulty lies within the short game challenges that his creations present.
Large “amphitheatre” style greens are bordered by immense bunkering with perfect white sand attracting the eye of the golfer. Huge swathes and humps run across all the green calling for the most delicate of touch when putting. A truly magnificent course for so many reasons, but here it is your short game that will get the most grueling attention.
Glen Annie Golf Club
Glen Annie Golf Club presents a slightly different short game challenge, although the greens are also large and undulating and protected by some rather impressive bunkers, it’s the upturned, elevated greens that will put your short game to the sword. Miss the green on the short-side and getting up and down will be more difficult than you can imagine, if you have a good short game here you will reap the benefits.
Village Country Club
Finally, The Village Country clubs requires a solid short game from the fairway, around the greens and on them. Accuracy is key to pitching here and the control of distance paramount due to the heavily sloping greens and run offs to one-side or another, you need to try and find the right portion of the green to make the challenge of putting that little bit less stressful.