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TEMECULA, Calif. - Sometimes, the best golf journeys are made solo.
I don't normally love playing golf by myself, but I reveled in every moment playing The Journey at Pechanga on a sun-splashed Friday evening in April. With bad weather threatening my scheduled round the next morning, I opted for a last-minute emergency round on arrival day instead. It couldn't have been more memorable.
Not only was I playing solo, I was virtually the only human on the course. I finished in less than 2 1/2 hours, racing against the shadows as the sun slid behind the rocky hillside. Although I did catch a couple on no. 18, even that felt like a blessing. It gave me time to stand on the shaded, elevated 18th tee and admire my surroundings, including the impressive high-rise casino still shimmering in the light at dusk. A fantastic weekend stay and play an hour northeast of San Diego International Airport (or two hours southeast of LAX) was just getting started.
If you ask most golfers, 'What are the best golf resorts in California?' you'll get the usual answers: Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines, Pelican Hill, Half Moon Bay, La Quinta, La Costa, etc. Those in the know can confidently state that Pechanga Resort Casino deserves a place in the conversation. The course is a real thrill ride - plus there's access to the Temecula Creek Inn nearby. All of the amenities of the casino hotel - the restaurants, spa, fitness center and pools - make for a nice weekend away. The 1,100-room resort, owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Indians, has earned the AAA Four Diamond Award every year since opening its permanent facility in 2002.
What it's like playing The Journey at Pechanga
It's hard to pinpoint a weakness on The Journey at Pechanga, which is probably the best Arthur Hills design I've played. It churns out strong ratings from our reviewers - ranking 10th (2023) and fifth (2024) in the Golfers' Choice national top 50 the past two years - because it clears all the hurdles golfers require ... good service, great conditions, a dramatic landscape for golf, interesting holes and a lavish clubhouse with an outstanding restaurant. Don't believe me? A recent review by 'Chase6851522' called it the "Best course in SoCal", adding that the experience was "5++ stars. Hospitality was on another level. My new favorite course. Finished in under 4 hours and everything about this place is first class. You get what you pay for and this place is well deserving of the price."
I honestly had forgotten how creative the routing was. The first four holes warm golfers up for what's next. The fifth remains one of my favorite short par 4s. I'm not long enough anymore to take on carrying the pond up the right side to flirt with the creek that swings in front of the green. I lay up left of the creek to the wide part of the split fairway, leaving a slippery wedge to a tough green.
The course gets its name 'Journey' from what follows next: an inspiring cart ride to one of the most visually arresting drop shots in golf. The tee shot from the sixth tee falls at least 175 feet to the twisting fairway. I yanked one into the forested abyss and still managed to leave smiling.
I don't love the next hole, a narrow 329-yard par 4 with a couple of trees in the middle of the fairway, but it's a minor annoyance as the layout never relents in its difficult or intrigue. More water, another short par 4 and one final climb to higher heights completes the back nine. It's as fun as target golf on severe terrain can get. "Take the Journey," writes reviewer 'Seaver6986'. "(It's) one of the most beautiful and fun courses to play. Amazing scenic views and challenging holes set against the beautiful mountain backdrop."
What it's like staying at Pechanga Resort Casino
Thankfully, I wasn't riding solo the entire weekend. My wife and I enjoyed the perfect Friday date night with a dinner of steak and lobster at the AAA Four-diamond Great Oak Steakhouse. The nightcap was a few laughs at Live at The Loft, the casino's comedy club. Weekend entertainment ranges from appearances by Jon Stewart at the 1,200-seat theater to concerts by Pat Benatar and Air Supply in the 3,000-seat events center.
Rain that comes down in buckets would normally ruin a golf weekend - I missed some pool time at The Cove, a pool complex the size of five football fields, that extra tee time at Temecula Creek Inn and possibly a visit to a local winery. The surprisingly sour weather for SoCal was, nary a bother, though, at Pechanga. We had time to relax at the spa and tackle the fitness center for a token sweat. We had to work off our breakfast at 1882 Cantina to make room for dinner at Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar. We're sushi snobs and came away thoroughly impressed with Umi's chefs. Even a non-golfer like my wife will savor the menu of Journey's End inside the clubhouse. Salads, all-day breakfast and more exotic versions of golf fare provide a variety of choices. With 12 different restaurants on property, there's always somewhere new to try. Plus, while the golf was washed out, we did enjoy lunch at the Corkfire Kitchen inside the Temecula Creek Inn clubhouse. It was fantastic.
I'm not much of a gambler, although the people watching inside a massive 200,000-square-foot casino can entertain for hours. I'd rather see someone else tempt fate with their fortune. I save my risk-taking for the golf course, where every shot is buoyed by the dreams of landing a jackpot of birdies, even if the odds point toward a bust of bogeys every time.
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