La Casa del Zorro Resort and Spa

Could the next hole be as good as this hole? We kept saying that for 18 holes! How many golf courses have I played.? Many, but this is in the top 5%. Tight fairway lies? No way fellow golfers. Easy to get a 3 or 4 wood in the air. Greens very undulating but a true read; might be a trade mark of Tom Fazio. I have an 11 handicap and played the white tees (5824 yds). Feeling so good I’ll return and play the blues. $80.00 on Golfnow...go play this course...wow

Great layout with some very pretty holes, especially the back 9 with some great changes in elevation. Greens very good and no cart restrictions which makes it worth the drive from Palm Springs as all the courses there are CPO due to recent overseeding. Very generous off the tee so high handicappers would enjoy as well as better golfers. Booked on golf now and got a great rate but there was a mix up with the tee time so would recommend you either book direct or call the course to reconfirm your tee time. The starter did slot us in so it was not a problem.

The reason for this review is to let the golf world know what they might be missing out on here in Southern California.

I found this gem a few years ago and have told everyone that will listen how wounderful this course is to play. More then half of my men’s club now make the trip to play here as well as our womens club love to play here. We make the drive for the Palm Springs Area.

Rams Hill is as scenic as it is fun to play. The vistas from every tee box/green or in some cases the hazards are just remarkable.

This Fazio course is laid out in conjunction with the slop of the of the mountain that it rest near. Seamlessly flows along the side of the plateau. The front nine will you find yourself playing in to the mountain and the backside plays moving down the plateau and back to the clubhouse.

Each hole is unique in its layout and playes well with its environment. The many water features and creeks flow well with the course layout.

The greens at Rams Hill are by far the best in this part of California and I’d put them up against any I’ve ever played. Getting the slope and speed rite could be a challenge for some but once you understand how the ball falls to the valley floor then it’s just a matter of getting the ball rolling on you target line and watching it go in the hole. The greens are just that pure!

The fairways are wide and fair not a blade of grass longer the the other. The course conditions from the front gate to the 18th green are just excellent.

So if your ever in Borrego spring or Southern California and have a few hours to play do yourself a solid and give mike the head pro a call. He will be more then happy to work with you! Very responsive guy and wants all to enjoy his gem of a course.

Great place to play!!! We got through the round today in 3 house as we were first out today. However we’ve never played a round out there that’s longer the 4:15 minuets in the 3 years I’ve been playing there.

Disclaimer!, I’m just a golfer that plays 3 days a week and I’m an 11 index. I don’t work for Rams Hill just stay and play there and or drive there every so offten.

I truly believe you owe it to yourself to make your way to one of the best track you’ll find in all of California.

3parace, Ransford Mitchell.

ARRIVING AT RAMS HILL

A ~2hr drive from San Diego or LA will take you through striking California terrain before descending steeply down a mountainside into the small town of Borrego Springs.

After driving through the town’s single roundabout, signs will direct you toward Rams Hill.

Right off the bat, the service is top-notch. You will be greeted with a fresh golf cart at your car, so you can load up your gear before checking in at the pro shop. The entire staff is incredibly friendly and seems to take great pride in providing an incredible golf experience. The running joke among the pro shop staff was asking, “Did you manage to have fun out there?”

Before your trip to Rams Hill, plan to spend some time there. The restaurant and practice facility are both fantastic, and we found ourselves lounging around before and after we played simply to take in the beautiful, dramatic scenery.

THE COURSE

It’s hard to describe just how impressive the conditions are at Rams Hill. I’ve had the privilege of playing three times, and the consistently amazing conditions are unmatched (see photos attached). The tee boxes are pure, the fairways are lush, and the greens roll at a quick yet manageable speed.

From the first tee box to the 18th green, prepare to have your camera ready because every shot you encounter is a photo opportunity. With mountain ranges lining the horizon and desolate desert surrounding the vibrant green course, every new view is as memorable as the last.

The course itself is a golfer’s dream. The fairways are large and forgiving, the greens are accessible and undulating, and the contours of the design encourage creative shotmaking to get close to the pin. From the tips, Rams Hill is an absolute beast. But with a nice juxtaposition of short holes (including a drivable par 4) and monster holes (including a 508-yard par 4), it does not play as daunting as the scorecard may suggest.

Best of all, each hole feels like it has its own, isolated place within the course—you are simply on that hole at that time with zero distractions. There’s not a single hole I would replace on the course. It all comes together as a collective masterpiece in golf course design.

AFTER THE ROUND

As I mentioned earlier, make some time to hang out after the round. There are not many better places to enjoy a drink after a round than the patio at Rams Hill. You’ll still be buzzing from your on-course experience, so take a few moments to soak it all in as the sun sets beyond the mountains.

The bottom line: if you have an opportunity to make the drive out to Rams, take it. If you can make a weekend out of it, it will undoubtedly be one of the best golf weekends of your life. It was for me.

I've played Rams Hill 5 times now in the last 2 years. It's a 2 hour drive from my home, but obviously well worth the trek. It's like the Augusta National of desert golf. Considering the courses that can charge $300 in Southern California, Rams Hill is hands down the best value in the region. It's an unbelievable golf experience.

Spectacular!! Rams Hill was recommend to me by a very good friend who plays premier courses all over the country. The course was maybe the best Tom Fazio course I've ever played and the conditions were immaculate. Not only were they virtually perfect but the course had only been open for 5-6 from overseeding. Greens were the purest bentgrass greens I've seen anywhere in California and running at 11. Can't wait to come back. It is certainly a "Must Play" and at $105 including cart it's the best value I've encountered in sometime. Views of the mountains were breathtaking.

This course is a first class rated golf course. It is a true gem.

The views are breathtaking. Top notch golfing in the desert.

The greens are impeccable and you will enjoy this course.

After golfing relax at the Rams Hill restaurant on the deck for excellent food and drink.

Kristine

The best customer service at any public course that I have played.

Did I mention how pure the greens are? A great Fazio design!

Outstanding Golf Course From Tee to Green!

Fairways lush and greens fast. This 18 hole Tom Fazio design delivers!

It is a bit of a hike for us living In La Quinta CA, but well worth it!

Great Staff and Great Food!

We will be back!

Last day of Season at Rams Hill, brought a group of 20 out. Got a great rate. Course was pretty browned out, but Pro had called earlier in week to let us know of conditions and lowered our rate to accommodate. Weather was extremely hot got to 110 plus. But course Staff made us cooler(wet towels,plenty of water and great attention to our needs , including beverage cart just for our group) pretty much the only ones on the course. Because of the Staff being so great it turned into one of the most pleasant golf days in years. Course is a great challenge and we look forward to making it out there when it is lush and cool.

I brought a 3some out to play Rams Hill a little over a year ago. We've played 60 to 70 courses in the Coachella Valley/ Palm Springs area and over 100 courses around the country, and we came away from our 1st time playing it saying that we thought it was in our top 3 that we'd ever played!... every hole is different with beautiful Vistas awesome layout design and amazing greens! The staff from Mike Setchal who greeted us and made us feel right at home and gave us tips about how to play the course, to the Pro Shop and the restaurant, all made us feel like we were VIP's! We can't wait to come back in November and play it again. This is undoubtedly one of the best designed and managed Fazio courses in the country. Do yourself a favor and make a tee time when they reopen in November. It's a priceless gem!

Everybody, and I mean everybody, at this course worked hard to make our round there unforgettable. Each staff member we were in contact with, from the superintendent to the pro shop manager, to each and every employee made it obvious that we were important to them. I can't wait to return to this course this fall after they reopen. Would strongly recommend them to anybody who enjoys golf and being treated well!

I have played over 200 golf courses in my life. This is 1 of the best I have ever played. Top Notch , first class all the way. Course layout and condition was awesome. The staff was very friendly. Mike Setchell a rams hill employee gave us great tips on how to read their challenging but fair greens while checking us in. All in all just a spectacular day and place. I will return often.

I loved the golf course and the practice area. I think I waited a week or two to long to play here. The fairways were starting to go brown in areas, other areas were hard pan. But then they close for the season in 2 weeks for a reason. Greens were excellent, sand very soft, tee boxes were great. Can't wait for next year, but I will play in May instead of June

For a course known for upkeep and conditions, I was disappointed. I am aware that they close for the summer at the end of June (we were there June 1st), but they may be pushing that close date further out than they should. The fairways were mostly dirt and scrub, and the greens were painted, dry and hard. I’d give them another chance in the winter with more favorable weather, if it weren’t for the fact that I had clubs stolen from my bag while it was under the care of the club, or with how poor they handled the situation.

Apparently, it was my fault for trusting them. They did offer to sell me comparable replacements at a discount if I wanted to take advantage of that offer, and they did loan me a rental driver and putter which they let me use over the weekend while I was there (the two clubs stolen), but there was no culpability on their behalf, and no concern around keeping my business or providing a level of service that I would have expected for a club like this. In the end, they gave me the rental putter which I’ll hopefully be able to trade in for a $50 credit somewhere. Needless to say, it left a poor taste in my mouth, and I won’t be returning.

Played Monday afternoon at 3:30pm with the entire course all to myself. Just rained in the Coachella Valley the past 2 previous nights! Air had a crisp but humid feel. Partly cloudy. Tee boxes level and flush. Played from Gold tees. Black tees have teeth! Dont hit em up if you can't pipe minimum 280 yard drives and 250 yd 3 woods. Wind was at worst 10-15 miles playing all directions as you wind at the furthest point about 1 mile away from the clubhouse. Greens can be a touch quicker but I understand in the desert heat, rolling the greens can damage and totally bake them out. Had to play out of the bunkers picking the ball clean as the rain compacted the sand. Absolutely love Rams Hill! The staff is awesome and the course and it's immense surrounding beauty keep me coming back time and time again. Thank you Mike for being such a devoted and passionate pro at the club keeping the course immaculate all the time for us golf nuts! Job well done bud!

I've been fortunate enough to play a lot of golf courses around the country, from Bandon to Pinehurst and lots in between. This course is as good as any I've ever played. The design of the course is spectacular. Every hole is different than the last (you never think, 'hm, I feel like I've played the same hole over and over.') and what's best, there is not a bad hole out there. You get everything a golf course should offer: risk/reward, amazing views, and pure conditions. Even a couple drivable par 4s if you want to roll the dice on the back 9. Everything about this place is top notch. Can't wait to go back.

This course is not in the middle of no where. It is the end of no where.

My home course is Pelican Hill, also designed by Fazio. Pelican wishes their courses were in the condition of Rams Hill. Excellent fairways, nice bunkers and excellent greens that run true.

I have played a lot of courses, including Bandon (s) , Spyglass, Whistling Straits, LACC - and although i wouldn't put it in that league it is by far the best conditioned course in Southern California and a great layout. I would place it more like Quintero or Troon North in Scottsdale.

This review is compared to some really nice places I have played so realize my criteria is fairly high. I have played places like Bonita Bay, Golf Club of Houston, Bay Harbor, etc. all of which are either PGA tournament courses or have PGA Pro's as members. During this trip I also played PGA West Tournament Course which while nice did not compare to Rams Hill in quality.

At the beginning the check-in was quick and painless and everyone was extremely nice. The bag staff was waiting upon our arrival because the gate phoned ahead to let them know we had arrived. We visited the small locker rooms which are very well maintained and it includes a shower for after the round. We did play a late round starting just after 2pm so the course was not crazy busy, however as a 2-some we did wait on a large group ahead. We still finished our round in just over 4 hours.

The course and green conditions were immaculate and the view fantastic. Someone is constantly repairing the ball marks as we all know the general public is lazy. Thus the greens rolled well, were cut well, and not filled with dead brown spots. The fairways always produced a great lie and the bunkers were well maintained and firm except near the edges which are fluffy; pretty much what you would expect from a tournament quality course. The driving range is not as nice as Bonita Bay but it does rank fairly high in quality. (See attached picture) They even give you Pro-V1x practice balls so no real complaints there. We realized later that even the putting green speed and variability was just like the course, so a good decision to utilize before the round.

The course is fairly forgiving. Fazio designed each hole lower than the surrounding hillside so most balls will stay contained and away from the desert if they are not total shanks or mishits. Many landing areas are generous with some holes short (driveable par 4) and others crazy long (470+ yard par4 uphill into the wind). There are also Short and long Par 3's and Par 5's. The variability produced by Fazio made for a very enjoyable playing experience. (I personally hate designers that have four Par 3's all around the same length. They are idiots IMHO)

After the round my wife and I had the Brioche handburgers with fries in the dining room while we watched The Master's on TV. The staff was very courteous and the food enjoyable. The prices were a little higher than our private club in Houston, but overall not anything that would warrant a complaint. The entire time we felt relaxed, having fun, and good views from the table.

Overall my wife and I loved the experience and if we are ever back in the Palm Springs Desert again we will surely play again.

One last comment for any women players. The Red tee's are less than 5000 yards. That is probably fine for most amature women that can't hit a drive more than 100-150 yards. However, my wife can play and her drive is 220+. She found the course fun but a bit short. She shot an 80 that day. The course slope and rating produces an index above an 8 since it is too easy at that yardage. The next set of tees are about 5800 yards but not rated for women. Fazio has a tendency to ignore women players in his designs and tee box placement sadly. A combo tees with a yardage around 5400-5600 would be nice, or at minimum rate the next set of tees for women as well. Still, we fully enjoyed the overall experience and my wife agrees we would play there again if given the chance.