Like the Phoenix, Rams Hill rises from the Southern California desert with a brand new version of the original Fazio masterpiece. This is truly the most dramatic setting and design we have seen all year! That’s why we are proud to designate Rams Hill as our “Best New Course in America!”
T2 = Terroir and Tom Fazio
The French believe it’s the Terroir, or earth, that makes a wine not good, but great. Terroir embodies geology, geography, topography, climate and soil characteristics. Rarely do they all come together. But when they do, the Terroir yields exceptional results.
With the help of great Terroir, golf architect extraordinaire Tom Fazio sculpted a masterpiece out of a desert hillside in Borrego Springs, California. Nestled in the center of the immense Anza Borrego State Park, the course exudes a unique and unrivaled sense of serenity.
The gently sloping terrain provides exciting elevation change to make each hole distinctly different: not too steep, and not too flat. The mountains make a postcard-perfect backdrop for greens surrounded by white sand bunkers and crystal blue lakes.
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“Blessed with an exceptional desert hillside and encircled by mountains, Tom Fazio lent his genius to the creation of an exceptional golfing experience in an unmatched serene and tranquil environment.”
– Bill Berkley, Co-Owner, CEO
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Two words: Tom Fazio. Need we say more?
You’ll know immediately Rams Hill is a Fazio golf course. Some people believe nothing grows in the desert. Tell that to Tom Fazio; he said, “It’s one of the most amazing pieces of land I’ve ever seen for a golf course.” With five sets of tees, the course plays to just over 7,200 yards. Something really unique for a desert course is the incredible height variations and the elevation changes – that and gorgeous water features like gurgling streams, waterfalls and lakes.
Thanks, Mr. Fazio!
Stand-out holes
It’s a hard task indeed to choose any highlights from this course as each hole is a viable candidate but here we go….
The 5th hole is a challenging, par 3 of 206 yards from the black tees that is protected by a lake on the left and enhanced by a breathtaking, steep mountain backdrop that hovers over the green. The late afternoon shadows highlight the menacing mountain cliffs and make this one of the most beautiful holes on the course. Only the most courageous golfer will go for the left pin placement protected by deep bunkers that fall away to a tranquil, yet threatening lake.
The Par 3, 9th at 151 yards from the black tees is a welcome relief after the 498 yard, par 4, 8th hole that rightfully deserves its number one handicap. The 9th hole is one of the easiest, a classic, short, downhill par 3, but the green is extremely long and narrow with yawning bunkers. Again, the backdrop reveals the immense desert on the horizon, and spectacular mountain views. The wind can make your club selection extremely difficult, and if your shot is too long, or too short, you will be faced with an extremely long putt with perplexing breaks.
This beautiful 556 yard, par 5, 11th is a classic risk/reward hole with a dynamic desert view. Not the longest of par 5’s, it can be reached in 2 because it is downhill and sometimes down wind. The tee shot must be placed between the large fairway bunker on the right and the water feature that runs the entire left hand side.
A well placed lay up still leaves a demanding pitch to a beautiful peninsula green.
A classic, short par 4, the 17th at 331 yards is for some drivable, although the multitude of fairway bunkers make cautious players choose a more prudent path. As pictured on the Rams Hill scorecard, this gorgeous hole is bunkered on both sides, but does have a sizable fairway on the right for those wishing to play it safe. Like most of the holes, the view of the mountains behind the green makes the second shot special. This mountain backdrop is especially breathtaking in the late afternoon when the mountains crevices and cliffs are highlighted by the setting sun. The long, narrow, and undulating green puts a premium on putting.
The par 5, 18th hole, at 577 yards features a downhill tee shot to a wide fairway that slopes to a large lake on the right. Bunkers and a waterfall that cascades into the lake protect the green. There’s a slightly uphill 3rd shot to a well-designed par 5 green. This is classic Fazio finishing hole on a breathtaking Fazio golf course. Its beauty is only exceeded by its tranquility and serenity. There is no highway whining tire noise or a cacophony of sirens, only silence, occasionally punctuated by a coyote’s howl, or a red tail hawk’s distinctive screech. This is not a contrived course. It is blessed with great Terroir, which enabled Fazio to create an unsurpassed masterpiece in the middle of the Anza Borrego State Park.
The 19th hole is the perfect place to reflect on an extraordinary day and enjoy the incredible views of 18th green, the waterfalls, and fabulous mountains vistas. As the day fades into night, you’ll see the stars like never before from your own cozy, outdoor private dining area carved out of a hillside.
The clubhouse is the crowning jewel of Rams Hill Golf Club
The 20,000 square foot clubhouse of Rams Hill Golf Club sits high on a hill overlooking a four-acre lake, the driving range and with mountain views all around. Don’t miss the setting sunlight as it slowly creeps across the desert floor, climbs up the distant mountain and disappears.
Play it while you can!
Unlike many of the world’s best courses Rams Hill is one you can actually play. Although long-term plans are to take the club private, right now you can tee it up with some great stay-and-play packages!
Eat where the locals eat
There’s an adage in the restaurant business; if you want the best food, eat where the locals eat. That adage is proved true at Rams Hill, where you can enjoy casual-to-elegant dining prepared by Chef de Cuisine Matt Day and served by a dedicated hospitality staff.
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“Dined at the clubhouse last night for the first time since the re-opening. The food and service were superb and the wine list had over 300 selections. We had chicken fettuccini with homemade pasta, a pork chop with a sweet Balsamic glaze, fig flatbread and Shrimp Risotto in with a creamy Parmesan risotto. Best I have ever had.”
– Pat M
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Nearby La Casa del Zorro Hotel and Spa means a full range of housing, dining and entertainment options
La Casa del Zorro, a treasured Southern California retreat, has been carefully restored to capture the elegance and style visitors first enjoyed in 1937.
Experience the romance of a bygone era, with a superior level of service and the quiet, understated luxury of a classic resort. Be a part of the new and old traditions of authentic hospitality, serenity and solitude. La Casa del Zorro is San Diego County’s most celebrated and luxurious desert resort, just 90 miles northeast of downtown San Diego and a three-hour drive from Los Angeles. Borrego Springs Airport is only five minutes away, with complimentary transportation available.
If you love it and can’t leave it, move in!
Gated Community of Rams Hill.
With sunshine year around and average winter daytime temperatures in the low 70’s, Rams Hill is the ideal second- or third-home community offering over 1,200 home lots of luxury villas, private estates, attached residences and single-family homes.
Behind the gates at Rams Hill (in five HOA communities) are approximately 350 homes ranging from nicely appointed condos to breathtaking estate residences on majestic view parcels.
Grass
- Tees: Bermudagrass/Winter Rye Grass
- Fairways: Bermudagrass/Winter Rye Grass
- Greens: Bentgrass – the incredible desert light spectrum make these Bent greens the best you’ve ever putted.
| Tees | Yards | Rating | Slope |
| Black | 7,247 | 75.1 | 141 |
| Gold | 6,856 | 73.3 | 137 |
| Blue | 6,394 | 71.0 | 131 |
| White (M) | 5,842 | 68.3 | 125 |
| White (W) | ??? | 73.9 | 130 |
| Red | 5,064 | 69.5 | 119 |
Pool
- The Rams Hill Racquet and Swim Club’s heated pool is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Exercise Room
- Adjacent to the pool, you’ll find our exercise room
- Equipped with elliptical machines, treadmill, recumbent bike, stair climber, leg lift machines and other resistance equipment to keep you in tip-top condition.
Tennis courts
- Four Har-True® courts.
- Play from sunup to sundown
A stone’s throw from the hubbub and traffic of SoCal, you’ll find smalltown charm of Borrego Springs.
This is San Diego County’s only desert community — the nearest stoplight is 50 miles away!
The village of Borrego Springs is uniquely surrounded and protected by the amazing 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. There are no big box or chain stores. The slower, uncomplicated pace, the scenic beauty and the human scale of Borrego combine to produce a rustic, authentic desert experience.
The drive here is gorgeous – and therapeutic!
You’ll practically feel your blood pressure decrease, the furrow in your brow relax, as you drive away from the rat race and close in on the relaxed, slower pace of the area.
Still waiting for that first stoplight …
With a population of 3,429 (2010 census), many residents are seasonal, while others remain year-round. There are two shopping malls, several restaurants, accommodations of every kind and unique shops.
Nighttime lighting is kept to a minimum to protect the extraordinary magnificence of the starlit sky.
Borrego Springs is California’s first “Dark Sky Community”
As the Chamber of Commerce says, “Put yourself in our place!tm”
Farmer’s Market
Friday, 8 a.m. – Noon (Nov – April)
Don’t be fooled by the desert climate, Borrego Springs is home to some of the best produce in Southern California. Products available include flowers, fruit, vegetables and fresh bread. Yet, while the farmer’s market offers a plethora of healthy fruits and vegetables, dessert is not forgotten. This event is also famous for homemade fudge.
Dining in the area runs the gamut. What are you hungry for?
What are you in the mood for? They’ve got it! Choose from Mexican, Italian, burgers and, of course, California cuisine. Save room for a candied apple or some world-famous Big Horn Fudge! See it all at http://www.borregospringschamber.com/dining.html
Anza Borrego State Park – http://www.abdsp.org/
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park® preserves the unique and diverse natural, cultural and scenic resources of this Western Colorado Desert Region and provides opportunities for high-quality recreation that supports a healthy natural environment.
This desert park environment nurtures peaceful solitude, astronomical clarity, amazing forms of life, glimpses of the past, and a tremendous scope for the imagination.
Hotels in the area
There are many hotels in the area to choose from.
Some say life is better in the desert — not only a place to get away from it all, but a place to get closer.
As soon as you drive into town, the stress rolls off your shoulders. Nature takes over and you forget the cares of the world. There’s enough going on out here to keep you comfortable, to keep you interested, to keep you passionate
All this – just an hour and a half from San Diego, an hour from Palm Desert.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, this video is going to blow your mind! See Rams Hill Golf Course in all of its stunning brilliance! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmBUSYi915o
Rams Hill Golf Club
“The Best New Course in the America”
http://ramshillgolf.com
1881 Rams Hill Road
Borrego Springs, Ca. 92004
760-767-3500
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