Canyon Crest Country Club in the suburbs of Riverside is respected as one of the best private golf clubs in Southern California’s Inland Empire.
The Canyon Crest course, which was designed by Olin Dutra and opened in 1968, plays to 6,584 yards and a par of 72 from the back tees, with a course rating of 71.4 and a slope of 124, with five sets of tees for players of all abilities.
Canyon Crest is located about an hour’s drive from Los Angeles and it’s about another 40 minutes to Palm Springs.
“It had been about 18 months since I last played there, so was looking forward to returning,” said one golfer who posted a review about Canyon Crest. “The course was in very nice overall condition, and I thought the greens were excellent. It was much faster than I remembered, with more movement than I recall.
“The staff is fantastic. They seem to make every effort to make your golf experience positive. We had the third time off at 7:24. We played in 3:20, which isn’t great, but not too bad. I enjoyed the course and have to make a point of getting out here more often.”
Said another golfer who played Canyon Crest for the first time: “I played in a tournament and l liked the course a lot. I would play again. It’s much better than average for a course in that area.”
The elegant yet comfortable clubhouse has panoramic views of the surrounding desert mountains, tropical palms, pines and eucalyptus trees, the lake with its 50-foot fountain, and the lush greenery of the fairways.
You can play Canyon Crest, a private non-equity golf course with a “Accompanied By Member” guest policy, if you know someone who belongs to the club. Canyon Crest is a privately owned establishment and the course contact is General Manager Travis Cho.
“It’s a very good course but it can be very challenging, but also a fun time for the beginning golfer or the pro,” Cho said. “There are not too many flat areas where we are located and the course is a little bit hilly.”
“It’s a very good test because there are a lot of variations to both the fairways and greens. You don’t really get the same thing twice. And there is a creek that runs through the course, coming into play on six of the holes.”
Cho said the par-4, 448-yard 12th is one of the best holes at Canyon Crest, featuring several bunkers and a heavily wooded area down the right side, with the creek coming into play for long tee shots, while the par-3, 190-yard fourth is the signature hole featuring a tee shot that must cross the lake with a fountain in the middle. Another hole Cho singled out was No. 17, a 366-yard par-4 from an elevated tee, with a fairway that bends to the left, making it a blind tee shot down the hill.
Canyon Crest also considers itself the premier wedding venue in Riverside. It is a beautiful locale where guests enjoy ultimate cuisine, service and atmosphere. The Canyon Crest private events director is available to help you plan the ideal Riverside wedding with menu selection, entertainment, audiovisual availability and other features.
If you are a serious golfer who knows someone who is a member, or you have a chance to compete in a tournament at Canyon Crest, this is a course you definitely want to play. For more information go to www.canyoncrestcc.com.
