Landmark: Home of the Skins Game

Hold On To Your Hats! Desert Golf The Other Side of the I-10 Is Spectacular

By Eric Tracy
erictracy@earthlink.net

I've been playing golf in the Southern California desert for 20-years, from Palm Springs to La Quinta. My car knows the way. Once into the Coachella Valley I'd exit the I-10 and no matter where I was playing I'd turn south because that's where everything is. Not anymore. If you want to play Landmark in Indio you'll exit and turn north. Wait until you see the desert views from this side of the highway from almost all of the 36 holes of championship golf built by the same folks who operate Lost Canyons in Simi Valley and Oak Quarry in Riverside. Oh yea, and the Landmark Golf Club in Indio is where 4 of the best golfers in the world meet every year at Thanksgiving for a friendly game of skins.

WARMING UP:

OK, I’ll be Tiger Woods, you can be Colin Montgomery. Nahhh, nobody wants to be Colin Montgomery. Ok, you be Greg Norman or Jesper Parnevik as these are the four in the Skins Game we’ll watch Thanksgiving weekend? Landmark is the outdoor desert TV studio they’ll play on and there’s evidence of it all over the course and clubhouse. A huge display case of trophies and autographed caps and flags greets everyone as they enter the massive dining room and Pro Shop, and whether or not you even understand how a Skins game is played – they do play it with real money on TV, just not their own – playing Landmark will give you an idea what it’s like to rise to the challenge and compete on a different level.

MY FAVORITE HOLES:

There are 36-lush green holes carved out of the desert here, the South Course and the North Course. We only played the North…this time, (and you can bet we'll go back):

• No. 3, 363 yard, par 4 (17 handicap). It's called "Postage Stamp" because of the small target, but honestly, as you stand on the elevated tees trying to keep your nose from bleeding, it almost looks like a par 2 with the wind at your back. If you can clear the left bunker that's 270 away, blast away. (Photo note: Young Andy Hoffarth is thinking about "going for it!)
• No. 7, 156-yard, par 3 (15 handicap). If you're on the black tees, you'll understand why it's called "Peak-A-Boo,'' because you've got to loft it over the side of a mountain and plunk it down on the green without knowing the pin placement. Even if you've been playing the regular white tees to this point, you've got to at least try this one from the Pro tees in back. Do it blindfolded.
• Landmark's Trio of Trouble: No. 14, 334 yard, par 4 (16 handicap), No. 15, 183 yard par 3 (6 handicap) and No. 18, 563 yard, par 5 (14 handicap): What do these three have in common? One body of water protecting each green. (Photo note: When was the last time if ever you saw one lake with 3 three greens on it?) Former Louisiana Pro Johnny Pott, one of the Landmark principals, came up with this interesting idea) All 3 holes also happen to be in full view of the clubhouse where patrons can sit back in the nice warm chairs behind the floor-to-ceiling windows and watch your every attempt to avoid the big blue. The most dangerous of the three is the 15th, nicknamed "Got Balls?" (Probably because you'll need a few of them off the tee.) These three are about as close as you may get to island golf, and even landing in a trap brings a sigh of relief. When they use the 15th for the Skins Game, the winner here also drives away with a Toyota. Hope if has a raft rack.

WILDLIFE ALERT:

Rattlers, hawks, lizards, scorpions ... you're in the desert, figure it out yourself.

COOL PERKS:

Every cart is complete with a built-in ice chest and a water cooler, which you shouldn't be without anywhere in these parts. And if you stop by the pro shop for a cigar, may I suggest the Mojave Suave? Just $12.

SUMMING IT UP:

As long as you know the wind-kill factor comes into play whenever you hit the ball above five feet, you won't frustrate yourself too much. There's a reason why all those wind-powered generators are on this side of the interstate. The mountains aren't going to block much over here, and that can make for some real challenging shot making. But no one said it was going to be easy. Heck, just try lighting a cigar on the back nine with a simple book of matches. And if you end up playing your own little skins game among your foursome and you're short on cash, there's an ATM machine handy in the clubhouse. Don't worry. Your playing partners will remind you of this when you're losing.

Eric Tracy

KFWB RADIO