Lake Havasu Golf Club – West Course
Today’s round at Lake Havasu Golf Club to describe in one word was marvelous. No, hold on, fantastic. Let’s see I use that one too much, let’s go with extraordinary. If you want to use all three together, then you’ll know we had a really great day playing the West Course.
As you wait to tee off on the 10th you can watch golfers practice or bet on if they’ll miss.
or you can watch the swingers on the range!
It started out as a basic repeat of yesterday with friendly folks milling about the range, the practice putting green and the holding area you line your cart in prior to teeing off.
Again there was two welcoming faces to greet you at the pro shop counter except this time it was Natalie and Jessica equally as accommodating as Chris and Matt yesterday but with that nice female slant. You get the picture, I’m a guy.
From an elevated position looking down the fairway on the Par 4 opening hole.
After a brief warm up it was Mr. Bob Horn again in the role of starter and we had a little more time to get to know this very kind and gracious gentleman who deserves a second mention.
He apologized that we were having to play on our own again but it didn’t mean for us personally that we wouldn’t have an enjoyable game.
Once at your ball, this is the great view down to the 1st green.
Standing on the elevated tee of the first hole it was obvious that for now the West Course was the flagship course of the two layouts. The fairways were a nice deep green color and much more lush to look at and as we found out to hit from.
The first of 3 solid Par 5’s, the 4th hole from well out.
We got off to a great start with more than a few onlookers as it is a busy course. I couldn’t help over hearing one old boy say “Hey, that guy’s teeing off the back tee”. I wondered if he was upset by that or just amazed cause none of his buddies played from back there. Anyways it made me smile and also made me bear down knowing I didn’t want to top it and have them think “Nice shot numbskull”.
With a small cement pond to the left, this tasty downhill Par 3 is teasingly fun.
As I settled over my second shot, which by the way was in the middle of the fairway, 2 fellows appeared on a cart and told us they had been instructed to join us. They bounded out of their cart hands extended and in a matter of moments our twosome doubled to a foursome and we now had Tom and Rich to enjoy the day with. It turned out to be the cherry on top, as they were a couple of great guys and very complimentary of our games as we were of theirs.
Your approach shot up the hole on the 9th, aim at “Old Glory” if you like.
It also assisted me in writing this review as unlike yesterday, we now had someone in Tom who knew the back story of the course very well. His knowledge and friendly disposition was a real treat especially for Myra as he was like a one man cheerleading squad, bellowing out “Great shot Myra” every time she cracked another crisply hit shot.
Rich, hailing from Alaska, was an interesting man and his background and experience in air attack forest firefighting hit home with me. I grew up in the central interior of British Columbia an area constantly challenged by intense summer fires.
Tom pointed out numerous improvements the new ownership group had implemented since taking over in 2017 which included installation of new concrete paths, removal of trees that suffered from dry rot and huge areas that he said that were just brown and dead which were now full of lush, green fairway turf.
Myra felt that the West Course was reminiscent of many of the higher end courses we had played and reviewed previously in Palm Springs, CA. It was more and more apparent that this new ownership group was going to revitalize the West Course, the longer of the two layouts and also with all due respect the more challenging and scenic. It is a very tactical move as it should instill confidence in golfers that when they concentrate on improving the East Course, the club will have 2 courses that are maintained to an excellent level.
The 10th a par 4 that will leave you awestruck
Once you have negotiated your drive down to the flat area of the fairway, pick a pond -any pond.
Tom pointed out something as simple, but critical as a set of new stairs descending from the path near 12 tee downward to the 11thgreen.
There were numerous blue water concrete ponds and large boulders positioned on the course and like the East the greens configurations were not overly undulated, but most had a certain degree of slope or grade. We all putted well as they rolled ever so nicely.
Enjoy the beautiful framing of this Par 4 dogleg hole 13.
All of the Par 3’s were very stimulating to the eye and rewarding to par. The style of many of the Par 4’s was doglegs where the bend was the distance of a solid drive so an approach shot could be made unimpeded.
The Par 4 6th is a monster at 467 yards. The downhill Par 4 10thwith a rock quarry on the right center of the fairway and 3 greenside ponds is quite possibly the best hole on the entire 36 holes of golf at Lake Havasu Golf Club. For Myra and me to both par it was one heck of an accomplishment.
Number 17 might look easy but there’s a pond that sneaks up in front of the green so get it there.
We were in short sleeves most of the day and it was a very rewarding experience. So much so that when we said goodbye to the fellas, we suggested a repeat next year at the same course around the same date.
I went in and thanked Natalie and both Chris and Matt appeared which allowed me to share with all of them at the counter how impressive the course was and how much we enjoyed every aspect of the day.
Looking back down past the green to the 18th fairway. Lake Havasu in the distance.
My main point of contact was Alana Schmeling, Marketing and Membership Director and Chris introduced me to her as I was leaving. After sharing pleasantries, she further explained to me that the new ownership group were local businessman and that they had poured hundreds of thousands into the course. As Myra was waiting in the car, she insisted on walking to the parking lot with me to meet her. Myra was thrilled to meet Alana and in her own humble way Myra let her know this would be a memorable day for more than one reason, 51 + 47 = 98 was Myra’s personal best.
Alana exuded a bubbly, but confident personality and an honesty about her that is key to her role in not only marketing the course but recruiting members. She sent us away with a wave and smile, even more reason for us to return next year.
