There’s nothing like ushering in a new year teeing it up at a golf course you’ve never before played.
One of my golf buddies, Mike Balliet, a sweet-swinging 12 handicap, suggested we play Ben Brown’s Golf Course at The Ranch at Laguna Beach, a picturesque nine-hole layout along Aliso Creek that is nestled between canyon walls off Pacific Coast Highway’s beaten path, a destination golf course with as much natural splendor as you’ll find in Orange County.
Ben Brown’s public executive course features 2,221 yards of golf from the longest tees with a par 32. The golf course is in excellent condition and the speedy greens are as pristine as any country club in America.
A challenging course, Ben Brown’s Golf Course is carved amongst dramatic and lush canyon walls, creating an ultra-private playing experience with great views and elevation changes on every fairway.
It features complementary valet parking, a pro shop, a spacious patio with comfortable couches and heaters, a high-end restaurant, an upscale “snack bar” above the 9th green and an organic garden to fill produce orders at the dining establishments. There are resort-style rooms and other amenities for overnight guests.
As Balliet and I arrived at the first tee, we were greeted by a father and son from the Chicago area to form our foursome. We used hand carts because the recent rain caused some wet and muddy terrain, and electric golf carts were not available to rent.
Ben Brown’s includes five par-4s and four par-3s, and many of the holes crisscross along Aliso Creek. The customer friendly layout features a couple of holes in which you can break out your driver, along with stunning landscape throughout the course.
“I like hole No. 1 (a 300-yard par-4 from the longest tees) with the elevated tee and view of the valley,” Balliet said. “The holes are all challenging, despite the ‘executive’ nature of the layout. There are more par-4s than typical (9-hole golf courses) and some of the best scenery in Orange County as a backdrop.”
Among the most noteworthy 9-hole golf courses in California is Northwood Golf Club in Monte Rio, set amidst towering Redwood trees and along the Russian River in the heart of Northern California’s wine country. Balliet has played Northwood several times and considers it a “spiritual” experience when teeing it up.
As for Ben Brown’s, there is no shortage of tranquil feelings in the middle of the canyons, filled with green surroundings. Whether you’re a 12 handicap, scratch golfer or beginner, it is an inspiring and demanding course and, surprisingly, has been around since 1950. Gary Roger Baird is the course designer.
My favorite holes were Nos. 7 and 9, both allowing a golfer to use a driver off the tee. The 298-yard, par-4 No. 7 requires a tee shot over a creek-crossing bridge, with a friendly embankment along the right side of the fairway, perfect for hacks.
The 274-yard, par-4 finishing hole calls for a straight tee shot, although the fairway opens up for errant shots. The 9th green is tucked with a bowl-shaped fringe as stray approach shots might roll into more favorable putting territory.
Each golfer was charged $44 (along with $7 for a hand cart) to play the daily fee course. Customer service was exceptional.
On occasion the club hosts a three-clubs barefoot tournament for novices, families and avid golfers alike.
The course contact is Ryan Sheffer, director of golf.
Richard Dunn, a longtime sportswriter, writes the Dunn Deal column regularly for The Orange County Register’s weekly, The Coastal Current North.