Tucked in the hills of Brea near Carbon Canyon Regional Park is the newest golf adventure in the panoply of Orange County courses.
Birch Hills Golf Club reopened May 29 after a four-year hiatus and redesign led by noted Newport Beach course architect Casey O’Callaghan.
“Every tee, sand bunker complex and green was reconstructed,” O’Callaghan told Golf Course Architecture magazine. “There were significant routing changes to seven of the golf holes.”
The course is being leased by Imperial Golf LLC from Birch Kraemer LLC and will be managed by Billy Casper Golf. The redesign is part of the 120-acre La Floresta master-planned community, which stopped construction to allow for course improvements, soil remediation and to incorporate golf-view residences. A new irrigation system was also installed to improve water and energy efficiency, and the driving range, with grass and mat stations, was enlarged and lighted.
“We are ecstatic about the renovations at Birch Hills,” said Imperial Golf manager Matt Clabaugh. “Our commitment to the community is complemented by the Billy Casper Golf team working hard to reward golfers’ patience.”
Still ahead is the construction of a cart barn and a 2,500-square-foot clubhouse, restaurant and pro shop slated for completion early next year. For now, the course is walking only, with pull cart rentals available. Management hopes to offer electric carts by mid July, and at some point ownership of the property will be transferred to the City of Brea.
The par-59 executive course has a nice look, is enjoyable to play and is set up for quick rounds. Shortly after reopening, my playing partner and I went out on a weekday and putted out on No. 18 in less than three hours.
“The pace of play is good here, even on weekends,” said Jordon Peters, course general manager for Billy Casper Golf.
The course features 13 par-3s, the longest the 186-yard No. 17, and five par-4s. The longer holes are straightforward, with the 268-yard No. 16 a drivable green for big hitters. Water comes into play on three holes of the back nine. Green complexes are a mix of Bermuda and bentgrasses and offer a superb roll, and strategic bunkering in the fairways and by greens will get the attention of most players.
The other attention-getter is the 121-yard second hole. Hitting from an elevated tee to a tabletop green guarded by a deep bunker will test the short game skills of all levels. But here’s a tip from the starter: All putts break toward Imperial Highway.
At day’s end I didn’t make into the exclusive 59 club, but I did manage to finish a stroke below my age.
BY THE NUMBERS
3,120: Yards from the back tees
3,001: Yards from the middle tees
2,540: Yards from the forward tees
54.2, 82: Slope and rating from the tips of the par-59 layout
32: Number of fairway and greenside bunkers
26, 20: Number of grass and mat stations on the range
363: Yards from the back tees at the par-4 No. 4, the longest on the course
3: Number of holes where water can come into play – Nos. 13, 15 and 18
$27, $37: Standard green fees Monday-Thursday and weekends and holidays
$6: Cost to rent a pull cart
