Skip to content
The second hole on the Ike course at Industry Hills shows some of the cool features on the property that has 36 holes and a resort.
The second hole on the Ike course at Industry Hills shows some of the cool features on the property that has 36 holes and a resort.
Randy Youngman Staff columnist mug for The Orange County Register

The Southern California Section of the PGA of America found a new home several months ago: Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms Resort.

“It’s pretty prestigious to be the home site of the SCPGA,” said Dave Youpa, the longtime PGA director of golf at Industry Hills, a 36-hole facility featuring the Dwight Eisenhower Course (Ike) and the Babe Zaharias Course (Babe).

The William F. Bell-designed layouts, which opened in 1979 and were renovated by Casey O’Callaghan during a $25 million upgrade completed in 2009, are the centerpieces of a 650-acre resort in the City of Industry that includes a hotel tower with several restaurants, a spa and fitness center.

“We were probably the obvious choice to be the SCPGA home site,” said Youpa, the 2004 SCPGA Golf Professional of the Year who celebrated his 25th work anniversary at the resort last month. “We have two courses, a hotel and are centrally located near Los Angeles. This is a partnership that works well for both parties.”

Tom Addis III, executive director and CEO of the SCPGA, echoed those sentiments on behalf of the Southern California Section, which is comprised of more than 1,700 golf professionals working at more than 500 facilities in the region.

“We are pleased and excited to partner with Industry Hills as the official home of the Southern California PGA and conduct a number of events at the resort,” Addis said in an email. “Dave and the entire staff have long been one of the most interested and efficient (conducting) tournaments and events, and they are a leader in customer service and welcoming of our PGA professionals. … The two golf courses, the Babe and the Ike, are beautiful and well conditioned … as well as providing fair and challenging layouts for our tournaments and championships. Along with its central location, between Interstate 10 and 60, and the accessibility for our professionals … Industry Hills is a good fit and a great partner for the SCPGA.”

The SCPGA previously partnered with Morongo Resort’s Tukwet Canyon Course in Beaumont, which opened in 2000 as the 36-hole PGA of Southern California Golf Club and was owned and operated by the SCPGA, as well as housing its offices, until it was sold for the first time in 2008.

Since opening to the public, the Ike and Babe courses have established themselves as quality venues for tournament play at all levels, professional and amateur. The LPGA has staged three tournaments at Industry Hills: Sally Little won the Olympia Gold Classic in 1981 and 1982 and Sandra Gal won the 2011 Kia Classic. The PGA Tour’s Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club has held annual qualifying tournaments at Industry Hills, and last year the Champions Tour’s Toshiba Classic had a pre-qualifying tournament there. In May, the men’s U.S. Open and the U.S. Women’s Open had local qualifying events on the Eisenhower layout.

After O’Callaghan’s renovation made both courses more playable for average golfers (there’s now less vegetation in wooded areas, fewer trees, new fairway turf, reconstructed greens and bunkers and a new irrigation system), Industry Hills has become one of the busiest venues in Southern California for charity tournaments and corporate events.

“We have lots and lots of tournaments on both courses – for charity, corporate outings, high school and college events, USGA qualifiers, SCGA championships, SCPGA events for our members, AJGA and SCPGA junior tournaments; you name it,” Youpa said. “We usually have two (tournament) shotgun starts a day. Between the two courses, we do about 90,000 rounds a year. We are very busy.”

Both courses also are known for consistency in maintenance and playing conditions, which were confirmed last month while playing the tracks back-to-back in just over eight hours. Pace of play is a point of emphasis, with regular feedback on your progress – or lack thereof – being relayed to you on the cart GPS.

The Eisenhower Course (par 72), named after our 34th president and a devoted golfer, stretches from 5,710 yards to 7,211 yards and has a course rating of 74.8 and a slope of 140 from the tips. Its distinguishing features include long and wide fairways bordered by towering sycamore trees, plenty of elevation changes and large and undulating greens. (Suffice to say, any 2-putt is an accomplishment.)

The Ike also offers plenty of spectacular views of the San Gabriel Valley and nearby San Gabriel Mountains. Hole No. 2 (366 yards, par-4) is dramatically downhill, with water fronting the green, and arguably the course’s signature hole. The fourth hole (451 yards, par-4) features views for miles from the elevated tee box, and Nos. 7 (469 yards, par-4) and 8 (443 yards, par-4) are the two most challenging holes on the front nine. The 12th hole (451 yards, par-4) plays steeply uphill – a common feature on the Ike – and plays more like a par-5. Then there’s the 627-yard, par-5 18th that stretches to 652 yards from the tips. Good luck.

The Zaharias Course (par 71), named after Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias and arguably the greatest woman athlete in history, stretches from 5,333 yards to 6,826 yards and has a course rating of 73.4 and a slope of 135 from the tips. Compared to the Ike, the Babe is shorter, tighter, more resort-friendly and requires more thought about club selection off the tee to plot your way around the course.

You might not need your driver on the Babe until No. 6 (555 yards, par-5), but then keep it out for No. 7 (241 yards, par-3; 300 yards from the back tee!) and No. 8 (413 yards, par-4), a dogleg-right that plays uphill to a multi-tiered green. There are three par-3s on the back (Nos. 13-14 and No. 17) that are scenic and fun.

Both courses at Industry Hills are a good walk relished. No wonder the SCPGA decided to move in.

BY THE NUMBERS

$25 million: Cost of upgrade at both courses and clubhouse during $60 million resort renovation

90,000: Combined number of rounds annually on both courses

64: Number of hitting stalls on a bi-level, lighted driving range

140/74.8: Slope and course rating on Ike from the 7,211-yard back tees

135/73.4: Slope and course rating on Babe from the 6,826-yard back tees

2010: Year Industry Hills was selected National Golf Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association

$85: Weekday green fees (Ike) for non-members, Tuesday-Friday; $60 on Monday and $110 on weekends

$64: Weekday green fees (Babe) for non-members, Tuesday-Friday; $60 on Monday and $84 on weekends

652: Length, in yards, of Ike’s par-5 18th hole

300: Length, in yards, of Babe’s No. 7, the longest par-3 in Southern California

71: Ike course record, set by Fred Couples, until renovations made course more playable. Now it’s 66 by Ryan Carter.