AN OLDIE BUT GOODIE RIO HONDO GETS WELCOME FACE-LIFT.Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer DOWNEY - It's been called the best-kept secret in Los Angeles-area golf - a description not likely to last long considering the beauty, playability and affordability of this new-look, open-to-the-public facility. Rio Hondo Rio Hondo may refer to:
adj. 1. Impeccably clean; spotless. See Synonyms at clean. 2. Free from stain or blemish; pure. 3. Free from fault or error: an immaculate record. 4. contoured layout that plays to 6,360 yards and a par of 36-35-71, is no newcomer to the game, having opened in 1927. But the current Rio Hondo is a far cry from what it played for the first 67 years of its existence. A year-long shutdown shut·down n. A cessation of operations or activity, as at a factory. shutdown Noun the closing of a factory, shop, or other business Verb shut down in 1994 brought about a complete overhaul that left it one of the nicest mid-priced municipal courses in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, , replete re·plete adj. 1. Abundantly supplied; abounding: a stream replete with trout; an apartment replete with Empire furniture. 2. Filled to satiation; gorged. 3. with four lakes Four Lakes, chain of canalized lakes in S Wis.: Waubesa, Kegonsa, Mendota, and Monona. Between the last two lies Madison, the state capital. Largest of the four is Mendota, c.6 mi (9.7 km) long, on which the Univ. of Wisconsin campus is located. , an abundance of flowers and plenty of reward for well-considered, well-executed shotmaking. ``It was a wall-to-wall redesign,'' Rio Hondo head professional Steve LaBarge said of changes made by course architect Gerald Pirkl. ``We incorporated a lot of mounding and lakes. Before, it was a typical muni muni See municipal bond. golf course, flat as you could get it. You could just roll a ball down the fairway.'' You still can, thanks to Rio Hondo's Bermuda fairways that reward golfers of all levels with increased distance. But that length comes at a price, should one of those rolls wind up in the two-inch rough that is the No. 1 defense against low scores on this course. Fairway-shaping mounds add definition and character to the course while forming another scoring defense, as do dozens of old-growth trees and the lakes that come into play on nine holes. Avoid trouble and the reward is large but smooth-rolling greens. ``We wanted to upgrade it and turn it into a medium-priced, upscale, daily-fee course,'' La Barge said. Pirkl and the course management accomplished that nicely, as Rio Hondo's rates ($35 daily, $46 weekends - both walking on a course that can be walked easily) and quality of playing conditions combine for a bargain. Variety is one of the real pluses of the layout, which offers short and long par-4s, testing par-3s, par-5s that are reachable with risk, and some level of dogleg dog·leg n. 1. a. Something that has a sharp bend, especially a road or route that bends abruptly. b. A sharp bend or turn: Make a dogleg at the fire station and continue south. on eight holes. Best holes? There are plenty from which to choose, but LaBarge cites Nos. 9 and 14. The ninth, a 416-yard, dogleg-left par-4, is flanked by leftside water after the dogleg. The 204-yard 14th is one of five strong par-3 holes on the course, this one calling for length and accuracy from an elevated tee to a green half-fronted by a lake. Rio Hondo's other par-3s stretch 165 yards, almost all over water on No. 7; 232 yards with right-side water on No. 8; 194 yards to a huge green on No. 10, and a deceptive 154 yards on No. 17. Large trees and that troublesome rough make each of the first three holes difficult to par if any shot leaves the fairway. The green on the par-5 11th sits opposite a lake that also threatens any approach shot hit long on the short but risky, 321-yard par-4 16th. Rio Hondo gets your attention early - with the No. 1-handicap, 418-yard, par-4 opening hole - and late, with the 428-yard, par-4 18th that is the No. 2 handicap hole on course. In between, the course gets your notice as much for the care it gets from superintendent John Rodriguez
John Rodriguez and his crew as for the combination of scoring difficulty and opportunity offered on this public gem. EXCURSION excursion /ex·cur·sion/ (eks-kur´zhun) a range of movement regularly repeated in performance of a function, e.g., excursion of the jaws in mastication. Destination: Downey Course: Rio Hondo Country Club Vital stats: Back tees - 6,360 yards, par 71, rating 70.5, slope 122; Forward tees - 5,103 yards, par 71, rating 69.4, slope 117 Rates: Weekdays - $35 ($46 w/cart); Weekends - $45 ($56 w/cart); Twilight (after 3 p.m.) - Weekdays $20 ($28 w/cart); Weekends $25 ($33 w/cart) Head professional: Steve LaBarge Phone: 562-927-2329 Notable: Refurbished Rio Hondo has been an annual qualifying site for the SCGA SCGA Southern California Golf Association SCGA Software Carrier Group Alarm Amateur Net Championship. CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: This lake threatens any shot hit long to the green (rear) of the 321-yard, par-4 16th hole at Rio Hondo Golf Club in Downey. Chan Bush/Special to the Daily News Box: EXCURSION (see text) |
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