Our Favorite Golf Course

The day of Doug's birthday we got to enjoy one of his favorite activities: Golf!  I like the game of golf but lack consistency and skill so go up and down in my interest in playing.  But we had the chance to play on one of favorite courses in the desert, Mission Lakes Country Club, so since it was Doug's birthday and all, as an act of love, I agreed to play!  We first came to know this course because my folks lived up here for 11 years when they first moved out to the desert.  It has remained at the top of our list of great places to enjoy a round of golf! We had a spectacularly beautiful day and in the end enjoyed every minute of being out.  We both played quite well with the exception of a few blow ups on a couple of holes and I was even putting for birdie twice and par a few times.  I ended up with one par on the 18th so finished strong!
The course is beautifully laid out and the views from almost every shot are dramatic.  Hole one is a tough par 5 that tests one's mettle right out of the tee box.  Doug birdied the hole and I had a bogey which was thrilling given that I can easily card a 10 ruining my round from the get go!  Hole 2 is a challenging par 3 over water and neither of got wet!  My favorite holes are 10, 11, and 12 which take you high above the course and along a ridge.  The entire housing complex and desert spreads out before you from the tee box on 11.Again, there are numerous ways to get in trouble by sailing the ball into the desert or simply being on the wrong side of the fairway, behind trees, in sand traps, etc.   11 was a disaster for me as I could not make a good second shot to get down to the green.  12 is a tough par 3 where you tee off from a hilltop and send the ball down to a green at the foot of the hill.  The club needed varies greatly depending on the wind.  It was still as could be yesterday so was a bonafide 140-150 yards down for me.  12 is my mom's favorite hole so as I stood on the tee with my 7 wood, I said to myself, "One time, for mom."  I smacked the ball and landed it square on the green!  A long birdie putt left me wanting and unfortunately I ended up with a 4!  It was still thrilling to land it on the green and not send it out into the desert!
The final hole is framed by palm trees and the gorgeous peaks of San Gorgonio rise up in front of you.   I smacked my tee shot, hit a good approach and made two putts for par!  That's what keeps you coming back...one good hole in golf convinces you that you do have what it takes and the next time around you just know you'll hit the ball like that all the time!