JOURNEY RANKED 4th “BEST NEW COURSE YOU CAN PLAY” BY GOLF MAGAZINE
Most widely read golf publication praises Pechanga course as “unforgettable”
TEMECULA, Calif. (December 15, 2008) – The most widely read golfing publication,
GOLF Magazine, has just awarded Journey at Pechanga the 4th “Best New Course You
Can Play” in its newly-released January issue, available at newsstands. The ranking
includes all new courses in the USA.
The coveted ranking by the leading golf outlet is one of the first reviews of the
course since its official opening in November. The late opening in the year means
that the course will be rated in 2009 by other elite golf media.
GOLF Magazine’s course rater, Joe Passov, called Journey an “unforgettable romp
through Southern California’s wine country,” describing some signature holes and
concluding that if you are “looking for unparalleled variety with a splash of quirk,
your journey ends here.”
The award follows the November 2008 two-page overview piece in GOLF Magazine. Since
its opening, the course has received numerous accolades. Southland Golf called Journey
a “stunning venue” and a “memorable test of golf” with “amazing scenery.” (Aug.
’08)
As the latest amenity to the Four Diamond Pechanga Resort & Casino, Journey
is a world-class, 18-hole golf course, offering players of all abilities a Par 72,
championship design by award-winning architects Arthur Hills and Steve Forrest.
A Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Clubhouse, accentuated by the latest in high-end resort
amenities, completes the course with a luxurious facility.
Journey Touring Pro Corey Pavin has made headlines recently as well, being named
the 2010 USA Ryder Cup Team Captain, only the 26th American golfer to receive such
an honor since the founding of the matches in 1927.
At the November 13th invite-only grand opening ceremony, Pavin said it is an honor
to represent Journey and commented on the superior quality of the course and its
design.
“This is the kind of golf course I would have liked to build,” said Pavin. “I truly
believe it is one of the finest courses I have played.”
In addition, the Golf Channel has recently aired 'Birth of a Course' which chronicles
the creation and construction of Journey over a 2-year period. It is the first production
of this show format in over 10 years, since an Arnold Palmer course design was featured
in 1997. The special, hosted by the colorful Casey Bierer, and with segments featuring
Pavin, focuses closely on one of Journey’s most unique aspects: its rich cultural
foundation.
The native history of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians is deeply implanted in
every fertile yard of Journey at Pechanga. The name comes from the Luiseño
word pomniv, meaning “the path that was once traveled.” Each hole bears
a Luiseño name and the course hosts cultural exhibits that chronicle the history
of the Pechanga people including “kiicha” huts and other reminders of why the Tribe
considers the course “10,000 years in the making.”
Journey’slayout, which rises and falls some 300 feet in 18 holes, also takes full
advantage of the majestic scenery of the Temecula Valley, winding across the dry
wash of the Pechanga River, over rustic wooden bridges and offering spectacular
views of the canyons and ravines. One of the course’s signature holes is
the sixth, which plunges almost 200 feet from the back tees to the fairway.
GOLF Magazine’s Passov was struck by how the hole was driveable: “Yes, you read
that correctly, driveable,” he remarked.
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