Luxury Golf: More than a Greens Fee

I spent a day with two of my girlfriends on the California Coast for a round of luxury – golf at the Pelican Hill Golf Resort in Newport Beach.   We knew the green fees were going to be over $200 and so our expectations of luxury were about to be surprisingly exceeded.  So, what does one get when paying $200 plus for 18 holes of golf?

The day began with a beautiful drive to the Tuscan styled clubhouse.  We were greeted by four impeccably groomed, uniformed, and fit young men who reminded us more of French waiters than club hounds; one of whom opened my car door and escorted me out, the other took our clubs.  There was the obligatory asking of the name and recording of it on a bag tag – standard procedure.  What was not standard was that every assistant we interacted with from the beginning of our round knew and used our full name. Value One:  Personalized Service.

The locker room is divided into four distinct areas, each beautifully decorated and well appointed.  The lounge area had several state of the art phones with video display, card tables copies of the Los Angeles Times, and book shelves lining the walls.  Each locker was solid wood with a key attached to a brass number plate making it easy to track our belongings.  There were wooden multipurpose hangers with nifty vents to avoid odor; benches were ample and square with several lovely shoe horns left for convenience and comfort.  The sink area is made of solid marble with fully automated faucets and an elegant shower facility.  The amenities included L’Occitaine lotions and soaps, individually wrapped Q-Tips and hair dryers. Value Two:  A Luxurious Locker Room.

The club’s Caffé II served espresso and lattes a selection of whole, non-fat milk and soy milk, gourmet breakfast and lunch sandwiches, muffins, and snacks. Value  Three:  Healthy and Delicious Refreshments.

The Pro Shop offered brand name and private label women’s fashions in all sizes at reasonable prices.  Balls, gloves, sunscreen and even fragrances were available for last minute supplies.  The dressing rooms were private and there was a nice seating area and flat panel TV.  Value Four:  Diverse Pro Shop.

The Golf Carts are state of the art with leather seats, ample room for beverages and treats,  two golf towels; an on-board ball washer,  ice chest with two bottles of private label water,  roomy compartment behind the seats and a yardage book that included yardages for all tee boxes.  Each cart was equipped with a convenient yardage gun to help select the right club. Value Five:  GREAT Golf Cart!

The Starter was polite and explained the cart path rules and the location of every ladies room on the course. The course layout and views were magnificent!  Most of the holes were situated to include a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean. In addition to forward (red) tees, there was another set of tees that eliminated all trouble for beginners and high handicappers.   All tee locations were challenging to their level and visually pleasing.  My girl friends and I had a relaxed, fun, and appropriately challenging time.  We were rewarded by our good shots and not overly punished by our misses. Value Six: A Spectacularly Beautiful, Challenging and Friendly Course

At the 19th Hole, The Pelican Grill could be considered a four star restaurant. There is a fabulous selection of wine and cocktails with a lovely menu.  Our meal was exceptional and I rate the Pelican Grill with other famous purveyors of California Cuisine. Value Seven:  A Rewarding 19th Hole

All in all, I rate our experience at Pelican Hill a 12 on a scale of 1 to 10.  In terms of woman friendliness, I give it the same high marks.  All women, regardless of skill will find this a superlative golf experience worthy of the green fee.