By Terry Ross

For winter travelers in Southern California, the Inland Empire area boasts of one of the most scenic courses in the state at Oak Quarry in Riverside.

A great test of golf that was built in the old Jenson Rock Quarry just west of the 60 and 91 freeway exchange, Oak Quarry offers some spectacular scenery amid the sheer rock cliffs winding around this rural area of Riverside.  This par-72 golf course is not for the faint of heart.  Although very fair, it can be a stern test of your short game because of its tricky bent grass greens, but also demands accuracy off of the tee.

Built over an abandon rock quarry, the story behind this course is just as unique. Opened during World War I, the Jenson Quarry supplied limestone, marble and 88 various minerals for the construction of roads, large buildings and private residences throughout Southern California. Closed in 1979, the Jenson Quarry was eventually developed into what has become one of the more popular courses in the region since its opening in 2000.

PGA Tour star Dr. Gil Morgan and the design firm of Schmidt-Curley have produced a layout that has been called the “Yosemite of the Golf world.” Some of the elevations on the course as it winds through the old quarry amid walls of granite are spectacular and offer a variety of challenges. Those who play this course for the first time will find that strategy and club section on this course are crucial.  This isn’t a track that is easily overpowered even though six of the par fours are less than 400 yards playing from the blue tees and the first hole measures only 274 yards.  The key to scoring at Oak Quarry is finding the fairway off the tee and on many of the holes, using a fairway wood or iron is the smart play.

With the built in natural and man-made hazards strategically placed, the percentages on this course favor the player who is a shotmaker and picks the spots to the use the driver wisely.

Each hole, in honor of the history of the area, has been named after a mineral found in the old quarry with names like Microlite Ledge, Blotite Bluff and Opal Outcrop.  The signature 14th hole, “Spinal Slide,” a 214-yard par three that was created by blasting out a peninsular like green amid the walls of the quarry and bordered on the left by a lake that dates back to the mining days, has been rated as the best par three in Southern California—and one of the toughest.

Overall, Oak Quarry has been rated as the best golf course in the Inland Empire region by the Riverside Press-Enterprise.  The course offers four sets of tees, measuring 5,408 yards from the forward tees to 7002 from the back.  The blue tees at 6600 yards provide plenty of golf course, especially when the prevailing winds gear up in the afternoon and make club selection an event.  The regular tees at 6,028 also offer a lot of risk-reward opportunities, and can’t be taken lightly.

Oak Quarry also offers one of the better practice facilities around with a grass-station driving range, putting green, chipping and bunker practice areas.  One nice feature is that all of these areas are adjacent to the first tee and the starter’s station, making it convenient to warm-up and get on the course.

Easily accessible from Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside Counties, Oak Quarry is a course that won’t disappoint.