Green River Golf Course : Corona, CA

I enjoy playing courses with varying degrees of difficulty and cost, from the basic nine-hole inexpensive courses to the nicer courses boasting 36+ holes. Those who know me well know that I am ALWAYS one for a great deal, so the combination of a nice course at a great price is a true find. Many times however, we sacrifice quality in order to take advantage of good offers. One of the good deals in Southern California that I have found is at Green River Golf Course in Corona.

I’m sure all of you reading this have driven by or played Green River before. Located just off of the 91 freeway on your way from Orange to Riverside County, it’s hard to miss this 36-hole golf course. Green River is made up of two 18-hole courses appropriately named the Orange Course and the Riverside Course. The clubhouse is positioned in the middle of the two courses. The Orange Course is located on the Orange County side, and the Riverside Course is on the Riverside County side. The courses play pretty similarly with only slight variations.

The Orange Course tees off down the hill next to the riverbed adjacent to the 91 freeway. The first three holes are all located along the riverbed. They had some major damage done to the course a few years ago when part of the river ate away at the hillside swallowing up part of the fairway of holes one, two, and three. After some repair work and reinforcement, the holes are again playable although slightly altered.

The rest of the front nine holes wander through the many large trees on the golf course. A few times throughout the round you will play from elevated greens/tees as you make your way towards the clubhouse and parking lot. Water is occasionally present with slight doglegs factoring into a few holes. Wind is also a frequent factor on this course, especially in the evening due to the surrounding hillsides. Many of the holes are pretty straight forward with forgiving fairways. You’ll have to go out of your way to find the out-of-bounds on this course. The par 5s play decent lengths of 510, 489, 510, 480, and 500 yards. The par 3s vary in length from the 145 yard hole #2 to the lengthy 203 yard hole #12.

The Riverside course is probably my favorite of the two courses. The first hole is an immediate test of nerves as you tee off overlooking the valley below. As with the Orange Course, there is some room for errant tee shots, although not as much on the Riverside Course due to vegetation and heavy brush on numerous holes. After holes one and two, you proceed under train tracks to play the rest of the front nine. The back area of this course is nice and tranquil as you are further away from the freeway, clubhouse, and rest of the course. I’ve played this course in the late afternoon many times, and it seems to never be backed up and always enjoyable.

"Pricing for Green River is very affordable and one of the reasons that I enjoy playing there often. I usually take advantage of the twilight or super twilight golf..."

After hole eleven, you cross back under the tracks to tackle the rest of the back nine. There are a few interesting holes like the par 3 15th measuring 166 yards. The tee is located near the freeway with a pretty extreme elevation drop for a par 3. You’ll take at least one club less on this hole, and it brings an exciting dimension to what normally would be a typical par 3 hole.

From what I have noticed, the wind doesn’t seem to be as much of a factor on the Riverside Course. That could be due to the fact that the clubhouse area on the hill absorbs most of the wind through the canyon, and the many trees help to diffuse any of the residual wind left over. There still will be times when the breeze is a factor, but a lot of that depends on the weather in general on the day you are playing.

Pricing for Green River is very affordable and one of the reasons that I enjoy playing there often. I usually take advantage of the twilight or super twilight golf which starts after 12 in the winter. Weekday prices are $17 to walk and $29 with a cart. For super twilight, weekday winter hours start at 2:00, and the cost is $10 to walk and $19 to with a cart. If you can get on the course a few minutes early and if the course is not crowded or back up, you can finish a round of 18 holes when playing super twilight.

The condition of both courses usually depends on the season and weather. Recently I played the Orange Course, and the fairways were a bit spotty in some areas. However, the greens were very playable and seemed to be well cared for. Whether the course is spotty or impeccable when you play your round, you can’t argue about the overall value of Green River. Arrive early to hit some balls on their small, natural grass driving range. After your putting is dialed in on their large practice greens, take advantage of a late afternoon round during the week and you’ll be surprised how open and relaxing your round will be.

Corey Bogardus received his B.A. degree in Graphic Design and Fine Arts from Azusa Pacific University. He is the Editor-In-Chief of the IPU. He also heads up a company known as Trinitas Creative (www.TrinitasCreative.com), a design firm which produces print and web graphics for companies such as the IPU. His love for sports includes college and professional football, golf, basketball, hockey...and the list goes on. He is an avid golfer, and understands the finer points of the game.