For this month’s golf course review, I had the privilege of playing golf at Friendly Hills Country Club located in the hills above Whittier. This historic club and golf course was established in 1968. Many who are not familiar with the area are not aware that Friendly Hills Country Club exists. I was even told by Dave Goodrich, General Manager/COO that many Whittier locals in the area are even unaware of the country club’s location. After having the chance to play the golf course and tour the facility, I highly recommend taking the time to get to know this private club. I was impressed not only with the club and golf course, but also the courteous staff as well.Friendly Hills Country Club is more than a golf course. The club boasts numerous activities for a great overall country club experience including swimming, fitness, tennis, dining, annual socials, and more. Friendly Hills offers 4 lighted tennis courts with a professional teaching staff. The club offers junior tennis and special events such as Ladies Day, Twilight Tennis, Mixed Doubles, and a pro shop for all of your tennis needs. Friendly Hills also offers a heated Olympic-size swimming pool. Along with their main pool, they feature 1 and 3 meter diving boards as well as a toddler pool. The club has a swim and dive team called the Unicorns, and they regularly place high in the summer Sunkist League competition. After a long tennis match or swim, you can take time to work out in their fitness center, which includes elliptical trainers, bikes, treadmills, free weights, and machine weights.
To go along with all of these activities, the club boasts casual and elegant dining for the members. The upstairs restaurant offers gourmet a la carte dining on Thursday and Friday evenings with elegant ambience that is both intimate and magnificent. Their vaulted high-beamed ceilings and stately chandeliers help accentuate bay windows which offer panoramic views of the golf course. With a menu of American and Continental cuisine complemented by their extensive wine selection, you will surely find something to satisfy your palate.
Their lower dining room and grill offers an opportunity to meet friends for a quick bite before a round of golf or entertain business associates while overlooking Friendly Hills' signature first tee and eighteenth green. Available six days a week for breakfast and lunch, the lower dining menu selection appeals to those either looking for a relaxing lunch experience or something “on the go”.
Speaking of the first tee, what a great way to get introduced to this golf course. The unique first tee of Friendly Hills is located on a small island surrounded by water. This was definitely a first for me and a clever element at the beginning of the round. This was my first time playing Friendly Hills, and I was impressed with the course and the layout as well. The dramatic elevation changes designed by James Wilfred “Billy” Hines makes this a challenging and scenic golf course. Many of the holes on the course offer a view of the ocean and Catalina Island on a clear day. As we arrived early in the morning, we warmed up on the grass driving range and putting green. As our practice came to an end, we were introduced to Dave Goodrich, General Manager and COO of Friendly Hills. Dave decided to play the first nine holes with us and help familiarize us with the course. His course knowledge and guidance was a plus as I tackled this course for the first time.
As I spoke of earlier, the first hole tees off from an island surrounded by water. It makes for a fun and interesting tee shot. The first hole is lengthy playing uphill and measuring 567 yards from the back tees. Dave informed me that he has only seen two players actually making it on the green in two. Hole 2 is a par 3 measuring 191 yards, and the day we played the flag was tucked in the back right corner. As we putted on this hole, I noticed the elevation changes of the greens. Dave informed me that many of the greens on this course had some heavy elevation changes and that approach shots were critical to good scoring. As the round progressed, he wasn’t kidding. Hitting the right iron into the greens proved the difference between a one or two putt vs. a three putt or more.
Hole 3 is an interesting par 4 because the club provides two different sets of tees boxes. Dave told us that the tees boxes were changed on a regular basis. The first tee boxes require a fade, while the other tee boxes require a slight draw. This was another unique feature to this course. The fourth hole was a beautiful elevated tee with a view of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. With a downhill drive and an open fairway, this 458 yard par 4 plays a little easier than the yardage suggests.
The 5th hole is a uniquely laid out par 4. With the yardage at only 319 yards, it seemed easy enough. However, teeing off presented a serious left dogleg required an iron off of the tee rather than a driver or 3-wood. Knowledge of this green was key, as there is a severe elevation change with a shelf on the left side of the green. Knowing where the pin is placed will help on your approach shot. As we continued with the remaining front nine holes, Dave helped us with the optimal drive location for each hole and approach shot placement. As we finished the front nine, we stopped in for a quick casual bite to eat before tackling the back nine. Thanking Dave for his assistance with the front nine, we moved to the back nine.
Hole 10 is a short par 4 measuring 339 yards. Accuracy off the tee though is crucial here, because if you lose your tee shot on either side, there will be trees to deal with making it tough to get on in regulation. As we moved to hole 11, a 388 yard par 4, we noticed a water hazard on the right side of the fairway. This hazard definitely comes into play with a driver or 3-wood, so play it safe or hug the left side of the fairway. As we moved on to hole 12, there are heavy trees on both sides of this short par 4 making your tee shot accuracy all that more important. Hole 13 is a long par 3 measuring 199 yards. This green is guarded by bunkers in front and the wind may be in your face, so make sure you have enough club to carry onto the green.
Moving on to hole 15, this shorter par 5 measuring 499 is more difficult that the yardages suggests. The tee shot is fairly narrow with danger to the right. Going for this green in two can be tough, with trees heavily guarding the fairway and a water hazard in front of the green and to the right. This green also was severely elevated from back to front with two tiers, so flag location is important to be aware of. The 16th hole is a long 221 yard par 3. This hole also seemed to play a bit further than the yardage indicated due to the slight breeze in our face. As we played 17 and approached 18, the hole presented a great view and challenge. This par 4 measures 393 yards and plays downhill. But there are a few issues to contend with on this hole. First, if you go left you more than likely will be OB or stuck in the trees. Going right will put you either OB or stuck behind a large tree guarding the green. A perfect tee shot on this hole is to start it down the right side of the fairway and let it run to the middle or left-center of the fairway. Then it’s just a short pitch into the green.
We thoroughly enjoyed playing Friendly Hills, and were very appreciative that Dave Goodrich invited us out. Memberships for the country club are extremely reasonable, and they are in the middle of rebuilding the locker rooms and other areas of the club. With all of the activities, events, and services they offer, you owe it to yourself to contact them today to find out more information about joining. You can reach Dave Goodrich by email at dgoodrich@friendlyhills.com, or by phone at 562-698-0331. He will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have. I’m looking forward to returning to the club and playing this golf course again.
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