California offers over 900 golf courses across different regions, giving golfers the option to play in mountain areas, along coastlines, in forests, or in desert areas.

From iconic coastal links such as Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill to desert layouts at PGA West, the state features many well-known golf destinations, yet one Tom Fazio-designed course remains undiscovered by the players.

Located on a hill above the town of Borrego Springs, Rams Hill Golf Club gives golfers a round of desert golf.

All about Rams Hill Golf Club, California

Rams Hill was first designed by Ted Robinson in 1983 as a 27-hole layout and went through financial changes as multiple owners bought, sold, and renamed the property over the years.

In 2007, the course was redesigned by Tom Fazio as an 18-hole layout. Financial problems led to its closure in 2010, and it reopened in 2014 under the Rams Hill name.

Both nines use the central hill, with the front nine moving up and across the ridgeline and the back nine playing downhill. 

Travelers reach Rams Hill by driving through avocado, citrus, and apple orchard areas before arriving at the hillside property on the edge of the Anza-Borrego Desert. 

Visitors can use the pool, play the Tom Fazio–designed golf course, or spend time observing the surrounding desert environment.

Rams Hill offers five sets of tees and plays to just over 7,200 yards, with a 75.1 course rating and a 141 slope from the back tees. 

The routing includes elevation changes with holes positioned above the desert floor. Streams, ponds, lakes, and water features are present throughout the course.

Rams Hill was ranked by Golfweek in 2017 as the third-best resort course in California, following Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill.

Most Fazio courses are private or operate through resort and hotel facilities with high fees, but Rams Hill is now open to the public and available for play at standard green-fee rates

What makes Rams Hill a hidden gem is that, despite being located in the desert, local spring sources support an unexpected number of water features, unlike many Palm Springs courses.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu