One of the many majestic views at Pelican Hill.

Scott Kramer

As a sportswriter in Irvine, Calif. back in 1991, I got the opportunity to play a brand new course called Pelican Hill Golf Club in neighboring Newport Beach. I remember pretty much everything about the experience, because it was such an exclusive, deluxe course in a special location perched right above the Pacific Ocean. The pro shop back then was an upscale trailer. And there were no houses around the course.

Through the years, I got to play there dozens of times – particularly thanks to a friend of mine who was the head pro for a while. But every round there was always special. Once I got to play with an L.A. Rams linebacker, another time with some NHL players, and a third time I played in the group right behind then-vice president Dan Quayle. The place has always attracted celebrities. But the real star was the Tom Fazio-designed course. In 1993, the facility opened its second course – Ocean North – and renamed the original course Ocean South. Personally, I thought both courses were really nice but preferred Ocean North, as I found it slightly more interesting for whatever reason. It seemed to have a little more personality – nothing against the South.

While I’ve played Ocean North twice in the past decade, I haven’t played Ocean South in probably 15 years. Until this week. That’s because the course just reopened after an improvement project spearheaded by golf course architect Brian Curley. This marks the first major refresh at Pelican Hill since a two-year “re-perfection” effort led by Fazio in 2005. Curley’s project focused primarily on bunker renovation and realignment, tee expansion and leveling, green size restorations, and green surround enhancements. One mile-plus of concrete cart paths were repaired and widened in spots, while tree cleanup further reopened sight lines and enhanced turf health throughout the course. And more than 2,000 fairway sprinkler heads were raised to elevate conditioning and consistency. Curley will perform similar work to Ocean North next.

“These are two fantastic, expertly designed courses that have aged gracefully,” says Curley. “But as with any golf course, time and play take their toll. This renovation refreshes the features, addresses turf health impacted by maturing trees, and ensures the best possible playing experience for years to come.” He says he sought out to make thoughtful adjustments to the visuals and backdrops, and enhance the already spectacular setting, to ensure Pelican Hill remains one of the most beautiful and enjoyable golf experiences anywhere.

What surprised me most after playing the all-new Ocean South this week is that almost nothing has changed since the last time I played. And that’s a great thing. The moment I set foot on the course, all memories of playing the course flooded back to me. Yes, there are more homes around the course now. And the on-property hotel is massive. But there’s still plenty of open room, too. The wide fairways saddle back to the middle, the greens roll true with some quirky slopes, the ocean views are spectacular, every blade of grass is well maintained, and the fresh ocean breezes can wreak havoc on some of your shots. Maybe people who’ve played it on a regular basis can see a difference. But I love that it’s exactly as I remembered it. Already can’t wait to see Ocean North after the modifications. And it also makes me wonder why I don’t play here more often.