SOUTHLAND FOCUS

A weekly look at golf courses open to the public in Southern California.

Green River Golf Club

Address: 5215 Green River Dr., Corona.

Phone: (909) 737-7393.

Green Fees: $23-30.

Tee times: Seven days in advance.

The facility: One of two well-maintained 18-hole courses tucked below the Riverside Freeway and alongside the occasionally flowing (and, well, not quite crystal blue) Santa Ana River. The Orange course, with six par fives and six par threes, can throw you a little off your a normal rhythm. The clubhouse sits above the 36-hole spread, complete with a solid pro shop and restaurant-bar area.

The good: The best reason to play here is that decent starting times are almost always available, even on short notice. From the back tees, the course plays 6,470 yards, with room to be a little wild, which helps when the wind kicks up and blows in your face for most of the homeward nine. A course with six par threes could have the feel of a dull pitch-and-putt, but No. 5 forces at least a 190-yard carry over a large pond, giving you all the anxiety you’d want.

The bad: Mostly flat, full of freeway noise and relatively bunker-free, this is not the most dramatic golf experience, except for when the freight train roars past Nos. 4, 5 and 8--that’ll get the blood running while you’re standing over a birdie putt.

The score: You have to weigh the wonderful availability of tee times against the distractions. But if you want to play real golf without really long waits, this is the place.

*

Overall rating: 2 balls.

* One ball: No-frills golf.

** Two balls: Worth an occasional round.

*** Three balls: Like shooting four strokes under your handicap.

**** Four balls: Where the golf gods play.

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Hole Back Tees Middle Tees Par Front Tees 1 506 497 5 488 2 391 382 4 373 3 161 151 3 134 4 521 507 5 486 5 214 198 3 137 6 350 342 4 334 7 498 488 5 429 8 413 394 4 356 9 168 157 3 104 Out 3,222 3,116 36 2,841 10 371 361 4 358 11 357 348 4 322 12 198 170 3 148 13 499 488 5 475 14 170 160 3 150 15 561 547 5 457 16 437 427 4 372 17 500 490 5 475 18 155 149 3 127 In 3,248 3,140 36 2,884 Total 6,470 6,256 72 5,725

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Rating/Slope: Black--70.4/119, Middle--69.0/114, Front--73.2/120