Our Big Day: Los Angeles Rams and Chargers alumni tournaments

A grand journey requires a perfect path — and a detailed playbook.

Sprawling and striking, the rolling, elevated terrain of The Journey at Pechanga in Temecula, California, was designed to make an impression. Begging bogeys aside, it’s little wonder the master-crafted golf bounty on the ancestral land of the Pechanga Band of Luseño Indians is host to a regular calendar of VIP, charity and celebrity events.

Among the grounds’ biggest days are the annual Los Angeles Rams and Chargers alumni tournaments. Pechanga Resort Casino, a leading sponsor partner with the two teams and their shared home of SoFi Stadium, doesn’t gamble when it comes to the X’s and O’s of readying to host football legends.

“We’ll do a little extra, more than normal,” The Journey head superintendent Mario Ramirez says. “We’ll tidy up some things, spraying (a PGR) two weeks ahead (of the events) to control growth of the rough, get it really tight for the true cut that we’re mowing at. And then there are extra details, like cart path edging, bunker edging, making sure the bunkers are nice and level with the sand, four inches on the bottom and two inches on the side. We just want everything very consistent throughout the course.”

With added touches including an extra roll of greens, new cups, new flags and new towels on ball washers, Ramirez says the enhanced efforts come with some added reward should his own team ultimately find the assessment end zone.

“It’s our time to shine, to show off the course and all the hard work the crew does throughout the year,” Ramirez adds. “And the guys like to hear the feedback. If the event went well, they get really excited and we’ll have a barbeque, a celebration on our side of the team.”

Proper presentation for the big day begins before a ball is ever struck. “Even just how we set up our golf carts, with all the steering wheels straight down and all the windows consistently up or down, the rows and spacing of the carts,” says Scott Mallory, director of golf at The Journey. “When guests walk to the staging area, we want it set up perfectly.”

Mallory knows that teeing-to-please has ripples across Pechanga’s massive property and far-reaching operation.

“It stems from our relationship with the two teams, from a marketing standpoint,” he says. “And these may not necessarily be our biggest tournaments by volume, but the efforts of our marketing team that go into the setup and to getting these football legends here, that’s a big part of it.”

The team further knows that once the likes of Vince Ferragamo, Charlie Joiner or Marshall Faulk begin their … Journey, it’s not selfie time for staff.

“The team here recognizes many of the individuals, as you can imagine,” Mallory says, “but it’s all business with these big events, and the guys are busy with their responsibilities. The guys realize they have a job to do.”

Policy considered, famed players trading cleats for spikes isn’t lost on the crew.

“The guys who are football fans, sure, they recognize some of the players,” enthuses Ramirez, “and, yes, it is exciting to see them hit the ball.”

— Judd Spicer