Empire Polo Club

Nov 19/2018 Weather 75, night 58

Empire Polo Club

Peaking into the Gardens

Chatting in the RV park we heard that there was a neat place to eat at the Empire Polo Club.  We thought really?  Can we even get in there?  The Empire Polo Club is 330 acres of refined fields and landscaping with 12 polo fields.  This is the largest polo club in the west.  We drove in on the Harley hoping it was not to loud.  The place is stunning. 

beautiful rose gardens and sculptures

Beautifully kept grounds and the Tack Room Tavern had great food and atmosphere.  We took a walk around where it was not off limits.  While having lunch we looked at the gear hanging on the walls of the tavern and had no idea what polo was all about.    It has a mallet, a horse, a ball and sounds very expensive.    The Americans brought the sport to the USA after watching it in England.  The first game was played in 1876 in the USA.  The United States Polo Association has had its up and downs; in the 1950's it had only 56 clubs and 614 players.  The resurgence today has 4,500 players and 250 clubs across the USA, many of the players being women.  While in Palm Springs you can was a weekly match for as little as $30 a ticket.  The matches are open to the public January, February, March.  We wondered if there was practicing going on soon;  we could come and watch as we won't be in the area to see a game.  Would be cool to see though, wouldn't it?     

the Rose Gardens

What we didn't know is that this is where Coachella Music Festival/Stagecoach is held each April.  Wow; what a place to have a music festival.

main polo field