My day-long tour of Kern County courses started here this morning. I called yesterday and the pro shop guy said he usually gets there around 6:30 to open up. Myself and a few regulars/members were wai... Continue »

My day-long tour of Kern County courses started here this morning. I called yesterday and the pro shop guy said he usually gets there around 6:30 to open up. Myself and a few regulars/members were waiting there when he showed up. I warmed up a little bit and the other two guys went off and set a good pace. I had to wait on them a couple times, but still just over 2 hour morning pace! $29 with a cart, good deal. Very nice guy working there welcomed me and showed me the funky routing of the holes so I wouldn't get too lost out there. The course was in OK shape. The fairways and rough were a mix of grasses and lies varied, but mostly playable. The tee boxes were decent. The greens were 80% good soft green grass, but most of them had some big dead patches that were pretty awful. They keep the pins away from the bad areas, but you still have to putt or chip across sometimes and it's not fun. Everything very soggy and wet this morning. The cart paths had a lot of flooded areas and are very beat-up, so it was an adventure driving around the course. The sand traps were pretty bad. I was in a bunch and a few were decent (very damp, though) and others downright horrible. Though conditions weren't great (not that I would expect too much for the price and remote location), the course was an enjoyable layout. Somewhat links style in the high desert. Flat landscape, but mounding, ample bunkers and a few big water hazards to provide some contour. A few blind shots and awkward angles where more local knowledge or more clearly distinguished fairway/rough cuts would have helped for aiming off the tee. Very well-protected greens with a big bunker usually right in front of the pin. Fun layout at a reasonable price, but in the middle of nowhere!