On Friday, I was up in Stockton. This was the first of three courses I played that day. They had me on the list to go out first by myself ahead of a bunch of dawn patrol regulars. I teed off right at ... Continue »

On Friday, I was up in Stockton. This was the first of three courses I played that day. They had me on the list to go out first by myself ahead of a bunch of dawn patrol regulars. I teed off right at 7:00. I did catch a couple back nine groups after making the turn, but they were very nice and let me play through. So I played the course in under 2 hours. Then, I went over and played the 9-hole par-3 course after. There were only a couple other players out there, so that was a quick round, too. I was impressed with the conditions considering it's an inexpensive muni course that obviously gets a ton of play. Everything was lush and green throughout. Tee boxes nice. Fairways very good. There were some muddy/soggy spots because of so much rain recently and then some thin spots here and there, but mostly I had ideal lies. The rough is brutal. It goes from really thick to super duper thick and deep, so you are lucky just to find your ball sometimes. There are sections of weeds and different grasses growing in the rough, too, so you just want to avoid it if you can or you'll have a difficult recovery. Bunkers had nice soft sand. The greens were the highlight, though. They were just fantastic. Super soft that early in the morning, and rolling very smooth at medium speeds. The course itself is nothing flashy. It's not a "destination" course by any measure and its not pretending to be. It's a solid locals' track with a friendly vibe around the clubhouse. It's a pretty traditional old parkland kind of design with flat terrain, lots of trees lining the fairways, only a couple water hazards and pretty straightforward hole designs for the most part. The greens are pretty flat and easy to get at, but the course offers just enough challenge and diversity to keep you entertained. For SoCal folks, think ElDo or Rio Hondo, but better conditioned and less expensive.

I recently got back into the "game" after a 20 year layoff due to back injury from too much golf ...

Having said that, I spent the last month chipping, putting, and hitting about 500 balls off the... Continue »

I recently got back into the "game" after a 20 year layoff due to back injury from too much golf ...

Having said that, I spent the last month chipping, putting, and hitting about 500 balls off the driving range over at another "nearby" course.

This last Week, I finally broke down and headed over to this course due to their great "Tuesday and Thursday Summer Special Rates" ... $10.00 Green fee (walking) after 11:00AM. The first time out I was pleased that I was a lot lower than I expected and not as good as I wanted ... but considering a 20 year hiatus, I have no remorse. The greens were in fine shape but a tad slow on Tuesday, Thursday they played totally different as they was prepping the course for a city-wide tournament for the week-end. Both days I had played the c18 holes in just over 3.5 hours, Tuesday I walked while two others rode in a cart ... Thursday I played as a twosome with one of the gentlemen I golfed with on Tuesday - We have became golfing buds - and he was quite surprised I played as well as I did for not golfing for as long as I have been off the links.

This Sunday, he would have been totally surprised on how well I played the little Par 3 executive 9-Hole course, Heck, I surprise myself ... starting off with a birdie on the 1st 125yd par 3. (hit a 9-iron 3 foot to the pin) and having 3 pars and 5 regulation greens ... the greens on the par 3 course are not as nice, or fast as the 18 hole course, and the course is a "landmine" for goose poop ... The par 3 course also has more water to contend with than the "18-hole Course" with the 6th hole playing at 210 yds, water on the left side and trees that close of the left side of the green making for a narrow approach to the green from the tee. Best to play this to the right side of the green or, to lay up short with an long iron and chip to the green ... This is the # one handicap hole for the 9-hole par 3 course. Next time I will take my own advise ( this was the only hole I triple boogied - due to finding the water, when my tee shot found the trees on the left and kicked my "NEW" ProV1 Titleist in for a swim.

Other than that , I ended up 7 over for a round of 34 ... thanks to a double on the 5th and triple on the 6th ...

The Par 3 is a fun little course, but for the money ... play the 18 hole ... better value for your dollars. Unless you only have 90 minutes to play ... Wink, wink ...

This course hasn't been reviewed in years so here goes... If you live in San Joaquin County please help me out and leave some reviews, and I will continue to do the same.

Swenson is a muni and for... Continue »

This course hasn't been reviewed in years so here goes... If you live in San Joaquin County please help me out and leave some reviews, and I will continue to do the same.

Swenson is a muni and for some reason doesn't get a lot of play compared to other courses in the area. This is great for me, no one there on a Saturday morning and I can play for $25 with a cart. This course is not hard, but it is long for its rating. There are several 420+ yd par 4's. Overall layout is straight up, with trees on the sides which will block you from reaching the greens. Keep your drives straight and this course is easy, but very good for practice.

Conditions: Fairways are thin, but no problem. Rough is a little thick, but overall unremarkable. Tee boxes are in good condition, no issues with sloping, and little divot damage. Greens are in great condition. Better than they have been in years, which is part of the reason I wanted to post this. It seems like they are being cared for better than in the past. They were a little soft from some recent rain, but overall they were smooth. They were not fast, but I can't complain. Smooth, non marked up greens in the winter is great!

As a side note, if you want to practice, they also have a great Par 3 9 hole course that is super cheap. This course is also in great condition right now. The greens are not quite as well taken care of, but overall this is an excellent practice option.

The course is recovering great after an above wet early spring.
They kept carts off the course during this period and it really saved the fairways. Play this course whenever you can, however, it is t... Continue »

The course is recovering great after an above wet early spring.
They kept carts off the course during this period and it really saved the fairways. Play this course whenever you can, however, it is toasty during the summer, get an early time and you will truly enjoy!!!

Very impressed with the course. Was in great condition and fairly well-manicured. The course is flat, but the tree-lined fairways, undulating greens, and doglegs made the course fun and challenging.... Continue »

Very impressed with the course. Was in great condition and fairly well-manicured. The course is flat, but the tree-lined fairways, undulating greens, and doglegs made the course fun and challenging. The only downfall was being warned by the marshall that there have been attempted robberies and assaults on a few of the holes, so come "equipped" and think about playing with a few people if possible. Will definitely play again when I'm in the area. Plus, with two-for-one specials on the weekdays after noon, how could this course be passed up?

Very good course. They have a new manager and he has implemented "Golf 707" for tee times. Good deal for this course. I would recommend everyone play this course when possible.

Very good course. They have a new manager and he has implemented "Golf 707" for tee times. Good deal for this course. I would recommend everyone play this course when possible.