Fantastic first-time visit to Soule Park this past Saturday for the GK event. Mattias and I drove up from LA at around 6am, arriving at 6:20 with plenty of time to stretch out and warm up. Had a great time all day paired up with the aforementioned Swede and Wendy and Andrew - super company in a beautiful setting! After the round we gathered to see some familiar faces and revel in the gorgeousness of another great location with terrific people.

Soule Park the golf course is an absolute treat and absolutely blew away my expectations. The topography and surroundings are just plain epic. It's a stunning tract of land they plotted out for this place and course routing and holes are all quite fun and keep you very engaged throughout the round. Each and every hole feels different and has its own unique set of challenges. It's just plain fun.

Course conditions were really, really nice. The green complexes have Gil Hanse's signature all over them. If you've played at Rustic Canyon before, then you'll have a good idea what to expect at Soule Park, but they still have their own character here. They roll very nicely and at a nice, steady pace as well. You're going to have to really think your way through every two-putt at this place.

Fairways were in really great shape - green and lush on every hole, and the rough was generally playable with a few thick areas that caused some consternation. There are plenty of areas to lose balls here though and lots of OB spots that really require your best game. But again, it's super fun throughout. The bunkers were in nice shape as well with a darker layer of sand on top but they played quite nicely. We played from the orange set of tees and I found all of them flat, level and well-maintained with the one exception of a sloping tee box on the 8th hole. All the rest were just fantastic.

Is it a long drive up to Ojai? Yeah, pretty much but it was worth every $7 per gallon to get here. I understand that normal greens fees here are rarely over $100 so you really are going to get a lot of bang for your buck here. I was a little surprised that there was no cart service out on the course on a Saturday morning, but there is a little restaurant conveniently at the turn, however it's not specifically set up for players on the course and you may have to wait a bit. It would sure be nice if there's not cart service to have a dedicated window for quick service - and if there is one and I missed it, my apologies.

I really can't wait to get back to this course and try my luck again with a far better round. And if you've never been, you're letting yourself down by not checking it out asap.

Played a twilight round this past Friday at Alondra with two friends. We rode and played from the blue tees, costing around $57 for the round. We had a 1:48pm tee time and were worried after the first few holes that we may not finish in time, however despite all the delays, we did end up somehow finishing in around four and a half hours, which was quite the shock at the 18th tee box.

Course conditions at Alondra are currently above average in comparison to the usual state of the place. The greens are in pretty good shape albeit a bit spongy when it comes to ball marks, but once on the green they're rolling pretty nicely and faster than what you would expect. The rains of late again have left the fairways and rough in pretty decent condition so you don't have to worry right now about too many dirt or thin lies. Tee boxes are just okay and the bunkers had barely any sand in them and far too many with standing water.

Alondra is not a premium destination but if you want a good chance to stretch out the legs and use all the clubs in your bag, and all at a fair price, then it's a good time to get out there. I can't imagine it will stay in this kind of good shape for too long with all the traffic.

Got a late twosome at Knollwood this past Saturday with a 9am tee time. Unfortunately my buddy had to bail out last minute but the KCC staff was great as they took care of everything and got me in with a fun threesome going out at around the same time. Hit the practice range, bought a sleeve of balls and got a cart all for around $87. Not bad at all.

Very good conditions right now overall at Knollwood. Greens were in nice shape, rolling true and medium-fast speeds and holding shots pretty well. You'll get some pretty big ball marks on some of the greens so please make sure to fix them. Fairways are in really good shape compared to past visits, and the rough is in nice shape. Bunkers were avoided all day but seemed to be fine, while the tee boxes (played the whites this time around) were level and covered properly.

Very fun and picturesque layout at Knollwood that's always a treat, but of course the only thing that can be difficult is the POP. This time out was no different, but better than some past visits as we finished up at just over five hours in total. Company was good and the day was hot and gorgeous so it didn't really put a big damper on the proceedings.

If you've never played KCC, it's worth a visit right now to get pretty prime conditions, but just make sure you're whole experience isn't hinged on a four-hour round.

Played with my monthly golf group this weekend and we had a 9am tee time starting out for four groups playing from the customary white tees. Greens fee with carts was around $90 per person which is an acceptable fee for this course in nice shape on a busy weekend, but feels like a bit too much when you take into account the near six-hour POP.

I was in the first foursome out for our group so this time I can finally say that the slow pace had nothing to do with my clan. We had a twosome of ladies in front of us who were behind a very slow foursome so it was a slog all afternoon with many par 3 waits 2-3 groups deep. Very difficult to get into any kind of rhythm.

In terms of course conditions though, Anaheim Hills is holding up very well with everything in good to very good shape across the board. I found the greens to be very nice, holding shots well and rolling very nicely. Speeds seem to vary throughout the day but nothing horrific to feel the need to write about. Fairways were in nice shape throughout, and the rough was often penal but mostly forgiving and fun to hit from. There are a lot of OB areas on this course though so accuracy is key. Bunkers were okay from what I saw and the tee boxes were in good shape as well. No complaints at all when it comes to course maintenance.

I used to find this layout very quirky but over the years as I've played it more and more it's become simply more of a challenge than a frustrating gut-punch trying to figure it out. Be accurate, put the ball in play and you'll be fine. Adjust clubs accordingly for all the elevations and make sure to aim towards your best miss spots. That will make all the differences in keeping bogeys on the scorecard and avoiding the triples.

Got out to Hansen Dam with a buddy this week for the first time in over two years. I was quite excited to see what kind of shape the course would be in after this wet winter and it really did not disappoint too much at all. Overall the course is in good shape right now.

Played from the blue tees and got a cart as there are some decent walks between nines and a little bit of elevations to work with. It's definitely walkable, just wasn't feeling it on what I anticipated was going to be a very hot day.

Conditions, as previously stated, were good across the board. Nothing exceptionally great, nothing glaringly bad. Greens are in good shape, run medium-fast, hold shots and lines quite well. No complaints there. Fairways are mostly in good shape with some thin areas and a few lush ones to boot. Rough is of mixed length, tee boxes are a little beat up but playable, and the bunkers have a decent layer of sand but hardly fluffy - really depends on the hole.

POP moved pretty decently throughout the round and we finished in around four and a half hours. There was no cart service on the course all day, but there is a very convenient snack shop at the turn before you head over to the 10th hole.

All in all it's a very good experience right now at Hansen Dam and all at a fair price.

In dire need of a confidence round, I found a single time at Woodley Lakes for Saturday morning and jumped on it. I was paired with two other singles with a 9:20am tee and opted for a cart seeing as the temperatures would be soaring into triple digits by the back nine.

Mission accomplished as I played my best round (not saying much) since April, but more importantly is the fact that the course, despite the heat, played pretty darn well. The greens are rolling quite nicely and true, all while holding shots very well. The fairways have ample coverage albeit thin but playable in many spots. The rough is imminently playable and often preferred to the fairways. Bunkers a bit on the thin side but nothing too awful, while the tee boxes (played the whites) were in decent not great shape.

One of the more surprising features on the day was an actual cart service that came around - very much appreciated on a hot day and unusual for LA muni courses. The POP was also not as bad as it seemed while we were playing. Felt like it was going to be a five-hour round but was surprised to see we finished in around four hours and twenty minutes.

All in all it was a good day out at Woodley Lakes and it did the trick.

First time back out at Goose Creek in four years this past weekend and it was well worth the wait. The course is still in its usual solid shape, with a few areas in need of a little bit of attention, but nothing that takes away from the great overall experience of the course.

We played from the white (III) tees with our threesome and maintained a nice POP throughout the entire day - never pushing the group in front of us too much, and never really being pushed from behind either. We had nice cart service numerous times as well. The course and its amenities were well worth the $91 greens fee for a small bucket and cart as well.

Greens were in good shape and very consistent throughout the day, but there are some holes that have some GUR areas around them affecting approach shots, such as the par 5 4th hole. But they're mostly very solid. Tee boxes are also flat, level and in good shape, while the fairways and rough are very nice all around. I was only in one bunker all day and it was in the fairway on the 8th hole, but the sand seemed ample.

Shame it took this long to get back to the Goose and I will try to not make that mistake again!

Got to enjoy playing the Big Meadow course at Black Butte again in Oregon this past week for an informal work trip that allowed some time for fun. This course is everything you would imagine from a central Oregon facility with its perfectly lush conditions, its massive tree-lined and narrow fairways, and its exhilarating views and challenge.

Fairways are in pristine shape with every blade of grass healthy and vibrant, while the rough is thick and varied in its penal nature. The tee boxes are all flat and perfectly manicured, while the bunkers are in very good shape as well. The greens? Simply fantastic. We got consistent speeds and true lines throughout the entire day. A true feast for the golf purist.

The course starts off flat and somewhat open the first hole before winding into the Oregon forest and throwing all sorts of twists and turns at you, also including some subtle but distinct elevations on various holes. Tee shots are inviting but also daunting with sharp corners and no shortage of balls needing to be saved from just off the fairways but also right out of someone's backyard. Yes, there are plenty of homes surrounding the fairways here, but they're not intrusive. They simply add to the experience.

We had top-notch service from start to finish - both with the warmup facilities (including a tremendous driving range with an epic of view of the Black Butte itself) and cart service throughout the round. This place is a true gem and I can't wait to play here again ... hopefully next year!

Monthly golf group back out at Meadowlark this past weekend and the course is in pretty good shape overall tee to green.

You're going to find good coverage in the fairways, some nice greens that hold shots well and roll pretty true (albeit not too fast and some wild pin positions on these tiny greens), very playable rough and some slightly beat-up tee boxes and bunkers. I wouldn't say any one particular aspect of the course stood out above any other, so that's pretty consistent I guess.

I would say there are two major gripes - POP and the driving range. Quite frankly, it's very frustrating that a pretty 'short' course like Meadowlark can take just under six hours to play a full round. I just don't get it. Our first of four groups out had nothing but delays in front of them all afternoon and it just got jammed up on about every single hole.

Also, the driving range is just in dire need of some TLC all across the board. The balls are in rough shape, the mats are beat up and there's just nothing inviting about the dirt landing area and the range balls everywhere flying through massive holes in the nets. I can't imagine there aren't any practical things they could do to improve this area.

But hey, at least there was cart service on a busy Saturday and there is a nice little snack shop that you can easily access on the front nine (between holes 6 and 7) and also when you're done with the front nine on the 9th hole. That's a bonus.

Still a fun, challenging little shorter course because of the small, turtleback greens and some of its unexpected elevation changes, mostly on the back nine. Always a fun visit.

Monthly group played at Los Verdes this weekend and the course is in fine shape across the board. We had four groups and took off at 2pm under blue skies that turned gray and windy by the middle of the back nine. Still had a great time.

Greens are running fast and true - the usual at Los Verdes. They're in very nice shape and always a very stern test. The fairways have nice coverage for the most part with some thin areas as well in the high-usage zones on this very busy course. Rough is a mixed bag but the bunkers that I was in seemed in okay shape, and the tee boxes were flat and level with mostly good coverage.

POP for a Saturday late afternoon was not very good at around five hours, but can't really complain because we were the last of the four groups so it was my friends in front of us doing the traffic jam. We had cart service come around a few times as well which is pretty rare for Los Verdes, but very appreciated.

Views and prices of course remain untouched at this public gem of a course that is showing its best side currently. Get yourself a tee time soon.

Had to organize a late foursome this weekend and ended up finding a nice 8:15am tee time at Whittier Narrows on Saturday. We had three riders and one walker, playing from the white tees as the course's main defense is length and small greens.

If you've played Whittier Narrows before, then you're more than used to the browned-out fairways and mediocre overall conditions, but that is most certainly not the case right now. I've never seen this place as green and well-maintained as it is currently.

Fairways are quite lush and green, rough is very thick and penal as you struggle to find many balls that end up there just off the main alleys, tee boxes and bunkers are all pretty good, but the really nice highlight is excellent, fast and true greens. This is quite frankly the best this place is ever going to play so if you ever considered it, now is the time.

One thing to be concerned about - there are a TON of gnats/flies/mosquitos that will harass you all day long. It was quite frustrating and felt like midwest golf in July. They're literally everywhere and super annoying. The starter said they have been trying to fix the problem for the last month but to no avail, so I would recommend a quality bug spray if you can get some.

POP was also very good as we finished on a busy Saturday at just around four hours and twenty minutes. Carts were old with no frills but very functional. Overall the place is on the very modest side, but it's all working right now, with the exception of the bug problem, which is clearly out of their hands. Nothing too exciting about the layout either but it's a good, solid test of golf that will let you stretch the legs and use lots of clubs.

Go now before it gets back to its old ways soon.

Sunday afternoon round back at Skylinks this weekend with two friends (including a Mattias sighting!) and we rode and played from the blue tees. We had a 1:40 tee time and moved pretty decently throughout the round coming in with a POP at around four and a half hours.

Course is still in very good shape from tee to green with good, flat tee box coverage, nice green fairways that get nice roll and mostly provide solid hitting surfaces, moderate rough and very nice greens right now that are rolling really nicely. Pin positions were definitely in tournament mode yesterday with almost all of them being in very tough spots.

The biggest gripe? The usual high quality bunkers are nowhere to be seen. This course often has nice, ample fluffy sand, but the current bunkers are in quite poor shape being very thin and leaving you with a choice on every single sand shot on how to best approach it.

Course is always a bit on the pricey (overpriced?) side, but at least right now you're getting good value for it with the course in very nice shape overall.