Golf Course Reviews
Golf Course Reviews: California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah, Florida, Hawaii!
Date played: 11/11/13
Tee time: 6:53 am
# of players: 4
Green fee: $49 w/cart
Tee box played: Blue tees
My handicap: 16.8
Pace of play: 4:30
Course facilities: Hands down, one of the nicest practice facilities in all of Southern California. All grass hitting bays, chipping area and large practice putting green. Well defined target areas on the range, the range conditions are as nice as the course.
Clubhouse is nothing special. Nachos were really good and a 6 pack of coors light 12 oz. cans are $18.
Course conditions: Really nice conditions, they may have recently overseeded because the fairways were glowing. Some of the greens had some dead spots but it didn't seem to come into play for me. Greens rolled quick especially after the sun came out. Rough is in beautiful condition, a little heavy but the top of the ball was visable. Sand in the bunkers was nice and fluffy, although a little bit damp. Tee boxes are in absolutely perfect condition.
Course layout: It is no wonder that Goose Creek is a favorite amongst GK'rs, it is definitely one of my favorites, but I don't get to play this track often enough. Lots of risk/reward shot selections and doglegs that really test your shot shaping skills, although a mi sh-t will generally still be playable. You do have to watch out for the OB areas, but most areas seem to be red staked so you can at least take the distance. The tall reeds and brush make this course look so unique, but newcomers beware, don't let the OB sap your confidence, there is plenty of room to keep your ball in play. There isn't really any water hazards until you reach 18, which is intimidating standing on the tee box if you are trying to cut the corner of the lake. Approach shots to the greens can be brutal if you're shot doesn't hit the right area of the green; lots of false fronts and edges that will roll your ball right off the green into a collection area. Bunkers are placed strategically around the course making this course challenging but the more you become familiar with the course the more aware you become of where to hit your shots. What I really love about this course is that every aspect of your game will be tested. Tee shots need imagination, approach shots need accuracy, chips need to land softly and putts need to have perfect speed. Unfortunately for me I'm not a strong chipper and tend to lean on bump and runs which on this course isn't the best choice, you need to be able to chip over mounds and bunkers with finesse. Bump and runs will get you into trouble because of the aforementioned collection areas around the greens.
Go play this course, you will not have any regrets. I do recommend a yardage book that they sell in the pro shop; having a laser range finder was helpful but the yardage book would have been beneficial.
Tee time: 6:53 am
# of players: 4
Green fee: $49 w/cart
Tee box played: Blue tees
My handicap: 16.8
Pace of play: 4:30
Course facilities: Hands down, one of the nicest practice facilities in all of Southern California. All grass hitting bays, chipping area and large practice putting green. Well defined target areas on the range, the range conditions are as nice as the course.
Clubhouse is nothing special. Nachos were really good and a 6 pack of coors light 12 oz. cans are $18.
Course conditions: Really nice conditions, they may have recently overseeded because the fairways were glowing. Some of the greens had some dead spots but it didn't seem to come into play for me. Greens rolled quick especially after the sun came out. Rough is in beautiful condition, a little heavy but the top of the ball was visable. Sand in the bunkers was nice and fluffy, although a little bit damp. Tee boxes are in absolutely perfect condition.
Course layout: It is no wonder that Goose Creek is a favorite amongst GK'rs, it is definitely one of my favorites, but I don't get to play this track often enough. Lots of risk/reward shot selections and doglegs that really test your shot shaping skills, although a mi sh-t will generally still be playable. You do have to watch out for the OB areas, but most areas seem to be red staked so you can at least take the distance. The tall reeds and brush make this course look so unique, but newcomers beware, don't let the OB sap your confidence, there is plenty of room to keep your ball in play. There isn't really any water hazards until you reach 18, which is intimidating standing on the tee box if you are trying to cut the corner of the lake. Approach shots to the greens can be brutal if you're shot doesn't hit the right area of the green; lots of false fronts and edges that will roll your ball right off the green into a collection area. Bunkers are placed strategically around the course making this course challenging but the more you become familiar with the course the more aware you become of where to hit your shots. What I really love about this course is that every aspect of your game will be tested. Tee shots need imagination, approach shots need accuracy, chips need to land softly and putts need to have perfect speed. Unfortunately for me I'm not a strong chipper and tend to lean on bump and runs which on this course isn't the best choice, you need to be able to chip over mounds and bunkers with finesse. Bump and runs will get you into trouble because of the aforementioned collection areas around the greens.
Go play this course, you will not have any regrets. I do recommend a yardage book that they sell in the pro shop; having a laser range finder was helpful but the yardage book would have been beneficial.
3 Likes.
Date played: 11/03/2013, Sunday
Tee time: 6:53 am
Greens fee: $38 (walking), rack rate
# of players: 4
My handicap: 16.8
Tee box: Blue
Pace of play: 3 hours 40 minutes
Course facilities: Good
Large driving range with grass and mat options. Prices for buckets are reasonable (large mat $8). 2 large practice putting greens and a separate green exclusively for chipping.
Pro shop seems to have sales fairly often but there is not a large selection of merchandise.
Restaurant: Looks like a diner, all booths and some seating at the counter. Breakfast is typical american fare and is pretty good. The food here isn't too bad and is reasonably priced.
Bar: Medium sized bar with a couple of large flat screens. If you are ordering food at the bar, food service is a little slow; you are better off walking over to the restaurant side which is connected to the bar, place your order at the counter and let them know where you are sitting. Surprisingly, the bar seems half empty every time I play there. There is an outdoor patio area with a few tables and umbrellas overlooking the practice chipping green.
Course conditions: Good
For a municipal course that gets a ton of play it is amazing that the staff are able to keep this course in good condition. I have payed twice as much at other courses where the conditions are way below what you get at either course at Costa Mesa.
The greens are in good condition but on some of the greens you can still see healing punch holes, although the greens were running smooth, although a little slow.
The tee boxes were a bit shaggy, but for the most part they were level and in good condition.
Fairways had some patchy areas, some slightly muddy areas but all in all in very good condition. Ground under repair areas were clearly marked with painted white outlines.
Rough is short and balls are easy to find. It wasn't muddy or too soft in most of the areas near the fairway. But don't let this wide open course fool you, ending up in the rough usually puts trees, branches and bunkers in your way.
Bunkers were in decent condition, some were a little more wet than others, but there is enough sand in the greenside bunkers to play a standard bunker shot.
Course layout: Fun
We played the shorter of two 18 hole layouts, but don't let the yardage (under 6,000 yds) deter you from playing this side. What the course lacks in distance it makes up for in strategy. There are a lot of holes where you should be thinking about your approach shot when you step up to the tee box. Taking driver out on every par 4 and 5 is a bad strategy. You should be using metal woods, hybrids and long irons on a few holes that the occasional player would automatically take driver on. Bunker placement around the greens and in the fairways makes accuracy a must on this side if you are trying to score low. Even though this is a open course and the rough will not penalize that much, straying too far from the fairway will leave your next shot under, over, behind or in front of a tree. A low running punch is a good shot to have in your bag on this course. If you are able to successfully execute a flop shot, you should be in good shape because of how small and tiered the greens are on some of the holes; some greens are long and narrow and 3 putts are not uncommon if you end up on the wrong side. The par 3's on this course seem really short and easy, but depending on pin placement a 110 yard par 3 can have you hoping for birdie but scrambling to save par.
I have heard some players say that the Mesa Linda side doesn't resemble a real golf course because of how short the track is but make no mistake about it, this course is great fun for all levels and does require strategy, which is a side of golf that I am really starting to appreciate and understand. If you are playing this course for the first time, you really won't appreciate it as much as on your subsequent visits. The more I play this course, the more I enjoy it.
The $38 prime time rack rate and the overall good conditioning of this course may make one of the best values in all of Orange County.
Tee time: 6:53 am
Greens fee: $38 (walking), rack rate
# of players: 4
My handicap: 16.8
Tee box: Blue
Pace of play: 3 hours 40 minutes
Course facilities: Good
Large driving range with grass and mat options. Prices for buckets are reasonable (large mat $8). 2 large practice putting greens and a separate green exclusively for chipping.
Pro shop seems to have sales fairly often but there is not a large selection of merchandise.
Restaurant: Looks like a diner, all booths and some seating at the counter. Breakfast is typical american fare and is pretty good. The food here isn't too bad and is reasonably priced.
Bar: Medium sized bar with a couple of large flat screens. If you are ordering food at the bar, food service is a little slow; you are better off walking over to the restaurant side which is connected to the bar, place your order at the counter and let them know where you are sitting. Surprisingly, the bar seems half empty every time I play there. There is an outdoor patio area with a few tables and umbrellas overlooking the practice chipping green.
Course conditions: Good
For a municipal course that gets a ton of play it is amazing that the staff are able to keep this course in good condition. I have payed twice as much at other courses where the conditions are way below what you get at either course at Costa Mesa.
The greens are in good condition but on some of the greens you can still see healing punch holes, although the greens were running smooth, although a little slow.
The tee boxes were a bit shaggy, but for the most part they were level and in good condition.
Fairways had some patchy areas, some slightly muddy areas but all in all in very good condition. Ground under repair areas were clearly marked with painted white outlines.
Rough is short and balls are easy to find. It wasn't muddy or too soft in most of the areas near the fairway. But don't let this wide open course fool you, ending up in the rough usually puts trees, branches and bunkers in your way.
Bunkers were in decent condition, some were a little more wet than others, but there is enough sand in the greenside bunkers to play a standard bunker shot.
Course layout: Fun
We played the shorter of two 18 hole layouts, but don't let the yardage (under 6,000 yds) deter you from playing this side. What the course lacks in distance it makes up for in strategy. There are a lot of holes where you should be thinking about your approach shot when you step up to the tee box. Taking driver out on every par 4 and 5 is a bad strategy. You should be using metal woods, hybrids and long irons on a few holes that the occasional player would automatically take driver on. Bunker placement around the greens and in the fairways makes accuracy a must on this side if you are trying to score low. Even though this is a open course and the rough will not penalize that much, straying too far from the fairway will leave your next shot under, over, behind or in front of a tree. A low running punch is a good shot to have in your bag on this course. If you are able to successfully execute a flop shot, you should be in good shape because of how small and tiered the greens are on some of the holes; some greens are long and narrow and 3 putts are not uncommon if you end up on the wrong side. The par 3's on this course seem really short and easy, but depending on pin placement a 110 yard par 3 can have you hoping for birdie but scrambling to save par.
I have heard some players say that the Mesa Linda side doesn't resemble a real golf course because of how short the track is but make no mistake about it, this course is great fun for all levels and does require strategy, which is a side of golf that I am really starting to appreciate and understand. If you are playing this course for the first time, you really won't appreciate it as much as on your subsequent visits. The more I play this course, the more I enjoy it.
The $38 prime time rack rate and the overall good conditioning of this course may make one of the best values in all of Orange County.
4 Likes.
Date played: Sunday, Oct. 27th 2013
Tee time: 9:06 am
My handicap: 17.6
Green fee: $63
Pace of play: 4 hours 50 minutes
# of players in group: 4
Tee box: Blue
Course facilities:
One of the better facilities in the OC and IE areas. The driving range is usually grass stations (approximately 12-15 stations) although they had used mats on this particular day. There is a small chipping green with a bunker next to the range and a two tier practice putting green next to the clubhouse. The range has approximately 6-8 target landing areas with enough room to hit long drives. You are hitting into a valley, so there is an adjustment for distance that should be noted for hitting targets that are below the hitting stations. They used to have complimentary range balls stacked up but from what I have been told it has been a couple of years since that policy was changed. But more often than not I find more than enough left over range balls to warm up with if I choose not to buy a bucket. The chipping area has more than enough room to practice greenside chips, bump and runs, short sided bunker shots, etc and if there isn't anyone else around you can set up near the edge of the range and hit 20 yard shots. The putting greens are a good indicator of the actual greens on the course.
The restaurant and bar overlook the 9th hole and the food is decent and reasonably priced (6 pack of coors light pints is $20, best deal I have seen so far). I would avoid the steak nachos but I would recommend the boneless wings. The staff are all friendly and willing to share a laugh or two.
Course conditions:
I have played this course over 15 times in the past 5 years and I do enjoy playing this course. With that being said, the course conditions on Sunday were not accurate of usual condition of the course. Tee boxes were combined, I think they are overseeding 2 tee boxes at a time. There was a strong smell of fertilizer/manure throughout the whole course. The fariways were inconsistent, some areas were burnt out and patchy. The greens had been punched a month ago but were still slightly bumpy but the punch holes have healed and the greens looked nice. The rough was also inconsistent with some areas thick and wet and other areas thin and dry. More than once I ended up in areas where I was hitting off dirt or really thin grass. The bunkers seem to be in good condition, the sand was fluffy and easy to hit out of. The conditions on this day were consistent with a stereotypical muni course which is not terrible because the value is so great.
Course layout:
This is where the course really shines. The layout is challenging but it won't kill your score. This is definitely a course with a view, you are playing in the hills intertwined with orange and avocado groves. There are homes lining the fairway on some of the holes and definitely come into play on a few tee shots, but it isn't every hole like some courses in the Palm Springs area. The first hole is a par 5 reachable in two shots and you can start the day out with an under par score. The last hole is their "signature hole" with a huge drop from tee box to fairway; a good drive leaves you less than 100 yards in giving you a chance for birdie. Local course knowledge is extremely valuable. Because of elevation changes you have to adjust your distances. Some holes seem either too short or too long based on just yardage, but check your elevation and remember that you are playing in the hills. Breaks can be subtle although seem much more severe if you are reading greens based on the surrounding peaks and valleys. You need to check distances to hazards and markers because you can easily end up with a difficult approach shot. There are many situations where being on the correct side of the fairway will make for a much more manageable approach. The risk reward contemplation will definitely come into play on this course. In my opinion that is what makes this course a lot of fun; you get to really choose your own adventure on almost every hole.
The course conditions were slightly disappointing this time around but it won't stop me from coming back a few times a year. From Orange County you can get to the course within 40 minutes and the value is hard to beat.
P.S.
Here is a traffic tip; when you are driving home from the course, avoid the 15 to the 91 merge and drive past the 91, exit Hidden Valley, take a left on Hidden Valley, left on Hamner and get on the 91 entrance off of Hamner. You will avoid the gridlock on the bridge from the 15 to the 91 and save at least 30 minutes by avoiding that traffic.
Tee time: 9:06 am
My handicap: 17.6
Green fee: $63
Pace of play: 4 hours 50 minutes
# of players in group: 4
Tee box: Blue
Course facilities:
One of the better facilities in the OC and IE areas. The driving range is usually grass stations (approximately 12-15 stations) although they had used mats on this particular day. There is a small chipping green with a bunker next to the range and a two tier practice putting green next to the clubhouse. The range has approximately 6-8 target landing areas with enough room to hit long drives. You are hitting into a valley, so there is an adjustment for distance that should be noted for hitting targets that are below the hitting stations. They used to have complimentary range balls stacked up but from what I have been told it has been a couple of years since that policy was changed. But more often than not I find more than enough left over range balls to warm up with if I choose not to buy a bucket. The chipping area has more than enough room to practice greenside chips, bump and runs, short sided bunker shots, etc and if there isn't anyone else around you can set up near the edge of the range and hit 20 yard shots. The putting greens are a good indicator of the actual greens on the course.
The restaurant and bar overlook the 9th hole and the food is decent and reasonably priced (6 pack of coors light pints is $20, best deal I have seen so far). I would avoid the steak nachos but I would recommend the boneless wings. The staff are all friendly and willing to share a laugh or two.
Course conditions:
I have played this course over 15 times in the past 5 years and I do enjoy playing this course. With that being said, the course conditions on Sunday were not accurate of usual condition of the course. Tee boxes were combined, I think they are overseeding 2 tee boxes at a time. There was a strong smell of fertilizer/manure throughout the whole course. The fariways were inconsistent, some areas were burnt out and patchy. The greens had been punched a month ago but were still slightly bumpy but the punch holes have healed and the greens looked nice. The rough was also inconsistent with some areas thick and wet and other areas thin and dry. More than once I ended up in areas where I was hitting off dirt or really thin grass. The bunkers seem to be in good condition, the sand was fluffy and easy to hit out of. The conditions on this day were consistent with a stereotypical muni course which is not terrible because the value is so great.
Course layout:
This is where the course really shines. The layout is challenging but it won't kill your score. This is definitely a course with a view, you are playing in the hills intertwined with orange and avocado groves. There are homes lining the fairway on some of the holes and definitely come into play on a few tee shots, but it isn't every hole like some courses in the Palm Springs area. The first hole is a par 5 reachable in two shots and you can start the day out with an under par score. The last hole is their "signature hole" with a huge drop from tee box to fairway; a good drive leaves you less than 100 yards in giving you a chance for birdie. Local course knowledge is extremely valuable. Because of elevation changes you have to adjust your distances. Some holes seem either too short or too long based on just yardage, but check your elevation and remember that you are playing in the hills. Breaks can be subtle although seem much more severe if you are reading greens based on the surrounding peaks and valleys. You need to check distances to hazards and markers because you can easily end up with a difficult approach shot. There are many situations where being on the correct side of the fairway will make for a much more manageable approach. The risk reward contemplation will definitely come into play on this course. In my opinion that is what makes this course a lot of fun; you get to really choose your own adventure on almost every hole.
The course conditions were slightly disappointing this time around but it won't stop me from coming back a few times a year. From Orange County you can get to the course within 40 minutes and the value is hard to beat.
P.S.
Here is a traffic tip; when you are driving home from the course, avoid the 15 to the 91 merge and drive past the 91, exit Hidden Valley, take a left on Hidden Valley, left on Hamner and get on the 91 entrance off of Hamner. You will avoid the gridlock on the bridge from the 15 to the 91 and save at least 30 minutes by avoiding that traffic.
7 Likes.
Date played: Friday, Oct. 18th
Tee time: 8:24 am
My handicap: 17.6
Green fee: $49
Pace of play: 4 hours 40 minutes
# of players in group: 5
Tee box: Blue
Course facilities: Driving range is not a typical flat land area, you are hitting into a hillside (think Carlsbad Golf Center). Nice big putting green next to the first tee and a chipping area next to the first tee. Pro shop is small but clean. The restaurant and bar are pretty big with a nice view of a part of the course and the mountains. The view is tremendous, you are playing in the mountains (or hills).
Course conditions: Not too shabby considering the amount of play that this course must get because of the reasonable prices. When we played, the tee boxes, fairways and greens looked lush and well manicured. The sand in the bunkers was soft and fluffy, not super fine sand but no wedge nicking chunks either. The greens didn't seem super fast, but because of all of the undulations and considering all of the hills and elevation changes the ball really gets moving if you don't have the right speed.
First off I really appreciated that they allowed our five some out on the course. I had 4 buddies from Chicago in town and we wanted to play as a group and didn't think there was a chance but they accomodated us, although the three some behind us were not happy. We were keeping pace but as a courtesy offered the group behind us to jump ahead, but the group ahead of us were a little on the slow side so no harm no foul.
This course is all about the views and the elevation changes. A majority of the holes you are driving down hill or up hill. This course can be tough if you are not placing your shots in the right areas. There is a good amount of OB with blind shots that will test your depth perception and ball tracking abilities. That is one thing about this course that always seems to mess with me; because of all of the hills and blind shots, it really screws up my depth perception so it sometimes becomes difficult to locate your ball if you are off the fairway. Be prepared to lose at least a sleeve, maybe even two.
I do enjoy the course because it is well maintained and it has a lot of character but in my opinion it is a little gimmicky at times and what I mean is that there is too much of what makes this course unique. I chose this place for my Chicago buddies because it is the type of course that they would never see back home. The views are awe inspiring and I wouldn't hesitate to play the course again but I need to work on my accuracy and shot shaping before I play here next time.
Tee time: 8:24 am
My handicap: 17.6
Green fee: $49
Pace of play: 4 hours 40 minutes
# of players in group: 5
Tee box: Blue
Course facilities: Driving range is not a typical flat land area, you are hitting into a hillside (think Carlsbad Golf Center). Nice big putting green next to the first tee and a chipping area next to the first tee. Pro shop is small but clean. The restaurant and bar are pretty big with a nice view of a part of the course and the mountains. The view is tremendous, you are playing in the mountains (or hills).
Course conditions: Not too shabby considering the amount of play that this course must get because of the reasonable prices. When we played, the tee boxes, fairways and greens looked lush and well manicured. The sand in the bunkers was soft and fluffy, not super fine sand but no wedge nicking chunks either. The greens didn't seem super fast, but because of all of the undulations and considering all of the hills and elevation changes the ball really gets moving if you don't have the right speed.
First off I really appreciated that they allowed our five some out on the course. I had 4 buddies from Chicago in town and we wanted to play as a group and didn't think there was a chance but they accomodated us, although the three some behind us were not happy. We were keeping pace but as a courtesy offered the group behind us to jump ahead, but the group ahead of us were a little on the slow side so no harm no foul.
This course is all about the views and the elevation changes. A majority of the holes you are driving down hill or up hill. This course can be tough if you are not placing your shots in the right areas. There is a good amount of OB with blind shots that will test your depth perception and ball tracking abilities. That is one thing about this course that always seems to mess with me; because of all of the hills and blind shots, it really screws up my depth perception so it sometimes becomes difficult to locate your ball if you are off the fairway. Be prepared to lose at least a sleeve, maybe even two.
I do enjoy the course because it is well maintained and it has a lot of character but in my opinion it is a little gimmicky at times and what I mean is that there is too much of what makes this course unique. I chose this place for my Chicago buddies because it is the type of course that they would never see back home. The views are awe inspiring and I wouldn't hesitate to play the course again but I need to work on my accuracy and shot shaping before I play here next time.
6 Likes.
Date played: Thursday, Oct. 17th
Tee time: 1:30 pm
My handicap: 17.6
Green fee: $75
Pace of play: 4 hours 15 minutes
# of players in group: 4
Tee box: Blue
First time playing SF, I expected so much more but still enjoyed the round.
Course facilities: Nice sized driving range, but we had to hit off mats, not sure if they offer grass on certain days, it does look like there is a turf line. Really nice practice putting greens but again no chipping green that I am aware of. On a side note, why don't more courses offer a chipping green or at least some range targets closer than 75 yards. The clubhouse is unique, it looks like a old farm house with a detached barn that they use for events. The restaurant is pretty nice with high ceilings and a small but nice bar. There is an outdoor patio but it doesn't overlook either of the finishing holes. The pro shop didn't carry as much merchandise as I would have thought for the type of course it is. Employees were all great to deal with, starter was a good sport but I don't recall seeing a cart attendant on the course.
Course conditions: Course is in good shape, nothing to complain about except for the bunkers. Sand was not what you would expect on a high end course, much more compacted than I had hoped for.
Course layout: No houses directly on the course, which is really nice. There seemed to be a lot of spots where you could end up in trouble. If you are not hitting it straight be prepared to take penalty strokes. Lots of OB and environmental areas that will swallow up your Pro V's.
The course was nice but I was not moved emotionally by this course. There are so many courses in the So Cal area that offer an experience that is unique to that course, but SF did not offer that experience to me. It is possible it has something to do with paying $75 for a twilight round or maybe I had hyped it up too much. But I can't shake that feeling of being underwhelmed by this course. I wish I could provide my fellow GK'ers with a list of all the things that were wrong with this course, but I am far from being a course designer and I cannot even provide you with why I feel the way I do except that I walked away after playing a round and had a sigh of apathy. It wasn't as if I played a terrible round, shot my handicap.
I wouldn't go as far as saying that you should not play this course, go play it and formulate your own opinion. The course conditions and facilities are really nice so maybe it is worth another round to unveil something that I had missed during my first visit.
Tee time: 1:30 pm
My handicap: 17.6
Green fee: $75
Pace of play: 4 hours 15 minutes
# of players in group: 4
Tee box: Blue
First time playing SF, I expected so much more but still enjoyed the round.
Course facilities: Nice sized driving range, but we had to hit off mats, not sure if they offer grass on certain days, it does look like there is a turf line. Really nice practice putting greens but again no chipping green that I am aware of. On a side note, why don't more courses offer a chipping green or at least some range targets closer than 75 yards. The clubhouse is unique, it looks like a old farm house with a detached barn that they use for events. The restaurant is pretty nice with high ceilings and a small but nice bar. There is an outdoor patio but it doesn't overlook either of the finishing holes. The pro shop didn't carry as much merchandise as I would have thought for the type of course it is. Employees were all great to deal with, starter was a good sport but I don't recall seeing a cart attendant on the course.
Course conditions: Course is in good shape, nothing to complain about except for the bunkers. Sand was not what you would expect on a high end course, much more compacted than I had hoped for.
Course layout: No houses directly on the course, which is really nice. There seemed to be a lot of spots where you could end up in trouble. If you are not hitting it straight be prepared to take penalty strokes. Lots of OB and environmental areas that will swallow up your Pro V's.
The course was nice but I was not moved emotionally by this course. There are so many courses in the So Cal area that offer an experience that is unique to that course, but SF did not offer that experience to me. It is possible it has something to do with paying $75 for a twilight round or maybe I had hyped it up too much. But I can't shake that feeling of being underwhelmed by this course. I wish I could provide my fellow GK'ers with a list of all the things that were wrong with this course, but I am far from being a course designer and I cannot even provide you with why I feel the way I do except that I walked away after playing a round and had a sigh of apathy. It wasn't as if I played a terrible round, shot my handicap.
I wouldn't go as far as saying that you should not play this course, go play it and formulate your own opinion. The course conditions and facilities are really nice so maybe it is worth another round to unveil something that I had missed during my first visit.
7 Likes.
Date played: Saturday, Oct. 19th
Tee time: 2:26 pm
My handicap: 17.6
Green fee: $50 (replay)
Pace of play: less than 4 hours
# of players in group: 4
Tee box: Gold (typical blue on most courses)
We had played the Player course earlier in the day and jumped all over the replay deal of $50.
The Dye course just opened up after overseeding and to my surprise the course looked great. The greens were a little slow but no sand and the grass on the greens looked great.
If you had read my review of the Player course and how the conditions were a little dry, it was the complete opposite on the Dye course. This course looked insane in a good way. The tee boxes were perfect, the fairways were immaculate, the bunker sand was soft and fluffy and the greens looked great. I could only imagine what the Player course will look like after they are done with the overseeding.
This course is also extremely fun to play but not as forgiving as the Player course. You have to be prepared to play off of downhill and uphill lies. The rough was fluffy, it wasn't crazy thick or heavy but the ball would sink into the rough. There seemed to be a lot more water hazards on this course and definitely required more layups or at least more conservative shots into the green.
This is only the 2nd Dye course I have ever played and it is cool to play a course that has some familiarity to courses you see on TV, mainly the vertical wooden slats that border the holes that are on the water.
We had the course to ourselves for the most part and had a great time playing both Mission Hills courses.
It's tough to say which course I liked better because the conditions of the two courses were so different. I played much better on the Player course but I was also exhausted on the back 9 of the Dye course. If one of these were my home course I would say the Player course would be my choice but the Dye course is where I would take my out of town guests.
I liked both of these courses better than PGA West Stadium course. The Dye course is challenging but not like PGA Beast.
Tee time: 2:26 pm
My handicap: 17.6
Green fee: $50 (replay)
Pace of play: less than 4 hours
# of players in group: 4
Tee box: Gold (typical blue on most courses)
We had played the Player course earlier in the day and jumped all over the replay deal of $50.
The Dye course just opened up after overseeding and to my surprise the course looked great. The greens were a little slow but no sand and the grass on the greens looked great.
If you had read my review of the Player course and how the conditions were a little dry, it was the complete opposite on the Dye course. This course looked insane in a good way. The tee boxes were perfect, the fairways were immaculate, the bunker sand was soft and fluffy and the greens looked great. I could only imagine what the Player course will look like after they are done with the overseeding.
This course is also extremely fun to play but not as forgiving as the Player course. You have to be prepared to play off of downhill and uphill lies. The rough was fluffy, it wasn't crazy thick or heavy but the ball would sink into the rough. There seemed to be a lot more water hazards on this course and definitely required more layups or at least more conservative shots into the green.
This is only the 2nd Dye course I have ever played and it is cool to play a course that has some familiarity to courses you see on TV, mainly the vertical wooden slats that border the holes that are on the water.
We had the course to ourselves for the most part and had a great time playing both Mission Hills courses.
It's tough to say which course I liked better because the conditions of the two courses were so different. I played much better on the Player course but I was also exhausted on the back 9 of the Dye course. If one of these were my home course I would say the Player course would be my choice but the Dye course is where I would take my out of town guests.
I liked both of these courses better than PGA West Stadium course. The Dye course is challenging but not like PGA Beast.
6 Likes.
Date played: Saturday, Oct. 19th
Tee time: 8:46 am
My handicap: 17.6
Green fee: $108
Pace of play: 4 hours 25 minutes
# of players in group: 4
Tee box: Gold (typical blue on most courses)
We were paired up with two regulars at the course. They play there about once a week so we got lucky when we needed local course knowledge.
Course conditions:
A little dried out in the fairways and the greens were playing fast. Even though the course looked a little dry, I did not feel like I was hitting my irons off a mat. Rough was not thick and you were not severely punished for offline shots. Sand in the bunkers were somewhat of a disappointment, it seemed as if the course had thrown fluffy sand on top of a layer that was rather compacted. This actually worked in my favor a few times; I had a drive that was a low bullet and it went into a fairway bunker but rolled right out. I also played a couple of greenside bunkers like I would with a short sided bump and run (off my back foot). Tee boxes were level and were in good condition.
Course layout:
Forgiving and lots of fun. The course isn't completely flat, but the lies were not too severe for the most part. It's not quite a target golf type of course where you are laying up on par 5's with an iron off the tee. I pretty much hit driver on every par 4 and 5. I had a great time on this course and shot my best front 9 score ever (40) and finished with a 85. The course seemed open and even when I did get in trouble I was able to recover without too much of a penalty. On one hole I had driven my ball next to a tree with a low hanging branch, approximately 160 to the center of the green; I had no shot but a low punch but because the fairways were somewhat dried out the ball rolled up on the green. The two guys that I was playing with advised me to play half the break on the greens. Because off all the mountains surrounding us I thought that the greens would break much more severely than they did. I was able to opt to putt when I was off the green more often than usual because there wasn't much deviation in the length of the grass around the green compared to the surface of the green.
The clubhouse was nothing special but the pro shop employees, starter and GM were all extremely professional and polite. The driving range is fairly large and when we were there all grass hitting area with free range balls. The one thing I did not see was a dedicated chipping area, although I could have easily missed it. A 12 pack of coors light cost $50 which is a little more expensive than most courses that I play.
I would not hesitate to go back and play this course, especially after the overseeding process is completed at the end of next month. We opted for the $50 replay fee and played the Pete Dye course which had just opened up from overseeding. I will have a review of that course up at a later time.
A fun course that is good for a majority of golfers. Is it worth $108, I have a hard time justifying paying that kind of money for any course but I was on vacation and considering that I pay $58 + $7 for a bucket at my "home course" (Meadowlark) then yes it was easily worth the extra $43.
Tee time: 8:46 am
My handicap: 17.6
Green fee: $108
Pace of play: 4 hours 25 minutes
# of players in group: 4
Tee box: Gold (typical blue on most courses)
We were paired up with two regulars at the course. They play there about once a week so we got lucky when we needed local course knowledge.
Course conditions:
A little dried out in the fairways and the greens were playing fast. Even though the course looked a little dry, I did not feel like I was hitting my irons off a mat. Rough was not thick and you were not severely punished for offline shots. Sand in the bunkers were somewhat of a disappointment, it seemed as if the course had thrown fluffy sand on top of a layer that was rather compacted. This actually worked in my favor a few times; I had a drive that was a low bullet and it went into a fairway bunker but rolled right out. I also played a couple of greenside bunkers like I would with a short sided bump and run (off my back foot). Tee boxes were level and were in good condition.
Course layout:
Forgiving and lots of fun. The course isn't completely flat, but the lies were not too severe for the most part. It's not quite a target golf type of course where you are laying up on par 5's with an iron off the tee. I pretty much hit driver on every par 4 and 5. I had a great time on this course and shot my best front 9 score ever (40) and finished with a 85. The course seemed open and even when I did get in trouble I was able to recover without too much of a penalty. On one hole I had driven my ball next to a tree with a low hanging branch, approximately 160 to the center of the green; I had no shot but a low punch but because the fairways were somewhat dried out the ball rolled up on the green. The two guys that I was playing with advised me to play half the break on the greens. Because off all the mountains surrounding us I thought that the greens would break much more severely than they did. I was able to opt to putt when I was off the green more often than usual because there wasn't much deviation in the length of the grass around the green compared to the surface of the green.
The clubhouse was nothing special but the pro shop employees, starter and GM were all extremely professional and polite. The driving range is fairly large and when we were there all grass hitting area with free range balls. The one thing I did not see was a dedicated chipping area, although I could have easily missed it. A 12 pack of coors light cost $50 which is a little more expensive than most courses that I play.
I would not hesitate to go back and play this course, especially after the overseeding process is completed at the end of next month. We opted for the $50 replay fee and played the Pete Dye course which had just opened up from overseeding. I will have a review of that course up at a later time.
A fun course that is good for a majority of golfers. Is it worth $108, I have a hard time justifying paying that kind of money for any course but I was on vacation and considering that I pay $58 + $7 for a bucket at my "home course" (Meadowlark) then yes it was easily worth the extra $43.
5 Likes.
Played on: 07/23/2011
Tee time: 10:08 am
Pace of play: 4 hours, 28 minutes (could have joined the twosome in front of me, but the husband was slamming his club and threw a wedge at one point, decided just to play as a single)
Green fee: $55.00 + $1.99 (fee for using golfnow.com)
# of players: 1
Tees: White
Driving range: yes, mats only (did not pay for range balls, was given a complimentary bucket for waiting five minutes to check in); large practice putting green and chipping area by the 1st tee
I won't bore any of you to death with my usually long and winded reviews because it is common knowledge that HV is one of the best courses in all of socal.
Fairways are lush (some thin spots but far and few between) and tee boxes are in great condition, nice and level.
The greens were recently aerated at the beginning of this month, but the greens are in good condition and roll smooth although slightly on the slow side. The greens look great and the course is ready for you to go out and play.
Anyone that has played here is familiar with the great conditions thanks to a staff that obviously takes a great amount of pride in presenting a great overall experience for all golfers of all abilities.
Besides the great conditioning of the course, what makes this course so memorable is the layout. I believe that anyone from a 25+ handicapper to a scratch golfer will enjoy their round.
Playing from the whites offered fun challenges but didn't kill my round. I lost one ball the whole round and to make a comparison I lost over half a dozen at Dos Lagos the week before.
The landing areas are forgiving if you plan on using the driver, but some holes will require you to use a bit of good judgment and opt for a fairway wood or long iron. The GPS on the cart really helps by giving you yardage to the COG, front green, back green and any hazards including yards to carry off the tee (helped me hit more FIR than I have ever before).
It is an extremely fun golf course with elevation changes and some really scenic par 3's. Pay a visit, it's 100% worth the green fees.
Tee time: 10:08 am
Pace of play: 4 hours, 28 minutes (could have joined the twosome in front of me, but the husband was slamming his club and threw a wedge at one point, decided just to play as a single)
Green fee: $55.00 + $1.99 (fee for using golfnow.com)
# of players: 1
Tees: White
Driving range: yes, mats only (did not pay for range balls, was given a complimentary bucket for waiting five minutes to check in); large practice putting green and chipping area by the 1st tee
I won't bore any of you to death with my usually long and winded reviews because it is common knowledge that HV is one of the best courses in all of socal.
Fairways are lush (some thin spots but far and few between) and tee boxes are in great condition, nice and level.
The greens were recently aerated at the beginning of this month, but the greens are in good condition and roll smooth although slightly on the slow side. The greens look great and the course is ready for you to go out and play.
Anyone that has played here is familiar with the great conditions thanks to a staff that obviously takes a great amount of pride in presenting a great overall experience for all golfers of all abilities.
Besides the great conditioning of the course, what makes this course so memorable is the layout. I believe that anyone from a 25+ handicapper to a scratch golfer will enjoy their round.
Playing from the whites offered fun challenges but didn't kill my round. I lost one ball the whole round and to make a comparison I lost over half a dozen at Dos Lagos the week before.
The landing areas are forgiving if you plan on using the driver, but some holes will require you to use a bit of good judgment and opt for a fairway wood or long iron. The GPS on the cart really helps by giving you yardage to the COG, front green, back green and any hazards including yards to carry off the tee (helped me hit more FIR than I have ever before).
It is an extremely fun golf course with elevation changes and some really scenic par 3's. Pay a visit, it's 100% worth the green fees.
0 Likes.
07/17/2011
Tee time: 11:23am
Paid $27.99 (used an online discount website)
# of players: 3
Tees: White
Pace of play: 5 hours, 19 minutes
No driving range. Practice putting green near 1st tee.
Dos Lagos is another decent example of good value in Riverside county assuming you take advantage of websites that offer discounted tee times.
This course is located off the 15 about 10 minutes south of the 91. Close to the Golf Club of Glen Ivy, the Retreat at Champions Club and Eagle Glen. The course is situated in a planned residential and shopping development.
The clubhouse is actually not a clubhouse at all, more of a structure that contains the pro shop, bar and kitchen. If you are not worried about anything except the golf then the clubhouse will not bother you. If you prefer a nicer place to have a drink and eat after your round, you have the option of driving across the street (less than 1 minute) into the shopping area which has several restaurants to choose from.
The lack of a driving range is more of a concern to me, but it wouldn't stop me from coming back as long as the green fee is similar to what I paid today.
The tee boxes were level, but some were a bit chewed up.
The fairways are thin in a lot of areas and there are dead spots throughout the course but not once did I ever hit off bare dirt nor did I ever feel like I was hitting off a mat; the turf played better than it looked.
The rough was also cut short, almost the same length as the fairway. I don't see this as an issue, actually I prefer it but some of you may want more of a penalty for an errant tee shot. There is thick brush, fescue and protected enviromental areas that surround the course (more prominent on the front nine) so just because the rough is short doesn't mean you are in the clear with pushes, pulls, hooks and slices.
The greens are huge, but I learned very quickly that large greens don't equal more GIRs. Also pay attention to the flag placement, some of the greens are multi tiered and being on the wrong tier can quickly result in a 3 or 4 putt. I did notice that there were a number of spots from unrepaired ball marks resulting in dead patches, nothing that affected any of my putts but certainly annoying to look at.
There are a lot of sand traps and it is very likely that you will be hitting out of the sand at some point during your round, but not too difficult to get out of. The traps don't look pretty but the clubhead slides through with little effort.
The course layout is challenging but also very playable. Some fairways are tight and narrow, there are a lot of elevation changes (both up and down) and you will encounter sidehill lies. There are homes that line parts of the course, but not that many and none that ever really come into play. In fact, the east side of the course is all mountain terrain with no houses at all.
The back nine is much more open than the front and offered many more spectacular views. In my opinion 16 and 17 are the signature holes on the course. Hole 8 is seems to be out of character for this course, it is an extremely short par 3 (115 from blue) and doesn't have much personality; almost seems like it was just forced to fit into a small, otherwise, unusable area.
Customer service was good from pro shop to cart girl. I saw her on 2, 5, 11 and 13. There are 4 water stations spread out through the course and the water is ice cold.
There were no on course marshalls that I saw today, although we could have used one...the pace of play was slow and it wasn't because the course was packed. There were 2 or 3 foursomes in front of us that were playing in some sort of tournament that was holding up at least 4 groups behind them. The group directly in front of us were all playing from the blue tees when 3 out of 4 should have been playing from white or red. It was extremely slow and it would have been helpful to have a marshall out there moving things along.
All in all, I enjoyed playing this course but it really had a lot to do with the green fee that I paid. I don't think I would play here if I had to pay $50, but I will definitely play here for $30.
Tee time: 11:23am
Paid $27.99 (used an online discount website)
# of players: 3
Tees: White
Pace of play: 5 hours, 19 minutes
No driving range. Practice putting green near 1st tee.
Dos Lagos is another decent example of good value in Riverside county assuming you take advantage of websites that offer discounted tee times.
This course is located off the 15 about 10 minutes south of the 91. Close to the Golf Club of Glen Ivy, the Retreat at Champions Club and Eagle Glen. The course is situated in a planned residential and shopping development.
The clubhouse is actually not a clubhouse at all, more of a structure that contains the pro shop, bar and kitchen. If you are not worried about anything except the golf then the clubhouse will not bother you. If you prefer a nicer place to have a drink and eat after your round, you have the option of driving across the street (less than 1 minute) into the shopping area which has several restaurants to choose from.
The lack of a driving range is more of a concern to me, but it wouldn't stop me from coming back as long as the green fee is similar to what I paid today.
The tee boxes were level, but some were a bit chewed up.
The fairways are thin in a lot of areas and there are dead spots throughout the course but not once did I ever hit off bare dirt nor did I ever feel like I was hitting off a mat; the turf played better than it looked.
The rough was also cut short, almost the same length as the fairway. I don't see this as an issue, actually I prefer it but some of you may want more of a penalty for an errant tee shot. There is thick brush, fescue and protected enviromental areas that surround the course (more prominent on the front nine) so just because the rough is short doesn't mean you are in the clear with pushes, pulls, hooks and slices.
The greens are huge, but I learned very quickly that large greens don't equal more GIRs. Also pay attention to the flag placement, some of the greens are multi tiered and being on the wrong tier can quickly result in a 3 or 4 putt. I did notice that there were a number of spots from unrepaired ball marks resulting in dead patches, nothing that affected any of my putts but certainly annoying to look at.
There are a lot of sand traps and it is very likely that you will be hitting out of the sand at some point during your round, but not too difficult to get out of. The traps don't look pretty but the clubhead slides through with little effort.
The course layout is challenging but also very playable. Some fairways are tight and narrow, there are a lot of elevation changes (both up and down) and you will encounter sidehill lies. There are homes that line parts of the course, but not that many and none that ever really come into play. In fact, the east side of the course is all mountain terrain with no houses at all.
The back nine is much more open than the front and offered many more spectacular views. In my opinion 16 and 17 are the signature holes on the course. Hole 8 is seems to be out of character for this course, it is an extremely short par 3 (115 from blue) and doesn't have much personality; almost seems like it was just forced to fit into a small, otherwise, unusable area.
Customer service was good from pro shop to cart girl. I saw her on 2, 5, 11 and 13. There are 4 water stations spread out through the course and the water is ice cold.
There were no on course marshalls that I saw today, although we could have used one...the pace of play was slow and it wasn't because the course was packed. There were 2 or 3 foursomes in front of us that were playing in some sort of tournament that was holding up at least 4 groups behind them. The group directly in front of us were all playing from the blue tees when 3 out of 4 should have been playing from white or red. It was extremely slow and it would have been helpful to have a marshall out there moving things along.
All in all, I enjoyed playing this course but it really had a lot to do with the green fee that I paid. I don't think I would play here if I had to pay $50, but I will definitely play here for $30.
0 Likes.
07/09/2011 - Saturday - 12:00 pm tee time - $48.00 + $1.99 (online discount website)
Range balls and cart included.
# of players in group: 4
Played from the white tee box
Pace of play: 4.5 hours, but could have played faster but took time to enjoy the scenery, hitting provisional tee shots, generously taking mulligans and looking for lost balls.
I cannot justify playing any of the public courses in Orange County after playing this course for around $50 with cart and range balls. Only a 30 minute drive from the Anaheim Hills/Yorba Linda area; the course proved to be well worth the drive.
If you live in Tustin, Irvine, Anaheim, Fullerton, Brea, La Habra, Yorba Linda, Orange then you owe it to yourself to take a drive out to Riverside if you like playing on top notch courses for the same money that you would pay to play at any of the munis in OC.
Customer service (limited to paying green fees and buying a couple of candy bars at the turn) seemed good, nothing really to report here. On the course marshals were great, very courteous and stayed mostly invisible through the round.
The course layout is extremely fun, with some elevation changes, mostly open landing areas off the tee and great views. Definitely some target golf here, but nothing like Badlands in Vegas and definitely some blind shots but nothing like PGA Stadium West. A nice and very playable course that I could play almost every weekend (although Goose Creek or Hidden Valley still have my top votes if I had to choose a course).
Parts of the fairway were thin and brown, but overall the fairways were in good condition and not hard or dry as I had expected it to be when I noticed the thin and brown areas.
Rough was a bit on the short side (which I prefer) and finding a ball was not an issue at all.
Sand in bunkers were soft and fluffy.
Greens were a tad slow and soft. I misjudged speed all day and were leaving putts short more often than usual. Some unfixed marks (only takes a few seconds to repair your mark and maybe even if it's not yours), but it wasn't an issue at all.
Tee boxes, nice and level.
I do agree with previous posters, the course could use more yardage markers or cart gps, but thankfully I can't hit consistently enough for yardage to be that big of a concern.
The 18th does live up to the hype, huge drop from tee to fairway. I hit my first drive into the lake on the left and my second drive I hit the clubhouse, way left...oops (took the distance after that). But really fun hole, which by the way, you can get away with 3 wood or long iron and still be in position to have an approach shot to get you on the green in regulation. Otherwise if you are like me, you can contribute to the inventory at lostgolfballs.com.
A great time!!
PS, didn't get a chance to really check out the 19th hole but I plan on it my next round.
Range balls and cart included.
# of players in group: 4
Played from the white tee box
Pace of play: 4.5 hours, but could have played faster but took time to enjoy the scenery, hitting provisional tee shots, generously taking mulligans and looking for lost balls.
I cannot justify playing any of the public courses in Orange County after playing this course for around $50 with cart and range balls. Only a 30 minute drive from the Anaheim Hills/Yorba Linda area; the course proved to be well worth the drive.
If you live in Tustin, Irvine, Anaheim, Fullerton, Brea, La Habra, Yorba Linda, Orange then you owe it to yourself to take a drive out to Riverside if you like playing on top notch courses for the same money that you would pay to play at any of the munis in OC.
Customer service (limited to paying green fees and buying a couple of candy bars at the turn) seemed good, nothing really to report here. On the course marshals were great, very courteous and stayed mostly invisible through the round.
The course layout is extremely fun, with some elevation changes, mostly open landing areas off the tee and great views. Definitely some target golf here, but nothing like Badlands in Vegas and definitely some blind shots but nothing like PGA Stadium West. A nice and very playable course that I could play almost every weekend (although Goose Creek or Hidden Valley still have my top votes if I had to choose a course).
Parts of the fairway were thin and brown, but overall the fairways were in good condition and not hard or dry as I had expected it to be when I noticed the thin and brown areas.
Rough was a bit on the short side (which I prefer) and finding a ball was not an issue at all.
Sand in bunkers were soft and fluffy.
Greens were a tad slow and soft. I misjudged speed all day and were leaving putts short more often than usual. Some unfixed marks (only takes a few seconds to repair your mark and maybe even if it's not yours), but it wasn't an issue at all.
Tee boxes, nice and level.
I do agree with previous posters, the course could use more yardage markers or cart gps, but thankfully I can't hit consistently enough for yardage to be that big of a concern.
The 18th does live up to the hype, huge drop from tee to fairway. I hit my first drive into the lake on the left and my second drive I hit the clubhouse, way left...oops (took the distance after that). But really fun hole, which by the way, you can get away with 3 wood or long iron and still be in position to have an approach shot to get you on the green in regulation. Otherwise if you are like me, you can contribute to the inventory at lostgolfballs.com.
A great time!!
PS, didn't get a chance to really check out the 19th hole but I plan on it my next round.
0 Likes.
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