Played at the GK Event just like the last 5 or 6 reviews on here. Everyone has done a great job of explaining both the amazing course conditions and t... » More

Played at the GK Event just like the last 5 or 6 reviews on here. Everyone has done a great job of explaining both the amazing course conditions and the great job Johnny did in organizing another great outing. I'll instead try and focus on what I felt could have been done either differently or better. This isn't so much a critique as it is constructive criticism to try and make everything as great as possible.

1. Carts: I know they tried hard to make sure every cart was charged and ready to go and for the most part I think they were able to accomplish this. However by the time we made the turn our cart was starting to go and I saw at least 3 other carts peppered around the property that clearly ran out of juice. The reason this is more a problem at this course is that there is no reception out there, so its' not like you can just call the clubhouse so they send you another one. This mixed in with the terrain would make for a very sticky situation.

2. Course maintenance: I'm not a greenskeeper nor do I claim to be one, however everyone in my playing group certainly felt like watering the greens right before we got on them was not a real smart move. Not that we had figured out how they were rolling at any point, but getting to a green only to find it completely soaked was a little disappointing. I understand the poor guy was under orders (I'm sure) so it's hard to blame him but maybe they could have given us a heads up.

3. Facilities (restroom): I was glad to hear the starter point out where the restrooms were around the facility however it was sad to go in and see the paper towel rolls hadn't been changed. This isn't a huge deal but it would be nice to dry your hands without getting the roll soaked.

Other than these minor things, I think that everything was well maintained and service was great. The course was obviously in peak shape and the layout is impressive and challenging. Great times had by all!
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First time playing the North course (3/30/13) and I really enjoyed the experience. I had played South before and I think the North compares favorably ... » More

First time playing the North course (3/30/13) and I really enjoyed the experience. I had played South before and I think the North compares favorably to South in almost every aspect from views to challenge level. Sure, North is a notch below South in length but there are some equally difficult holes on this course too.

Staff: Starter was very friendly and even tried to get us on earlier than our scheduled tee-time. Unfortunately for us, the group in front slowed everyone down by not only showing up late to the #1 tee-box but taking forever to play. The starter was also scrambling all over the place making sure people were teeing off on both courses. I saw some marshals from time to time but never saw them say anything to anyone.

Tee-boxes: Level and with plenty of green to tee-up on. This may have been as we were once again playing our skill level appropriate tee-boxes (white) and blue may have been a bit more chewed-up. Side note, I like the fact they don't put up black tee markers so as to not tempt the naive and cocky golfer into playing there and slowing down the round further.

Fairways: Really nice and green. Every shot I took from the fairway was clean and I rarely saw any areas of brown. No ground under repair that I could see.

Bunkers: Not the softest of sand but clean enough to hit out of and no pebbles or clumps to be found so that was good. People did a good job of raking the traps.

Rough: Really well kept and much less dense than the last time I played Torrey which was days after the Junior Amateur Championships. Still a hassle to hit out of, but at least there is an opportunity to get your ball back on the fairway.

Greens: Really lovely and green. They were moving at a medium-fast pace but nothing that would really leave you befuddled. The highlight of the course conditions.

Layout: Holes 5-7 are the gems on North and some of the holes on the back look the same as they just go back and forth down the same area of the course. Watch yourself for errant drives on almost every hole in the back 9 as they are really bunched together. I prefer the layout of South but North was very nice and cheaper too.

Pace: Surprisingly fast for twilight. Had it not been for the foursome in front of us, this may have been a 4 hour round. Overall though pace was really nice throughout the course.

If you are a SD resident and have a Resident Card, do yourself the favor of booking a tee-time here, you won't regret it.
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Played here on 3/9 at the GK Event. From beginning to end, the overall golf experience is all class and enjoyment. The free valet parking is a nice to... » More

Played here on 3/9 at the GK Event. From beginning to end, the overall golf experience is all class and enjoyment. The free valet parking is a nice touch and the gentlemen who work here take your clubs and cart down to the first tee staging area. Before you even start golfing, you already feel in the lap of luxury. As for the golf...

Tee-boxes: Overall good. There were a few that were more chewed up than others, but I can't honestly remember a single instance of searching around for flat terrain/green areas to tee off from. Even though everyone played from the same boxes, I like the fact they offer a wide variety of options for when I play again.

Fairways: Overall great. I thought for having just rained the day before, the fairways drained well and looked healthy (there were a few muddy spots here and there but limited). The grass was nice and made it easy to hit approach shots on holes that require ridiculous accuracy.

Rough: Overall great. The good thing is that this rough is not as coarse and difficult as some other courses so there were good chances to scramble from off the fairway/green.

Greens: Overall great. However, this made them no easier to read and play. There is some serious undulation and some tough breaks on almost every green. Easy 3-putt if you don't read the break or speed correctly. The only instance of a green with damage was #18 that had some slashes towards the back of the green.

Bunkers: Overall great. I like the sand they use on the bunkers here. Fluffy and white (I was honestly tired of some courses I play using more dirt than sand) sand in every bunker. Again, for having rained the day before, there was no mud in these bunkers. Note: there are a plethora of bunkers at this course. I rarely go in the sand so it was hard for me to see so much on the course and find myself hitting out of it every other hole.

Course design: I loved the front 9. It had a bit of everything. At least one straightforward hole. At least one oceanfront hole (amazing by the way). At least one hole where you cross a river. Good challenging front 9. In my opinion, the back 9 left something to be desired though. The layout was just OK as it had a very Eastlake (Chula Vista) or Carmel Mountain Ranch (San Diego) feel to it. Still enjoyable but certainly the front is where this course stands out.

Overall: A great event on a great course. I can see why the rack rate might seem a little steep (they are in Dana Point) but they do everything possible here to make sure you feel you are spending your money in a worthwhile investment.
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Played here on 3/3

This place is a real treat to play. The $25 investment in a residents card for anyone living in San Diego is the smartest ... » More

Played here on 3/3

This place is a real treat to play. The $25 investment in a residents card for anyone living in San Diego is the smartest move you can make. Aside from the obvious savings at Torrey, there are also savings at Balboa that allow you to play on the weekend for a twilight rate of $24 (not including cart). Like many others have said, the renovations to this course have really made it standout and has made a round of golf here all the more enjoyable. Significant changes to the course include: serious trimming of trees/brush/and general cleanup of areas overrun with chaparral and an overhaul of the irrigation system that has improved the water flow throughout the course.

As of the writing of this review, there were a handful of holes in the front 9 that had fairways roped off (cart path only) so watch for that. The tee-boxes were generally level, although I play from the level-appropriate white tees, so it very may well be that the blue tees are chewed up as 90% of the players on this course choose to use those tee-boxes. Fairways looked really nice and green. Sandtraps were only average as the sand used here is not the fluffiest, but certainly not the worst. The greens were really the highlight of the course conditions. Green, receptive, and in great shape.

The pace of play here on a Sunday can get sort of ridiculous at times (especially from hole 2-6) as there are at least 2 par-4 holes that require groups to wait until golfers are either completely off the green or just about there). However, it's important to remember that a) this is San Diego and the weather is almost always perfect for golf, b) this is a MUNICIPAL course that receives a tremendous amount of play, and c) the rates are spectacular for the kind of course you get to play. Have patience as it will open up after hole 6.

I thoroughly enjoy this course and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun challenge.
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