Casta del sol has been keeping conditions very nice all summer. Really fantastic greens. Fairways can be hit or miss but for the most part pretty nice. Bunkers have some good sand. Great place to work... Continue »

Casta del sol has been keeping conditions very nice all summer. Really fantastic greens. Fairways can be hit or miss but for the most part pretty nice. Bunkers have some good sand. Great place to work on your irons and short game and get a round done in 3 hours.

Casta del Sol
Played Casta del Sol Wednesday 09/13/2017, with a 9:24am tee time. Played as a foursome with a group of great guys, Jim, Greg, and Mark. Rate was $18 including cart and drink using the ... Continue »

Casta del Sol
Played Casta del Sol Wednesday 09/13/2017, with a 9:24am tee time. Played as a foursome with a group of great guys, Jim, Greg, and Mark. Rate was $18 including cart and drink using the American Golf Players Club.

At check in, I received sad news that long time starter Doug Houston is leaving, his business is keeping him fully occupied. Doug has been the starter I have seen most often over the last couple of years, and always makes you feel welcome, wanted and a friend. I am really going to miss having him there in the morning.

Teeing off at 9:24 the course was full. We were chasing a number of foursomes, well-being politely followed by a twosome. The course was in excellent condition aside from being very damp on the first four holes. The first fairway had been heavily watered, and was walking only in some areas, and the first green was being watered as we tee’d off. Funny the first was my only par of the day.
The tee boxes were mostly level with the exception of #11. The grass was lush, and there were very few divots. The divots that were present, my one playing partner was diligent to fill well we waited on the tee for the group in front of us to move out of range. It is worth mentioning that these three guys were the best I have ever played with about fixing ball marks and fairway divots.
Aside from the first three holes the fairways were dry, lush and easily playable. The tone was green and brown, but the coverage was excellent.
Bunkers were in very good condition and the groups in front of us did a good job of restoring the bunkers after playing out of them. Greenside bunkers were fluffy, fairway bunker was clean and compacted. The two I played from were very good condition, although I did find one rock on entry to the greenside bunker on #3.

Fairway rough was lush, and difficult perhaps because the situations I was in, the rough was damp. I find damp rough harder to play out of than dry rough.

Pin locations were challenging. Greens were in good condition, with fewer unrepaired ball marks than recent rounds, however a number of pins seem to have been placed in recently used locations that showed a lot of wear. I wasn’t putting particularly well, but had four three putts, and missed nine putts inside four feet, a number of which were moved by the lumpy surface of recently repaired ball marks. This was more prevalent on the back nine than the front nine. The par three 12th hole was again playing host to a charity challenge, this time to benefit hurricane relief, all four of us participated.
Casta del Sol is a fun, challenging par 61 layout featuring elevation changes, trees, creeks, ponds and bunkers at a reasonable price. Length is 3670 yards from the blues.

Golf Course Review – Casta del Sol Mission Viejo. Played Casta del Sol 09/06/2017, teeing off at 9:08am as a twosome trailing a foursome, followed by a threesome. The course was full, and there was so... Continue »

Golf Course Review – Casta del Sol Mission Viejo. Played Casta del Sol 09/06/2017, teeing off at 9:08am as a twosome trailing a foursome, followed by a threesome. The course was full, and there was some wait to tee off on most holes as the weekly men’s league had tee’d off in the morning. Pace of play was just over four hours. Rate was $18 with cart and drink using the American Golf Players Club.
Weather at tee time was mid to upper 70’s, with a wisp of a breeze. As always Doug in the clubhouse was friendly and efficient. By the conclusion of our round it was in the upper 80’s and slightly uncomfortable due to the humidity.
Course plays to a Par of 61, @ 3,670 yards. The course features six par 4, and twelve par 3 holes, with a number of water hazards and elevation changes to keep things interesting.
Casta del Sol is my favorite local course. Largely because of the recent heat wave and the impact it has on my medical conditions I haven’t been playing as much as I would like, so I hadn’t seen the course in about four weeks. Because of the prolonged heat I was expecting to find heavily browned out fairways, dry thin tee boxes, and nonexistent rough. What I found surprised me.

I was paired with a really great guy named Gilbert. He was a lot of fun, and a very good golfer. Because of the league play the course was busy, but the feel was laid back.
Carts are basic, no frills, comfortable but lacking things such as ice chests or GPS, however they were clean and the divot mix bottles were full.
Tee’s were in excellent shape. Grass coverage was lush, green and groomed. Very little divot damage even on par threes. With the exception of the 11th tee, all tee boxes were level. Tee boxes have always been this courses week point, on this day they were a gem, really happy to see the turn around.
The fairways I expected to see browned out were green lush, with virtually no divot damage. Lies were as good as I have ever seen them on this course. We were playing in the late morning but there were no damp spots on the course. All of the ground under repair areas that were present when I last played the course in August were gone.
Rough was green, lush, and deep at approximately 4” aside the fairways. Rough around the greens were around 2”. The grass is healthy and provided good lies for the most part. Creeks were running full.
Bunkers as usual were in very good condition, good base, soft sand, perhaps a bit too much sand in a couple. The three I was in played well. I was in one bunker where someone left huge foot prints and didn’t rake the bunker, but this fortunately did not affect my lie or stance.
Greens were in excellent condition, playing medium fast on the front nine and then downshifting gears to run medium slow on the back nine. Pin placements were challenging, featuring either extreme front placements or tucked behind bunkers. Lots of fun.

I have been playing this course regularly for the last two plus years, and have never seen it in better shape. I have a tee time scheduled for this coming Wednesday.

Played this morning 7:48 tee time as a twosome, following a twosome, chased by a foursome. Pace of play 3:45 minutes. Twosome in front played efficiently, and the foursome behind fell back, leaving Jo... Continue »

Played this morning 7:48 tee time as a twosome, following a twosome, chased by a foursome. Pace of play 3:45 minutes. Twosome in front played efficiently, and the foursome behind fell back, leaving Joe my playing partner and I with the feeling we had the course pretty much to ourselves.

Played on the Players Club rate of $18 with cart, and a beverage. The staff was friendly as always. Being a regular here the starter knows me which is a nice feeling. There were two Marshall’s working the course and I saw them frequently throughout the round. Temperatures were in the low 70’s at tee time, rising to 82 by the completion of the round.
Tee boxes were more level and lusher than I have seen them in a while. They were in better condition across the board than they were last week. There were some soft areas, and some divot damage, but on whole they were good.
Fairways were lush, and green. The fairway on the first hole continues to have a large segment roped off as ground under repair. There were a couple of fairways, #4, and #14 that were saturated with water in a couple of spots.
Bunkers were overall good, mostly fluffy, but there were a couple that were compacted and crusty.
Rough was thicker than usual, except in those areas where it could help keep your ball out of a creek or water hazard then it was spotty. Average seemed to be 3” – 4” in the primary rough.

Greens were in excellent condition, smooth, very few ball marks, running medium fast, receptive.
The course is in excellent condition and seems to be improving since they joined the player’s club program. A slight breeze and the round would have been perfect.

1:54 tee time, playing as a foursome of American Golf Players Club players at the late afternoon $10 rate with cart and drink. Typically I get out on time or early at this course, today was not typica... Continue »

1:54 tee time, playing as a foursome of American Golf Players Club players at the late afternoon $10 rate with cart and drink. Typically I get out on time or early at this course, today was not typical. We tee'd off about 15 minutes late to start what would be a four hour and fifteen minute round. As a bench mark I have played the course comfortably in two and half hours, but typically 3 hours is normal. Temp at start 85, temp at conclusion 92. Very little breeze.

The reason for the slow round was our tee time was the first after several foursomes of junior SCGA golfers went out. The foursome directly ahead of us was comprised of kids seemingly between 7 years old, to 10 years old. From last off the tee to off the green took around 18 minutes. They were playing efficiently, one just didn't have the distance to deal with the creek, and the first fairway is largely no cart due to ground under repair, and they didn't take their push carts out to survey shots and thus had to go back for the right club. After the second hole they did pick up speed, however the front 9 took well over two hours.

I thought we were going to have problems as the group behind us (waiting with us, was a mash up of twosomes with one guy wanting to push through), however since he likes to play from the tips, and could drive the green on 1 285 yards out he had to wait for us to get off the green before driving up.

Overall my playing partners Joe, Joe, and Frank made it a great day, we meshed well.

The tee boxes had good cover, even a little lush but they are becoming more uneven. On the 13th tee the greens keeper had actually place the blue tee markers on either side of a pair of sprinkler heads overgrown with grass.

The fairways are in very good condition other than the first hole mentioned earlier which in mostly GUR.

The rough was thicker than usual, not excessively penal, but approached four inches or more in the areas I choose to visit. Rough was a little deeper around the collar of the greens than usual.

The bunkers were in good shape, deep sand, golfers before us had raked them as they went. I visited two to ruin my score despite the bunkers being well kept.

Greens, as always are the highlight of this course. The condition if excellent, respective, smooth rolling, with speed varying from medium slow for front nine greens to medium fast on the back nine greens. The best part of the greens being receptive, with my new 54 and 58 degree Callaway Mac Daddy II Wedges, and my new Adams irons I was able to stick the shots into the green even getting the to spin back with the Mac Daddy's.

Creeks crisscross the course and all are flowing rapidly enough to assure that a ball hit in one gets swept away. This is particularly important on the 8th, 9th and 18th holes. The creek crosses in such a way that a shot hit right on 9, and 18 will find the creek, well a shot hit offline to the left and short on 8 will find the creek.

I really love this course, would like to see them help level the tee boxes, but for the money its a steal.

The back nine was wonderful because the six groups in front of us had been Junior SCGA members who only played the front nine, we had no one in front of us on the back nine, we left the group behind us a hole and half behind, or they choose to fall back, either way it was like playing a private course all to ourselves.

Food - The restaurant is very good, tired the snack bar today for a hot dog with onions and relish. Good not great, at just over $4, but served quick and I didn't have to squeeze packets for the relish.

The Junior SCGA turnout was impressive, the kids were well mannered, well supervised. I shared time on the practice green with a young girl no more than 8, and her brother and they were having fun well seriously working on getting ready for their round.

The last group out had a rules official with them to assure fair play and that they moved along. The course had at least three marshals working the event to handle the traffic snarls and ego's of the non participants. Hats off to these kids, on a hot day they walked the course, carried their clubs or pushed their carts, with two of the holes being pretty significant up hill slogs. Love to see kids playing the game.

Casta del Sol
Played Friday 04/14/2017 – tee time 6:36am as a threesome following a single, trailed by a foursome. Round was booked through my players club $9.97 with cart. Service at the clubhouse... Continue »

Casta del Sol
Played Friday 04/14/2017 – tee time 6:36am as a threesome following a single, trailed by a foursome. Round was booked through my players club $9.97 with cart. Service at the clubhouse was friendly and efficient. We were the fifth group off for the morning.
Weather at tee time was 48 degrees, and we completed the round in just less than 3 hours, temperature was up to 62 degrees.
Tee boxes were level, lush and in good condition. Many were set this morning at evil angles relative to trees, hazards, and pin placements.
Fairways were a mixed hue of colors, lush, damp (watered not dew), and were in generally good shape. Carts were permitted on all fairways except the 10 which is a 100 yard downhill par 3 (where they are never allowed). There are an abundance of baby geese and ducks on the course.
Water hazards, the main water hazard between the fourth and sixth holes remains a mud bog, but the creeks that crisscross the property are moving well, and any ball hit there quickly disappears.
Rough was lush when encountered however there isn’t very much rough on the course; there are a lot of waste or OB areas.
Bunkers were uniformly in good condition, full, fluffy and raked allowing for a good up and down when in the bunker.
Greens were in good condition. They showed indications of having been punched recently on a couple of greens and were sandy, but I overheard that the course is supposed to be aerated in late April. The sand and bumps were only noticeable on a couple of holes on the back nine.
The morning on the course from sunrise through early morning was spectacular; this is a visually appealing course, especially in the early morning as steam rises off the pond between the 10 tees, and 18th green. This is my home course and I never tire of playing it.

Perfect morning, playing with a great partner as a twosome on a well prepared course. Payed the Players Club Rate for early morning $9.97 with cart. Paired with a gentleman named Ron, excellent very l... Continue »

Perfect morning, playing with a great partner as a twosome on a well prepared course. Payed the Players Club Rate for early morning $9.97 with cart. Paired with a gentleman named Ron, excellent very low handicap player, great attitude, pleasure to play with. Hope we get paired again. Tee'd time was 6:28 am, we went off on time, following a foursome, followed by a twosome some time later. We never waited, were never pressed and by the back 9 couldn't see the group in front, or the group behind. Pace of play for 18 holes was 2.5 hours. As always the carts are basic, but they were clean, and the divot mix was stocked. Tee's were among the best I have seen them, and lush, largely level, some evil sight lines, but a little dense. They should be aerating the course by mid April. Fairways are as always a patchwork of colors, but the grass was lush in most areas. Little to no mud in areas of play. Rough was more lush than usual, clean, no built up clippings, more fluffy than usual. The rough around the greens were lush. The bunkers as usual were fluffy, clean, machine raked and hand finished. I had the misfortune of working on my sand game extensively this round, and can attest that traps are penal, but well maintained. Greens were uniformly good. The group before us was leaving ball marks which is a shame for good players. I think they might want to reduce the premium they have for speed (they had tee'd off in the dark) and put a little more care into the course, they are all regulars here. Greens were very clean, few leaves, grass clippings, or twigs. Pin locations seemed a little kinder today despite the number of trips I made to the bunkers. Weather at tee time was 53 degrees, weather at completion was 72 with only a hint of breeze. There were several new families of baby geese on course, and a nice collection of duck species. Staff was very friendly and helpful as always. In fact one of the grounds crew retrieved my playing partners cell phone and rushed up to the 18 green to return it to him, quietly waiting until we had putted out. As always I enjoy this course. By the time we came off the course the leagues both men and women's were tee'ing on course or waiting to get out on course and the lot was busy. Hopefully the two nice ladies who stopped and asked how the course was found all those birdies I left out there for them.

Played Thursday 03/23/2017 tee time 6:44 am, went out at 6:35am as a single. Rate $9.97 with cart through my American Golf Players Club Membership.

Followed a fast moving foursome and was tailed by... Continue »

Played Thursday 03/23/2017 tee time 6:44 am, went out at 6:35am as a single. Rate $9.97 with cart through my American Golf Players Club Membership.

Followed a fast moving foursome and was tailed by a twosome. Temperature at tee off was 54 degrees, and finished at 8:40 am in the mid 60's. Weather was clear, crisp. Total time for the round was almost spot on two hours for 18 holes.

Tee boxes were mostly level, and lush. Teeing off #2 for the day there was no divot damage on the tee boxes.

Fairways have full coverage in a patchwork of colors and grass types but were dry and in very good condition.

Rough really doesn't exist per se. First cut is 1/2 inch, second cut is 1 to 2 inches and difficulty is more a function of the type of grass encountered. The fairways, and rough are well manicured and provide good lies.

Bunkers, unfortunately I was in more than a couple of bunkers and all were in excellent condition, had been machine raked, and were full and fluffy.

Greens, despite being wet with dew the greens were playing fast. They were in excellent condition, possibly the best I have seen them and I play here regularly.

From tee to green the course was in excellent shape. The creeks were flowing, however they have not refilled the main water hazard that boarders holes 4 and 6.

As always the pro shop staff, marshals and cart attendant were pleasant, and helpful. I saw the marshal three times, one on the front 9, once at the turn, and again on 16.

By the time I was done the parking lot was full, a ladies group was headed out and the place was humming. Love this course for the money.


The only negative for the round was that my divot mix bottle was almost empty.

Played Wednesday 3/8/2017 - 6:04 am tee time, Players Club rate $9.97 for me, $19.97 for my playing partner with a cart. Went out as a twosome. Starting temperature 48 degrees, completion temp 69 degr... Continue »

Played Wednesday 3/8/2017 - 6:04 am tee time, Players Club rate $9.97 for me, $19.97 for my playing partner with a cart. Went out as a twosome. Starting temperature 48 degrees, completion temp 69 degrees.

Pace of Play 2hr. 18 min

We were first up, but had a walking single that wanted to go off alone first we obliged, and then on the third hole let a lady who was a walking single play through. I know both and they are lightning fast players. After that we weren't held up until the 15th hole with a couple of guys you had cut the course. Wouldn't have been bad, but they had poor manners and the walking member of the pair chose to clean his club, enter is score, and clean his ball standing on the green at 15,16,17 until we finally said something. We were never pressed.
(rant over)

Tee boxes were lush, most were acceptably level but some were not. They were playing most tee boxes except 18 all the way back today, and mixing that with some very front pin placements.

The fairways were all grass covered but not lush, mostly thin, and still winter brown in large areas. There were six holes that were cart path only, but we saw no evidence of mud, or standing water. In fact well the creek had water running through it, the water hazard between the fourth and fifth hole was empty.

The greens were in perfect condition and firm. The rough on the collars was inconsistent.

Rough was 3"-4" as you would expect along much of the course, and lush.

Visted several sand traps and aside from a few rocks, they were in very good shape sand wise, but they had not been machine raked, there were boot prints in many.

As always this course is a great value, more so if your a Players Club member. Given that several courses have been added to my players club availability I may be playing this one less but it is still the best buy at $9.97 for 18 holes.

By the time we finished the course was full, and the weather was great. Enjoyed the round with my friend despite the fact that he wasn't have an A game day, and my game failed completely.

Golfing with friends, without breaking the bank is fun.

The guy at the pro shop was great.