Played 6-19-25 as a foursome in carts, finishing in around 4 hours and forty five minutes on a crowded day. Each time I ... » More

Played 6-19-25 as a foursome in carts, finishing in around 4 hours and forty five minutes on a crowded day. Each time I have played here recently the course seems to be in just a little better shape then the previous round. Tees, level, cut tight with good coverage. Fairways , real nice, great lies and decent roll out. Rough, 1-3 inches and semi-thick, great shape. Greenside bunkers, an ample amount of nice heavy white sand. Fairway bunkers, they seem to be letting some of them go, was told they might turn some of them into waste areas so you could grown your club, I think that's a good idea . Greens, rolling smooth at medium/fast pace and playing semi soft, in great shape. Love this course, highly recommend playing.
» Close

I played Castle Creek on 6/22, and saw a forum post after asking about it in general so here is a June 2025 review of it... » More

I played Castle Creek on 6/22, and saw a forum post after asking about it in general so here is a June 2025 review of it.

When you pull up to the parking lot on a Sunday and are one of 3 cars in the parking lot you know something is up. There's a note on the Clubhouse door that says "Back in 5 Minutes." It was really 10-15 minutes before someone came back. From what I could tell they only have one employee that goes between the "Pro Shop" and cart barn.

Positives: The tee time was only $22.50 per player which is unheard in San Diego county for a full-size course weekend rate. The pace of play for my twosome was around 3-3 1/2 hours on account of almost nobody being on the course. Also, the greens were shockingly nice compared to the rest of the course, although the green speed was still very slow.

Negatives: Besides the greens/greenside areas of each hole, the entire course has no grass whatsoever. The carts were the worst I have ever used and seem like they are at minimum from the 1980s. There are no playable bunkers on the course, you have to hit a chip or pitch shot instead if you land in one. There is a lot of overgrowth of trees that block out what probably used to be more open tee shots. Tee Boxes were mostly dirt and rocks, but were surprisingly still pretty level.

Layout: The course layout itself is pretty cool besides holes 10-12. There are around 8 forced carries off of tee shots, and if the trees and bushes were not overgrown, golfers would actually know where to aim to take on some of these risk/reward tee shots. Holes 10-12 are some of the narrowest I have ever played, excluding hole 18 at Balboa Park. Its a shame that the owner has let the course get this bad especially because of all the people who bought homes around the course. I hope that at some point they decide to sell and JC Golf or someone else could revive it like they did with Eagle Crest/Dos Osos Golf Club in Escondido.

If you're really desperate to play 18 holes and there is no availability ANYWHERE else on a weekend, then this is the course for you. For me though, this was definitely the worst course I've ever played, but I expected that going into it, so my expectations weren't too high.
» Close

Played on 6/26 at 8 am. The course is in excellent condition and the renovations have just made the course even nicer. ... » More

Played on 6/26 at 8 am. The course is in excellent condition and the renovations have just made the course even nicer. The new greens are very firm and even well struck irons roll out quite a ways and leave no ball mark. The fairways, tee boxes and sand traps were all in great condition. Enjoy!
» Close

From 6/23

Enjoyed an excellent Outing at Big V! A top level experience!

I can best describe Big V as a leg... » More

From 6/23

Enjoyed an excellent Outing at Big V! A top level experience!

I can best describe Big V as a legit and fun Players Course. This course really kept you in check, but was never unreasonable. The layout was excellent! Reminded me of Riviera CC at times. I can see why the PGA Tour played here once upon a time.

Big V is a very well-designed course that places premium on accuracy off the tee and into greens. The course features clear definition between its mid-sized fairways and rough areas, well placed bunkering on fairways and proximate to greens, along with some strategic water hazards, with medium sized and reasonably fast greens.

The course is mostly flat, at times undulating, and sometimes with mild elevation changes from fairway to green, and offers some attractive views of localized mountains.

You will need to work the ball in both directions at times. Wind speeds were 10 -15 mph. The course seemed to play it's yardage for the most part. The course was very well manicured and in excellent condition. The course layout is rated a 4.5 out of 5, conditions are rated a 4.5 out of 5. I note the following:

Tee Boxes: Level and lush, no damage. Above average condition.

Fairways: Green at times tight. Excellent condition.

Greens: Green, medium-fast in speed, with medium softness. No damage observed. Speed about a 11. Excellent condition.

Sand: Well maintained, heavy, and firm. Above average condition.

Rough: well defined from the fairway with green collars but not too overgrown, about 2 – 5 inches. Above average condition.

Waste Areas: Waste areas on various holes did not offer much opportunity of recovery due to their overgrown nature. Above average.

Driving Range: The range is excellent, hitting from artificial turf. You see markers at 100, 150, 200, 225, and 250 yards. Range ran out at about 300ish. Range balls were your typical rangers, but in very good condition.

Chipping Area: Compact in size and included a practice bunker. Condition and features were excellent.

Practice Putting Green: Ample in size and very well maintained. Practice greens seemed consistent with the speed of the course greens. Excellent condition.

POP: 5 hours

Big V included a snack bar / restaurant, and a very nicely stocked pro shop. Service received was excellent. If looking to join a quality golf club with the emphasis on golf this is a really good one. Really enjoyed this course and certainly wish I could play it more often. If I lived closer, this would be one I would consider joining.

I endorse playing this track if given the opportunity. Looking forward to my next visit here.

Thank you Johnny, GK, GM, Vivid, and the staff at Big V! What a treat this was!
» Close

This is late but will be short. Went out to Scholl about a week ago as a single joining a threesome, starting around 1:4... » More

This is late but will be short. Went out to Scholl about a week ago as a single joining a threesome, starting around 1:45. I only recently had been back to the driving range for the first time in a good while (now they have free Trackman on limited stalls, which I didn't use) and my return round was the first in years. My last time out, I recall burnt out rough and drier, firmer conditions. The course is significantly greener now so I thought it worth mentioning. Rough could get thick and wasn't consistently groomed, but it was good. Fairways were in good shape as were the greens. Really something of a novelty executive course, the back nine has some of the most striking views in LA and is worth checking out once for that alone. Nice service at the counter. Not a place I would play regularly, but worth a look for casual change of pace. Bring a camera/phone.
» Close

Played early last week as a twosome for twilight teeing off around 3:40 and finishing in about 4 hours and 45 minutes wi... » More

Played early last week as a twosome for twilight teeing off around 3:40 and finishing in about 4 hours and 45 minutes with just enough light to see last shot. Greens were in pretty good shape rolling medium/fast with an occasional bump, but that looked to be mostly foot traffic from teeing of so late. Rough was generally in good condition, varying in different heights from 3 inches to just barely longer than fairways. Was in one fairway bunker on 15 that had a good thin layer of sand. Fairways for the most part were in good shape with a few minor thin spots and some areas that had been a little bit over watered. Tee boxes were cut tight and level. Overall good conditions. Only complaint would be they need a Marshall, with an eightsome in front of us slowing us down, luckily the sixsome behind us never caught up to us.
» Close

I got the chance to play Lomas on 6/23 through an SCGA Member Outing. It was worth all $140 of the event fee. The greens... » More

I got the chance to play Lomas on 6/23 through an SCGA Member Outing. It was worth all $140 of the event fee. The greens were rolling great, the fairways were freshly mowed, and the greenside bunkers had soft sand. The front 9 is pretty straightforward, and on most holes, what you see from the tee box is what you get. There are a couple of quirky holes on the back 9, holes 11 and 12, that are actually a lot harder than what the yardage says. The staff was very friendly, and I will definitely return if the opportunity presents itself.
» Close

Getting a bit repetitious here but with a high temperature forecast to be a mere 95 degrees, I headed out to Rams Hill y... » More

Getting a bit repetitious here but with a high temperature forecast to be a mere 95 degrees, I headed out to Rams Hill yesterday, just six days removed from my last visit…and 112 degree heat. I simply could not pass up the opportunity to play on such a benign mid-June day so it was a very easy call.

Course is still in good shape but there are some isolated areas showing signs of slight heat stress. Nothing widespread but I did notice a couple of spots here and there…predominantly on the perimeter of the fairways…that may need some attention.

With that being said, the maintenance crew was out in force when I teed off @ 11:30 and a couple of fairways were being watered as I approached. I expect things to dry out a bit as we get deeper into the summer but it appears the staff is committed to maintaining conditions at a high level.

Tee boxes and fairways were great; laser-sharp level platforms to tee off from and the Par-3s are not torn up with a bunch of old divots. You’ve basically got a ‘blank canvas’ to work with and the turf is cut tight.

The greens…which I consider the true highlight of the course, both in design, scope, and condition…were once again flawless. 11.0 was the posted Stimp and they were pretty quick. I’m definitely getting spoiled out here; I’m not used to seeing the ball track exactly along its line…and the consistent green speed that carries over from one hole to the next is something that cannot be overlooked either.

As I’ve alluded to in my previous two reviews, the putting surfaces are quite firm but will be aerated as part of an extended maintenance period that will run from July 7-17, with the golf course remaining closed during that time frame.

There is a secondary maintenance period scheduled for August 11-13 that will be less aggressive but it’s just another indication that management is ‘all in’ on making Rams Hill a ‘must play’ destination course.

Unless another sub-100 degree day pops up over the next couple,of months, it may be a while before I get to play here again. December is already on the calendar, however, and I’m looking forward to seeing how different the course plays…and looks…at that time.
» Close

I played here yesterday with the Greenskeeper.org/Vivid/GolfMoose private club event. I love this course and try to play... » More

I played here yesterday with the Greenskeeper.org/Vivid/GolfMoose private club event. I love this course and try to play it every chance I get. Big V, as it is called around here, underwent a facelift a couple years ago. Throughout the course, the turf grass has been improved. It is consistent whether you are in the fairway or rough. I played the white tees (6113 yards) and all were level and lush. Great lies in the fairway, and the rough is just penal enough (3” deep)without being ridiculous. The bunkering throughout the course has been greatly improved in visual appearance and all were well maintained. I was able to get up and down from the greenside traps 50%. Of course, the highlight of the course is the condition of the greens. Pure, smooth, fast, and undulating. Most pins were located in very diabolical positions, making putting quite a challenge. If I had the means, I would join. Members must be very proud of their club. Kudos to the maintenance team; they were working nonstop without disruption to the players. Many thanks to Johnny, VCC, GolfMoose, and Vivid.
» Close

Played in the Golf Moose/Vivid outing on June 23, playing the blue tees and starting on the 18th hole. Very nice staff a... » More

Played in the Golf Moose/Vivid outing on June 23, playing the blue tees and starting on the 18th hole. Very nice staff at the club from the snack area and pro shop to the courteous grounds crew. It was a well oiled event. Pace of play was slow but not unexpected.

It has been at least 15 years since I last played the course. The greens were much trickier than I remembered. For example, on 18 the pin was in the back of a very long green in a little area sloping generally from front to back. There were several holes with similar positions requiring us to chip over a hump and control the speed to try to stay on the green. On another, the pin was back left and one player went long right. Twice he chipped up about twenty yards and the ball rolled back to his feet. It was a really interesting green. The landing areas were generous but you had to be precise on approach shots. It was a fun layout.

The course is in great shape. It has Bermuda fairways and rough. The Bermuda was as nice as I have seen in Southern California. There are wood chip areas beyond the rough which I found on occasion. The fairways were firm with nice run out. The Bermuda gave a good hitting surface. The rough was thick and not too high but my ball sat up more often than not when I was in it. I liked the sand in the bunkers. Some of the green side bunkers had tall lips which I gratefully avoided. The greens were fast with some subtle breaks.

The course is highly recommended. I can't wait to try it again.
» Close

Rode the blues this morning 6/23/25 for the Vivid/Gk/Moose event. Great event with many players. Staff was very friendly... » More

Rode the blues this morning 6/23/25 for the Vivid/Gk/Moose event. Great event with many players. Staff was very friendly here. I was in 1B group with buddies John, Ron and Mark. We had a blast under 80 degree weather and a strong 2 club wind all day. Pop was around 5 hrs.

The greens were in great shape! Rating them a 9/10. Putts were quick and pure. Holding shots with high trajectory and spin. Some of the downwind holes like hole 8 were hard to hold. I killed a drive and had a 50 yd wedge in on that hole that I could not even hold the green with a perfectly struck shot.

Fairways were also in fantastic shape coming in at an 8/10 rating mostly all lush. Nice lies.

Rough was healthy and juicy just off the fairways. Bermuda rough where your ball would sit down but was still playable but you had to really go after it. Rated 8.5/10

I loved the sand. Had 3/4 sand saves from greenside bunkers. They were raked and in perfect shape. Rated 9/10

Tees were all level and in really good shape. Rated 8.5/10

I just love this course and the layout. For sure a course I would join if in the area. Never miss a chance to play here. Former LA Open PGA tour stop and recent final stage of the us open qualifier. Highly recommended!!
» Close

Played Friday afternoon. POP was terrible at 5 hours with 9:45 am tee time.

They allow 5 somes here and it is ... » More

Played Friday afternoon. POP was terrible at 5 hours with 9:45 am tee time.

They allow 5 somes here and it is just slow. Course is in average shape. The greens were bumpy and running at 7. The fairways had splotches of grass and rough was patchy. The sand was decent and the tee toxes were all beat up. The punk behind us hit up on his twice, so after the 2nd time I let him have it and ripped him a new as$hole about golf etiquette. Was not in the mood to get dirty or sued so I left without hurting him.

Avoid this course if you want good playing conditions with decent POP.
» Close