Played 6/7/15 11:30 $45 POP 4
Course was in better shape then expected.
Fairway's were mostly green "light green" but still green with a few brown/bare spots mixed in. Only recall one bad fairway l... Continue »

Played 6/7/15 11:30 $45 POP 4
Course was in better shape then expected.
Fairway's were mostly green "light green" but still green with a few brown/bare spots mixed in. Only recall one bad fairway lie all day. For the most part I found them to be in decent shape. They were firm with lots of roll, but decent to hit from with a good strike.
Greens were a little firm, but not bad. Putts ran true, but were kinda slow for my taste at maybe 'medium speed'.
T's were kinda chewed up & traps firm & compacted but mostly consistent.
Over all in fair to good shape. It can be a tough course and the conditions might make it slightly tougher for some?

Welllll, how to approach this one. Played today (5/17) using the GMoose Coupon and sked for 11:00. Insisted giving it a go with an open mind and remain optimistic due to the 50/50 reviews. Pro sho... Continue »

Welllll, how to approach this one. Played today (5/17) using the GMoose Coupon and sked for 11:00. Insisted giving it a go with an open mind and remain optimistic due to the 50/50 reviews. Pro shop staff were very nice, and the Patio area/Clubhouse looked very welcoming; however, as far as the 'Resort' it must be in reference to the adjacent two story lodging, and facilities that obviously cater more towards special events rather than the golfing aspect. Putting area nice; driving range grass into outlying dirt, but it does serve the purpose. We didn't notice the chipping/bunker practice area until after we were leaving. There was absolutely no one out on the course when we arrived so they let us start 15 mins. early (10:45). White & Blue Tee boxes were a little unlevel and a bit chewed up. Forward (Red) tees, for the most part were all much nicer, pretty level. 5 tee boxes to choose from. Fairways were a mixed bag; and obviously have taken their fair share hit from the winter dormancy, water drought, and need for a little attention - BUT we did see course maintenance crews weed wacking in one area, and digging out the weeds from one bunker in another. Stay on the fairway...typically you had an okay lie for your follow on shots; go off and you were hitting from wet dirt (from recent rains), overgrown crab grass/kukulia grass/weeds. Bunkers were my absolute least favorite feature (annoyance) on this track. There were hidden little pot bunkers all over the place; some placed right up next to your tee boxes..what's up with that? Don't be looking for any fluffy or even a decent depth of sand in any of these...never saw so many with those railroad ties in them...very odd to me. Railroad ties steps up to some of the tee boxes are quite rotted out so you had to watch your step. Greens were probably the only saving grace. They were in pretty good condition, minimal unrepaired divots, quite receptive to shots (again probably due to recent rains), undulating, medium speeds, and ran fairly true. A lot of waste areas, and not ever playing this course, the unknowns were plenty - which resulted in a Lot of frustration. No GPS on carts so you really needed to pay attention to the signs to get any idea of how to shape your shots. Carts were comfy, and there were actually 2 areas where you could switch out seed bottles if needed. Winds kicked up and made tough shots even tougher. I can see the potential of this course, and the new person in charge certainly has their work cut of for them but hoping they feel it's worth saving this course. Would hate to see another one succumb to reclamation by San Diego County. Finally saw others on the course way ahead of us; but truly felt we had the course to ourselves all day...as a result POP 3.5 hrs, and I even took the opportunity to hit a 2nd ball for practice here and there. Cart girl was pleasant and made her rounds to the tune of at least 4 times that I recall. A few nice water areas to look at, and overall a nice local course. Course knowledge a must to shoot a decent score. Would've loved to have seen the course in its hay day...but for now...just looks like it needs a lot of TLC. May be a one and done for us, but who knows.

Played 5-5 @ 7:15. POP 4 hrs. They just replaced the Superintendent here with the assistant, and he seems to be really trying. The greens look good, firm and fast with very few blemishes. Some fai... Continue »

Played 5-5 @ 7:15. POP 4 hrs. They just replaced the Superintendent here with the assistant, and he seems to be really trying. The greens look good, firm and fast with very few blemishes. Some fairways were beautiful, others had some fairly significant bare spots. Tees were okay, plenty of grass, but a little shaggy and a couple uneven. Collars around the greens still could use some attention. Traps are much improved. This place always seems to be headed in one direction or the other, never quite getting to the destination, but the new super and the crew deserve a compliment right now. Everybody who likes a challenge loves this layout and I know there's plenty of momentum to close it down. When it's going in the right direction, I love to give it a little support.

Played 4/10/15 12:20 Glf Mose 2/$64 POP 4:15
It's been two years since playing here right after they killed their greens.
Visually the course is very ragged. But it played better then it looked.... Continue »

Played 4/10/15 12:20 Glf Mose 2/$64 POP 4:15
It's been two years since playing here right after they killed their greens.
Visually the course is very ragged. But it played better then it looked. As long as you stayed in the fairway's you had a good chance to have a decent lie. They are firm & dry. Many dead/brown areas for your ball to find. You can play it as it lies, or play GUR and move your ball.
If you go off the fairway's your lie will most likely be 'THIN'
Many T's were tore up and uneven. Traps were a thin layer of silty sand over hardpack.

The greens were the good part. Most were in decent to good shape. A few damaged/ dead areas around the fringes. They only effected you if you were forced to try and putt over them? They were running slow for my taste at medium pace, but seemed to roll well and consistent. Really needed to pay attention to the grain to read your putts for break & pace.

$35 is a good price point for the course conditions. Noticed you could find that price direct from their web site. If you want pristine/ lush conditions this is not your course. If you can accept it for what it is, you can have an enjoyable day.

I played Friday, February 13th in the late morning and paid $40. I've only visited here a few times over the last several years due to poor course conditions and I have to admit that my expectations w... Continue »

I played Friday, February 13th in the late morning and paid $40. I've only visited here a few times over the last several years due to poor course conditions and I have to admit that my expectations were set pretty low prior to my visit. Well, the conditions weren't great but they did exceed my expectations. For the most part, the greens were well kept and rolled true. They were definitely the best part of the course in terms of maintenance. There were lots of waste areas that just looked as if they didn't want to maintain those areas of the course. The course was very dry overall but I did find a few bunkers that resembled small ponds.....seemed odd, perhaps excessive watering in the wrong areas? There were parts of the course where the fairways were pretty good. The rough was similar in this regard. However, there were many parts of the course where these areas had thin to barren lies. Tee boxes were level but were just as variable as the rest of the course when it came to lushness. They varied from dirt to lush and green grass. In the end, I enjoyed my visit. I like the layout and find a number of the holes to be well designed and challenging. I think this course could be a true gem if someone put more money into maintaining it. I'll be back if I find a deal and everywhere else is expensive.....so it might be awhile. Oh yeah, the cart girl did a good job at getting around many times. Lastly, the grounds offer stay and play deals but the accommodations look quite dated. There is also a grass driving range and practice green.

Late post for a round that took place on Thursday, September 4, but figured it would still hold some relevance. After a six year hiatus, I decided to reacquaint myself with Carlton Oaks CC, one of th... Continue »

Late post for a round that took place on Thursday, September 4, but figured it would still hold some relevance. After a six year hiatus, I decided to reacquaint myself with Carlton Oaks CC, one of the most challenging courses to be found anywhere in the country. Tipping the scales at a stout 7410 yards from the Tournament tees, the course demands length, precision, shot-shaping ability, and a strong short game, especially if you have a tendency to miss a lot of greens. And with the large putting surfaces tending to be multi-tiered with plenty of contours, let's add a deft putting touch to the list of essentials necessary to score well here. Need any further proof? Consider the 75.9/145 Rating/Slope, which drops to a slightly more "realistic" 75.1/142 when played from the Black tees at 7228 yards. Luckily, there are 5 or 6 tee options on each hole to suit just about everyone's game so pick your poison wisely. My friend and I settled on the Blue tees (6700 yards) and it was more than an adequate challenge to our games and patience level. Not only does the length of the golf course have a huge influence on the final scorecard tally but the hole positions can be downright diabolical, adding more grief. Tucked pins, accessible only if holding a high-lofted iron in your hands, were the norm on Thursday. Otherwise, it was much more prudent to shoot away from the pin and hope to work the ball closer to the target rather than foolishly challenge it directly The layout features an outstanding variety of holes that can be made easier or tougher by the wind...and it definitely was a factor during our visit, where a couple of the long Par-4 holes played like short Par-5s. It's imperative you drive the ball a long way at Carlton Oaks; short hitters will get eaten alive unless they play from the correct tee box. About the only time I'll ever set foot on a back tee will be to see how much more demanding the hole is from where I'm playing it. There are at least a half dozen holes that could easily find their way onto my "Toughest 18" if I were to comprise such a list, making Carlton Oaks the place to play if you really want to subject your game to the ultimate stress test. Although the current state of my game doesn't quite warrant that type of treatment, I was still looking forward to teeing it up there after such a long absence. The greens underwent a complete renovation in 2012 but I was a bit apprehensive about the overall condition of the course, given its' past history as well as taking the current hot and dry weather into consideration. Well, it seemed my premonition was spot on: other than the greens, the rest of the golf course is suffering from a lack of water and maintenance on a huge scale. Fairways, although green in some areas, were dry in many others...where it was hit-or-miss as to whether there was turf to hit off. The areas of the course that appear to be neglected most are the perimeters of the fairways and the mounds enveloping the greens. As a result, any ball struck offline, even slightly in some cases, would be subject to a hard carom and conceivably end up 20+ yards further away...if not lost...adding insult to injury. Many of the mounds are bare dirt with just a few strands of dead grass to serve as a reminder of what once was. Tee boxes weren't an issue...level and in decent shape...so there's nothing to gripe about there. The greens were the only saving grace, making it obvious to me that the maintenance department is directing its' (apparently) limited resources to this part of the golf course...and rightfully so. It would be a financial and public relations disaster if they were to lose the greens after the renovation so I commend them for keeping them in such good condition, especially in the brutal East County heat of the past month. They were green, held well, and, despite a few unrepaired ball marks, rolled smooth and true at a quick pace. Bunkers were in good shape and playable...no issues to report based on the three or four I happened to find...although I noticed a raggedness around the edges of a few traps here and there. Rough was on the short side and not very difficult to play from unless you ended up in one of those areas that was barren of any grass whatsoever. Teed off at 2:30 ($35.00 rate) and cruised along in just under four hours as the course was wide open ahead of us. No beverage service or on-course marshal...I suppose the light traffic was responsible for that decision although I would think having a drink cart out and about on a sweltering afternoon would be a no-brainer. At least there were plenty of water jugs available at various holes because I was emptying my water bottle quite frequently. In closing, I expected to encounter dry, arid conditions on the golf course but was still taken aback by the degree of its' impact on the course's playability. That being said, it's my understanding the course will be tapping into the City of Santee's reclaimed watering system in a few weeks so I'm hopeful it will lead to an improved appearance and better conditions from that point forward. Carlton Oaks is as tough as they come and should be afforded the opportunity to benefit from its' reputation and legacy. Despite the demands it places on one's game, it's still an enjoyable course to play and one that will let you know how quickly you need to return to the practice tee.

Alright, where to start . . . the course played a little bit softer than my last review (a couple months ago?). At that time it was rock hard, now it's just basketball court surface hard. Lots of roll... Continue »

Alright, where to start . . . the course played a little bit softer than my last review (a couple months ago?). At that time it was rock hard, now it's just basketball court surface hard. Lots of roll, lots of bounce, which brings me to the greens. The problem I have is this type grass, these type hard conditions are great for a links style golf course, but with the extreme slopes of the greens and target nature of the course, it doesn't seem a good match. Am I wrong here somehow?
T-boxes: decent enough, you are able to use a tee after all.
Fairways: hard and running with tight lies.
Bunkers: Horrible (IMHO) as they are simply hard sand. They look nice but you can only dig your feet/club head in about a 1/4". Is this the new norm? Fine for fairway bunkers but with deep greenside bunkers not so good . . . at least for me, I like some "sand" in sand traps.
Rough: minimal
Greens: smooth and fast, very undulated and every approach leaps forward. Only thing that stops very soon are well struck wedges . . . and again when the course design is "target" thus minimal run up opportunities coupled with "links" style green surfaces you are in for a long day, of recovering from the back of the green (if you're lucky)
POP: 5:15, although the only waiting was me for my "playing" partners to find, hit, find, hit, find again (x3) and then maybe it was my turn. (long day, put miles on the cart!)
This is not a course for beginners or anyone who is not a consistent ball striker or looking for a pretty harsh test. Mistakes cost you severely.
I enjoy the challenge, but for me this will only be a place I visit on occasion. Masochist I'm not.

I played here on 3/21/14 and the conditions were very much improved over some past experiences the last couple of years. You may have read or heard about the huge debacle they had with a former superi... Continue »

I played here on 3/21/14 and the conditions were very much improved over some past experiences the last couple of years. You may have read or heard about the huge debacle they had with a former superintendent who killed all the greens. They installed new greens about a year ago and I remember it was in fantastic shape for a few months but the greens went south again and it was not a fun experience at all. Well, the greens are back in great shape and I had a awesome time out on the course last Friday. I found a golfnow hot deal time for only $26 at noon and my buddy and I finished in about 4.5 hours. Not too bad. It backed up on a few holes but overall we had a blast out here on a challenging course which forces you to shape the ball a lot. This isn't a point-and-shoot course by any means. There are some blind tee/approach shots, lots of trees, water, bunkers, and the windy conditions make this a very fun track to play. If previous reviews have made you hesitant to try Carlton Oaks, I would highly recommend you give it a shot again. Oh yeah, and the bar remodel turned out very nice. Plenty of big screen TVs and friendly staff to accommodate your beverage needs. I haven't tried the food yet but I saw many folks eating inside and out on the patio or in the lounge area watching all the March Madness games. Hats off to the Carlton Oaks staff for a job well done on improving the course conditions and remodeling bar area! I will be back after the upcoming aeration, for sure!

I honestly felt sorry for the course designer. To have invested this much effort to the design, crafting, and construction of this golf course, then to have it slip into a state of disrepair, seems a ... Continue »

I honestly felt sorry for the course designer. To have invested this much effort to the design, crafting, and construction of this golf course, then to have it slip into a state of disrepair, seems a travesty. I see a wonderful design like this deteriorate to this level, and think " The desiger would turn over in their grave if they knew the condition of their course ". The designer of this course has a notable last name, Dye, but it Pete Dyes' brother. That being said, they have similar design ideas.

The course is in terrible condition, from the greens, comprised mainly of compressed mud underneath a thin layer of grass blades, to the fairways, the sand traps (dirt traps?), and rough.

The greens bounce and grind with any rock or golf ball which might be subjected to a rolling attempt.

For our foursome, on this day, this was one of the worst experiences ever on a golf course, in many ways worse than playing a course the day after it's greens had been sanded and aerated.

Another group of friends played the same course an hour earlier, and we shared stories after.....

We'll not be going back anytime soon, despite the spectacular design of the course itself.