Rancho San Marcos Golf Course Reviews in Southern California, Ventura/Santa Barbara County - Greenskeeper.org Free Online Golf Community


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Rancho San Marcos Golf Course - $$$
4600 Highway 154 • Santa Barbara, CA 93105 • (805) 683-6334
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golfishi - la habra
Wonderful course, challenging, great condition, a definite "must play." Staff and service exceptional. A lot of golf courses should take lessons from RSM on how to treat their "customers." RSM lets you know how much they really appreciate having you play their course.

Posted: Sunday, August 17, 2008
Member Since: August 18, 2007
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jimw224 - Newbury Park
We also played the GK tournament in July and had a free day last week to return for a second time..

Once again everything couldn't have been better.. The new sand in the bunkers is a joy (if you DO get into them) compared to the usual SoCal dirt found on most courses we have.

The new holes on the front 9 are good although I miss the shot across the creek after the dogleg left on the old number 3. The new layout does make it a LOT more playable.

Staff, conditions, and course here are ALWAYS first rate and it's STILL one of our favorite courses to play when we get a chance. Come out and enjoy a GREAT round.

Posted: Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Member Since: September 19, 2003
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bernie14 - Riverside
Played in the GK Outing @ 1 p.m. on 7/19/08. What a blast !! This is how golf should be played. Great course,kind helpful staff,delicious food,quaint out of the way venue(that's a good thing) and the master GK staff as Tournament hosts. Now that's a combination !!
Beautiful natural terrain that you could see coming through the mountains let you know you were in for a treat before you got out of your car. Yes the fairways were lush,Tee boxes level, bunkers were so good they almost made you want to play out of them (I did a few times). Greens were very challenging,undulating and semi fast(had a few 3 puts). Overall experience was very,very nice. I'd recommend putting this course on our annual play list for sure. The natural wildlife was spectacular and at times a bit challenging (I've got to get some stronger bug repellent).
Thanks again RSM for being such awesome hosts. Johnny Gk you just keep on doing it man. Thanks again for all the hard work you and your guys do on putting on a class act. Blue Crush you were the "Bomb" Great prizes and winner categories, "WEE Man" award was my favorite. Thanks again

Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Member Since: December 8, 2006
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blue_crush - Santa Cruz ca......
Rancho San Marcos is definitely one of the 10 best course's you can can play as written by golf magazine. it is as tough as it is beautiful. the drive in its not this fancy parking lot, its just a gravel lot among the trees and you get the feeling that your getting to play on someones private course as the clubhouse is rustic and has that country home feeling about it. the staff there lets you know right a way that you are there special guest. they will cater to your every need with a smile and you feel welcome. the practice area is 5 star with a great range, huge putting greens and a sand practice area. now for the course, it has huge elevation changes on the back nine and the fairway can be generous and yet are some of the tightest i have ever played. course management is a must on some holes as you do not want to be long or short. the greens are bent grass, firm and very fast, did I say fast. yes they can test your putting skills to the limit. the layout is imaginative and breathtaking and the wildlife is everywhere. there are no homes on the course just you and mother nature at its best. a camera is a must as you will have many holes that will take you breath away, so make sure you don't forget it. there is one lake on the front 9 which you hit over on a par 3 and is on the left guarding the green on the 9th hole. a river runs along 3 holes on the front 9 too but is to far to hit into, but some may get a glimpse of it. the back 9 is where a cart is a must as the course climbs to the sky and shows you the valley in all its wonder. on 18 you tee off from the highest point of the course and then come back down to earth and finish a wonderful hole to clubhouse. while the clubhouse seems small its can hole gatherings of 60 with no problem. fine wines and beers are the only beverages for now along with a very good rice wine bloody mary which I recommend.
our event was catered and they cooked tri-tip and chicken on a outdoor barbecue along with all the extras which was outstanding. I drove from Santa Cruz Ca to play here and with all the memories of this course it made the drive home pass quickly. I recommend that if you haven't played this course that you treat yourself to one life's pleasures and go play it. to all the staff at Rancho San Marcos, thank you for a day I will never soon forget.

Smilin Steve
GreensKeeper.org

Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Member Since: November 5, 2006
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CPennbo - Big Bear
This course was in great shape. The holes were laid out so as to be challenging but very playable. Very interesting layouts and great views!!! Condition was excellent- lush and green. Rough was tough enough to make you wish you hadn't gone there! Greens were ....viciously tough! We had a great time playing this course and even though it's 200 miles away we plan on playing it again! The staff was extremely attentive and accommodating. They were courteous and helpful, making sure everyone had what they needed and still kept things moving on time. Little things like iced towels outside the clubhouse were just icing on the top. If you are in the are you MUST make RSM a stop! And thanks GK staff and friends for making this event happen!

Posted: Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Member Since: March 20, 2003
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noeldaof - Antelope Valley
A special thanks to Rancho San Marcos for preparing the course in such great playing conditions, "Your crew/staff are some of the greatest!" We love your course and hope to come back soon... and soon won't be soon enough.

To "JohnnyGK", for hosting a great outing.

To "TheBigDog", for assisting with handicaps, scoring, and facilitating tournament scorecards and making our round a fun one.

To "blue_crush", for bonding us all together in fun laughter and recognitions and definitely your generosity to everyone.

To ALL Greenskeeper.org club members, you are a great bunch of golfing friends.

If I miss anyone, it's only because I'm still mesmerized by the course and couldn't think much of anything else.

PLAY THIS COURSE, you guys!!!

Posted: Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Member Since: November 4, 2004
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Audac1ty - West Hills, CA
The course was in remarkably good condition and the staff was very attentive and accomodating to our group the entire day. The shotgun start actually started on time after the five minute ride out to the designated teeboxes. The weather was ideal for this time of year with winds at 0 to at most 15 m.p.h. on the most exposed holes. The fairways were neatly manicured, the greens rolled true, and the sand traps were freshly raked and inviting!! Sand condition was not fluffy but not damp and packed either - very playable.

This was my first GK outing and it turned out to be way better than I expected! I couldn't have asked for a better initiation into the Greenskeeper Community. I commend the Rancho San Marcos staff as well as the GK staff for the pleasurable experiences that I enjoyed attending this event. I will defininately be back again next time!

Audac1ty

Posted: Monday, July 21, 2008
Member Since: September 13, 2006
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thingstodo - San Dimas
What a treat we had at Rancho San Marcos! The service from all who worked there was outstanding. I thank you for the hospitality you all extended to us for the tournament.
The course was outstanding. I really appreciated the way the holes were designed, from every tee there were well placed hazards. You really need to keep the ball on the course as it was not easy if you are offline. There were yardage markers in the center of the fairway, but other than that the way the greens were placed, it was hard to tell the distance without some kind of range finder, which we did not have.
I would recommend hitting a couple practice shots out of the practice sand bunker they have, as the sand out on the course is thick white perfect sand, not something I have played out of before.
The greens were very fast and undulating. Pick your approach shots wisely! On a couple par fives, I had some tight dry lies in the fairway as I had layed up too close on approach shots. This made it tough to hit a chip shot from about forty or fifty yards. I recommend laying up further back to get a better lie.
Overall a very fair course and a great golf experience. Highly recommended. I will definitely come back!

Posted: Monday, July 21, 2008
Member Since: May 1, 2007
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GolfJules - N. Hollywood
Thank you to everyone that made this event not only possible, but very memorable. Much gratitude to the staff for the great welcome that was extended to us.

The course is a great retreat away from the LA life...very quiet and lush. The course is very challenging, but not in a gimicky way. Some of the greens didn't look so great, but every one of them rolled fast and true! I'll definately be back.

Posted: Monday, July 21, 2008
Member Since: June 27, 2008
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noeldaof - Antelope Valley
Great Golf course with great playing conditions. Definitely a fun course to play more than once.

Posted: Monday, July 21, 2008
Member Since: November 4, 2004
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33firefighter - West Covina
First off, thanks for making this casual outing day fun. To the staff @ Rancho San Marcos, first class all the way. They attended to everything we needed, made the day enjoyable. Course was fun but tough for a golfer like me. The view on some of the holes were awesome. I surley would go back there again. The bunkers were soft but nice and made it easier to get out of. Fairways and greens were in great shape. Thanks again

Posted: Monday, July 21, 2008
Member Since: October 22, 2006
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ringworld - Lawndale CA
My hats off to the Management, Staff and Head Pro as well as Johnny and BigDog for coordinating this event. The service here is above par. I was suprised that the young staff was very professional, helpful and attentive. I guess life away from the big city means they teach them manners and it was appreciated. You sometimes don't get that but that is not the case here. Saw the cart gal THREE times. Great service there too. She didn't run up on us during our tee shot. She instead waited for us to finish then carried on. Nice work. The staff did a heck of job keeping the lot of us happy. Food was great. Your typical fare of Chicken and Tri-tip according to one of the other local GKers but it was better than most. I can only say I had my fill -- and I am at least 2 pounds heavier for it. Now for the golf course. Greens are TOUGH. I think of this course as a cross between Tijeras Creek and Angelus National. The only difference the greens here are a little more forgiving and after you got the hang of laying up and running the ball onto the green as well as lag putting the day became a little easier. The greens though are TOUGH; loads of missed short puts and a few 3putts to make my day miserable. One green the Pinehurst #2 ode had some issues. It was a bit patchy on the green. And there was one other hole that had some patchiness but that was it. The rest of the course was in tip top shape. Fairways were lush. The rough --- stay the heck away. It was trecherous. The overall play of the course.. there wasn't a lot of blind shots. The course pretty much played as it looked. Placement is everything here; especially when firing for the pins. This is definately on my replay list whenever I return.

Posted: Sunday, July 20, 2008
Member Since: March 24, 2004
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longball23 - Thousand Oaks
I would like to say thanks to RSM's staff and GK's staff(especially the group of guys I played with, great guys). Very nice event. Every RSM employee I talked to had a smile on their face, information to be shared and treated you like you were a member of a private course from the minute we pulled up. Practice facility was great(grass mats), big putting green with a nice pro-shop and BBQ setting for after the round.
The course itself was in great shape. Greens were running true and were quick. The fairways were in great shape, lush. The sand bunkers were some of the best bunkers that I have ever played. Rough was not too penalizing. This is a great course and a lot different from the courses that I play. Def a narrow course where knowledge off of the tee helps as well as on the putting green. This was def a fair test of golf. #3 and #15 are as challenging as they come by for shorter par 4's. RSM kicked my rear big time and I can't wait to get back to play it again.

Posted: Sunday, July 20, 2008
Member Since: March 21, 2006
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kviser - Saugus, Ca
After playing in the July 19, 2008 GK event, I will now go on record as saying this is going to be one of my favorite courses. Too bad it is 100 miles from my house. Customer service was excellent, course conditions great, and the layout was very challenging. After bypassing the club drop, 2 employees came out to our car to retrieve bags. Everybody on staff was smiling, friendly, and helpful. Greens were fast and smooth with challenging contours. Fairways and rough were immaculate, the tees were lush, and the sand was of high quality. Our GK event pretty much took over their course and they made us feel at home. Thank you RSM!

Posted: Sunday, July 20, 2008
Member Since: February 4, 2005
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steve663 - aliso viejo
This course makes my top ten of favorite places to play in California. With no houses, buildings, and traffic nearby how can you not like this course. The condition of the fairways and bunkers were immaculate. The greens were very good. This is a very playable course that is not too difficult. One has to know the greens to score well here, however. Yep, could not score today the course scored me. still was fun ohwell....where is my mat so I can do some yoga

Posted: Saturday, July 19, 2008
Member Since: January 1, 2003
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jbull29 - La Crescenta, CA
Played 7/12 in the morning before a wedding in the afternoon in Carpinteria. Being a UCSB grad I played this course a lot in college and it left something to be desired because of the neglect it received during what I think was an ownership change. This was the first time I had played here since 2005 and let me tell you, it is truly a gem of a course. The conditions were great, the weather was great and there were not too many people slowing us down in front. Played from the tips and shot a 79. All of you signed up for the tourney this Friday will have a great time and I am jealous that I cannot join you. Unfortunately, my job does not allow for much free time on the weekdays!

Here is a free tip: Keep it in the fairways! (As if I needed to remind you...)

Posted: Monday, July 14, 2008
Member Since: November 4, 2003
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mss4444 - san diego
Loved it. Course was in great shape. Service was outstanding. From tee to green course was plush. Great pace of play and challenging. Enjoyed the elevation changes on the back nine. Several fun par 3's. Would go back in a minute. Look for stay and play packages.

Posted: Thursday, July 3, 2008
Member Since: June 4, 2008
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jdsscf - Payson
Played June 4. Course in very nice shape. Greens just like Sandpiper. Wind very strong, made course very difficult. Probably highest score ever had here. 15th hole always gets me. Will play it like par 5 from now on. Lay up short of green.

Posted: Sunday, June 15, 2008
Member Since: May 8, 2008
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bfragan - Rancho Santa Fe
GREAT GOLF COURSE! Wow was it special, it draws you in slow and the next thing you know BAM - 620 yard par 5 into a two club wind.... The front side is almost all flat with only #2 a par 3 playing uphill and #3 a par 4 playing down but the wind blows in the afternoon. The back 9 is some of the most beautiful and fun golf you will ever play - Views, views, views - going 400 feet up and down over the back 9 holes - AWESOME and tough! Pick the right tee's or you are in for a long day! On my scale this 9+ "A Must Play" Oh and by the way the greens are FAST 10.5 to 11 on STIMP.

Posted: Sunday, June 15, 2008
Member Since: May 27, 2008
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michaelko - Elk Grove
Played sun 4/27, shotgun 8am, winds picked up around 11am, but overall a beautiful day. course in great shape. greens are moderately fast and smooth.

Posted: Thursday, May 1, 2008
Member Since: October 1, 2003
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thetuchs - Lake Arrowhead
My wife and I played on Thursday, April 10, expecting a great day (the course was highly recommended by a friend from before the course was purchased last year). We were very disappointed for several reasons. The fairways were in only average condition and several of the greens were in very poor condition. We got stuck behind a foursome that hit several drives off each tee until we arrived at the tee box - very annoying. We were never able to get any kind of rhythm going. There were no marshals in sight to deal with the situation. There are much better courses in the area for about two-thirds the price. We might give them one more chance next year, but for now we will avoid it and play elsewhere (La Purisima, Hunter Ranch, Sandpiper).

Posted: Sunday, April 13, 2008
Member Since: April 13, 2008
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greenhornet13 - altadena
first time playing this course. loved the layout. played from the tips and found many of the tee boxes there shaggy and uneven, as in they are not played from much. fairways were in good shape and the greens had a nice roll to them. i was a little disappointed with many of the aprons around the greens because many of them were lacking in any good grass. lots of hardpan around the greens. not a big fan of the new green next to the river on the front. it's small and made smaller by the fact that there is fall offs on every side of it. fall offs are fine and make for strategic shot making, but around the entire green? silly.

overall, great layout, great staff and played undisturbed in under 4 hours on a tuesday.

Posted: Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Member Since: April 4, 2003
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coffeebuzz - san clemente, ca
This course is way overrated. I will concede that it is a good layout and in good condition, but had I paid the full buck twenty-five fee (rather than a $75 coupon rate), I would have been pissed. Service was great. Many other, much better courses to play in the area, especially for the price.

Posted: Saturday, March 29, 2008
Member Since: July 14, 2005
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JohnnyGK - Westlake Village
Member admtutt, you were not kidding, Rancho San Marcos Golf Course is in fantastic shape. I’ve been waiting for this course to start resembling its former self and I’m happy to say its back!

Pure fast greens, immaculate white sand bunkers, excellent fairways (which will only improve as overseeding continues to establish itself), well groomed tee boxes and dormant rough which adds a beautiful contrast to the fairways.

I love the conditions at RSM right now but the biggest reason I play this course has always been the exceptionally fun layout combined with the secluded tranquil setting. There are so many different and creative shots you can play out there on a layout that is very fair and extremely challenging. I was pleased to see the changes they made to the layout which include:

Hole #1 – is now playing back to its original green thereby making it a true par-5 and great way to start off the round.

Hole #3 – has been shortened to a large degree but is no less challenging. Remember the hole was playing to the original Hole #1 green since the original Hole #3 green was lost to flooding a few years ago. Well the new green is something straight out of Pinehurst. Bring you best wedge shot and make sure to tee up your softest ball to tackle this hole.

Hole #15 (Bears Back) – still a beast BUT much improved. They opened up the right side of the hole a bit, literally moving a large Oak Tree and removed the cart path resulting in much better site lines plus more receptive fairway. Notice when you play the hole the brush removed from the right side approaching the green providing a stunning view of the property.

Hole #18 – spectacular ending tee shot was made that much better with the removal of the small trees down the left and right sides of the fairway.

Something not to be overlooked is what a unique golf experience the course provides with its authentic rustic slice of history. Originally an outpost established by the Santa Barbara Mission and wagon trail rout in the 1800’s, the golf course respectfully pays tribute to its rich history with plaques on hole 11 and clubhouse/facility design. Also worth mentioning is you’re not alone out there…deer, hawks and other native wildlife are in abundance. We spotted 4 deer on hole 12 and the funny thing was they just looked at us without being spooked.

Lastly, I would be remiss not to bring up the course’s excellent customer service and pace of play. Everyone is courteous/professional and despite the challenge of the course, we finished in under 4 hours. Rancho San Marcos is one of my favorite golf courses in California and you can bet I’ll be playing there again soon.

Posted: Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Member Since: December 30, 2002
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admtutt - Santa Barbara
RSM is in stellar condition right now. The greens are rolling perfectly true and fast. The bunkers are gorgeous and fluffy (white sand) and the dormant Bermuda has made way for the winter turf with the fairways manicured and full.

The layout is the same aside from the new 3rd green which is really a great design for a short hole. You have to hit it perfectly otherwise you are off the edge - dont go long! The redesign of 15 really, really improved the hole. You can take a driver now and bang away. I still dont like the 3 par threes in 3 holes design but that is my problem...

I love this course because its absolutely gorgeous. Often I will find myself all alone with 2 holes of cushion in front and back of me on a weekend. What is better than that? Oh yeah the member rate makes it terrific and the fact that I can walk it makes Rancho one of my favorite courses.

If you haven't been back to play Rancho in a while do yourself a favor and head over the pass and play a round. The course is playing super and you will have a wonderful experience. And if you are from out of town make a weekend out of it. Play Rancho one day, drink some great wine that night and play the gem of the Central Coast La Purisima the next day. A perfect golf weekend.

Posted: Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Member Since: February 6, 2004
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bluefortydeuce - la Quinta
I played 8/22 and the course was in great shape, greens were fantastic, very fast!! Fairway are mostly brown from summer heat but nothing that effects play. This course is overpriced though.

Posted: Friday, August 24, 2007
Member Since: March 30, 2006
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jarule11 - CALABASAS
What a dissappointment this was! I will not be going back, all the hype about rennovation is just that- unsubstantiated hype. I realize people might want specifics but there are so many bad aspects it's hard to name them all. Aside from the way below acceptable course conditions, I think the worst thing about the course is it horribly marked with yardages and when you do find one, I found the yardages to be at least 10-20 yards off. WHich is a big deal if you are decent player. Not even close to worth the $120 weekend green fee. Even if I was invited to play for free, I wouldn't it is not even worth the drive up there. Sandpiper, La purisma, even glen annie are all better places to play. Hope this helps.

Posted: Saturday, August 18, 2007
Member Since: October 19, 2005
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bg - Westlake Village
First time back since the closure. Pretty much the same track although #1 green is the former #3 green. New #3 hole much shorter, but still a great test. Also # 15, aka "Bear Back" has been completely rebuilt, which we felt was a great modification. They have flattened out the severe contours along the right side of this hole, which prior to the "remodel" was almost unfair in the afternoon winds, making for a more reasonable landing area off the tee.
The course was in really good shape, however we have seen it in better shape in the past, which was kind of a surprise since it has been closed for "refurbishing" for so long.
Also a new price point, quite pricey but most certainly worth an occasional visit from Ventura county for our group.

Posted: Monday, July 16, 2007
Member Since: September 18, 2003
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sjdeansr - Simi Valley
The course was in winter attire (Burmuda grass was brown) but played wonderfully. Landing areas were all green (because of overseeding I guess). Greens were true and smooth. Conditions were dry so greens were fairly hard. It played like a links course in that respect. It has become one of my favorites in all So Cal.

Posted: Friday, January 5, 2007
Member Since: December 23, 2003
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jackmack65 - Thousand Oaks
For a course that's about to close for nearly six months of renovation work, the place is in absolutely incredible shape. Far from letting it go, they're keeping it up to excellent standards. The greens are blazing fast and rolling perfectly true. They're generally firm but they definitely hold approach shots. Fairways are nice, with some dormant grass in the mix. The rough is just about completely dormant. The renovation plans call for restoration of all the bunkers on the course and we all know they need it. We played the tips today and got our heads handed to us. There was a frost delay this morning, and the Santa Ynez Valley definitely can get down below freezing, so watch those early morning tee times. This is a GREAT value at the current $85. I'm going to try to get back one more time before they shut it down in January. Really tough but fair course, in excellent condition, without crowds, in a beautiful setting, with good staff. Pretty tough to beat that.

Posted: Sunday, November 26, 2006
Member Since: March 23, 2003
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theboss - Redondo Beach
Played 11/11. Course in good shape. Fairways nice and green. Greens super hard- hit them with your toe and feels like cement under them. Very fast. Traps terrible but have been for quite some time. Free range balls. Staff is very friendly and nice. Ask cart person to fill your ball and club washer on cart with water - otherwise you will be spitting on your ball all the way around. Upgrading course in Jan.

Posted: Sunday, November 12, 2006
Member Since: September 15, 2004
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slydecki - Oxnard
Played 10/23/06. What a nice course. Fairways were immaculate, Greens, fast and true and in great shape. Length was challanging from the whites and even more from Blues or Blacks. The Bunkers were pretty wet and hard for being HOT in the area. Other than that I found it a beautiful course in a beautiful surrounding area. Many great views.

Posted: Monday, October 23, 2006
Member Since: July 18, 2004
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bg - Westlake Village
Worth the drive up from Ventura County. Fee of $65 for weekday AM was a deal for the caliber of the course. With the exception of the traps, which were very firm and filled mostly with dirt, but nicely raked dirt, the course was in excellent shape today. Starter says course is closing for "6 months or so" in January '07.

Posted: Thursday, September 28, 2006
Member Since: September 18, 2003
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jackmack65 - Thousand Oaks
Heard on the radio yesterday that the re-development plans for Rancho San Marcos have been approved by the various authorities and work will begin in January. The work includes changes to the course including apparently the wholesale rebuilding of some holes and changes to greens, the buildout of a 120-seat restaurant, and application for a liquor license of some kind. The report also mentioned that the owner plans 2 "pro-style events" per year at the course, although I have no idea what that might mean... maybe a Golden State Tour event or something... Anyway, seems like it'd be a good thing to get back out to RSM for a round or two before January; after the work I have little doubt that greens fees will be $150+.

Posted: Thursday, September 28, 2006
Member Since: March 23, 2003
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mreinig1 - San Diego
Played 7/23/06 and the course was in great shape except for the bunkers which are a joke (dirt and rocks) and the greens had a high number of ball marks. The weather was unbelievably hot and I would definitely think twice about playing this course during the summer (Our tee time was 8:20 and the temp was already in the low 90's). When the wind picked up on the back nine it was like someone turned a hair dryer on you. I havent been that hot since playing in Palm Springs in August. The service could use some work as we only saw a cart person once the entire round and that was coming in from #9! Also the "ice boxes" around the course were empty except for one hole on the back nine. I would recommend this course for the challenge and variety of the holes but the weather can make or break the round.

Posted: Sunday, July 23, 2006
Member Since: May 17, 2006
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silverminer - Long Beach
Played, Sat 7/10. Tee boxes and fairways are in great shape, greens are VERY quick, but are quite scarred in many places. Must keep the ball below to hole in order to score! Rough is not very penal, which helped most in my group as they were not in the fairways often.

Only complaint I have with this course is the bunkers...just a little SAND please. You virtually have no chance of getting up and down from most greenside traps playing from this dirt. Otherwise, a great track...well recommended!

Posted: Sunday, June 11, 2006
Member Since: January 25, 2003
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golfindolphin23 - pismo beach
FYI, They just lowered the rates for this incredible course to $65.00 with cart and unlimited usage of a great practice facility. anyone coming to the santa barbara area should make this a must play.

Posted: Wednesday, April 5, 2006
Member Since: July 18, 2005
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Davidthegreat - Corona del Mar,CA
The fairways were thin. The greens were gigantic and very fast, but smooth. Good putters wil like them if your below the hole.
The best chile in the world at the club house. Don, the chef, makes it from his special, closely guarded recipe. A must have if you like great chile.

Overall the course was fun but very difficult if your off the faiway.
The staff was very nice. But a small clubhouse.

Posted: Saturday, April 1, 2006
Member Since: March 8, 2006
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Grape_Jape - Santa Monica
Spoke to the starter today. Slicing the greens 4/6/06.

Posted: Saturday, April 1, 2006
Member Since: March 23, 2005
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DarkHorse - Encino, CA
Played on Friday1/13 and was surprised at the amount of wind that day.
The course was in great shape as the fairways and greens were well maintained. Pace of play was good as barely saw the group in front of us for most of the round that we finished in just over 4 hours.
For the price and the experience, the weekend rate of $85 is very good for this high calibur course and the normal daily rate is a steal for this course. Would love to play more often as it is only 2 hours drive from LA.

Posted: Thursday, January 19, 2006
Member Since: August 4, 2003
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rwandersonrce - Ventura
I have played this course for years. It appears that they have cut back on some things (what happened to the apples ?). The fairway and greens are all in good shape. The rough is not in the best shape, and the sand traps appear to be dirt and pebbles. Tee boxes are not in the best of shape either. The chipping area only had 40 balls (per starter). But they are all friendly and it is a great course for the price (12-23-05). Highly recommend but it has lost a few amenities over the past few years.

Posted: Monday, December 26, 2005
Member Since: September 5, 2004
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jackmack65 - Thousand Oaks
At the current $85 weekend rate, this place is a great deal and worth the drive from an hour or more away. The fairways are as perfect as I've seen at any public course, and the greens are sensational - truly fast with a perfect roll and some seriously testy breaks. Some of the grass in the rough is going dormant so it's a little bit spotty but it frames the fairways nicely nonetheless. The only thing off about this place is the bunkers, which are pretty bad - most are very thin and hard, but some are unbelievably soft and fluffy (namely, the bunkers behind the 10th green, which - trust me - you want to avoid). The bunkers need serious attention all over this course but other than that, this is a great test of golf in a beautiful setting. Expect to make a few double-bogeys here.

Posted: Monday, November 21, 2005
Member Since: March 23, 2003
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golfindolphin23 - pismo beach
Played on 11-4-05, no problem getting tee time and staff was great. Starter headed us to the practice area and said we could tee of any time. Course was in good condition for this time of year, not as lush as it was a couple of months ago but overall very good. Greens were lightning fast with tons of elavation and slope. Three putted several times due to being on the high side of the pins. Finished the round just under three and a half hours and that was with letting two twosomes play through. They were selling a discount book at the pro shop that gives you big time discounts at this course and others in Santa Barbara Co area. If you play in this area much, I would highly recommend the book, CANT REMEMBER THE NAME DAMMIT.

Posted: Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Member Since: July 18, 2005
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Mark_Roegner - Santa Barbara
The course is in excellent condition right now. The greens are running true and very fast. Definitely worth the money to play there.

Mountain views are beautiful and the staff is first rate.

Access card makes the green fees even more affordable.

Posted: Thursday, October 13, 2005
Member Since: October 13, 2005
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t25452 - Laguna Niguel
Nice golf course for the discounted $65 rate. We were camping nearby at Rancho Oso. Called to see if we could walk on and they told us to just come on down. Great customer service. They escorted us to the range; made sure we had everything we needed. Didn't rush us. They had just punched the greens (tiny holes) and thin layer of top dressing so rate was $65. It was worth it. But, wouldn't pay $125. Fairways were like carpet. Watering doesn't seem to be an issue now. Not as nice as La Purisima, though. Funny thing...there was a small brush fire by the entrance to the course about a month back. Burn damage all around entrance and across hwy 154. Rumor has it Michael Jordan tossed a lit cigar into the brush by the 10th tee causing the fire. Was in the Santa Barbara papers day before we played. Gotta play this course at least once in your golfing life. #15 Bear's Back is a hell of a golf hole!

Posted: Friday, August 19, 2005
Member Since: March 28, 2003
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jimw224 - Newbury Park
Still a really nice course and always fun to play.. Good breakfast burrito and always great service.

Posted: Monday, August 15, 2005
Member Since: September 19, 2003
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sealskinz - duarte
Played it many times now. Just felt I should share a story about one time that I played RSM, during the first year they were opened.

I was about 18 and just out of high school, living on my own in Los Angeles, and had fancied driving to Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Lompoc to experience all the great great golf the area has to offer, about two days during week, and every other weekend.

Once I went to RSM on a weekday and got there around 7:30am. Upon greeting the starter I was told that there was no room to go off the front nine because a small tournament was starting, but there was a twosome starting their round on the tenth tee that I could join. Their names were Mark and Jim, I was told.

I hopped in a cart, and before I could step on the gas, this huge man, or at least a very imposing figure steps out of the cartbarn and says in a kind of southern drawl, "Let me escort you down to these gentlemen waitng for you on the tenth tee, sir."

I say, "okay", and he gestures for me to scoot over and let him drive. He introduces himself as T.K., and after a bit of conversation, which included convincing me to walk instead of ride, eventually he mentions that he is the assistant superintendent at RSM and that he had caddied for Johnny Miller during his US OPEN win at Pebble Beach. To say the least I was a bit shocked at that, but I just figured it goes with the territory. Great golf course, great people, right?

We arrive at the tenth tee and patiently waitng are two golfers in a cart. I think to myself,"Huh, now why aren't THEY walking, T.K."?

I jump out of the cart as TK introduces me to Marcus and Jimmy, two much older gentlemen than I. I shake hands with both of them, and then a little bit of conversation goes on between the them and TK. They all seemed to talk like they knew eachother, so I figured they were locals or something.

Anyway, T.K. leaves me there at the back tee with my clubs, and the three of us tee it up. T.K. then follows us down the tenth hole and afterwards, gives me a ride to the 11th tee, up the hill and across the road. Thanks T.K.!!!!

I had played the course at least once or twice at this point so I knew where I was going and I wasn't a begginer or novice by any means, in fact had been playing a three handicap for at least three years at that point......so after a few holes, a few 290 yard drives, and a few birdie putts I realize that my playing partners are quite impressed, as they were very good also. I noticed that they had a game going, some money on the line, so I tried not to bother them very much. They seemed to appreciate that. They let me hop on the back of their cart, up the steep hill to hole#13, thankfully because it's one helluva hill to walk.
The scenery on the back nine is more than enough to make you forget about golf. I felt we all were enjoying ourselves. We had some small talk here and there, not any topics that I can really remember about. I think mostly about the golf course.

It was just a comfy group of strangers playing golf. At least that's what I thought, till we reached the par three 16th hole.
Marcus and Jimmy started asking me where I'm from, where I grew up, went to school, where I work--all that kind of stuff--how long have I been playing golf, etc.

Along comes T.K. in a maintenance cart. He watches us eventually tee it up. T.K. offers to give me a ride down to the green afterward. I hopped in his cart and he turns to me and asks, "You realize who you're paired up with, don't you?" and answer, "No, should I?"

He gets a little closer and kind of whispers in my ear," That's Jimmy Connors", pointing to Jim. "You know the famous....".

"Tennis Champion?!", I cut T.K. off, suddenly recognizing him.

I'll always remember watching Connors play Andre Agasi in the 1988 U.S. Open. It was very inspiring to see Connors, old and washed-up, give a youthful Agasi a run for his money. I later metioned it to Connors and he agreed it was one of his most memorable matches.

"Marcus," T.K. continued, now pointing to Marcus,"he's one of the greatest NFL running backs who ever lived."
Unfortunately I wasn't the biggest football fan in my childhood but I surely knew who Marcus Allen was. I grew up in Los Angeles and I knew who played on the Raiders.

"Marcus Allen? Are you kidding me?!!, I said.

It was hard not to blush. I could not believe that I didn't recognize them both at first. After T.K. told me it was obvious...I was playing with Jimmy Connors and Marcus Allen at the same time!!!!

It was also obvious that they were playing for far more than your run of the mill $5 dollar nassau, which made me nervous, so badly I thought I would need a restroom. T.K. informed me that he just wanted to let me know not to ask for autographs or take photographs as they had a privacy policy to pay athletes and celebrities alike one thousand dollars per occurance. Enough said. Nary a word came from my mouth until the 18th green when I said that I had enjoyed joining both of them, but would like to play ahead of them so as not to bother their concentration. Afterall, these guys have thousands going on each hole. I surely didn't want to get in their way. To boot, I was only a stroke over at that point and I was afraid they might start asking me to play for money and to give them strokes! They each appreciated the thoughtful gesture, both said it was a pleasure to play with such a talented, good-mannered, well-natured kid, and gave me one last unforgettable handshake, sending me on my way. I'll never forget it.

By the way, this course is second only to La Purisma. What a combo, only a fifteen minute drive between those two courses.

See my other postings for Brookside #1 and #2 for that matter, also see the story of my most recent round at La Purisma in Lompoc....more to come soon....=)

Hope you enjoyed the story.

Thanks

Sealskinz

Posted: Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Member Since: June 3, 2005
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736DP - Capistrano Beach
Wonderful track, no homes, lots of natural terrain and nature. Buy a yard book because the course has some blind tee shots.

Posted: Monday, June 6, 2005
Member Since: April 16, 2003
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jacob7272 - St. Augustine, FL
Awesome back nine, maybe the best nine holes in golf. I understand that this course got a low rating last summer, but there has been some rain and this course is back. And I will be back as soon as possible.

Posted: Friday, March 18, 2005
Member Since: March 18, 2005
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msolo - Florida
This course is back! I've read about problems last summer because of the drought - but now the course is lush. The whole golf course from hole 1 to hole 18 is laid-out for a fun round of golf. Though the back-9 gets all the attention for the views (which are spectacular), the front-9 has some excellent holes also that will test your ball striking.

Play this golf course if you're into a well designed golf course that is surrounded by lush hills. Maybe the best thing about this golf course is that there aren't any homes on it and there never will be. This is golf how it should be played!

Posted: Saturday, March 12, 2005
Member Since: March 1, 2005
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admtutt - Santa Barbara
Course is back to its stellar self. Still at reduced rates as well! Play it now and you will smile

Posted: Saturday, January 1, 2005
Member Since: February 6, 2004
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rwandersonrce - Ventura
Excellent Service and they provided a rfeduced fee, but the condition is not worth the value. Should be great in the next month or two.

Posted: Saturday, November 20, 2004
Member Since: September 5, 2004
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johnsohn - Orange
I don't know how you get a "good" rating for this track. The lack of water has had a devistating effect on the course. Very sad to see such a geat facility go so far down. I hope it comes back.

Posted: Sunday, October 10, 2004
Member Since: November 8, 2002
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Josh72 - Simi Valley
Played last week and we were told over the phone that they had only had 7 inches of rain this year and the conditions were dry but the greens were in great shape. We drove up anyway because we love the layout and thought it couldn’t be too bad. It was bad but more so it was sad. Rancho San Marcos could be one of the best golf courses in California but no golf course is enjoyable at these conditions. I will be back once they get some rain and have overseeded but until then I’ll save my money.

Posted: Wednesday, October 6, 2004
Member Since: October 31, 2002
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admtutt - Santa Barbara
The course is in terrible shape right now. They have lost water rights or lost the desire to pay for the water needed to keep the course alive and the result is that all the fairways and all the rough have died. The grass is totatlly dead and you end up hitting on dirt. The greens were punched a couple of weeks ago and are terrible right now. This is really a sad state of conditions for what was once one of the best courses in the state. Hopefully the winter will bring plent of rain and they will brign back this beauty. The Driving range which was once a model for perfection is now worse than a desert dog track. The worst part about the whole thing is that they are still charging resort rates! At least drop the price down to be in line with the conditions and you might actually have some golfers play it!

Posted: Wednesday, October 6, 2004
Member Since: February 6, 2004
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vanamar - Brooklyn
I have played this course many times and have never seen it in such poor shape... For the $$$$, this course is in terrible condition! The fairways are very dry... the greens were punched and we were not informed of this ever! Although the staff is very helpful... it was have been nice to know the condition of the course when I made my reservations.

Posted: Wednesday, July 7, 2004
Member Since: May 28, 2003
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saverno2 - oxnard
the course was great a lite bit dry but then again is the season, greens are bownish but receptive and thru when putting, the major problem that i had was with the reservation I made on TeeTimes247.com; the staf inform our group that the rate and tee time offer to us were not authorize by the managing staf at the the course, there for they could not honor such rate or tee time; and offer to give us a discounted rate instead as a way to make up for a problem that they did not iniciated, I consider a very good gesture on their part; however the website was not so efficient in dealing with a complain I have sent two e-mail to customer service I have no reply to this date; so the moral of the story is beware when using this service

Posted: Saturday, June 12, 2004
Member Since: June 20, 2003
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flyboy1 - Huntington Beach
played Sandpiper in the morning and then made our way over to RSM. The staff was very friendly and extremely accomodating. We wanted to go off the back 9 at 1pm and they let us. One of the staff members rode in a cart to make sure that we saw our way to the tenth tee. Course didn't look anywhere near as lush as it did this time of the year 3 years ago. I remember a super lush course. The greens were nice and fast though; way better than Sandpiper's greens. I made three birdies on the back 9, so obviously I had a good time. The only drawback was a twosome in front of us that played second and third balls while we waited. They also did not play ready golf. My friend and I fired a couple of shots across their bow on 17, but they didn't get the message. So on 18, I hit a 330 yard drive over their heads, much to their chagrin and much to my amusement. Anyway, the course looked really parched and we did not go one hole without seeing a couple of mowing tractors and/or grounds-crew doing work. If was quite frustrating, especially for $125. This is a very picturesque course, but it could use a lot more watering.

Posted: Thursday, May 13, 2004
Member Since: December 8, 2003
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golfmedic22 - Norco
Nice, but...... the price does include cart, range balls, a bottle of water, and an apple at the range. Not enough to cover th price paid. only a few holes were picture worthy, the rest just another straight forward course. Save the $ and visit the River course at the Alisal, or spend the $ at Sandpiper.

Posted: Monday, April 19, 2004
Member Since: August 19, 2003
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melvindd - Northridge
Played at a twilight rate of $85 each for a twosome at 2.30pm. Managed to get 18 holes in but had to pass by 2 groups of foursome which was really nice of them. The golf course is very good in terms of layout as well as conditions. The only complain is the tee boxes are quite roughed up and the black tees and white tees have about 600 yards differential which is quite far apart. There is actually an extra tee box between the blacks and whites, but there is no course rating for it. The course is rather forgiving off the tee boxes. Every hole has its own character and there does not seem to have holes that are parallel. All in all, a great golf course with great services, facilities and playability.

Posted: Saturday, April 3, 2004
Member Since: January 3, 2003
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saverno2 - oxnard
I play the course last week, it was in great shape, very frienly staf; the only thing is that it is tricky to play for the first time, to score good you need course knologe, we bought the yardage book and it help but you got some dificult to judge blind shots, but even as a firts timer I really enjoyed the course. if you got an opportunity to play it is worth every penny of the green fee

Posted: Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Member Since: June 20, 2003
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admtutt - Santa Barbara
By far the best course in the county. Ranks in my top 10 in the State. A real pleasure to play (if its not to hot) and a real challenge. The course plays tough and fair and will make you use your entire bag. Exceptional service especially compared to all other Santa Barbar courses. I would play it all the time if it wasnt so expensive. It is a must play! A beauty and a lot of fun and has the best practise facility around.

Posted: Friday, February 6, 2004
Member Since: February 6, 2004
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palmers62 - Simi Valley
Echo the other postings. Great golf course and great people. We came up from Simi last week and played at their discounted rate. They said residents of San Luis Obispo county get a break too.

Posted: Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Member Since: December 23, 2003
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mike4par - Agoura
Greenskeeper.org is right on the money with this one. We drove up this morning and played as a twosome. Got right out. Golf course was magnificent! Service was fantastic! I’ll definitely be playing Rancho San Marcos more often. Drive up to Santa Barbara only took about 45 minutes from Agoura. This is a golf course!

Posted: Monday, December 22, 2003
Member Since: October 31, 2002
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nallr - La Canada
Played on 9/11 in afternoon. Very fun course to play with a big premium on accuracy. Some of the holes are pretty unforgiving if you miss a fairway. The greens were absolutely perfect today. I understand they are going to begin aerating them next week. Many of the fairways had just been aerated, but it really didn't affect play too much. A challenging and fun layout. Great customer service in the clubhouse.

Posted: Thursday, September 11, 2003
Member Since: October 25, 2002
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jackmack65 - Los Angeles
This is a gorgeous golf course from beginning to end. It's in great shape, maintained to high-end resort standards and staffed with exceptionally curteous people. The layout is fantastic and there's not a hole that isn't beautifully framed. Though the greens were punched about ten days before we played, they were already rolling quite smoothly. The rough at this course doesn't look like much of a challenge until you're in it, at which point, look out -- it is TOUGH. My only two complaints about this course are that the bunkers (which are massive and numerous) are very poorly sanded with thin, inconsistent, and in our case, often just muddy, "sand." These need a serious upgrade in order to bring this course up to a higher standard. In addition, we never saw a marshal on the course... and with the jokers in front of us during the back nine, we could've used one!

It's well worth playing this course. You'll use every club in the bag, and there's not a single "let up" hole where you can take it easy. It's a stern test of golf in a gorgeous setting. Play it.

Posted: Sunday, June 1, 2003
Member Since: March 23, 2003
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rusty333 - tustin
this course is the best and prettiest and challenging cousre i have ever played. it is rsonably priced too. this is a course that you plan a vacation around. before you get too old to play golf, play this course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted: Tuesday, January 14, 2003
Member Since: January 12, 2003
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