Haven't reviewed much in the past few years but since I moved from Carlsbad to Santa Rosa 2 years ago, I figured I'd do my part to keep NorCal updates going for those that are looking to play in this ... Continue »

Haven't reviewed much in the past few years but since I moved from Carlsbad to Santa Rosa 2 years ago, I figured I'd do my part to keep NorCal updates going for those that are looking to play in this area. Full disclosure, I'm a member at Fountaingrove. First off, this is a very under the radar type of golf course. It's a Ted Robinson Sr. design from the early eighties and really doesn't play like too many of his other designs. The course is sneaky hard as the length and the course rating & slope don't come close to preparing you for the challenge ahead. Even though the nearby Mayacama gets most of the attention in the area, Fountaingrove is easily a few strokes harder. The main challenge is the greens which almost all have fairly severe slopes and/or tiers and on almost all holes you must stay below if you want to keep your score from ballooning. The front nine is more open with the routing going basically out and back. You have a short par 5 (number 4) that is reachable on most days and a long par 5 (number 8) that plays between 540-610 yards. Both par 3's on this side are on the shorter side but have tough greens to putt. The back nine is where it really changes character and from 13 through 17, you're holding on. Most of the back nine holes have trouble on all sides and position off the tee is much more important than distance. Overall, this course is a real treat to be able to play often as it never gets stale or boring and as the weather, wind, temperature and overall conditions change throughout the year, it plays differently almost every time I go out. Some holes can play 3 or 4 clubs different depending on conditions. US Open local qualifying is held here every May. The course was devastated by the 2017 Tubbs fire and even the clubhouse was burnt down. The new clubhouse is extremely nice and was completed at the end of 2021, so it with along with all the carts and most of the homes adjacent to a few holes on the front nine are all newly built. I never played it before the fire but the course is definitely more open now with many trees lost in the fire. Membership is low-key and friendly and the staff is excellent. Fountaingrove is part of the Troon Prive group so if you have reciprocol through Troon, definitely get out and play if you're in the area. I'll submit the scorecard and photos.