Played 9/8 at 11:30 as a threesome. Played Canyon/Ranch, my preferred combo. Course was booked through 12:00, which is rare for a weekday. Plenty of waiting as a threesome, but 4.5 hour round. Tees were level and lush bermuda, with the par 3s showing more than average divots. Fairways were bermuda, cut short, not tight, with good coverage and some areas of only slightly less than green. Rough was well defined but not too penal. They have taken out extensive areas of rough and replaced it with water-saving areas and IMO improved the course. Fairway bunkers and greenside bunkers were consistent, with fine white sand. Greens looked and putted great, medium fast with noticeable grain influence. Collars and aprons were well-cared for with good coverage. This course just seems to get overlooked by many. It has great elevation changes on the Canyon/Ranch combo and really fun hole variation. It isn't particularly long and has ample room for drives, but there are plenty of visual demons to add strokes to your score. The rates are a little higher than average, no where near a Torrey scalping for out of towners, but you'll get what you pay for. Nice but limited selection of draft beer at a reasonable rate in a beautiful clubhouse with a pleasant bartendress, even better when someone else is buying, made it an extremely enjoyable day

Played 9/6 as a twosome, first out. Proshop was efficient. Starter was great. My buddy was a little late, said he'd send us out 2nd as the first group played "fast." When my bud showed up 1st group hadn't teed off, so he let us go ahead with a promise to keep ahead. They never came within a hole after 2. POP was a little less than three hours as we ran into some 9 holers. Great course to walk, flat and no long treks from green to tee. Tee boxes were green level and way above your average muni. Kikuyu fairways looked and played great. Rough was a little thin in some places and lush in others, but never very tough. Traps had lots of sand that was nice to hit out of. Greens rolled nicely at medium speed. They were a little discolored but putted much better than they looked. Well-conditioned course with tree-lined fairways, four holes along the water and a nice mix of dog-legs, great course to walk and $35 to play weekdays make this one of the best golf deals in SD. I wouldn't call Coronado tough, but there are plenty of ways to make a double or more and the hole variation is outstanding for an older, flat course. You never get that "Didn't I just play this hole?" feeling. It can get slow here, so get out as early as you can.

Ran over to the Dye course after being chased off Player because they closed at 3:00 on 8/28 with Nickesquire. Staff was exceptionally accommodating and sent us right out. Never much to add to an "esquire" review. Just emphasizing the condition of the greens. It's tough to read a break when your ball is in the air 40 percent of the time on it's way to the hole. Nick was right when he quipped, "We need Chris Berman to do the commentary on these putts, "He's rumbling, bumbling, stumbling, and could he -- No, stopped short at the 5 yard line.'" While the course is in good shape otherwise, it's definitely treated as the step-child of the two. Be aware that according to the cart guy Dye is the only course open during the week. If you have the UP voucher for unlimited play between the two make sure you go on a weekend.

Played 45 on 8/28 with Nickesquire and, as usual, there's not much to say after reading Nick's and Mendel's review. BUT, while the greens here didn't bother me as much as previous reviewers - thought they were at least average for the desert this time of year - what got me out there was the email from Troon that the LPGA qualifier was just over, come out and test your skills, the greens would be quick and true. No where close to quick and true was in the eyes of the beholder. Everybody understands advertising and puffery, I guess I just expect a little more honesty from Troon. Otherwise the course was in great condition. Player is a much more scenic course that the Dye course and that front side is pretty tough if you don't hit it over 250. The cart guy said they were keeping Player closed on the weekdays in the summer and even though the shop door says they close as 5:00, everything but the cart barn was locked tight at 3:00. For me our second round pairing was uncharacteristically entertaining. Don't think I've ever played with anyone who played barefoot with custom painted toenails - and that was Joe, a Mr. Clean lookalike. Gayla, his 5' 2" female playing partner, just bombed the ball, and they knew how to have fun. Playing from the women's tees Gayla was consistently 40 yards past even Nick. Don't bet you wife here, the difference between the golds and the ladies tees had to be at least 900 yards. Okay, I'm rambling.

Played 8/23 with a 3:10 tee time with Pat and Mark. Called ahead to make sure there were no tournaments. Said there was a group of four foursomes going out at 1:45, but should be no problem. We asked to play the back first, just to be sure, but there were groups just making the turn so it was not possible. The tees were great; fairways were the same; bunkers were well maintained with lots of nice white sand; collars showed signs of a hot summer, but better than any course I've played in a couple months; greens were on the slower side as usual for this course, but could not be faulted. As we finished 9, just before 5:00, we hit the "slow" group. The pro shop said it was fine to go ahead of them and then fill in later. We jumped around, trying to get holes in, but still were unable to finish 17 and 18 before dark. Here's the real point of this review: Before the door to the pro shop had shut as my buddy went in to complain, the starter apologized and made things right. It's that anticipation that I appreciate at almost every Troon-run golf course I've played. There is no look from behind the counter of "What's your problem?" They know your problem and then go about fixing it. Thanks.

Played 8/8 on Underpar package, starting at 7:20. Called the evening before and when the recorded message said, "please leave a message with your phone number and we will call you back," left a message I'd like a 7:40 tee time and they needn't call me back if that was ok. When we arrived the pro shop apologized, said they cannot retrieve any messages on their system. Hmm. He did get us out 20 minutes early and apologized profusely. Were paired up with Ron and Mike who were good guys, even though Ron had Cowboys ball marker. Tee boxes were good. Fairways were a little thin, but decent lies. They were putting new sand in the bunkers and some were in the process and should have been GUR. Temporary green on 1. The new green looked good to go, I think they said it would open the 12th. The rest of the greens were mostly good, but there were some bare spots on a number of them. I just can't figure why they put the pins in spots to show off those bare spots. They putted medium fast and fairly true. Aprons and collars were showing the heat and not up to this course's usual standards. POP was about 3.5 hours on round 1 and 2:45 on the second. Enjoyed the round and the green damage was definitely not enough to keep me away. The new sand looked great with none of the gravel you get with the cheap stuff.

Played 8/2 with a 7:00 a.m. tee time. Pro shop staff was excellent, but lonely. One foursome ahead of us and very few on the course. I do hate to write a review that may ruin my solitude, but feel obligated. Carlton is in the best shape it's been in in many years. The tee boxes are good. The bent grass greens are firm and showing some bermuda invasion around the edges, but are rolling nicely at medium pace. Fairways are well above average. Greenside and fairway bunkers are much improved, but the waste areas are a mess, avoid at all costs. The collars and aprons are the best I've seen them in 10 years. A lot of the overgrown rough has been mowed down, but not all. I do love this place, so take that into account in reading this review, but steady improvement is being made and it's great to see.

Played 36 on 5-4 with Nick and Tom, first time at 6:10. Just a couple things to add to Nick's, as always, comprehensive review. Sand in traps and bunkers was the orange-ish, clay-like variety, very nice to hit out of, though a little thin in places. They were spreading steer manure on the fairways as we were playing, kind of a dusting process, pulling a cart behind a maintenance cart. The fairways should be nice and green soon, but it was a little challenging olfactorily. They also had club match play against Bear Creek Wednesday, might be why they chose to spread the manure throughout the day instead of waiting until 5 or 6, but I don't know. Pins were in some tough spots and glad we played 36, as you could see how a little knowledge could save you at least a couple shots a side. Nick didn't seem to mind the tough pins, though, 4 birdies, should have had 8, and a hole in one on 16 - I guess he's going to start backwards from 17. My advice if Nick gets back into the GK Cup, make sure there are no par 3's between 160-175 yards on the course you play; he was just deadly with his 7 iron. This is a very fun course and challenging, though I think it takes at least twice around to appreciate it.

Played 5-3 at 7:00. The course just hosted the Canadian PGA qualifier, so it's in just about as good as it's going to get, which is pretty good. Tee boxes were mostly green and lush, though many were uneven. The Blacks looked as good as I've seen them in quite a while, though I played the greens. Number 3 tee was a bit bare, but was well sanded and seeded, looks like they're trying. They got a smoker for the gophers, I think to smoke 'em out, not for the restaurant, and I didn't notice as many holes. The fairways were very nice, mostly bermuda with some poa annua, tightly mowed and well covered. Rough was slightly penal, but if you hit a really bad shot, good luck finding it. Traps were decent, though inconsistent. Greens were really nice, fairly hard but held shots that were well-struck. Collars had grass, but poa annua bumps all over the place making it difficult to chip. If you enjoy Carlton, and especially if you want to test yourself from the blacks, now is the time.

Played with Nickesquier and nodoubles 4-14-16. Nick's review, as usual, was very accurate, but I'd emphasize the speed and condition of the greens. These greens are rarely lightning fast, but are usually very quick on a downhiller or downgrainer. Not so on the 14th. At our 7:45 tee time the flowering tops of the poa annua were in full bloom. The greens were mown, but must be on the shaggy setting. They looked beautiful, but for the little buds your ball had to rumble through to find the hole. On another course this wouldn't be worth mentioning by me, but to play here, at least for me, is a special occasion, and I was a little disappointed in the greens. As far as the rest of the course, I was not let down in the slightest: Tees, check; fairways, check; rough, check; sand, check. They do have Alpine Duet and Sculpin on tap, though at $9+ no need to worry about a dui on the way home.

teed off 3/20 at 6:50 with Nickesquire as a 2 with GK voucher(thanks Johnny). A little wet with dew, but no fog, which can be a factor this time of year, especially on 1 and 2. Tee boxes were okay. Fairways were good, nice coverage, well defined. Rough was very good, lush green and made a difference if you put it there. Bunkers had good sand, a little heavy with the dew. Green collars were in good condition. Greens were very nice, medium speed, quicker heading south than north. The closest house was a driver and three wood away, and they are estates, really just something to admire. Large practice putting green was consistent with the greens on the course. Grass driving range looked nice. Pro shop staff was excellent as was starter and snack lady. No drink cart on Monday. Nick loved his ham sandwich and they have 805 and Sculpin on tap. I wish there was an extra number for those courses where you just feel like you got away, this one would get a 10.

Played as a single walker at TC off at 7. 4some and a slower single let me play through (single didn't want the company). Tee boxes were chewed all to heck. Fairways were bumpy but had grass, five or six different kinds, and a few clover and weed patches, nicely mowed. Rough was weeds and some grass. Some traps had decent sand and some were dirt and fairly well maintained. The greens had been punched maybe a week ago and still rolled very nicely; if you come back they will be the reason. It looks like the crew takes some pride in their course but has limited resources. POP was 2 hours. Executive course with par 3s ranging from 100-165 yards and 4 par 4s at 300 or so, runs up one side of a canyon and back the other with a creek in the middle with trees running down the middle of the creek. If you join their Players Club for $30/month it's $5 to walk before 8, but don't slow me down.