Quick update heavy rain Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning 3:30 -5am had me skeptical. But we kept the plan to attempt and play if weather shut it out hit the casino on the way home for breakfast. Rain stopped sun and clouds and breezy mid 40's to start better than staying home and course conditions surprisingly dry most areas.
Greens good to real good a little slow as expected
Fringes and fairways mix of dormant and green grass expect some unplanned bounces, lies.
Bunkers mostly good all have sand some players raking most of the footprints.
Tee boxes ok the most uneven and annoying is the 14th par3.
Overall good not the longest or most challenging but the friendly staff is always ready to take care of the customer. Thumbs up!

Saturday 2/4 we returned to play after cancelling a round a few weeks ago when the course was back 9 only walking. Th Feather River levee borders the front and with high flow the course held water and sadly lost some large oak trees there and between some of the holes.

All open now and some water areas that haven't had any in many years. Pools of water (casual) in the low grassy areas and dry ponds for years now have standing water in them.

Greens are rolling ok a bit slow due to dampness early morning. Bunkers with the new sand are good to really nice to play from. A few not tended to with old beds are hardpan mostly in the fairway bunkers. Green and dormant patches in the fairways and rough. seasonal.

Still a fun track and Bob a regular joined us the first few holes in the fog then cleared to partly sunny. Staff is always great and a cool vibe here with the other players as usual.

Didn't notice Alex's review until this morning. Was yielding to his write-up.

Reads spot on to the conditions and experiences on a mandatory golf Friday. Opening day after the low snows from a series of atmospheric river storms basically all month. Snow staying on the ground in Camino for days is rare. I expected softer conditions, not so much mud when the shady areas are mostly frozen. Requiring careful footwork. Big bounces from the frozen side of the fairway, not much roll from the thawed areas. Greens slower that usual but nice. Course emerging well in most areas. Bunkers needed grooming.
Every other day prior to 1/27, I called the pro shop for updates in case we needed a back-up plan in the valley. Parking lot at 11am was busier than I expected. A sunny day and the players are anxious to get out.

Used a Golf Moose offer. Happy to report that Link Soul clothing is available in the pro-shop. Telling me they are up on style at the Mountain. Like Alex in his wine colored shirt.

It's a challenging track now a days with me losing distance and many elevated greens. A hot pitching wedge and good putting saves me here. The home course of my career birdie record. (4 in a round 2002) Only one today was for Alex on number 2. A par 3 with elevation drop of 40+ yards. The detail I relearned today was that a fade shot of 150-185 range is a most valuable stroke saving weapon here. Useful on at least 4 holes on the front 9. Don't get to play golf in the snow too often. Fun...

Played Monday 12/5 in the GK Moose event at this club built in 1897. 3rd day of golf in a row :)
Another review mentioned tree loss in recent years. Based on black and white photos in the locker room course is more like the original design now. A links style old school design. Playing like the courses of Scotland and Ireland I'd imagine with a few more large trees and no gorse.
All the right boxes checked for a private high end course. A1 facility, staff, and CH.
Prep of the greens today included a cut and roll, about the best conditions a player can expect. The bunkers had flat bottoms and large faces giving framing and visual stimuli. Fairways tight offering run out. Rough dormant and fluffy could pull a hybrid through it and still get distance.
Great day and chance to experience this unique style classic.

Round two of the "border tour" and the event that I built the weekend around.
GK's 20th Bash.
Never one to turn down a party and with golf? Mandatory!
Have heard so much about the course here, I was anxious to experience it. Sure did live up to the name and then some and my expectations too. You get it all here at my level. Described so well by kvisers review. With Andrews caveats. The good, bad, and the ugly. Playing it down in a GK finals match could not have been easy. Both he and Dave were smiling afterwards. Congrats to the champ D.C.
For example, on a par three with the abyss to the right. Two players in our group hit almost identical shots that landed and rolled onto the fringe one stopped, the other one didn't went OB right downhill after rolling 45 yards. Group in front of us, player pitching from hillside left rolled past pin off green into the same fate. I'd expect the regulars will appreciate when a bunker is restored to hold those shots.
BBQ served up tasty polish dogs, dogleg ale ($6-pint) great. Woody my dog appreciated the dogs welcome kool vibe here.
Living up to it's mantra World Class for the Working Class.
Can't wait to come back and play my wooden three wood again. I pulled from the closet for this event and used it for a rare CTP for a bottle of wine.
Great time Johnny (ie GK's Geoff Ogilvy)

Round one of three in San Diego last weekend.
Overall the best conditioned course and a gem of a track built in 1999
Greens were excellent.
Fairways green edge to edge with tight lies good roll out.
The rough was dormant and brown giving the eye a nice contrast like the desert courses to the west. Played with a member who said it was up and held my poor shots. In the summer conditions he said the balls would roll into off into the natural areas. Almost impossible to play from even if you find it in most circumstances.
Facility top notch and friendly staff made our visit using the troon card a pleasure. Many multi-million dollar homes in among the hills and hilltops.
A great place to visit.

11/27/22 Update:
Greens in great shape possibly best shape since I've played here.
Frost delay was minimized because the greenskeeper got out early before the frost and mowed the first 5 in the dark before the frost set! The greens I rate 8/10 ready to go for late fall winter play.

Tee boxes ok being hand over-seeded by the crew for divots.
Fairways a mix bag of dormant tight lies to green areas very. Played it down no issues. A few challenges.
Rough mostly mow short easy out most instances.
Bunkers damp gray/white sand in most all of them now. I couldn't handle them today. My issues not theirs.

Overall just a cool vibe of players and staff here. Waited out the delay and went off as two-somes for three and more groups. Making it a quick POP and back in the parking lot a little over three hours.

In search of great putting surfaces, we choose to play in Brooks (Cache Creek Casino) for that reason and for some diversionary activities in case of frost delay. (it was one hour)
Scheduling a later than usual tee time for us 9:xx easy hour or so drive to the resort from Sac.
Asked the concierge desk to call pro shop and learned about anticipated the frost delay. That allowed us more than breakfast time and a leisurely warm up. Going out about 10:20 following a "mini" tournament (6 groups) starting on hole 10.
A scramble I think that turned shamble as the ranger advised the other two-some with us that a player in the group in front of us was asked to leave. Still slow pace of about 5 hours.
On hole 8 (our 17th) marshal tells us the pace is up to us from here!?
OK to the course:
Greens great smooth quick. Frosted by mother nature cut and rolled by the grounds crew.
Fairways. Five holes as well as the par 3's CPO and some sod and roped areas on the carts off holes. still very playable and possible to catch a seam lie, which could be a GUR drop and go. No bare or unkempt areas of concern.
Bunkers nice I had good lies and occasional success there. Other guy had one fried egg.
Tees fine and all good.
My last review may have been a 3/4 point too high then. Still a solid 8 or more rated course that never has never disappointed me. It's just fun!

Pleasant weather for a mid-day game in Carmel. Great service from the bag drop to the locker room. They hit the all the marks of what you'd expect.
The best overall experience I've had playing in 2022 to date.
The greens are in impeccable shape and a 9.75/10 rating. I'd say hard to find better putting surfaces in the Monterey valley with public access.
Fairways like carpet and let my low stinger drives get some needed roll out.
Today with a short frost delay they started play on hole 14, which made it different routing. I liked that too.

Quick update on the Ridge. Expected frost delay was realized with an hour delay. Paired first out with a single who broke away from us on the par 5 second.
Tee boxes good, a tad shaggy and top dressed.
Fairways good for the most part some wet spots from week's rain.
Greens slow and bumpy sand filled holes will be a couple weeks more estimated for those to go away.
Bunkers machine worked and damp very playable.
That's all folks.
PS GK 20th bash at Goat Hill 12/4. Only 20 days away. Love to see you there!

Sunday early to follow-up the BH Saturday play.
Very similar conditions to the other 18 and to markd's previous review too. (may 2022)
Greens not as undulating as the sister course. Great smooth and fast. On number 16 there are forces of gravity involved with the middle front of the green. I'm sure this dip has a name and is well known to those who play here.
PGA event players learn it too and our playing partners say it's a favorite spot for fans to watch tournament players misjudge the slope and speed as many many others do with mere mortal skills.
Fairways some blotches. I played it down as day before and maybe had 5 lies presenting unexpected challenge.
The housing being constructed adjacent to the course, is what it is. Not an enhancement to the aesthetics for the golfer. But I'd have a hard time hitting one by accident.
Looking forward to the next opportunity. Two days of mostly sunny in the low 60's will do that to me.

Great when a plan comes together. Had targeted playing here for a few months.
Using the Troon card and my alarm was able to get Blackhorse late Am Saturday and Bayonet early Sunday. An attractive rate and great weather (the majority of both rounds shorts and short sleeves) I had the best weekend of 36 holes this year.
Agree with the previous review on the course conditions, but not completely with the opinions.
Some experience playing certainly will help. And if you are hitting it to the wrong area you will pay the price here more than most tracks.
Tees ok most over-seeded, all level from the whites. Rough manageable 3" + - . Fairways good not great some imperfections I played it down and caught a few challenging lies against green grass sitting on brown. Approach shots unless a mile high dropping straight took a bounce that must be calculated for. Pitch shots with the second bounce spin will check but the player must be in position for that type of shot. Flop shots ineffective for the most part. Bunkers firm and kept up nicely. Really nice to look at with the contouring shapes. One partner observed they resemble the canopy top of the cypress trees.
More than like playing here. Today with three others new to the course is was fun being tour guide in great weather. Albeit slow play (5+ hrs) following small group events. The views and the company eliminated the need for musical distractions. Beer cart ice cold.