Played early Thursday, delayed about 45 minutes due to fog. Course/starter handled it well, 1 guy went out but the fog swallowed him up so we waited a bit longer. Burned off by about #5 and it was very nice after that.

If you like this course NOW is the time to play it. Couple issues with tee boxes (one slanted, one crowned, par 3's a little chewed up) and a couple fairways had some patchy spots where the grass hadn't grown in evenly - other than that it was excellent!

Greens a little slow to start due to the moisture but all rolled true and consistent. Rough varied but was present on all holes - some wasn't too bad, some was very thick and definitely made you reconsider club choices.

Bunkers were very consistent, somewhat heavy but very playable - I should know, I spent most of the back side in them. Do NOT end up at the far end of the fairway bunkers - almost all of them have a large berm/hill right at the front preventing you from using enough club to get to the green (again, trust me, I should know . . .)

POP was very good, finished in right about 3 hours even with a slower first holes from the fog.

Side note - there was a cart with two bags full of Hopkins equipment - Blade Irons, Wedges, Fairway - the works. They pulled up to the tee while I was waiting with the fog and I commented about how sweet the irons looked - the guy driver says "yeah, I love 'em!" then they went back to either the putting green or clubhouse. Guess he should - turned out the guy driving was Greg Hopkins!

Itslikeimsayin pretty much covered it with his review but I'll elaborate on a couple points.

I've played here semi-regularly the last 18 months or so and this is by far the best conditions I've encountered. Bunkers are much better than before and the greens have completely recovered from the recent maintenance (as Mark pointed out, you can see where they were punched but they rolled true all day). To me they seemed pretty fast and downhill putts can get away from you if you're not careful.

If you haven't played here now's a good time to check it out - if you have, now's the time to come back!

Played today, used an GroupGolfer coupon for $28 including range balls. While more details are included below, the short version is the course is on it's way back - make no mistake, they've still got a LONG way to go, but if the work done so far is any indication they're definitely on the right track.

Girl in the pro shop was nice, handed me a large bucket of range balls when I checked in - I figured it would be a smaller "warm-up" bucket and hadn't allowed that much time so ended up leaving about half on the range. Grass was in ok to good shape but not very representative of the course (much more lush on the range) - still, a nice perk for the price.

Practice green near the first tee was very similar to on-course conditions and is large enough to practice putts of all lengths and slopes - given the size and slopes on the course it's something you really need to do before heading out.

POP was very good - as a single every group I caught was very courteous in letting me play through. It was a very casual round and still finished in just over 3 hours.

Overall conditions:

Tees were quite good, not much wear even on the par 3 holes. They've shut down some on several holes, my guess is they will be addressed later. Makes for some long holes from the blue tees as some were set all the way back.

Greens and surrounding areas are in good shape, fairly firm but consistent, plan on more run-out than most. Surrounding areas could be both lush and quite tight, but it appears to be part of an overall plan, bump and run shots will work on most holes and if you miss in the "correct" spot(s) you could putt from as much as 5-10 yards off the green. Miss in the "wrong" spot and it gets thick, gnarly and less consistent.

They rolled quite true, somewhat slow to start but as they dried out they got faster. Lots of subtle slopes but I misread the breaks all day - too much one hole, too little the next. May just be a part of the greens growing out, or it might be the grain has more influence than I thought - or it might have simply been a bad putting day.

Bunkers varied, some kinda heavy, some nice, some a little thin/crusty. Most have some larger pebbles/rocks in them so be careful but they were decent to play from.

So far, so good.

Fairways/rough still need a LOT of work. The fairways that are growing in are nice (for the most part) but there's still plenty of ground under repair (current local rule is if you're in any of those areas, marked or not, take a drop). $15 is playing as a Par 3 (no distance marker, take your best guess!) as the ground from tee up to that point is going to be a long-term project.

I've always liked the basic layout as it makes you think - Driver or something less, what club should I use for the approach - do I fly it to the hole or land it short and let it roll out, etc. Better hit it where you aim it, off-line can get ugly in a hurry!

All-in-all, I was encouraged by what I saw today. As I was leaving I crossed paths with one of the project managers - they know they're only about 50% of the way back but what's already been done was done right so that bodes well for the future

Is it worth the current $35 price tag? Hard to say. Course design, greens and tees would be a yes, rest of the course not so much - however, if you think about it as helping to contribute to the restoration (or can get a discount) then yes.

I'll be back in a couple months to see what's changed - here's hoping it's all for the good!

Played a couple times the last two weeks, conditions in general are average but consistent. Greens continue to be the best feature, holding well struck shots, soft bounces and reasonable rollout on those with less spin. Pitted very well at medium/fast speed.

Was in a couple fairway bunkers, they are hard pan dirt, the couple gree side were a pleasant surprise - good amount of actual sand and played nicely.

Rough around the greens varies from moderate to quite lush, fairway rough is pretty patchy. Fairways are decent, some better than others, can get some lies that are nestled down between patches or pretty thin.

Tees need some leveling and filling but if you back up a yard or so it's usually ok - exceptions are the par 3's which are pretty chewed up.

Pace of play runs about 4:15-4:20 - not great but not horrible (depends a lot on how courteous those in front are). Rates are quite reasonable especially if you join their email list - this last weekend they had a last minute special with rates at $32 for 9:00 am.

This is a fun course with a good variety of holes - a couple short risk/reward par 4's, couple reachable par 5's, several holes where strategy may be more important than distance, challenging but not overly long par 3's. Considering the price vs condition it is easily recommended.

Played 2/11/15 with a friend, early morning start. Beautiful weather, almost no wind, couldn't ask for better. I kinda like the layout, not overly challenging but enough to keep you honest and (other than # 5) no quirky holes.

I've played here several times before and the conditions were actually better than I expected. Fairways were patching in a lot of places, but not unusually so for this time of year. Rough was cut down in most places and didn't create much additional challenge. Tees were (mostly) smooth and level, the ones that weren't you could still find a place to tee-off if you were willing to move back about a yard - par 3's had divot damage but reasonable.

Overall, the greens were quite good. Couple had spots needing work and one looked like someone had been practicing their chipping from off the green (?!?). Medium-fast speed, rolled well and would hold well-hit approach shots.

Bunkers were ok, lots of pebbles which can cause issues but the overall depth of sand and consistency were decent.

No beverage cart but service inside was quick and pleasant.

We got this through a "Teeoff.com" special rate so it was definitely worth it. Since it's in equal condition to a lot of courses this time of year (and charging less than several of those) I'd be happy to play here again in the next couple months.

Played 1/30/16 using an Underpar coupon, thanks to Rat-Patrol for joining me!

Best way to describe the course would be "typical winter conditions". Thin dormant fairways, lots of roll and just enough coverage to allow good contact - some areas showing patchy growth that occasionally made it more difficult if the ball settled down between them.

Greens had some patches and a few bare areas but rolled well - started out fairly fast (faster than they looked) but slowed down a little as the day went on. Handful of tough pin placements, a couple were only 5-6 feet from the fringe. Given the contours of these greens and where you are for your approach, this course could play much easier or a lot harder depending on how nasty the greenskeeper feels that morning!

Sand was decent in most bunkers but there were places where the sand was a very thin layer over the bunker lining (not good). Tee boxes varied, some nice and level, others not so much, coverage was ok with some showing heavy wear.

POP was good for a weekend, just over 4.5 hours, would have been slightly less if we'd spent less time waiting for other groups on neighboring fairways (or vice versa). Customer service was very good, saw the beverage cart about 3 times - Mary the starter was especially pleasant and helpful.

Given the pricing with the coupon this was definitely worth the cost - when conditions improve towards Spring/Summer I'll definitely be back even if I have to pay more.

A little late with my review due to a temporary schedule change.

As impressed as I was on my December visit I was even more impressed this time. The fairways have filled in nicely as has the rough yielding more consistent lies, meanwhile the greens were slightly more receptive. The service here is outstanding and the little perks are great (ProV1 range balls, laser range finder at each range station). Also, the practice green speed was the same as those on the course which is a rare but appreciated perk.

Course layout is excellent with a great variety of holes. Very fair but also challenging - if you try and play to your handicap (from the correct tees) you can be successful, but the lower your handicap the more difficult it will get.

Mike is an excellent host and everyone was very pleasant and helpful. Highly recommended.

Played 12/31 using an Underpar unlimited play coupon. Strong winds all day but had to use it or lose it.

Staff was friendly and helpful, snack bar girl let me use my soda coupon for a small hot chocolate between rounds. Was scheduled for 8:00 and got out at 8:08. 3 groups on #1 was a bad sign but this cleared up quickly, POP was just over 4 hours.

Conditions were pretty good for this time of year - some patchy and brown spots in fairways but generally good coverage with very few thin spots. Rough was pretty inconsistent (but definitely a factor when you found it), sand was mostly good (couple bunkers were really hard/crusty but the rest were good), tees were level and only the par 3s showed a lot of wear. Greens were supposedly running a 10.5 but didn't play it, seemed more like a 9-9.5 at most - ball mark damage was a little less than what I would call "average" but still too many unrepaired.

Good news is the Tribe has purchased some new equipment for the course, specifically 2 rollers for the greens. They want to get them back to the smooth and fast conditions from 2+ years ago - I highly approve of the move and will be back in a few months to see how that works out.

If you can get a decent rate I would recommend the course (same for Champions, review upcoming).

Played in the GK event last Sunday. Big shout-out for JohnnyGK and how this was run and the prizes available, also to the Resort staff for the exceptional treatment and service.

Visually, this course is as good as it gets. Overall the conditions were very good, nice lies in the fairway, rough was thick enough that you didn't want to be there, but still playable. Sand was excellent and the tees were in good shape. Its a fun course you can just play and enjoy, but still capable of presenting a challenge if you want to post a good score.

While the concept of 14 par 4's didn't bother me, I lean towards the opinions expressed by 1PLUS1 and RobertKPan. Why not make #12 a long par 3 and #15 a par 5? Yes, back-to-back par 5's are a little unusual but not unheard of and they basically play that way anyhow (Soboba is laid out that way - in fact, before the course revamp several years ago they had THREE par 5's back-to-back-to-back). #9 is kinda odd as well but not sure how that could be fixed given the terrain limitations.

The biggest thing was the greens. The green complexes are well laid out and will reward shots played to the correct position - and give you headaches if you go "pin seeking" and don't pull it off. A touch slower than they looked, they were consistent and rolled well.

However, I was surprised by the number of badly repaired/un-repaired ball marks and general overall condition. Having recently played Rams Hill, the difference was significant - those showed virtually no marks and were as close to "tour" greens as I've ever seen. Surprisingly, the greens at Hemet Golf Club and General Old are in just as good of condition regarding speed/condition (though a little slower and no where near as challenging).

Even so, it was fun to play and I would recommend it be played at least ONCE just for the visuals (and service).

Played Tuesday, 12/1 as a single, waited about 30 minutes due to a frost delay (yes, the desert can get really cold!). Fair warning, this will be a longish review, but the "update at 11" version is as follows: The course is in outstanding shape, has a fantastic design and the hospitality was excellent! Now for details . . .

For those who were here prior to the summer closing there have been number of changes. First thing you'll notice is the entrance/parking area, very nicely done, level entrance to the club with no steps.

Second thing you'll notice is there are a LOT more trees (400+ planted according to Mike Setchell) and even more brush/native growth. The native brush helps frame the course and adds to the visual appeal (though it won't help you find stray shots!).

The course is coming up on its busy season and everything is in excellent shape. Fairways have good coverage with only a few thin or patchy areas which should clear up given another 2-4 weeks of growth and mowing. The lies are excellent and the ground underneath is firm enough to allow great contact but still with enough "give" to feel good (not hard where you feel like you've hit a rock when you take a divot).

Rough is fairly consistent and long enough to affect club choice but not so long to limit your options to pitching out to the fairway. Sand in bunkers was excellent, a little damp but very playable and consistent (also VERY well maintained, did not see a single footprint all day).

The greens - where do I start? In 18 holes I found 2 partially repaired ball marks and 0 (yes, zero!) that were completely unrepaired. They listed the speed at 10 which was probably pretty accurate - unless you were going downhill, then it felt like about a 12! The very back finger on 18 has a small area that still needed to grow out/fill in, but other than that they all had good coverage. Many are quite large and/or deep (#2 has got to be 45-50 yards between the front and back) so pay close attention to the pin placement number. Unfortunately, I checked it when I got there and they changed it before I went out and I didn't discover this until #2 - had a blind shot and played for a front pin when it was in the back! Since there was no one behind me, when I finished I went back out to the same spot and played for a back pin - hit a hard 7-iron instead of a PW and was pin-high off the left side.

The biggest thing about these greens is if you miss a putt you have nothing to blame but your stroke or your read. They rolled as true as any greens I've played. End result is it made ANY putt inside 12-15 feet "makeable", but you could easily miss a 5 footer if you played it wrong (and yes, I did both).

The big debate about this course is the price vs. the travel. As a more budget minded golfer, I probably wouldn't come back out at the rack rate (my wife has this thing about eating and feeding the kids, what's up with that?!?). However, for the GK coupon rate it definitely has my interest as a "once in a while splurge " course - at that price I'd rate it equal to or better than anything I've played in Southern California. If you have a spouse who plays (or can get a buddy to join you) the "stay and play" packages are pretty reasonable and worth checking out.

Hospitality was great - Mike came out of his office and greeted me by name and he and the staff were very good about keeping me up to date regarding the frost delay. Range is smallish but very nice, ProV1 range balls, excellent grass hitting areas and nice target areas. Practice green speed was virtually identical to those on course - something that is far too infrequent at most courses but definitely appreciated.

POP was dictated by the seven ladies I followed - a 3-some and a 4-some. Had I been out first (or gone out an hour or two later) I could have easily finished in about 3-3:15, even with it being my first time and not knowing the layout (be careful coming up to #5, you can end up in the wrong place pretty easily!). As it was I finished in just over 4:15, which is reasonable and only seemed slow because I was by myself.

Highly recommend playing here at least once, and if possible more.

Played Tuesday 11/17/2015 before work, went out at 7:22, booked through their website on a special deal ($26+fee). Stuck in traffic on the way, was stressed about getting stuck behind others and end up late for work but when I showed up there was no one on the tee - guy at the pro shop said "go whenever you're ready" and I ended up playing by myself in just over 3 hours (could have been less but I took my time and included some "on course" practice time).

Conditions ranged from OK to very good, I'd say somewhat above average for this course. Fairways had some thin spots but for the most part decent coverage and good to hit from. Some of the tees had depressions and spots that weren't level and the par 3's showed fairly heavy use but you could always find a decent place to tee it up. Rough varied, some thick, some nearly non-existent.

Bunkers were ok, fairly heavy but decent and consistent to play from - fairway bunkers were harder with less sand but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

As always, the highlight of the course were the greens. Slightly firm so play for a little roll-out, VERY good roll when putting and fast enough you didn't feel like you had to "hit" longer putts but not so fast as to be problematic.

This course plays fairly long from the white tees - they're about the equal to the blue tees on most courses. Most holes it's not a huge difference, but a couple of the par 3's and #18 become a LOT tougher from the back.

Bottom line - if you're going to drive 40 miles to play somewhere, this probably isn't going to be your first choice. If you want to play an enjoyable round at a good price (and possibly have the chance to hit some extra shots for practice) give the General a shot.

Played today, 10/12/15 as a walk-on single. Frost delay until just before 7:30 but the guy in the shop was great, got me out in front of the regular Thursday senior group. Nicely done! POP was 3:20 but I could have easily cut 20-30 minutes off - once I was clear of everyone behind me I took the time to do a little practicing by re-hitting shots and/or a different strategy

This is the 4th time I've played here in the last seven weeks and the course is steadily improving. Fairways were good coverage in most places, still a little thin in some but easily playable. Tee boxes were generally good though the par 3's are pretty chewed up, also there's about 3 that need some leveling. Rough varied, some thin, others areas the ball would sit down - more so around the greens than anywhere else.

There are working on the bunkers, weeks in most have been removed and saw one of the workers with a big load of sand that was going into several of the green side ones. This was one of the weakest parts of the course and it's nice to see it being addressed.

As usual, the greens are the best part of the course and noticeably better than a few weeks ago. Still a little soft (if you spin your approach shots you can get some nasty ball marks!) but starting to firm up some - speed was probably about a 9+ when I started and a good solid 10 once they dried out. Rolled the best I've experienced in a long time, very good with essentially zero bounce.

While still a long way from what it was, this is the best I've seen it in at least 2-3 years. Conditions currently compare quite well to Soboba (the measuring stick around here) and the layout is enjoyable and relatively friendly for higher handicap/shorter hitters. Given their rate structure it's definitely worth playing.