Played in group 1B of yesterday’s Vivid Golf/GK private club outing here. Gorgeous weather and great times with Johnny, Steve, and Ron. Pace was pretty typical for these events, around 5 hours from first drive to final putt. We stopped at Jack’s Den to pick up lunch and the on-cart ordering system makes it quick and easy, and the food is good and affordable. All club staff I encountered were great.

Conditions are good, highlighted by fast, firm greens. They were very smooth and quick, and even well-struck full shots took a bounce before stopping, and shorter shots and chips were very difficult to get any bite. The 8th green had some bare spots and curiously, they opted to cut the hole very near those areas. Fairways had good coverage of dormant bermuda but were thin in many spots, providing very little cushion under the ball and putting a premium on a clean strike. Rough was a little longer but not overly penal. Tee boxes and bunkers were both good, not great.

I really like how the course layout gains momentum throughout the round. The first three holes are generic, housing-tract holes (although 2 & 3 are both really tough par 4s), then the interest level amps up for the rest of the front nine. I think the course shines brightest on the back nine, though, and the whole back nine is fun and beautiful — 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18 are all standouts. All in all, a really great day and definitely recommended anytime you get a chance to play here.

Played here today with an 11:20 TeeOff.com "Deal" time. I was trying to see as much of Death Valley as I could before my tee time, and then Google Maps took me to the wrong spot, but just by one street. Fortunately, there were very few people out there when I arrived just a few minutes early and the very friendly pro shop attendant said I could start on my own anytime I wanted. I hit a few putts and headed off, playing the front nine in about an hour and 15 minutes. Then two groups were in front of me on No. 10, but I played through them both and finished the back in a little under an hour for a 2:11 total POP. Ideal weather day; just gorgeous and perfect temps.

Conditions are okay, but it appears the storm damage from 2023 caused lasting problems in some spots. The 12th green is nearly all dirt, but still rolled pretty smooth. Most of the greens seem to be semi-dormant bermuda rolling about medium speed and smooth, despite not being super pure. Full shots stopped quickly. Fairways were nice with good coverage of light green bermuda. The rough is deeper bermuda that is penal when the ball sinks down in. Some holes had some bare spots and trouble spots on both the fairways and the rough, but luckily I avoided those. Very few bunkers on the course, it seemed, but the one I was in was pretty good. Blue tee boxes were fine.

This was my first time here and I found it to be a very charming course. I reminded me a lot of the Legends Course at Tahquitz Creek Resort (formerly Palm Springs Muni). It also reminded me a little bit of Soboba Springs in spots. I think that nostalgia for those two courses added to the charm. It's a much more difficult course than you'd think looking at the yardage. For one thing, the ball notoriously flies shorter at such low elevation, and then on top of that, there aren't many "mid-length" par 4s. They mostly seem to be 400+ or less than 330, so those longer ones play long.

There's currently a Golf Moose voucher to play here anytime for $50. Keep in mind, though, that there's a $30 per car entry fee to Death Valley National Park that gets you access for an 8-day span, I think. Definitely glad I played here once and I would like to play here again sometime.

Played here Tuesday with a 12:21 TeeOff.com "Deal" time. Starter was great and despite a frost delay that pushed everyone back, he fit me into a group with another single and a twosome and we teed off right at 12:00. At 4:00 a message popped up on the GPS that the course closes at 4:30 (sunset time) and all carts need to be in by then. Luckily we finished with just about five minutes to spare. Busy course and windy weather probably didn't help pace of play, but no complaints with 4:25.

Conditions are mixed, especially the greens, which are inconsistent. It seemed like some were in really nice shape, and others were a step or two down. Overall, they rolled pretty decent, though, and held full shots well. Medium speed, I'd say. Fairways were dormant bermuda that I couldn't tell if they were actually light green or had a colorant added a while ago. They were very tight and didn't provide much cushion under the ball. The rough was also dormant bermuda, but yellow and a couple inches deep. Gold (white equivalent) tee boxes were okay (although I'll get back to this in a minute) and the bunkers I was in were pretty hard packed. Overall conditions are mediocre but very playable.

This was my first time playing here. I had always heard about how quirky the course was, but I guess I misinterpreted in what way it's quirky. It's expected a target golf course but it's much more straightforward than I imagined, and surprisingly for a Vegas "housing tract" course, there are a handful of holes that don't have houses on them. Where I found quirk was in some of the tee box placements that feel like they don't fit the hole. On at least one hole, we were all wondering where the hole went. Some serious tree trimming on a few holes might help that. It reminded me a bit of nearby Legacy and Stallion Mountain, but I think I'd prefer to return to one of those before riding "the Horse" again. Happy to have checked it off the list!

Played here today with a 12:30 "Deal" time from TeeOff.com. Checked in around 12:05 and was told I could start by myself anytime I wanted. I know the rest of my foursome was sold, but I don't know where those people were. I decided to roll just a couple putts and head to the tee. POP was great at a few minutes under 3 hours playing behind a quick twosome. Rather than rush them, I hung back on a few holes and practiced or took pics – plus hitting as many shots as I did today takes some time.

Conditions are mixed. The back nine (Mountain) definitely seems better cared for than the front. On the front, fairways seemed to provide either very tight lies or shaggy lies. The back nine was more consistent and a happy medium between the shaggy and tight. Other than the fairways, I didn't notice much difference from front to back. Greens are quite good, medium-fast, mostly smooth, and very accepting of full shots. There were some ball marks here and there but nothing too bad. The greens are definitely the best-conditioned area of the course right now. Tee boxes are a little disappointing with clumpy grass. The rough is a hodgepodge of different grasses, weeds, and bare spots. I was in a couple bunkers and they weren't bad.

Overall, recommended if you get a good deal but don't go in with too high of expectations.

Played here today with an 8:00 a.m. tee time using my free birthday round as a JC Golf Players Club member. Friendly check-in and no issues getting the $95 JC Card rate changed to $0. Paired with three really nice guys who were fun to play with, one of them being a novice golfer. Fortunately the group ahead of us was a fivesome due to a booking snafu, so we didn't really fall far behind at all. Overall POP a bit slow for a morning at 4:50.

Conditions are good. Greens roll smooth, accept full shots well, and run about medium speed. Fairways had good coverage and some roll-out, but not as extreme as I've seen in past summers here... they're more lush this year. I caught an area of fairway right near the 12th green that had big patches of crabgrass very near the green, which is unfortunate. Bermuda rough isn't very deep but can be penal when the ball settles down; both myself and my cart partner had it grab our clubs a bit. Blue tee boxes were all nice. I was in one bunker which seemed well maintained but didn't have much soft sand on top when I struck my shot. Some bunkers are dark brown "dirt" looking and others are lighter, more traditional sand.

Beverage cart came around twice, and they had a small BBQ set up between the 9th and 10th holes. Great times and recommended!

Played here today in group 1A of the Vivid Golf/Golf Moose/GK private club outing. Great times with David and Tom! My daughter rode along as a non-playing spectator, too, which was super fun. Beautiful day with hot temperatures and very little wind. POP was pretty standard for these events at around 5:00. Food from "Jack's Den" snack bar was very good and affordably priced for a high-end private club. The representative from the club who gave instructions was extremely welcoming and seemed like he was really happy to be able to host the group today, which is nice. Four holes in addition to the par 3s were CPO.

Conditions are quite good. The greens rolled smooth, medium-fast, and accepted full shots very well. They are tricky to read and some have significant slope to contend with, making putting fun. Downhillers could get sneaky fast. (Despite me saying the greens were smooth, both David and Tom had some bumpy putts.) Fairways were mostly very nice, light green bermuda with occasional brown spots here and there. Balls sat up well and the fairways provided nice lies all day. At least one hole (5, maybe others) had GUR areas staked off in the fairway. The rough seemed to be a mix of bermuda and kikuyu; not too deep but it looked like some balls could settle down in, especially in the bermuda. Blue tees were all very nice, level, and well maintained. I think I was in four bunkers and they were mostly good. In one, my ball settled into a poorly raked area that was not quite a footprint but definitely an indentation lower than the rest of the bunker.

I had played here once or twice previously many years ago but really didn't remember much except for a few holes. I really loved it today. The back nine is definitely a step up from the front. The front is good but more residential, while the back explores more natural terrain and brings in more elevation changes. (Still some houses on some holes, though.) The par-3 17th may be one of the "Most Downhill" holes I've ever played... would love to know the elevation change from tee to green. For the inexperienced, the routing seems confusing and signage is a little lacking, but I guess the only people who really need directions are unaccompanied non-members. (Hole numbers on the "Map" feature on the GPS would be helpful. Currently only the hole diagrams are there with no numbers to indicate which hole is which.) GPS was nice with yardage to the pin and the ability to order food.

Overall, an excellent day and highly recommended. Here's hoping they hold another event here soon.

Played here today with a 2:06 tee time using a free round included in my JC Golf Anytime Players Club membership. Booked late in the day in hopes of allowing the marine layer to lift and the course to provide great ocean views, but the cloud cover over the ocean remained pretty strong all day. Looking inland was all blue sky, but not over the ocean. Perfect temps for golf and a really nice day otherwise. Paired with three other singles and I brought my daughter as a spectator for a $15 fee. Started pretty much right on time and we had to wait on nearly every shot, but overall POP wasn't too bad at around 4:45.

Conditions are decent and seem improved since Jay's May 10 review. The biggest problem today was an abundance of ball marks on nearly every green. I had at least one putt knocked offline by an imperfection on the green, and many other greens required repair and/or tapping down spots on my path to the hole. Overall, greens are semi-bumpy, medium speed, and accepting of full shots. They were also a bit inconsistent. Some seemed in better shape than others, and at least one had some visual evidence of recent aeration. The fairways were pretty good; no complaints. Rough was good except for some bare spots here and there – not very deep nor penal, just a little fluffier than the fairways. Blue tee boxes were good. Bunkers were inconsistent; one I was in was thin and another was fantastic.

This was my first time here. It was the lone JC Golf course (other than the short ones and Cathedral Canyon) that I hadn't ever played. Without a JC membership, tee times can be tough to come by. I enjoyed the course but wasn't wowed by it. One cool feature is a free miniature golf course adjacent to the practice putting green. My daughter and I played a quick round (I think it's six holes) before I started warming up for my round. All staff we encountered were friendly.

Played in group 1A of today's GK/Vivid Golf sponsored outing here, paired with Steve, Ken, and Kendrick. Great times! We had short waits on almost every hole but overall POP wasn't bad for these events at just about 4:45. Hot day in Murrieta but about half the time we benefited from a nice breeze, which also factored into play. Water jugs every few holes but the one on 16 tee was empty by the time we reached it.

Conditions are great! Greens are smooth, medium firmness, and medium-fast. Fairways were very nice; great coverage and good lies all day. Rough was also in good condition and most of it wasn't too deep nor penal, just a little fluffier. Blue tee boxes were all very nice. Sand traps were excellent and some of the best sand I can recall playing in recent memory.

This was my first time here. It's a great course with more elevation changes than I expected. Also, the whole course, facility, and Bear Creek community as a whole are much nicer than I anticipated. Beautiful homes bordering the course but there's typically plenty of width to not feel like the houses encroach on the design at all. The green of the par-3 8th is quite severe with a big swale that captured three of our shots. Overall, it's an excellent course that would be a lot of fun to play regularly. Definitely recommended.

Played here today in group 1A of the Golf Moose/Greenskeeper outing. Great group with Jeff, Gus, and another Mark. Thanks guys for the fun day. Started right on time and POP was great with minimal waits all day. Morning cloud cover gave way to sunny skies around the 5th hole and brought a little wind along. Great temps and a gorgeous day the rest of the round.

Conditions are really nice. Greens were slick, smooth, and accepted full shots well. They were quite fast and many had significant slope, making them fun and interesting to putt. I think we all had some downhillers get away from us. I loved the fairways, which seemed to be really healthy, dense-packed kikuyu that was well maintained, leaving the ball sitting right up on top of a rather firm but forgiving cushion underneath. Rough was 3-4 inches deep and sometimes made it difficult to make a clean strike. Fairways are mostly narrow, too, so there's definitely a premium on hitting the fairways. Blue tee boxes were 17 for 18, with one tee box on the back in need of leveling. All the bunkers I was in were good and I had a nice bunker play day.

This was my first time playing here. The course is pretty engaging with lots of elevation changes, doglegs, and attractive visuals. The par-3 second is considered their signature hole, a short shot over a lake to a green surrounded by waterfalls on both the right and left edges. I wasn't a huge fan of the par-5 12th, which takes a severe left-hand turn and requires about a 230-yard tee shot, taking driver out of many players' hands. With the quick greens and lots of elevation changes, the course never gets boring or feels like you're playing the same hole twice. I'd love to return again sometime! Thanks Johnny for setting up such great outings.

Played here today in group 1A of the GK/Golf Moose outing with David and Tom. Cloudy front nine but the sun broke through somewhat on the back. Event was well organized and pace was decent, just a bit over four and a half hours. Nice GPS on the carts. Instead of a driving range, they have a big netted area with about six hitting mats where you can hit shots maybe 40-50 yards into the netting. The practice green near the staging area got pretty busy but there's another one between the clubhouse and the 18th green.

Conditions are quite good. Greens ran smoothly despite numerous ball marks on many greens. They are sorta sneaky quick with a little extra run out than you expect. Overall, they were medium fast and medium firmness, accepting full shots very well but a little trickier to control the ball from around the green. Fairways had good coverage and were cut tight. Rough also had good coverage and wasn't too deep and most times my ball sat up top, but if it did sink down in a bit, it presented a challenge. White tee boxes were mostly nice, some maybe a little crowned. Most of the bunkers I was in were good but one was pretty firm.

This was my first time playing here. This isn't a course that will "wow" you but it's solid and definitely played tougher than it looks. I found the back nine to have more character than the front nine. My biggest complaint about this course would have to be the noise level from the nearby freeway – almost feels like you can't hear yourself think sometimes. I scored quite poorly and would like another shot at this place sometime.

Walked on out here today around 5:45 instead of sitting in traffic back to OC after the GK/GolfMoose outing at Oaks Club of Valencia. The course was surprisingly not very busy at all and I was able to play alone and finished in about 90 minutes, even taking my time to take lots of pictures. Glad I was able to cross this one off the list without the 2.5-hour nine it's known for.

Conditions are pretty good. Greens are nearly healed from aeration and rolled medium speed. Early evening is a tough time to judge poa annua greens because they weren't very smooth nor pure. They were probably around medium firmness. Fairways and rough had decent coverage. Many tee boxes were closed, making already-short holes play shorter than the card yardage. They were also pretty beat up but at least you can tee it up. I wasn't in any bunkers.

First time here. I've wanted to play it for a while but it's not really worth making the trip just to play here, so catching it on the way home today was perfect. Only $11 to walk. Definitely a fun little course with some nice views of the Griffith Observatory and a few glimpses of Downtown LA. (I'm sure this will never happen, but cutting down some of the large trees around the perimeter of this course would open up some phenomenal views of downtown and be absolutely stunning.)

Played here today in group 1A of the GolfMoose/GK private club outing. Great times with kviser, mpisarski01 and fastfish433. Picture-perfect day with light breezes, nothing too severe. Started a few minutes after 10:00 and finished a little over 5 hours later. Golf staff was all really nice.

Conditions are excellent! Greens were smooth, medium fast (they announced between 11 & 11.5, stimp) and a little more firm than soft. Full, well-struck shots took a small bounce typically before stopping. Fairways were lush and excellent, as was the rough – I rated each a 9. Rough wasn't too penal unless you got in the deep grasses farther offline. Tee boxes were lush with no divots, but I don't think they were mowed today, so some were a bit long. If they'd been shorter, they'd be fantastic. I wasn't in any bunkers but the rest of the group said they were pretty good.

This was my first time playing the course. Aesthetics-wise, it's quite attractive and very hilly. There are maybe more uphill holes/shots on this course than any other I can remember. Design-wise, it's mostly solid except for two (maybe three, even) of the four par 5s are weird, bad holes – especially the atrocious 15th, which makes no sense to me at all. (After a blind tee shot, if you don't go for the green in two, the only options are laying back to around 160 yards out with about 10 yards of rise to the green or 100 yards to the green but with about 40 yards of rise straight uphill.) The par 3s at 4, 9, and 16 are all very attractive, fun holes. I got some Sherwood Country Club vibes from the gorgeous par-4 10th.

Great day on a really fun course. I'd love to play here again. (And if you're comparing Valencia privates, I'd choose this place all day over VCC across the freeway.)