Played in the Golf Moose/Vivid Golf event on Monday, April 21, riding with Gary, Mark and Kyle. Perfect day and a great foursome. Really nice facilities and a well organized event. The snack bar at the clubhouse was open for us as was the pro shop. I wandered through the bar and dining room looking how to get to the course and did not see any other activity (nice social areas though).

I liked the course a lot. The greens were very tough. Even the greens that did not have big slopes had subtle breaks that tested reading ability. There were some with great challenges or entertainment value depending on whether you were the one that had to make that downhill putt or hit the short-sided chip. Quite quick. The verticut was evident but I did not see any effect on putts. They were also fairly firm even with the work on them.

I liked the fairways of dormant Bermuda. They are similar to Skylinks when it opened up after its remodel. Fairly tight but the still a good hitting surface. They had a nice runout also although you had to be careful not to run into trouble in spots. The rough was cut down around the landing areas in most spots and thicker around greens or off to the side. I had trouble with the beach sand in the bunkers but they were in good shape. The fairway bunkers had firmer surfaces in the ones I was in.

The highlight for me was the layout. A lot of interesting holes. Good par 3s and varying length on the par fives. The back nine was fun especially the last three holes. The view from the 16th tee was spectacular. Great tough green on the 18th.

I would jump at the chance to play here again.

Played Thursday 4/10, our twosome joining a visiting single player. Fairly slow POP (4:20), probably to be expected considering a start near 8:00 am. Efficient service including a starter on the tee making sure the groups were on the tee when required.

The greens were still showing some signs of aeration. The first two showed very little getting our hopes up but there were many greens where the holes were evident. That said, I was pleased with how they rolled. Medium speed or faster and no major bumps or turns. As the ball slowed it tended to wander but nothing out of the ordinary. They were also pretty firm considering the major holes. They were very playable. Fairway and rough were pretty good. The only complaint was the bunkers. I was in two with little sand (left on #1 and left on #10). I could not get the club under the ball on either.

I recommend the course right now. It will get better when the greens are fully healed but it is good as is.

Played today, April 6, with a 6:50 tee time. I think we were the third group out. The first group was very slow, ended up being a 4:20 POP, which is way too slow for that early. We waited on most shots. Otherwise nice day out there. Pleased to see the snack shack open at the 12th tee. The food truck at the clubhouse was not open when we walked by at 11:10.

Probably a good thing they are aerating this week. The greens were putting as good as I have seen them, rolling true and fast, but they were quite firm. We had trouble finding divots from the balls on some of the greens we hit. Anything more than a wedge was going to bounce out. Very little check on chips around the green. The rest of the course was good. Decent coverage in the fairways and the rough was inconsistent but fairly thick in places. I was in three green side bunkers. Good sand at # 4 and ittle or no sand in the ones at # 12 and #16.

Always a pleasure getting out here, today included. Recommended.

Played here twice this week, Sunday in a Men's Club tourney and Thursday when I got on as a single, walking both times. Played with three nice older gentlemen in the latter round, two walking and one riding. Pace of play was 4:30 teeing off at 10:30. Much better than I expected. No cart service on Thursday. Otherwise, great service as usual. $33 and change to walk on Thursday with a LA County Senior card.

Both rounds, the pins were placed in unusually difficult positions in my experience. very close to the edges most of the time and on slopes. I heard they were set up in difficult spots for the team play match on Wednesday so maybe they left them there the following day. Made for tough putting days considering the greens are firm and running fast. They are rolling great though. The coverage in the fairways is good although it looked drier on Thursday than last weekend. The sand in the bunkers is very playable. The rough is cut down which makes the course play shorter and allows balls to roll into trouble more often.

Did I mention both days were gorgeous especially Thursday? Just beautiful out there. I'll be back.

Played in the Vivid Golf/GK outing on Wednesday, March 19. It was a fun group with John, Ron and Andrew. My family is from the area but I have never played in the city. Santa Maria Country Club is a nice facility. Smallish driving range and practice green. Nice snack bar near the 7th tee with a good selection of grilled items and sundry. The day was gorgeous but the wind kicked up mid-round and it was an added layer of difficulty.

I really liked the course. The layout was interesting. It had a good mix of short and long par fours and varied par 3 distance. Half the course on the other side of the railroad tracks to the northwest of the clubhouse. I preferred the layout of the part of the course on the clubhouse side but the conditioning was equally superb on both sides so it was a matter of personal preference. The fairways were lush with some runout. The rough was also lush and we had to look hard for balls several times. We lost a couple even though we knew the general area they ended up. Great shining white sand. The greens were lush and had decent speed but were not what I would term fast. They were firm but my ball was generally near the divot after good contact from the fairway. The greens were contoured enough that there was runout on some aggressive putts. They were challenging.

I would play this course again any time. It was a long drive but I got a good rate at the local historic hotel (my parent's wedding reception was held there). If I lived in the area, I would consider joining the club. I can't wait to get back.

Played Sunday, March 2. Rain was forecast but it was over by the time we played at 8:40 am. The wind picked up on the late front nine, very cold and gusting strong. It made the conditions difficult.

The course was in good shape. They have had a tremendous amount of rain this winter but the conditions were good. Good coverage in the fairways and lush rough in most places. We had to look for balls at times even though we knew where the balls went. The greens were interesting. Medium speed but quite firm even though it had rained that morning. No check on chips and big bounces on wedge shots into the green. With significant slopes, it made putting a challenge.

Overall, an excellent experience. $82.50 each to ride, it wasn't cheap but definitely in the ball park for the conditions. It has been years since I played the course but hope to get out sooner next time.

Played Saturday February 15, the only decent weather day this week. Misting in the morning but the sun came out in the earlier afternoon and it got into the 60s. The course was crowded, surprising because I got the single 8:523 tee time the night before. 5 hour POP even with marshals out there working the course. Played with three nice locals.

The course is in decent winter shape. The course had obviously been hit hard with rain recently with many wet spots and lines of loose material where it had washed up. Other than mud on the ball and not much roll, it did not affect the golf. Dormant Bermuda grass with tight lies in the fairways and rough not really a factor. In one sand trap that was in good shape. The greens were really nice, good medium fast speed.

I really like the layout. Being able to hit the ball better this time, I got a better sense of what to hit. I rued not using driver on a couple of holes where there was more room than it looked. Some interesting doglegs over creeks to narrow greens.

Played on Sunday, 1/26, at 6:50 am. The rain forecast had the parking lot emptier than usual. We were joined by a single, all of us walking. We played fast, first to try to beat the rain then to try to get out of it. 3:25 POP.

The greens were great. A few bumps but running at a nice fast pace. The course was not as lush as last time I played it but still in good condition tee to green. Well worth the cost. Can't wait to get out there again.

Played Sunday, 1/12, as the last day of a five day golf trip. I had not intended to play the fifth day but the group needed my participation and I really like Poppy Hills. I am glad I played. My back held up and I had a great time. The reason the group needed me was the cost. They charge $350 for public, $120 for NCGA members and $170 for guests. As a SCGA member I would have been entitled to the guest price but could not bring guests at that price. I and another player joined the NCGA for $99 and the other four players got in at the guest rate. My threesome was joined by a single who was a great player; it was fun watching him negotiate the course.

The course was in excellent condition. As usual, close but not quite as premium as the Pebble Beach Co. courses. A very worthy course though to play on a Pebble Beach trip. I really like the layout. It requires you to use every club in the bag. The greens were great. Not as fast as I have seen them but rolling true. The fairways were very good also. Winter tight but good hitting surfaces. Not much rough. I hit through the first fairway and it stopped in a one foot square area of rough. That was the only rough I remember being in. The sand in the traps was nice. The tee boxes were very good as well.

The course was every bit as enjoyable as I recalled from my last time here. Playing through the Del Monte Forest is just not the type of exerience we get in Southern California. Can't wait to get back.

Played January 9 in a noon shotgun, starting on hole #9. The course reopened to 18 hole play on December 6 so I was curious in how it would be. I played the course probably 15 years ago (or more) and did not remember much. Friendly service throughout.

The course is in really nice condition. They charge a premium price ($445 I believe) and it looked the part. I was playing poorly and it was a tough course for me. The greens were more contoured than I remembered and fast besides. The course also played long with not much roll out on drives. A couple of holes my drive popped out of the divot and stopped. I found the greens to be firm. They rolled great. The sand was thick and soft making it tough to control distance or to make a delicate shot. The rough was up also so we spent some time looking for balls and not finding all of them.

I will enjoy going back there once my game is in better order. it is a beautiful course and they did a great job on the renovation. I look forward to going again.

Played Thursday, 1/16, in a Weekday Team Play match. Excellent service at all levels although we only saw the drink cart once in our round. POP was lousy, at least five hours. My match went all 18 holes so that may have contributed to the slow pace.

The course was in good shape for January. I was in a couple of bare spots in the fairways. The rough was cut low in most spots but there were a couple of places we had to look for balls. The sand traps on the front nine were lousy, wet dirt. The greens were really good.Fast and true. Not quite as fast as the practice green but very nice speed. We were playing the white plates and they were not the best spots on the tee boxes. Overall, good condition and the greens were worth the price of admission.

Its been years since I last played here but I hope to get back soon.

Played at 6:50 am on Sunday. Quite brisk when I got there. Second group out I believe so the 3:55 POP walking was pedestrian (pun intended).

Three of us played from the blue tees. They had the blue tee area roped off on the two par 3s on the front so they were playing shorter than usual. The course is is decent winter shape. They were putting quite a bit of water on it and it is greener than other courses I have played lately. The greens are nice right now and pretty quick. The two bunkers I was in had good sand. The tee boxes were spotty.

Overall, the course is in good shape and I hope to get back there soon.