I've been in Santa Rosa for almost 3 years now but finally got out to Mayacama. Played just before noon on Thursday 4/17. A cool spring day with a slight breeze, typical for this area this time of year.

Mayacama is the definition of opulence. I'm a member at Fountaingrove only a few miles south of this course but everything here is on a grand scale. The drive in, the clubhouse, the practice facility, the many casitas that are available for members to rent....it's evident that this is a playground for the wealthy. Top notch facility with phenomenal customer service.

We played the middle tees playing 6,128 but with a rating/slope of 71.6 / 140. It definitely plays longer than the scorecard would make you believe. I'm sure in the middle of summer when its hot, the ball is flying and the fairways are running it will play shorter but today we made the correct decision on tees.

My buddy Richie and I shared a solid caddie, Steve. He easily saved me 3-4 strokes on the greens. The course is pure with a solid routing, visually stunning tee & approach shots and 5 par five & 5 par three layout. If you want to score here, you better take advantage of the par 5's. I had the first round I can ever think of where I didn't make a par on the par 5's. I had 3 birdies against 2 bogeys on the par 5's.

Mayacama is a walking only course where you take a caddie. The terrain is pretty wild and the back nine is all over the place up and down. The greens were a bit on the slow side (probably 10.5, maybe 11) and the collars were a little fuzzy so the few times I tried to use the Texas wedge off the greens actually cost me because I couldn't hit it hard enough to get it through the fuzzy fringes at the correct speed. The fairways were plush and the rough was just thick enough to cause some issues.

I played well so that helps with the enjoyment of the course. It's target golf and we had some pretty tough, tucked pins (11 & 15 were nasty on the edge of the greens). Even though the slope is really high, it's a pretty fair course if you have decent control of your ball. This course is likely to destroy a high handicap player. I would say Fountaingrove is easily 2 strokes harder from the same tees/distance.

Mayacama is a gem and definitely play here if you have the chance to.

Had the opportunity to play on Wednesday 4/16 in the mid afternoon with a 3PM tee time. The course is gorgeous as it has just the right amount of elevation change and beautiful cypress trees throughout the property. Gil Hanse redid the course with the reopening in the fall of 2022.

Played with a buddy from SoCal who was able to get us out with a very nice member who hosted us. It was a typical SF spring day, a little cool with a slight breeze but the day actually got warmer and nicer as we neared the evening. The ball definitely doesn't fly well here so even though the scorecard looks very manageable, it plays longer than the distance. We rolled the I tees which are basically the back member tees, 6,584 yards. The plates are 6,933 and I believe for USGA tournaments such as US Open sectional qualifying they will stretch it even more and bring par down to 70. This seems very much the player's club in SF. Walked right by Lydia Ko who was on the practice green with her dog.

The first couple of holes are sort of unassuming but the course gets better as it goes along and by number 6 it is in fully evident this is a great track. 7 is a stiff par 3 heading right back to the clubhouse and 8/9 are back to back par 5's. It's not penal as most fairways are wide and many funnel back to the middle, but to score well here, you will need to be on your game. The fairway turf is fairly thin so good ball striking is a must if you want to hit approach shots close. The greens were a little on the slow side for a private course, probably rolling 10.5 -11. Most greens are pretty manageable only a few had pretty severe slopes (9 was a bit gnarly). 12 & 13 are my favorite holes as you head to the northwest corner of the golf course.

Solid course that has some very sublte nuance to it. If you get the chance to play it, don't pass it up.

Played on 09/17 with a 12:40pm tee time and rode the blues. First time for me playing this track and since I was in the area for work anyways, took advantage of Troon Prive reciprocal playing privileges from my home course. The course is a Ted Robinson design from 1992 with a Mike Strantz redo in 2002. Overall, it's a good quality design with generous fairways, lots of elevation change on about half of the holes and a good variety of hole layouts and lengths. Bunkers were well placed for me playing the blues and not playing driver on a few par 4's helped keep me out of trouble off the tee.

The course does play through a gated housing complex but they did a good job of keeping the homes out of play. The clubhouse is impressive on top of the hill. Oddly enough, holes 1, 9, 10 and 18 all play downhill with holes 1,9 & 10 playing severely downhill. The handicapping of holes was a bit odd on the back with the 2 par 3's playing as #2 & #4 handicap and the par 5's playing as #18 & #16 handicap. I've never seen that before. This course would be a monster to walk with some extreme climbs between a few holes.

Fairways were good, a few thin spots here and there. The rough was thick but they are definitely having some turf issues around greens especially. The greens had recently been top dressed with some light sand so they probably were running around 10 -10.5. I could see how the greens are the highlight of the course when they get them running fast. Some slopes to contend with but overall very fair greens. Bunkers were pleasant to play out of with fairly compact, but enough sand to get the club through.

I honestly thought the turf conditions could be a bit better for a private course but September is always a tough month. The course kind of reminds me of Coto De Caza North.

Definitely worth playing if you're in the area and you can get on.

Played on Sunday 9/1 with an 11:10am tee time playing the 3rd round with my buddy from out of town. Played the blue/white combo tees and we both walked as I just can't live with spending $35 per player for a cart that is cart path only. I warned him that the weather can be a little dicey in SF but it turned out to be just about as perfect as can be with high 60's and a 1 club wind out of the west most of the day. Pace of play on the front nine was really good but it slowed a little on the back with the round being just about 4.5 hours.

This is my second time playing TPC Harding Park and I will say that I enjoyed it much more this time. Last time I felt like the course was just lacking something for me. The front nine isn't nearly as inspiring as the back nine but I felt like the course forces you to hit shots and miss in good spots or you will be punished.

Course was in good shape considering the amount of play they get. The rough is thick and can either yield a great lie or a terrible one and the fairways were plush, tee boxes level and the sand was decent, a little on the thin side.

Overall, it's a must play if you're in the SF area and compared to Torrey Pines, the rates are much more reasonable. To me, it's the Torrey Pines 'light' muni golf course. It's not Bethpage Black but it's a track with solid bones, good conditioning, great views of Olympic Club and Lake Merced and a decent value.

Saturday 8/31, first time playing Silverado and was able to secure one of the last days of open play before the course is shutdown for the upcoming Procore Championship in less than 2 weeks. Played with my good friend from San Diego who now lives in Thailand. Played the blues and the tournament configuration which puts the last 3 holes near the clubhouse and makes the course a par 34 on the front and a par 37 with 3 par 5's on the back.

Weather was perfect with a high of about 80 and little to no wind. The greens were absolutely immaculate, rolling around 11 with zero bumps or imperfections. The fairways were lush but not too long so the ball would still roll out some on tee shots but offered a perfect base to play approach shots from, tee boxes were level and the rough was gnarly averaging 3-4 inches. I was only in one fairway bunker, but greenside bunkers are definitely one of the main defenses of this course and it's not likely you're going to score really well if you're in them. I've never played a tournament course right before a tour event and I can get used to this. :)

I had one of those special rounds that usually only happens a few times a year. It wasn't that I hit every fairway or green but I was always able to not compound any errors and made good shots and putts when I needed to.

The course is old school with many very mature redwood, oaks and cottonwoods and the routing has a good variety of holes asking you to shape shots for the best angles. No holes were unfair but if you were out of position it was going to be a tough par. The bunkering is visually appealing to the eye and most greens were relatively flat and not too difficult to putt.

My buddy and I were commenting on how the perfect conditions really influence the enjoyment factor. If conditions were poor, I could easily see how someone could say the course isn't all that great.

If you get the chance to stay at the resort and play, I highly recommend it. Silverado is a semi-private, 36 hole facility. The course was shockingly quiet for the Saturday of Labor Day weekend and the upcoming Procore Championship. It seemed like there was very little member play and we were able to get out about 30 minutes earlier than our 11am tee time.

Definitely grab a burger dog with all the fixins at the shack when you play!

Had the opportunity to play on 08/13 with a few SoCal buddies. This is my second time playing, the first time maybe 10 years ago in an SCGA member day. Teed off a little before noon and played the blues. This is just a very solid golf course that will force you to hit the correct shots if you want to score or you will be fighting to save par. Front nine is tough with only one par five, number 1, that is gettable. Number 6 and 8 coming back to the clubhouse generally into the wind are really demanding holes calling for a precise fade (for right handed golfers) off the tee and likely mid-iron or longer approaches. The greens are all varied and pretty fair to putt, rolling probably 10.5 to 11. I really like the back nine as you have some elevation changes and a bit more variety in the holes. As one of my playing partners commented, Pauma has excellent bones.

The conditions overall were not as great as I hoped but it is mid August and the summertime weather is unrelenting out there. Greens were excellent and rolling true but they are definitely having some turf growing issues in some fairways and tee boxes. Rough was pretty difficult to play out of. I imagine in a few months it will be pristine.

If you get the chance to play here, don't pass it up.

Haven't reviewed much in the past few years but since I moved from Carlsbad to Santa Rosa 2 years ago, I figured I'd do my part to keep NorCal updates going for those that are looking to play in this area. Full disclosure, I'm a member at Fountaingrove.

First off, this is a very under the radar type of golf course. It's a Ted Robinson Sr. design from the early eighties and really doesn't play like too many of his other designs. The course is sneaky hard as the length and the course rating & slope don't come close to preparing you for the challenge ahead. Even though the nearby Mayacama gets most of the attention in the area, Fountaingrove is easily a few strokes harder.

The main challenge is the greens which almost all have fairly severe slopes and/or tiers and on almost all holes you must stay below if you want to keep your score from ballooning. The front nine is more open with the routing going basically out and back. You have a short par 5 (number 4) that is reachable on most days and a long par 5 (number 8) that plays between 540-610 yards. Both par 3's on this side are on the shorter side but have tough greens to putt.

The back nine is where it really changes character and from 13 through 17, you're holding on. Most of the back nine holes have trouble on all sides and position off the tee is much more important than distance.

Overall, this course is a real treat to be able to play often as it never gets stale or boring and as the weather, wind, temperature and overall conditions change throughout the year, it plays differently almost every time I go out. Some holes can play 3 or 4 clubs different depending on conditions. US Open local qualifying is held here every May.

The course was devastated by the 2017 Tubbs fire and even the clubhouse was burnt down. The new clubhouse is extremely nice and was completed at the end of 2021, so it with along with all the carts and most of the homes adjacent to a few holes on the front nine are all newly built. I never played it before the fire but the course is definitely more open now with many trees lost in the fire.

Membership is low-key and friendly and the staff is excellent. Fountaingrove is part of the Troon Prive group so if you have reciprocol through Troon, definitely get out and play if you're in the area.

I'll submit the scorecard and photos.

A little bit of a late review, played on 2/10, getting the $35 happy hour rate at 2PM. Played as a single behind a two-some on the front nine and went through them on the back. Course was setup to start on hole 10, which I actually prefer. 10 is a tough starting hole but so is 1. Wind was steady out of the north, 10-15 mph.

Overall, this round solidifies why I love this course so much. There isn't one thing that is unbelievable about this course but everything just seems to come together here to make it one of the best courses around. Easily, this is in my top-ten I've ever played for overall course layout, scenery and course conditioning. The course has a big, open, country-club feel. There are homes around the course but they are set so far back, they aren't a concern. Course conditioning right now is superb. The only complaint I have is that the greens of the 2 uphill par 5's (8 & 15) are not receiving enough sun with the tall trees that border them and have some issues.

I played Cypress Ridge the day after and I enjoyed that course as well, but this is just a notch above to play. Can't wait for my next trip up to this area.

Went out dawn patrol on Thursday, 12/11 as a single walking, played the blacks. Played a comfortable 3 hr. pace with the two-some behind hanging 1-2 holes back. Cool day with little breeze in the AM, just before the big rain.

Probably the best I've ever seen the fairways, still gave some roll but had much better coverage and allowed irons to easily slide down and through the ball. Greens were outstanding as well, running a little above medium speed but rolled very true. Had the right amount of hold on well-struck approach shots. Wasn't in any bunkers, but they looked consistent.

Just love this course. Always has me scratching my head on certain shots, but I love the subtle nuances of this track. Too bad I live 150 miles away.

Played just before 1PM on 12/30 with my buddy and his son. We just got the round in as darkness set in on 18 green. I saw that this course hadn't been reviewed in awhile so here goes. Mind you, I just played a lot of nicer golf courses in Nor Cal the past week, but I will try to keep things in context here.

Overall, course is in decent playing shape due to the dry winter-like conditions. Tee boxes and fairways had good coverage. Rough was basically non-existent. I never found a bunker so I can't comment on them. The greens were the low-light of the course. They are way too soft from over watering and thus were very trampled and bumpy. It doesn't help when the general public doesn't fix ball marks.

This is still a good track and a solid test from the Blue tees. The course is rough around the edges but still very playable. The staff is excellent and that goes a long way. I would love to see them pour some $ into this course. I'd happily pay more $ if the course was in better overall shape. A great 'value' course in SD but for the same $, you'll catch me at a course like Coronado.

Finished up my 3 round golf mini-vacation by playing Bayonet on 12/28 as a single. I had a 8:40AM tee time for only $85, which I thought was a steal compared to the cost to play weekend golf in the Bay Area. This is another course that I never played, but always wanted to. I can't believe I waited this long!

The conditions were cool and clear with an off-shore breeze that made itself known on the back nine which sits on higher, less protected ground. I do believe the non-prevailing wind from the east to north/east probably made the course play easier as the #2 handicap hole (#13) played straight downhill & downwind and I was left with a little flip wedge from 80 yds out. Also, 18 played like a long par four being downhill & downwind. The upwind holes all played uphill so your ball was more protected from the wind getting a hold of it. Just my observation.

What a beautiful course. I love the cypress trees and the old-school layout that is dictated by contours, trees and bunkers. There are no gimmicks here. I counted zero water hazards and zero forced carries. However, this course is a great test of your complete golf game. The course is playing fast and firm due to the dry and cold winter conditions. Overall, the course is in country club condition except for the fairways that are just very thin with many filled and unfilled divots. At least the turf was soft enough to allow you swing down and through the ball sitting in the fairway. I played as a single between 2 threesomes and that allowed me to play course superintendent between shots. I probably used 8 bottles of divot mix doing repairs. Pace of play was fantastic, the round took 3.75 hours.

Because the course was playing so firm you really had to watch out on approach shots. The pin placement on #2 (handicap 1) and #17 were both back right on down slopes that fall away from you. In both cases I felt I played a career approach shot that just trickled over the top edge and should feed perfectly to the hole. In both cases I was long in the rough. At least the next shot was straight uphill.

Definitely get out to this course if you like a good test of traditional golf!

Played as a single last Saturday afternoon around 1:45PM. Had a two-some in front of me and decided to play alone, playing one ball from the black tees and one ball from the blue tees. It was fairly warm, high 80's and a pretty consistent, 1/1.5 club breeze. All in all, this was a fun track. My ball striking was very good that day so I'm sure it helped with my enjoyment of the course. POP was about 4.5 hours and definitely slower on the back nine. The group behind never caught up to me.

Overall, this course felt like a flatter version of Robinson Ranch Valley course. You have to be very careful of your lines off the tee as there is almost always trouble on both sides of the fairway. However, the fairways are so firm that if you can place your drives in the correct areas, the course is playing way shorter than the scorecard distance. I usually don't enjoy courses over 7,000 but the length was only a factor on a couple of par 4's into the wind, #6 and #9 were playing tough. 3 of the 4 par fives were reachable in two from the blacks and made for good birdie opportunities.

Greens were medium speed but consistent and overall conditioning was good. The big issue I see with this course is the price and the fact that it is not walkable. I paid $80 and I still had to pay for range balls. The rate only dropped $10 after 2PM. Customer service seemed good. Overall, a fun, good test of golf but not the best value. For me, I'll drive the extra 30 miles to Rustic Canyon and play a great course.