Golf Course Reviews
Golf Course Reviews: California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah, Florida, Hawaii!Played on 9/23 with my friend and went out with two other singles who were seniors. One played 12 holes, the other 15; and we got through the course in about 4:15 walking. We definitely slowed down the last 3 holes, otherwise it would have been a 4 hour round. Weather was beautiful, wind was strong at times but never too ridiculous. I will say though that it took me trying about 5 push carts before I finally found one that was in decent enough shape to take on the course. Other than that, great customer service. Another note - they just raised their greens fees by one whole dollar in order to deal with taxes, healthcare, and city fees. I bring this up to commend River Ridge on striving to provide a quality golf experience at the lowest price possible, as I feel this reason could have easily justified more of a hike and nobody would have said anything.
Overall, the course is in great shape (as always). Greens have recovered well from aeration a few weeks back, and said they were running at 11'3" in the clubhouse. They were nowhere near as slick, and I definitely left at least three putts short that could have rolled in were they running what they said they were. Not that that is their fault, I just didn't think they were running as fast as advertised. There is a lot of late break that can't always be seen and it is important to stay below the hole. Despite the speed not being as advertised, the greens are an absolute treat to putt on.
I could tell that the fairways had some work done to them recently as well, however they still were in great shape and were very lush to hit from. As for the rough, I wasn't in much (brag) but it was very lush as well. Nothing too unplayable except for the thick stuff behind 9's back greenside bunker that my friend got stuck in. As for bunkers, no real bunker shots (one up against a lip that I couldn't judge the sand from). I did notice a couple spots near fringes that looked a little sandy from the aeration, but it was very minor. There was some minor divot damage on the greens, though. Tees were in good shape, except 15 was very sandy. I ended up putting my tee shot on 17 about 2 feet from the hole after talking about a hole in one with my buddy, and ended up going birdie-par to end the day. Of course, I wish it was birdie-birdie, but beggars can't be choosers. What a great day on the course. Thanks so much River Ridge.
Overall, the course is in great shape (as always). Greens have recovered well from aeration a few weeks back, and said they were running at 11'3" in the clubhouse. They were nowhere near as slick, and I definitely left at least three putts short that could have rolled in were they running what they said they were. Not that that is their fault, I just didn't think they were running as fast as advertised. There is a lot of late break that can't always be seen and it is important to stay below the hole. Despite the speed not being as advertised, the greens are an absolute treat to putt on.
I could tell that the fairways had some work done to them recently as well, however they still were in great shape and were very lush to hit from. As for the rough, I wasn't in much (brag) but it was very lush as well. Nothing too unplayable except for the thick stuff behind 9's back greenside bunker that my friend got stuck in. As for bunkers, no real bunker shots (one up against a lip that I couldn't judge the sand from). I did notice a couple spots near fringes that looked a little sandy from the aeration, but it was very minor. There was some minor divot damage on the greens, though. Tees were in good shape, except 15 was very sandy. I ended up putting my tee shot on 17 about 2 feet from the hole after talking about a hole in one with my buddy, and ended up going birdie-par to end the day. Of course, I wish it was birdie-birdie, but beggars can't be choosers. What a great day on the course. Thanks so much River Ridge.
Played here on Tuesday, 7/29 after finishing up at River Ridge Vineyard to play the second round of the day with my buddy. We got there and got on at 4:35 and got off at about 8:15, having significantly slowed our pace of play the last 5-6 holes to enjoy the sunset.
Play started on the back nine this day, which I feel has a tougher opening three holes than the first three. No excuses since we were warm from before, but this plus a FIERCE wind definitely set the round off with a few high scores on my part. Luckily, the wind calmed down and was extremely playable for most of the day and I was able to post a few good scores where possible.
This is a very challenging course, and played a lot firmer than River Ridge. Especially with the wind, you have to be focused on every shot or you will find yourself in a tough spot. I hadn't played here in a couple years, and with the drought I found that the native areas are a lot less treacherous. This means you might actually be able to play out of them. Regardless, it is important to manage this course well and stay in the fairway. Much like my River Ridge review, I don't have much else to add from everybody else's reviews - the course is really enjoyable and is in excellent shape, and I highly recommend playing here if you are considering it.
Play started on the back nine this day, which I feel has a tougher opening three holes than the first three. No excuses since we were warm from before, but this plus a FIERCE wind definitely set the round off with a few high scores on my part. Luckily, the wind calmed down and was extremely playable for most of the day and I was able to post a few good scores where possible.
This is a very challenging course, and played a lot firmer than River Ridge. Especially with the wind, you have to be focused on every shot or you will find yourself in a tough spot. I hadn't played here in a couple years, and with the drought I found that the native areas are a lot less treacherous. This means you might actually be able to play out of them. Regardless, it is important to manage this course well and stay in the fairway. Much like my River Ridge review, I don't have much else to add from everybody else's reviews - the course is really enjoyable and is in excellent shape, and I highly recommend playing here if you are considering it.
Played here on Tuesday, 7/29 with a buddy of mine as the first of two rounds for the day. Our tee time was 11:30 and despite the course being jammed due to a tournament on the Lakes course, we were paired with another twosome and teed off at 11:25. Pace of play was a very lackadaisical 4:30 as we walked off at 3:55 on the dot. It was a packed course but we were never backed up on any hole, so no complaints there.
I don't have much to add to the other reviews that have been written recently. Tees, fairways, rough are all great. Wind is tough, and you will need to club up on a few holes (especially 3, 14, and 18 like Gary mentioned). Sand was great for the two bunkers I was in, and the greens were in good shape though they seemed to be a bit slower than usual. I have played here twice, and not since two years ago, but I feel that this course was a lot easier and almost a little less enjoyable as a result of the greens being slower. It made holes 7, 9, and 12 play a lot more similarly than usual, but that could have just been a flukey thing. Regardless, those holes are fun and so is every other one on this course. Lastly, customer service was great, as always. Keep up the good work River Ridge and thanks for the great round.
I don't have much to add to the other reviews that have been written recently. Tees, fairways, rough are all great. Wind is tough, and you will need to club up on a few holes (especially 3, 14, and 18 like Gary mentioned). Sand was great for the two bunkers I was in, and the greens were in good shape though they seemed to be a bit slower than usual. I have played here twice, and not since two years ago, but I feel that this course was a lot easier and almost a little less enjoyable as a result of the greens being slower. It made holes 7, 9, and 12 play a lot more similarly than usual, but that could have just been a flukey thing. Regardless, those holes are fun and so is every other one on this course. Lastly, customer service was great, as always. Keep up the good work River Ridge and thanks for the great round.
Wooohoooo played rustic yesterday with two good friends of mine. I love this course so much and couldn't believe I hadn't played here in 2 years. Where does time go sometimes? We had a 3:30 pm tee time and were told at check in around 3:20 that we were starting on the back. As you probably know, that is the much tougher nine. Of myself and my two friends, two of us (including me) struggled pretty decently. The course definitely played as tough as always from within 50 yards, and it didn't help, of course, that it took me six holes to start hitting my irons well. The other friend who didn't struggle ended up shooting a 40, which included a double bogey on 18. His chipping was dead on and ended up having 13 putts (4 two-putts and 5 one-putts). As is the case with Rustic, being on with your short game will make or break you.
Unfortunately, my short game, as I mentioned, took a third to half of the course to start working. I will say, however, that the front right of 10's green and front right of 13's green did have some black spots that I had to hit over as opposed to the opportunity to bump and run or putt through. But this was the only negative I have about the course. Other than that, fairways were dry in places but not hard, and the course played fast and firm as always. Tees were great, rough was lush, sand was as you would expect at Rustic from the two bunkers I was in.
After making the turn, we had the entire front nine to ourselves and zipped through it pretty quickly. My friend ended up shooting a 44 on the front for a total of 84 without hitting a single second shot all day. I ended up making par on 6 of the 9 holes for a 41, including GIR and 2-putting all three par 3s. I also missed birdies on 6 and 8 extremely narrowly. The other three holes I made par on were 3, 5, and 9; with my third somehow coming up 50 yards short on 9 followed by a beautiful pitch to 8 feet and a downhill bender that just slid in over the front edge.
All in all, I think that Rustic cannot disappoint as long as you are aware of what you are getting into, whether that be in terms of course challenge/conditions or understanding that if you play this at the wrong time of day the pace of play could be that of a snail. If you do your homework and make sure that the course is in good shape (thanks GK) and get on at a good time, you are sure to be treated to one of the most unique golfing experiences the area has to offer.
Unfortunately, my short game, as I mentioned, took a third to half of the course to start working. I will say, however, that the front right of 10's green and front right of 13's green did have some black spots that I had to hit over as opposed to the opportunity to bump and run or putt through. But this was the only negative I have about the course. Other than that, fairways were dry in places but not hard, and the course played fast and firm as always. Tees were great, rough was lush, sand was as you would expect at Rustic from the two bunkers I was in.
After making the turn, we had the entire front nine to ourselves and zipped through it pretty quickly. My friend ended up shooting a 44 on the front for a total of 84 without hitting a single second shot all day. I ended up making par on 6 of the 9 holes for a 41, including GIR and 2-putting all three par 3s. I also missed birdies on 6 and 8 extremely narrowly. The other three holes I made par on were 3, 5, and 9; with my third somehow coming up 50 yards short on 9 followed by a beautiful pitch to 8 feet and a downhill bender that just slid in over the front edge.
All in all, I think that Rustic cannot disappoint as long as you are aware of what you are getting into, whether that be in terms of course challenge/conditions or understanding that if you play this at the wrong time of day the pace of play could be that of a snail. If you do your homework and make sure that the course is in good shape (thanks GK) and get on at a good time, you are sure to be treated to one of the most unique golfing experiences the area has to offer.
Played here with my friend on Fathers Day, (June 15th). Got out at like 4:10 and played it in about 3:45-3:50. We were behind a twosome for most of the front nine that was teeing off as we pulled up to the 1st hole, and once or twice it seemed like they were waiting on a group ahead of them. However, they went in at the turn and we had the back wide open and were able to finish 18.
This was my second time playing Soule, and both times have been a treat. This time, the greens seemed to be a lot firmer and tougher to play, but there also seemed to be less Rustic-esque apron in play/prominent. Regardless, everything about this course was excellent. The value, the service, the setting, pace of play, conditions of greens, bunkers, tees, fairways, and rough. It is super worth it to make the drive out here if you are up for it, even if you are coming from LA in my opinion. It's like 20 minutes further than River Ridge or Olivas, but the drive up the 33 is nice and the course is absolutely beautiful. All in all, I highly recommend this course to anybody at any time.
This was my second time playing Soule, and both times have been a treat. This time, the greens seemed to be a lot firmer and tougher to play, but there also seemed to be less Rustic-esque apron in play/prominent. Regardless, everything about this course was excellent. The value, the service, the setting, pace of play, conditions of greens, bunkers, tees, fairways, and rough. It is super worth it to make the drive out here if you are up for it, even if you are coming from LA in my opinion. It's like 20 minutes further than River Ridge or Olivas, but the drive up the 33 is nice and the course is absolutely beautiful. All in all, I highly recommend this course to anybody at any time.
I played here with two friends I want to say a month ago after work on a random weekday/night, but I work right up the street and pass by the 5th-7th holes at least once or twice a week and feel the review will still be accurate. We got on the course at about 5 and got through in about three hours walking, with pretty much nobody else on the course. Since this course is pretty short, it is definitely doable in this timeframe if you don't spend time waiting.
I hadn't played here in a long time, like over a year, and remembered the course being drier and firmer than it was this last time. The greens were slow, but everything else was nice.
If you haven't played here, Westlake is a super standard exec course with a par 67 and water on a few holes. I grew up playing this course on occasion, and it is always fun as long as it's not packed and has a great feel and atmosphere to it if you have it semi-open for your round. If you have, it is the same, super standard Westlake that you know it to be. It is great for what it is, but there is plenty that it does not have. Lucky for us, we are blessed with plenty of other, diverse courses with tons to offer all within a (relatively speaking) short drive from anywhere in the region if Westlake isn't what you are looking for.
I hadn't played here in a long time, like over a year, and remembered the course being drier and firmer than it was this last time. The greens were slow, but everything else was nice.
If you haven't played here, Westlake is a super standard exec course with a par 67 and water on a few holes. I grew up playing this course on occasion, and it is always fun as long as it's not packed and has a great feel and atmosphere to it if you have it semi-open for your round. If you have, it is the same, super standard Westlake that you know it to be. It is great for what it is, but there is plenty that it does not have. Lucky for us, we are blessed with plenty of other, diverse courses with tons to offer all within a (relatively speaking) short drive from anywhere in the region if Westlake isn't what you are looking for.
I played here last Sunday, June 29th with my friend who was free for the "evening" and reached out to me asking if I wanted to play a round. He was busy until around 5:10 and so we got to Woodley at 5:35 and got on at 5:50. We, by some miracle and knowing the course quite well, still got 18 holes. There was a twosome on one when we pulled up so we passed them and started on two. We then caught up to a foursome when we hit 8's green and passed them on 9 going straight to 10. Then, after 12 we went back to 9 as the 12th green and 9th tee are adjacent; and then played 1. From there, we went back to 13 and resumed the rest of our round. We finished at 8:40, for a 2:50 round.
I was surprised by how good of condition the fairways were in, and the rough here was penalizing as I remember it to be at Woodley. I've always thought the rough here is more penal because it is so wide open, whereas at the other two courses within the triplex (as we call it) are more tree-lined.
I also noticed they made four tees here, with the whites and blues moving up and there being blacks at the tips. The red was also replaced with yellow, and moved up in some instances as well.
I don't think I was in sand at all so I can't comment on that, but I will say that the greens were overall in above average condition. Speed-wise, they were fast for LA muni standards and were still on the fast side for what I would have expected. I had a couple putts with a little bounce, but overall it was in good shape. And for 39 bucks for two people to ride and get 18 in in under three hours on a Sunday afternoon/evening, what more could we ask for?
Oh, and the sunset was out of this world 360 degrees everywhere we looked for a good 20 minutes.
I was surprised by how good of condition the fairways were in, and the rough here was penalizing as I remember it to be at Woodley. I've always thought the rough here is more penal because it is so wide open, whereas at the other two courses within the triplex (as we call it) are more tree-lined.
I also noticed they made four tees here, with the whites and blues moving up and there being blacks at the tips. The red was also replaced with yellow, and moved up in some instances as well.
I don't think I was in sand at all so I can't comment on that, but I will say that the greens were overall in above average condition. Speed-wise, they were fast for LA muni standards and were still on the fast side for what I would have expected. I had a couple putts with a little bounce, but overall it was in good shape. And for 39 bucks for two people to ride and get 18 in in under three hours on a Sunday afternoon/evening, what more could we ask for?
Oh, and the sunset was out of this world 360 degrees everywhere we looked for a good 20 minutes.
Played here about a month ago and then played here again yesterday. Never got around to writing a review a month ago, but in a nutshell, course was phenomenal - everything was in great shape and true, though the greens were a bit slower than I remembered them being my first time playing here. Also, customer service here is really the best of any public course I've ever played at.
As for yesterday's round. We got there 10 minutes after our tee time (freeway offramp closures ftw) and we were greeted warmly and offered some range tokens (standard at the Ranch - such a nice feature). We ended up teeing off for our 12:54 tee time right at 2 pm with a single that was a pleasure to play with. There was a twosome in front of us that lost us by the third hole, at which point we saw a group behind us on the second hole that never caught us. Pace of play was right at 4 hours.
Conditions were a bit dryer than last month. The fairways firmed out a bit and I noticed a few dry/bare spots, though nothing hardpan and nothing that affected the quality of my iron shots (which were as good as they've been all year!). Wind was steady and not too hard, though a few shots with a lot of loft definitely caught some wind high up that I didn't consider. Either way, shot a 91 with 33 putts - not a bad round! And on the par 5 13th my wedge got pushed just right of the green on the front side with a front pin location on my approach. I had to chip it about 5 feet and land it on the fringe and let it roll downhill 15 feet or so, and was fortunate enough to watch it roll right in for a birdie which was nice as well!
Which brings me to the greens - they seemed to have some damage to them - ball marks and dried out/darker spots, though they rolled extremely true and FFFFAAASSSTTTTTT!!! Since the course dried out, it really plays fast - and I love it. The rough was cut a bit shorter than last month too, so balls rolled out through it a bit more which, for those who play this course in the winter, know how tough that can make things.
My biggest complaint were some unlevel tee boxes, but I also saw markings around some tee boxes that lead me to believe that they will be reseeding/releveling them soon, so it's not like it's a huge deal.
Overall, I absolutely love this course. It is narrow-ish, but extremely playable and thought provoking. For those who manage a course and like to think and overcome punishment/adversity, this is the course for you. If you are the type that wants to bang the ball all around the yard, find an LA municipal course and go have fun. Robinson Ranch has been nothing less than an absolute treat from the time you pull into the driveway until the time you get back on Sand Canyon Rd all three times I've played it, and I cannot wait to come back and for once try the Mountain course.
As for yesterday's round. We got there 10 minutes after our tee time (freeway offramp closures ftw) and we were greeted warmly and offered some range tokens (standard at the Ranch - such a nice feature). We ended up teeing off for our 12:54 tee time right at 2 pm with a single that was a pleasure to play with. There was a twosome in front of us that lost us by the third hole, at which point we saw a group behind us on the second hole that never caught us. Pace of play was right at 4 hours.
Conditions were a bit dryer than last month. The fairways firmed out a bit and I noticed a few dry/bare spots, though nothing hardpan and nothing that affected the quality of my iron shots (which were as good as they've been all year!). Wind was steady and not too hard, though a few shots with a lot of loft definitely caught some wind high up that I didn't consider. Either way, shot a 91 with 33 putts - not a bad round! And on the par 5 13th my wedge got pushed just right of the green on the front side with a front pin location on my approach. I had to chip it about 5 feet and land it on the fringe and let it roll downhill 15 feet or so, and was fortunate enough to watch it roll right in for a birdie which was nice as well!
Which brings me to the greens - they seemed to have some damage to them - ball marks and dried out/darker spots, though they rolled extremely true and FFFFAAASSSTTTTTT!!! Since the course dried out, it really plays fast - and I love it. The rough was cut a bit shorter than last month too, so balls rolled out through it a bit more which, for those who play this course in the winter, know how tough that can make things.
My biggest complaint were some unlevel tee boxes, but I also saw markings around some tee boxes that lead me to believe that they will be reseeding/releveling them soon, so it's not like it's a huge deal.
Overall, I absolutely love this course. It is narrow-ish, but extremely playable and thought provoking. For those who manage a course and like to think and overcome punishment/adversity, this is the course for you. If you are the type that wants to bang the ball all around the yard, find an LA municipal course and go have fun. Robinson Ranch has been nothing less than an absolute treat from the time you pull into the driveway until the time you get back on Sand Canyon Rd all three times I've played it, and I cannot wait to come back and for once try the Mountain course.
Played Los Robles for the first time yesterday, June 11. As the last reviewer mentioned, this course really is in great shape. Tees were great, fairways were great, rough was fine though I wasn't much in it..(most of the times I missed the fairways I ended up in dirt or something on-rough related. Sand was great and I was in it a lot..My only complaint was that the greens were bumpy at times and variable on their speed. As has been referenced, the greens here are very huge and reachable, and it's tough to face long putts when you aren't sure if your line is going to be reliable.
Pace of play for my buddy and I was 4 hours on the dot. We got passed by a threesome that complained to the marshal after 4 holes of my friend struggling and we told the marshal to just let them pass us. However, we still completed each nine in 2 hours and did a lot more waiting on the second nine for the threesome ahead of us than they came close to doing for us on the first nine.
Play started on the 10th yesterday, which was no problem except the front is far more forgiving and easy, so had I started there I may have shot a bit lower. The course is very entertaining. I read somewhere here that the back nine was "twisted", and that would be the perfect word I'd use to describe it. However, unlike several canyon courses where I've faced blind shots, you really are still never punished for keeping the ball in the short stuff.
Overall, this course was in great shape and I would absolutely recommend someone to come play it if they're in the area and not looking for a course that is going to beat you up too much. I definitely wouldn't rate it as high as probably any other Ventura County course in the Moorpark, Oxnard, or Ventura area, but it was still a great time and a good round.
Pace of play for my buddy and I was 4 hours on the dot. We got passed by a threesome that complained to the marshal after 4 holes of my friend struggling and we told the marshal to just let them pass us. However, we still completed each nine in 2 hours and did a lot more waiting on the second nine for the threesome ahead of us than they came close to doing for us on the first nine.
Play started on the 10th yesterday, which was no problem except the front is far more forgiving and easy, so had I started there I may have shot a bit lower. The course is very entertaining. I read somewhere here that the back nine was "twisted", and that would be the perfect word I'd use to describe it. However, unlike several canyon courses where I've faced blind shots, you really are still never punished for keeping the ball in the short stuff.
Overall, this course was in great shape and I would absolutely recommend someone to come play it if they're in the area and not looking for a course that is going to beat you up too much. I definitely wouldn't rate it as high as probably any other Ventura County course in the Moorpark, Oxnard, or Ventura area, but it was still a great time and a good round.
With my birthday being June 18th and River Ridge offering free bday golf +/- 2 weeks of your birthday, my buddy and I headed out from the valley to beautiful Oxnard, CA (lol at Oxnard being beautiful, but River Ridge is, of course, exceptional) to get our free bday rounds. We paid for the cart, but $15 to play this course is out of this world value! On a side note, I need to play more golf so that I can write more reviews! Anyways, back to the round...
First of all, thanks to Gary (longball23) for your tips on this course. I had played the Vineyard twice and never played the Lakes course; your tips proved extremely valuable and my friend was laughing at times as I read your tips because they were so spot-on it was like you were standing next to us!
Okay, now onto the round...we had a 2:51 tee time and got there early. The attendant in the pro shop was struggling to communicate, as he told me it wasn't crowded, then he told me it was sorta crowded, and then he told me the course was running good. He also couldn't really answer anything about how the conditions were. This was about 30 minutes prior to tee off, and he gave us cart #17. After going to the car to get my clubs, cart 17 was taken so we had to get another one reassigned. Oh well, obviously no big deal..just comical. We drove up to the starter's at 2:50 and jumped on the tee ahead of 4 Asian ladies that were sitting there. I heard the starter say something to them, but then a single teed off after us and we let him play through on the second tee after we hit our tee shots.
My friend shot a 102 and I shot a 98 with 42 putts (ew). Greens were murderous and I struggled mightily with both chipping and putting. (I'm just glad we weren't at Rustic Canyon!). Anyways, tees were great, course was in good shape, but fairways seemed a bit thin. Also, I guess greens were aerated a month ago, but you couldn't tell. There was a little bit of invasion of another grass near some fringes, but greens weren't affected at all. They ran smooth and fast, though there was a bit of variability to their speed from hole to hole. The rough was very lush, and though it wasn't too long, was very penal. I lost probably 3-4 strokes from missing the fairways, which was brutal. I also had one shot out of the bunker, and the sand was beautiful condition.
I may be wrong since it's been awhile but as tough as the greens were, I still think the Vineyard's may be tougher. Small sample size, though..Overall, it was a great round. I honestly thought I liked the Vineyard as a whole more than the Lakes after 2/3 of the round, even though many holes on the Lakes were more exciting. The whole flow of the Vineyard course is just great in my opinion. However, around hole 14-15 as the course started to sink in, my views changed and I quickly fell in love with the Lakes just as much.
Pace of play was wide open, and we got through in 3:30 sharp. It was windy, as usual, but was warm enough that a jacket was not needed. As I mentioned, my chipping and putting was poor, and my only complaint was that after hitting my best drive of the day on 18 to about 190 out, i still reached in 4 after leaving my 2nd about 20 yards short and skulling a chip. Still made bogey, but as Gary mentioned, this hole should be birdied every time.
Overall though, absolutely beautiful day, beautiful round, great fun, and got to see my aunt and uncle for some Vietnamese food up the street at Pho Saigon afterwards, which was wonderful as well. I hope in my tangents I didn't miss anything, but even if I did, I'm sure there's plenty to read here. One last thanks to Johnny for having such a great site that serves as a forum for golf discussion, as I couldn't be leaving a review here if it weren't for him and this site!
Until next time...(which will be soon!)
First of all, thanks to Gary (longball23) for your tips on this course. I had played the Vineyard twice and never played the Lakes course; your tips proved extremely valuable and my friend was laughing at times as I read your tips because they were so spot-on it was like you were standing next to us!
Okay, now onto the round...we had a 2:51 tee time and got there early. The attendant in the pro shop was struggling to communicate, as he told me it wasn't crowded, then he told me it was sorta crowded, and then he told me the course was running good. He also couldn't really answer anything about how the conditions were. This was about 30 minutes prior to tee off, and he gave us cart #17. After going to the car to get my clubs, cart 17 was taken so we had to get another one reassigned. Oh well, obviously no big deal..just comical. We drove up to the starter's at 2:50 and jumped on the tee ahead of 4 Asian ladies that were sitting there. I heard the starter say something to them, but then a single teed off after us and we let him play through on the second tee after we hit our tee shots.
My friend shot a 102 and I shot a 98 with 42 putts (ew). Greens were murderous and I struggled mightily with both chipping and putting. (I'm just glad we weren't at Rustic Canyon!). Anyways, tees were great, course was in good shape, but fairways seemed a bit thin. Also, I guess greens were aerated a month ago, but you couldn't tell. There was a little bit of invasion of another grass near some fringes, but greens weren't affected at all. They ran smooth and fast, though there was a bit of variability to their speed from hole to hole. The rough was very lush, and though it wasn't too long, was very penal. I lost probably 3-4 strokes from missing the fairways, which was brutal. I also had one shot out of the bunker, and the sand was beautiful condition.
I may be wrong since it's been awhile but as tough as the greens were, I still think the Vineyard's may be tougher. Small sample size, though..Overall, it was a great round. I honestly thought I liked the Vineyard as a whole more than the Lakes after 2/3 of the round, even though many holes on the Lakes were more exciting. The whole flow of the Vineyard course is just great in my opinion. However, around hole 14-15 as the course started to sink in, my views changed and I quickly fell in love with the Lakes just as much.
Pace of play was wide open, and we got through in 3:30 sharp. It was windy, as usual, but was warm enough that a jacket was not needed. As I mentioned, my chipping and putting was poor, and my only complaint was that after hitting my best drive of the day on 18 to about 190 out, i still reached in 4 after leaving my 2nd about 20 yards short and skulling a chip. Still made bogey, but as Gary mentioned, this hole should be birdied every time.
Overall though, absolutely beautiful day, beautiful round, great fun, and got to see my aunt and uncle for some Vietnamese food up the street at Pho Saigon afterwards, which was wonderful as well. I hope in my tangents I didn't miss anything, but even if I did, I'm sure there's plenty to read here. One last thanks to Johnny for having such a great site that serves as a forum for golf discussion, as I couldn't be leaving a review here if it weren't for him and this site!
Until next time...(which will be soon!)
Had the wonderful privileges earlier today of both getting to play Moorpark CC and getting to play it with three outstanding GK members - johnnygk, longball23, and jerry64. Was great meeting you all as well as getting to cheer on some great shots we all made (some of us, more than others!) Also, thanks again Johnny for inviting me out. This truly was one of the best golf experiences I've ever had.
I would say this for a few reasons. One being the company of a group of golfers who not only love but also care about the game of golf. Additionally, I want to say we played it in just over four hours at a very leisurely (yet not slow or lagging) pace and in playing both the Creekside and Canyon Crest nines didn't have to wait to hit a single time all day. Lastly, as longball just mentioned, course conditions are phenomenal. I haven't played as much as of late so I struggled on the greens and lost a few balls, but still hit far more great shots than very poor ones. Nonetheless, the greens on the Creekside course were out of this world - smooth and pure as can be. Whereas the Canyon nine was still nice, though it seemed the tiniest bit slower and there were a few unrepaired pitch marks. Either way, still in great shape. Both sets of greens were soft and very receptive, yet still quite fast with a lot of break. Being above the hole on some/most/all of the holes here is absolute torture, just as a heads up.
Both nines had different personalities, with the creekside having a few phenomenal holes as well as a few that seemed a bit quirky. What was nice, however, and as longball just mentioned, is that even these few quirky holes are played downhill which makes them a lot more fun and feasible than say, some of the uphill par 4s at Lost Canyons Shadow (I can't believe I'm even referring to that place lol). The wind on the Creekside was absolutely brutal, shifting every hole or so and completely unpredictable on top of strong as all heck. It was still rough on the Canyon side, but by the end of the afternoon the cold was a bigger culprit than the wind itself. Fairways and rough were both lush, and though the bunkers were in good condition, I struggled out of the two I found (both on the Canyon nine). I know it was just mentioned that the sand was great quality and of the perfect amount, and I agree with the first part of that but I wish the two greenside bunkers had a little bit more sand in them. Maybe it was just the fact that I don't remember the last time I practiced a bunker shot that contributed to the struggles more than the slight lack of sand in the traps.
For being up in the mountains, this place is still a bit wider and more open than a few other canyon courses I've played such as Lost Canyons, Robinson Ranch Valley, and Scholl Canyon. Decently wide fairways all things considered and not too many blind shots. However, this is especially true with the Canyon course. It was a lot more open, and I absolutely loved almost every hole on that nine. I can see that there was far more modification done to these holes to make them beautiful, but they still fit into the natural landscape extremely well and provide nine holes of a great challenge of golf. Like longball mentioned, absolutely great layouts here on both nines that we got to play.
Though I hit more good balls than bad ones, I still had eight shots go OB throughout the day and as I mentioned earlier struggled on the greens a bit, having five 3-putts :(. When I saw that I had shot a 55 from blues on the first nine (Creekside), I was shocked as I was honestly expecting to see a number around 65. I put up a 47 on the back for probably one of the best/worst 102s I've shot in my life. But for not even swinging a club in over a month and not playing a full course in probably 3 months, it feels really nice to think that had I kept the ball in play and putted a bit better I still would have been in the low 90s.
Despite the cold and wind, it was an absolutely beautiful day for golf and I could not be any more grateful for the opportunity to play with some members and meet them, especially given the circumstances of it being on a course as beautiful as this and a day as beautiful as we had. Thanks again Johnny and it was great to meet you as well as Gary and Jerry. Can't wait to see you guys and play some more golf with you again as well as getting to meet more new members and be more involved in the community. Thanks!
I would say this for a few reasons. One being the company of a group of golfers who not only love but also care about the game of golf. Additionally, I want to say we played it in just over four hours at a very leisurely (yet not slow or lagging) pace and in playing both the Creekside and Canyon Crest nines didn't have to wait to hit a single time all day. Lastly, as longball just mentioned, course conditions are phenomenal. I haven't played as much as of late so I struggled on the greens and lost a few balls, but still hit far more great shots than very poor ones. Nonetheless, the greens on the Creekside course were out of this world - smooth and pure as can be. Whereas the Canyon nine was still nice, though it seemed the tiniest bit slower and there were a few unrepaired pitch marks. Either way, still in great shape. Both sets of greens were soft and very receptive, yet still quite fast with a lot of break. Being above the hole on some/most/all of the holes here is absolute torture, just as a heads up.
Both nines had different personalities, with the creekside having a few phenomenal holes as well as a few that seemed a bit quirky. What was nice, however, and as longball just mentioned, is that even these few quirky holes are played downhill which makes them a lot more fun and feasible than say, some of the uphill par 4s at Lost Canyons Shadow (I can't believe I'm even referring to that place lol). The wind on the Creekside was absolutely brutal, shifting every hole or so and completely unpredictable on top of strong as all heck. It was still rough on the Canyon side, but by the end of the afternoon the cold was a bigger culprit than the wind itself. Fairways and rough were both lush, and though the bunkers were in good condition, I struggled out of the two I found (both on the Canyon nine). I know it was just mentioned that the sand was great quality and of the perfect amount, and I agree with the first part of that but I wish the two greenside bunkers had a little bit more sand in them. Maybe it was just the fact that I don't remember the last time I practiced a bunker shot that contributed to the struggles more than the slight lack of sand in the traps.
For being up in the mountains, this place is still a bit wider and more open than a few other canyon courses I've played such as Lost Canyons, Robinson Ranch Valley, and Scholl Canyon. Decently wide fairways all things considered and not too many blind shots. However, this is especially true with the Canyon course. It was a lot more open, and I absolutely loved almost every hole on that nine. I can see that there was far more modification done to these holes to make them beautiful, but they still fit into the natural landscape extremely well and provide nine holes of a great challenge of golf. Like longball mentioned, absolutely great layouts here on both nines that we got to play.
Though I hit more good balls than bad ones, I still had eight shots go OB throughout the day and as I mentioned earlier struggled on the greens a bit, having five 3-putts :(. When I saw that I had shot a 55 from blues on the first nine (Creekside), I was shocked as I was honestly expecting to see a number around 65. I put up a 47 on the back for probably one of the best/worst 102s I've shot in my life. But for not even swinging a club in over a month and not playing a full course in probably 3 months, it feels really nice to think that had I kept the ball in play and putted a bit better I still would have been in the low 90s.
Despite the cold and wind, it was an absolutely beautiful day for golf and I could not be any more grateful for the opportunity to play with some members and meet them, especially given the circumstances of it being on a course as beautiful as this and a day as beautiful as we had. Thanks again Johnny and it was great to meet you as well as Gary and Jerry. Can't wait to see you guys and play some more golf with you again as well as getting to meet more new members and be more involved in the community. Thanks!
I have been reading GK reviews for probably close to a year now and for some reason have never posted about any courses, so this will be my first. I played here last friday 8/24 with a buddy for a twilight tee time of 3:12. We got on just before that and finished right around 7:00. Course conditions were excellent, greens were a bit slow compared to the likes of other places I have played throughout the year such as River Ridge, Rustic Canyon, and Camarillo Springs. I played here at Olivas about a month ago and the greens seemed to be similar to what they were then, though maybe a bit firmer which is nice. The wind wasn't too bad, though it was dead for the 45 minutes we were there warming up and decided to start up as we got to the first tee. All conditions were lush, and I don't think I had a bad lie all day. As for the sand, I stayed off the beach so I can't comment. My friend struggled on the 9th green though and took six strokes to get out - ouch! Overall, great day of golf and my only complaint is that these unbelievable Ventura County municipal courses aren't closer to my house!
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