Golf Course Reviews
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There are very few golf options along the northern CA coast, but this was perfect for our purposes. The family got together to play some golf before a wedding in Mendocino. This is 5 minutes south of Mendocino and very convenient. We played Friday 8/9 in glorious weather conditions. This is a legit 9 hole golf course requiring quality shots through the bag. Interesting course with some elevation and ocean views. The first 9 are played from the blue tees with the repeated 9 played from the whites. Just enough of a difference to keep it interesting the second time around. The 7th/16th and the 9th/18th actually have separate greens which make those four holes unique.
The course was probably in the best condition possible due to location. The fairways were mottled with various grasses and the rough was untamed grasses at knee length. If you're not in the fairway, don't even bother looking. The greens were somewhat slow, but rolled true. Some putts were affected by the grain; all were affected by some slope. The bunkers were well maintained but not particularly fluffy.
The staff was very friendly and accommodating ... they let us go out in two fivesomes. In return, we played "best ball" to keep things moving. The family had a great time. Next time on the Mendocino coast, this is definitely worth playing!
9 Likes.
Haven't played or reviewed in soooo long! Enjoyed the Vineyard course on a chilly & damp (some would say rainy) Saturday (Jan 5th @ 9:30 am). Due to the weather, the course was not busy and the 4 hours POP was on us. We never had to wait and no one was pushing us. The course is in winter condition and the fairways are hard and thin. Before the sprinkles came, shots in the fairway would roll quite a ways. But, the fairways are always better than the rough which was a mixed bag of grass, clumps and dirt. The bunkers were in good condition with just the right amount of sand for this hacker to escape (so I liked 'em!). Tee boxes were all in decent shape with just minimal damage on the par 3 boxes. The greens were interesting. Definitely the most maintained aspect of the course. They were listed at running 10.5 but I think they were slower than that...and once the sprinkles came, all bets were off. The green complexes were are weird dark green color; as if they had been painted that way. I don't recall the greens being that color in the past, but it made finding the complexes pretty easy. They rolled well and had minimal divot damage. The weather made the speed difficult. I've seen the courses at River Ridge in much better condition and look forward to coming back in the spring & summer.
The staff & service here is always great. I understand they will be under new management effective 7/1/19. I hope the new management keeps the staff!
Oh... and I walked off with a par on #18. Always a good way to end a round on the Vineyard Course!
8 Likes.
Played Monday 4/18 at 10:45 under overcast skies with a hint of a breeze. The skies drizzled on us throughout the back nine. Hard to believe this was my first visit to Knowllwood. I wouldn't say this is a good walking course as it is quite hilly. There are elevated tee boxes and side hill lies throughout. The course layout is interesting & challenging. Quite a step up from the three Sepulveda Dam courses I usually play.

The tee boxes were lush but not always level. The rains have certainly helped the course as the fairways were green and nicely mowed. There wasn't much rough to speak of, but many of the fairways have narrow flat areas, so if you aren't perfect you will have a side hill lie. Those are challenging enough without taller rough. I found several bunkers (greenside & fairway) and all were filled with fluffy, deep sand. I learned they had all just been reconditioned. The greens were well maintained but not particularly fast. The practice greens were much faster.

We were sent out as a twosome between a foursome and a fivesome (yes, 5 some). The course was busy and slow. We waited on nearly every shot and got to know our neighboring groups at the tee boxes. This would turn out to be a 5 hour round. But the course was so much more interesting than the munis I normally play.

Be aware this is an LA County course. As I have recently attained "Senior" status, I was unable to take advantage of their $16.50 senior rate with my LA City senior card. You MUST have an LA COUNTY senior card. So we were looking at paying the regular $30 rate plus $15 cart fee. However, they had a package deal that included golf, lunch, drink & cart for $38. Sold.

While I did not play particularly well, and the POP was very slow, I will try this track again!
13 Likes.
Played Encino on a sunny, breezy Sunday afternoon 2/12. I had reserved a tee time through the LA reservation system. Checking in, we found out that due to the rains, they were not allowing golf carts on the course. AND all of the hand carts for rent were being used. We called over to Woodley Lakes and learned they were also a "walking only" course. We pushed our tee time, drove home and brought back our hand carts. LOTS of arriving golfers were "quite vocal" about this inconvenience. Most went home. So, while this is not a maintenance alert, be aware that all three courses in the Sepulveda Dam rec area are walking only for the foreseeable future (at least until the rains stop).

We played 9 holes and it was quickly obvious why the golf carts were banned. While there was some standing water on the course, most of the water was just below the grass. Every step left a footprint of mud. The tee boxes were a muddy mess. The fairways were rippled from previous cart wheels...even the push carts were leaving tracks. The rough areas were swamps. Current course rules do not allow you to hit out of the rough. We should have played "lift, clean & place" too. Sand traps were like wet concrete with some still looking like wading pools. The greens were the one bright spot. They were in excellent shape, rolling true and faster than I remember for this muni.

While we probably could have played another 3 or 4 holes, we walked off after 9. Pushing the cart through the mud left our muscles sore and feet wet. I imagine the place will look amazing this summer, but wonder how they will flatten all the mud ridges in the fairway. I would think they should just close the courses for a couple weeks to avoid further damage.
12 Likes.
Played Monday 4/6 at 10:00 am under blue skies, chilly air and brisk 3-club breezes. Hansen Dam remains my favorite L.A. muni. Most of the fairways are generous for the weekend warrior, but holes are challenging in elevation changes, dog legs and bunkering... oh, and the wind! Definitely not a "back & forth" type set up like the Sepulveda trifecta.
Conditions were good with lush tee boxes and nice greens. The greens were just quick enough to make you think about the subtle (and not so subtle) breaks. The bunkers I found were soft enough, though I walked past a few that looked scrabble hard. Pace of play was excellent at 4 hrs. I would not consider this a "walker friendly" course due to the elevation changes... though there were a number of walkers there yesterday.
Course starts maintenance next week, so it should be good to go by Memorial Day. Fun course; friendly staff.... BIG BEERS!
7 Likes.
Played Sunday 2/8. Got out at 1:06 and finished in the dark at 5:45. Payed just $32 with a cart. Weather was perfect; sunny, lows 70's, slight breeze. That translated into a packed course. The front 9 was exceptionally slow, with a wait on every shot. As people bailed off the course in the later afternoon, the back 9 sped up considerably.
The course is in fair shape for a muni. It was recently mowed and the fairways were quite thin. The rough was also trimmed and less penal than usual. Traps were wet/hardened by recent rains. Greens were good with a true roll. Some of the putts actually broke (which is unusual for these typically slower greens). Encino is my favorite of the three Sepulveda Dam courses.
4 Likes.
Played Sunday 10/26. With nearly all desert courses in maintenance mode, this is one of the few 18 holes open. It just re-opened last week so it was Cart Path Only (CPO) for the entire course. The Legends course was closed.
When we checked in, we discovered that EVERY Sunday there is a tournament & skins game on the Resort course. Apparently this is very popular with a shot gun start at 7:00 am. Be aware of this when making reservations.
Because the course was CPO, the POP was horrible. Our 9:50 am tee time was pushed back 30 minutes. We waited on every shot. It took 15 - 20 minutes to play each hole. We walked off the 14th after 4 1/2 hours.
About the course: The Resort course is more interesting & challenging than the older Legends 18. After the recent maintenance, the fairways & rough were lush. The fairways were very playable and the rough was penal enough to scare you away. Some bunkers had good, soft sand, while other were more compacted. So they were inconsistent. The tee boxes were a bit bumpy and uneven. The greens were a disappointment because they were unusually slow even though they were smooth & firm. While they rolled true, everyone was having trouble getting the ball to the hole.
The course has fantastic deals for locals. I received a $16 discount because I played with a local, but still payed $69. Greens fees include either breakfast or lunch and 2 drinks (includes beer!). The staff was pleasant & the beverage cart came around several times.
I'd like to try this course again when it's not so crowded.
6 Likes.
Played Labor Day at 8:00 am to beat the heat, but paid the holiday rack rate. Not worth the $40 to walk or $55 to ride. The LA munis always seem to be their best just before maintenance...but I've seen Woodley nicer. The greens were in good shape, but ran quite slow. Tee boxes were mostly level and also in good condition. Fairways could be a challenge with some having mixed grasses and clumps here & there. The rough, like all the courses in the Sepulveda Dam rec area, was thick and punishing. Traps were ok, though somewhat shallow. I'd go back for twilight rates, but not for the full weekend green fees.
2 Likes.
Great time at GK event on 7/12. Played from the "club" tees at 1:15 pm. I thought the course was in terrific shape from tee to green. The greens were slower than I remembered and left a lot of my putts short. The back nine is much more challenging than the front. Playing closer to the coast and in the early afternoon subjected us to a breeze that could make up to a 3 club difference. There are nice practice areas for putting, chipping and sand shots...and a grass driving range. The staff was pleasant and the beverage cart came around several times. Olivas Links is a great option to add to your summertime Ventura County golf list!
8 Likes.
Teed off at 8:15 am on Saturday 6/14. Figured it would be a long day for Father's Day weekend, but although the tee sheet was full, there was very little waiting and we got around in just over 4 hours. This is a very walkable course with wide fairways. One of the three 18 hole courses set in the Sepulveda Dam recreation area, I find Woodley Lakes more interesting than Balboa and easier to play than Encino. The greens were in great shape and rolled true if not particularly speedy. As is usual for the muni courses, the fairways were hit and miss. For the most part, the fairways were clean and very playable. You do tend to get a mixtures of grasses and clumps once in while. Traps had good sand and were a little crispy. Tee boxes were very good. The rough appeared to have been recently mowed and was very playable. It was a little warm, but no refreshment cart came around. Always bring some water to the muni courses. I was very pleased at how the course looked/played and almost didn't feel bad about spending $40 to walk. Almost. But I enjoy this course and will play it again.
1 Like.
Teed off as a twosome Sunday afternoon 6/8 around 2:15. We wanted to get out ahead of the fast twilight players (at 3:00). As a higher handicapper, I don't demand much from the courses I play, but it seems there are better buys than paying $40 to walk at Balboa. The greens were good, but ran slow. The city really lets the rough grow and you can lose your ball easily if you don't hit the fairway. Some of the tee boxes were a bit uneven, but not severely so. I only found one bunker and the sand was a little "crunchy". It wasn't too difficult to clip the ball out. The course is "what you see is what you get", but you still have to hit a drive, approach and putt... so not a bad place to practice. I didn't play well, but it was a nice, warm day to take a long walk. We were able to get around in about 3 1/2 hours. I live near the Sepulveda complex, so these courses are convenient; but not sure I'd drive any great distance to play here.
5 Likes.
Played Saturday 5/17 at 8:30 am for the second round of our two day guys' getaway. This course sometimes gets a bad rap, but I found it challenging. The driving range area is large and in good condition. Hitting off the grass you hit due west toward the ocean. Nice. Was required to play from the blue tees for this competition, though I am much more comfortable from the whites. There are many elevation changes, blind shots and barrancas cutting across the fairways; course knowledge would be helpful. The greens had been sanded two weeks earlier. Though they had recovered nicely, there were still some bumps and they rolled medium/slow. They rolled true however. The bunkers had compacted, wet sand in them. For me, not necessarily a bad thing as I could usually escape in one shot. Fairways were lush with some tight lies. The wind really blew up on the back 9 creating a three club difference at times. There are many forced carries where the wind creating problems. The staff was fantastic and took great care of our group. If you're on the Central Coast, this is definitely worth a play.
2 Likes.
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