Golf Course Reviews
Golf Course Reviews: California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah, Florida, Hawaii!I've heard Tijeras Creek is a really nice golf course which I hadn't played prior to yesterday 03/15/18 and for me it was a big disappointment. First off part of the problem is that it rained the night before so the course decided it was "cart path only". We had booked the tee time online through GolfNow so it was prepaid and the refund policy is only good if it's actually raining or the course is closed for whatever reason. I've got a couple physical limitations that makes it difficult to play with "cart path only", my knees are shot, one has no cartilage and the other is almost the same, not to mention my back which I had surgery on years ago. I can't walk a course but these limitations are not an issue when playing and having a cart to drive to my ball.
The course looked nice from a distance, very green and lush with no bare spots to be seen. We could see they had a mower out cutting one of the fairways and the practice putting green was very nice. I would have thought the carts would have GPS but they don't and that's not an important factor just a nice convenience. The layout of the course is good, it's not a flat course and it got water on a number of holes which can be challenging. The tee boxes were good, fairly flat and not beat up. The fairways definitely could use some cutting and the rough was a bit on the deep side. The sand traps seemed to have a lot of rocks but mostly playable. The greens were awful, very very slow and not smooth... very lumpy and bumpy. There was no challenge when putting, it was more luck than skill so not a fair test. A friend who had played there before raved about how nice the greens were, very fast and smooth; makes me wonder if we were talking about the same course. To be somewhat fair maybe the course was in such poor playing conditions because of the wet weather we've had recently, I can understand that it's hard to do course maintenance when it's wet or raining. I would have enjoyed the course more if it wasn't "cart path only" because the pain in my knees definitely made the round almost unbearable. Along with "cart path only" comes the slow pace of play... like adding insult to injury. Even with all the negative issues I will probably go back there when the weather is nicer and no issues with driving on the fairways or at least the 90 degree rule... hopefully my next outing there will be a good one.
The course looked nice from a distance, very green and lush with no bare spots to be seen. We could see they had a mower out cutting one of the fairways and the practice putting green was very nice. I would have thought the carts would have GPS but they don't and that's not an important factor just a nice convenience. The layout of the course is good, it's not a flat course and it got water on a number of holes which can be challenging. The tee boxes were good, fairly flat and not beat up. The fairways definitely could use some cutting and the rough was a bit on the deep side. The sand traps seemed to have a lot of rocks but mostly playable. The greens were awful, very very slow and not smooth... very lumpy and bumpy. There was no challenge when putting, it was more luck than skill so not a fair test. A friend who had played there before raved about how nice the greens were, very fast and smooth; makes me wonder if we were talking about the same course. To be somewhat fair maybe the course was in such poor playing conditions because of the wet weather we've had recently, I can understand that it's hard to do course maintenance when it's wet or raining. I would have enjoyed the course more if it wasn't "cart path only" because the pain in my knees definitely made the round almost unbearable. Along with "cart path only" comes the slow pace of play... like adding insult to injury. Even with all the negative issues I will probably go back there when the weather is nicer and no issues with driving on the fairways or at least the 90 degree rule... hopefully my next outing there will be a good one.
I was bit disappointed, maybe it's just the winter conditions but I expected better. I've always liked the layout because it's a bit of changed compared to many courses that are just flat. I played Goose Creek which is about 15 miles away a few weeks earlier and for winter conditions it's in great shape and I was hoping for something somewhat similar. The tee boxes were good for the most part and they were somewhat level. The fairways were a mixed bag of good and bad, again it's winter so they're not going to be the greatest but there seemed to be a lot more brown than green. On hole #15 going up the hill in the fairway the ball would run back down 25 yards until it found some grass (sort of better off in the rough) to stop the backwards... in front of the green it was just as bad, if you hit a couple yards short the ball would come back down the hill 15 -20 yards. For me that's not a fair test of golf. On a flat course it probably wouldn't make as much of difference except for the extra roll out in distance. I think the fairways were the biggest disappointment. The sand traps were somewhat Ok, some were thin and some were good... except for the rocks, I don't mean some corn kernel size but the one's that were size of quarters. I know you're not suppose to pick those out but I have my limitations. On the other hand the traps are better than last year so the course has made some improvements. Now the greens were in great shape... very green, no severe divot damage, very smooth and rolling medium fast, probably the best part of the round. I'm not saying it's a course to avoid but I would perhaps wait for the fairways to green up a bit. A couple of the guys in our group were driving to the green given the fairways and the wind, #18 is 415 yards and definitely an elevated tee, but one guy hit it 4 feet off the green pin high... I told him it was a "lucky shot"... he said it was all "skill". I'll go back later in the spring when things are on the greener side.
This course was never great but there was always a tee time available... the problem now is that it's in terrible shape. The tee boxes are beat up, the fairways are in rough shape, the sand traps are okay, they're playable and the greens are somewhat okay but many have a camouflage motif or like the color of a leopard frog, hard to describe, you'd have to see it for yourself. The greens rolled okay, definitely on the slower side but many of the greens have so many kinds of grass and color variations that it's distracting, I suppose a positive note would be that they're mostly green.
We went off the 1st tee a few minutes after 12:00 and we expect a 4 1/2 to 5 hour round. Unfortunately this last round was not enjoyable even at $29. It was a bit slow and a couple groups started skipping holes and jumping out of sequence in a bid to get in front of the slow play. The problem was it was somewhat crowded and play was slow everywhere. I think what upset our group was when we were on the 12th green and putting when a group jumped in front of us to our next tee. Words were exchanged and all they could say was they were trying to play through... except they had to wait on the group in the fairway so we had to wait on them. We called the club house to complain and they said they would send someone out but no one ever came out. To make things worse we were on hole 15 and one of our carts started dying. We called the club house and they put us on hold, then they hung up on us. When we called again we didn't get an answer. By the 17th hole the dying cart would barely move, we used one cart to push the other. After finishing we dropped off the cart and was going to speak with someone but at 5:15 the club house was locked up and dark, there was no one around. We even asked the person moving the carts and he said to go in and see the starter. We explained that it was locked up and he replied "then I don't know".
I won't be going back there until things improve...
I'm not sure what happened to all the homeless tents along the chain link fence that borders hole 9 but they are all gone so it doesn't look so trashy... on the other hand there's more graffiti everywhere (a lot more) and it looks bad... hopefully the course will be making some improvements in the near future to get this course into better shape.
We went off the 1st tee a few minutes after 12:00 and we expect a 4 1/2 to 5 hour round. Unfortunately this last round was not enjoyable even at $29. It was a bit slow and a couple groups started skipping holes and jumping out of sequence in a bid to get in front of the slow play. The problem was it was somewhat crowded and play was slow everywhere. I think what upset our group was when we were on the 12th green and putting when a group jumped in front of us to our next tee. Words were exchanged and all they could say was they were trying to play through... except they had to wait on the group in the fairway so we had to wait on them. We called the club house to complain and they said they would send someone out but no one ever came out. To make things worse we were on hole 15 and one of our carts started dying. We called the club house and they put us on hold, then they hung up on us. When we called again we didn't get an answer. By the 17th hole the dying cart would barely move, we used one cart to push the other. After finishing we dropped off the cart and was going to speak with someone but at 5:15 the club house was locked up and dark, there was no one around. We even asked the person moving the carts and he said to go in and see the starter. We explained that it was locked up and he replied "then I don't know".
I won't be going back there until things improve...
I'm not sure what happened to all the homeless tents along the chain link fence that borders hole 9 but they are all gone so it doesn't look so trashy... on the other hand there's more graffiti everywhere (a lot more) and it looks bad... hopefully the course will be making some improvements in the near future to get this course into better shape.
It's been a while since I've played Goose Creek. The course is in great shape from tee to green and a pleasure to play. It's so lush and green everywhere for the most part so no complaints. I live in Orange County so it's a bit far but worth the drive.
I haven't played the Lakes course in number of years and I use to love both courses, it was hard to believe there was two beautiful courses at the California / Nevada state line. Every time I'd played in the past the courses were extremely well kept and in immaculate condition... like top notch resort style courses. But it appears that was back then... now the courses are kind of run down... on the Lakes course the tee boxes were good but that's where the good news stops. The fairways were marginally OK and there was dead grass clippings everywhere, not just a little, there were lines and chunks everywhere which is just lazy maintenance and looks awful. I want to see and play lush green fairways. The sand traps were the worst I've ever seen for any course. First there's the lack of sand to the point that the liner material is exposed and tore up from shots being played. That's just a sign of poor maintenance or lack any maintenance. If a course can't maintain a sand trap then just fill it in and just have grass. The greens were OK, they were somewhat smooth but they lacked some maintenance because they could and use to be so much better. Overall I would skip this course (and the Desert course looked to be in worse shape) until it gets brought back to good playable condition. I did read some bad reviews online before I booked our tee times but I didn't want to believe them because of my past experience and especially since I called the Pro Shop and was told the courses were in "great shape except there were a few sand traps" that they were in the process of renovating. After out first round on the Lakes side we canceled our tee time for the following day on the Desert side and opted to play in Las Vegas. The next day we played at Siena Golf Club which was a good golf experience especially given the last minute tee time, plus we found it at a summer discounted special online.
So it's not the nicest course around but there's almost always a tee time available on any day and if you find a cheap special then it's even better. It's a flat course with no water hazards and the layout is decent. I played there on 8/6/17 and I can't believe the conditions, I'm not sure what's happened but it's in need of some maintenance. Generally the course is in OK condition but currently many of the fairways need to be cut. It got deep in the middle of some fairways... and the rough in many areas was so thick it was almost impossible to find your ball. On the other hand the greens were not beat up, most were soft and lush although a bit on the slow side. I'll give it a month and go back and see if things have improved but if not then I'll be crossing this one off the list. Other issues not related to the play-ability of the course is all the trash bins on the course were over flowing and trash was everywhere. Also there were people (non-golfers) just hanging out on the course... some appeared to be locals and others were definitely homeless looking for some refuge from the sun and heat.
Played there 06/24/17 and the course is in decent playable condition given it's a public course. The best thing going for the course are the greens are in great shape. They're smooth with a medium fast speed so rolling nice. The fairways are inconsistent with some areas very nice and lush but then some parts thin. The rough is all over the place, some areas so thick and deep it was hard to find a ball and others thin. The sand I can't say much about because I didn't go in any traps but they looked playable. The tee boxes were a bit thick and spongy, I had to switch to extra long tees... and they weren't very level. Overall it's got a decent layout and the pace of play was reasonable, no backed up holes.
Played 09/09/16 - The course is a decent layout, fairly wide through out with various challenges. Currently they have a sign posted that explains that they have a problem with the reclaimed water that they use. From what I understand the course spent a lot of money 5 or 6 years ago putting in a reclaimed water supply system but I don't think it's working out like they had planned. The greens show the issue the most, a number of them have brown patches and look infected. Putting through these bad sections is tough to judge the speed and the good green stuff is lumpy and bumpy so from one green to another it's inconsistent. A few holes appear to have temporary greens that are in the process. The drought is definitely taking it's toll on so many courses but there are some that are fairing better than others and if course conditions are a huge issue then perhaps paying a bit extra for a nicer course might be a better choice. Hopefully this water issue will be resolved soon.
Thumbs down for me at this time... I use to like playing this course, the staff has always been great and it's got a decent layout with various challenges but the condition the course seems to be on down slide, currently it is "not good". Tee boxes have been neglected, a little beat up and the grass needs to be cut. The fairways aren't what they use to be, a lot of dead spots. The greens are kind of hit and miss, some are green and decent but others are fair at best... one green is really bad like it has blight or something. The sand is OK, a bit thin but playable, just not consistent. We went into the bar at 3:45 and it was closed... the air conditioning was off and no lights on so I'm not sure what's that all about. Over the years the course has dropped a bit in comparison to what it use to be but now it's in only fair condition. On the positive side there are specials online for cheap, like $22 which is a lot better than the $50 they get during the weekdays. Maybe some water and a bit of maintenance this course could get back to a decent playable course. For now I'd pass until the conditions improve.
The course is in excellent overall shape. They've spent some money making all kinds of improvements... sure there's still some work to do but it's in the best shape I've seen in a long time. We teed off at 7:00 am and it was a bit wet and there are quite a few bare spots on the sides of fairways almost like it's been killed off and in the process of renovation. The tee boxes are in almost immaculate condition, not many divots, d%mn near perfectly level... the downside is with it on the wet side the fertilizer or something is green and it gets on your club heads and turns anything painted white a greenish tint which should wash off but don't touch your shirt especially if it's white... hopefully that will wash out too... but probably the best tee boxes I've played in years. The greens were exceptionally smooth and just rolled so well... of course reading the greens can be tough, they say everything breaks towards the ocean which is generally true. Even the fairways were in great shape (except for the bare areas that they're working on), they seemed smoother and very lush. Now the sand left a little for desire but it was on the wet side and although the couple of traps I was in were wet they seemed very playable, just heavy... now another player in the group complained that a couple of traps seemed thin but I can't attest to that one, besides it's better to just stay out of the traps. Now one of the practice greens is under total renovation and not usable and I never made it to the driving range so no review.
At this time (August 26, 2016) I've got to highly recommend this course, it's in excellent overall shape and where else can you play for $42 with a cart and get oceans views, not to mention that it's always seems cooler with those ocean breezes.
At this time (August 26, 2016) I've got to highly recommend this course, it's in excellent overall shape and where else can you play for $42 with a cart and get oceans views, not to mention that it's always seems cooler with those ocean breezes.
07/09/16 Played at 1:00 on a Saturday which we got on the internet for a $25 special. There always seems to be a special if you book online. I like this course, it's a bit on the short side but it's got a variety of challenges. For the most part it's always in decent shape. The greens are green, no dead patches and roll fairly well given it's a public course. The fairways aren't the best, there are a number of thin spots throughout the course but nothing severe. The sand traps have decent quality sand, not many rocks and they're not thin so they're a fair test. Most of the time the pace of play is fairly good but weekends can get bit slow... today was 5 hour round but the weather was good, we had a nice breeze so very comfortable. Overall this is a good course to play especially if you can find a special.
Played 07/08/16 - I've always liked this course, it's usually in decent shape but today I was a bit disappointed. I haven't played Westridge in quite a while and maybe the drought is partially to blame because it's not as green as usual. The sand traps are in brutal shape... they definitely need some work, a lot of rocks and some seemed as hard as concrete... when you walk in and out without leaving any foot prints it makes me wonder why no up keep. Speed of play was OK, we played behind a tournament, there were two 3 person scrambles in front of us but they kept a decent pace of play considering the two groups playing together.
It was only $27 to play at 12:45 but I'd rather pay a little more for better conditions. Hopefully the conditions will improve soon.
It was only $27 to play at 12:45 but I'd rather pay a little more for better conditions. Hopefully the conditions will improve soon.
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