Don't know if I've ever played out this way during "peak" time but I can see why some would travel and pay to do so. Firecliff was immaculate, I would... » More

Don't know if I've ever played out this way during "peak" time but I can see why some would travel and pay to do so. Firecliff was immaculate, I wouldn't change a single thing about the conditions. Everyone who worked there was helpful, polite and comfortable to deal with. The practice facilities made me wish I'd gotten there even earlier, and even the price for my Gatorade was reasonable.

The lack of houses and wonderful landscaping led to picturesque holes and while the layout has a couple of lulls in it, the course rightly deserves to be in any top 10 list of where to play in the desert.
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First time playing the Champions layout and I have to say that I had an almost visceral negative reaction to the Back 9 holes that they were starting ... » More

First time playing the Champions layout and I have to say that I had an almost visceral negative reaction to the Back 9 holes that they were starting groups out on that day. Frost delay caused a nearly 1 hour delay pushing my 10am tee time to nearly 11 as we sat around the 10th tee and chatted with the started for over a half an hour. By the time we teed off, the earlier warm up had gone cool and the whole group struggled with all the tilted, skinny, over bunkered and uninspired holes on the back 9. The front 9 felt a lot more open and natural and counterbalanced the back 9 - so overall - not a course I hate but would play the Legends and the course across the street every time before playing here again.

Both courses were open due to high demand and the starter said this would be the rare year that the courses actually made some money. Conditions of the greens were good - about as fast as I can stand greens with this many tiers. Fairways mostly good, we all had to move a ball occasionally due to mud or other problems. Beyond that, I would say that the course had so many places that should have been marked GUR that I'm not surprised they didn't bother. Use your judgement. Bunkers are big, deep and usually contain a puddle in them (starter said they don't drain) Where they aren't submerged, you hit from a 1 inch or less layer of damp sand.

Customer service was good but it's weird how nonchalant they can be about a one hour delay to somebody's tee time. They also were out of score cards and I guess didn't think to try anything other than saying "not our fault" when people continually asked for one. The flip side was that I told my sob story of driving 1.5 hours just to play golf here and take my score card as a memento of my visit and a manager took pity on me and walked down to his office and found one of the few remaining scorecards on the whole property for just me. (nobody else in my group got one) So, I personally have to say a big "Thank You!!" for that.
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Last time I played here it was summer and the course was beautiful and very lush. Now it's winter conditions and in a weird way it might be in "bette... » More

Last time I played here it was summer and the course was beautiful and very lush. Now it's winter conditions and in a weird way it might be in "better" shape than before. Ok, yes, it looks uglier with the fairways losing the green and yellowing - but the closer cropped fairways are a little less spongey, the ground is just a little firmer and the lies on them sit on top nicely. It seemed ideal whereas before maybe a little too doughy.

Greens are still fine, smooth and medium speed - not as pretty as I remember but just as good and as fast as you would want for how lumpy they can be. Rough is not as consistent as summer but not as needed because of the biggest difference.

Over the summer, the areas between fairways was chock full of a beautiful mix of plant life, visually striking but no way to find or play your ball. Now all that area is dead and trampled and more beautiful because you can find and play your ball (not that I had to, this time, of course).

The quality of the golf here keeps moving it up my list of where to play. It felt a bit pricey for playing during the week but the conditions help make up for it.
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Lumpy. Lot's of humps, bumps and lumps to be had a Glen Annie. When the round was over, the course had given my ego a bruised lump. Based on what I... » More

Lumpy. Lot's of humps, bumps and lumps to be had a Glen Annie. When the round was over, the course had given my ego a bruised lump. Based on what I had heard, I was expecting a more difficult course off the tee, but only a couple of holes felt unforgiving. The hilly course can play havoc with a mis-hit shots and the green complexes often require precision to give yourself a chance at par.

Conditions, I would describe at COVID fall/winter. Grass is turning brown and maintenince seemed a little behind. Fairways were fairly hard and fast and reminded me of hitting off a tilted driving range mat. Tee boxes looked like a grass range stall at the end of the day. I was in too many bunkers and they were a bit thin and a couple were a bit muddy. Greens seemed like they were as fast as they could be with all the tilted, tiered greens. While I saw punch marks, I never noticed the ball affected by them on my putts.

Would like a rematch with this course in the spring to see and play it with more grass. It seemed like a great course for the locals to play regularly and I'm looking forward to getting back here.
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Nary a tee time out by me, so my GKCup partner and I decided to check in on the reopening of this course. Chuck had played it 20 years ago and I neve... » More

Nary a tee time out by me, so my GKCup partner and I decided to check in on the reopening of this course. Chuck had played it 20 years ago and I never had. There is definitely a "work in progress" vibe here with heavy construction equipment grading the driving range area into a place for apartments.

Despite this, the course is in very playable shape with the greens being smooth and medium speed. The fairways a bit hard and dried out in spots but fine overall. Green side bunkers have been given more love than fairway bunkers as you would hope. As you leave the fairway, things start to get a bit random and ratty, but again, it's what you would expect for a course trying to start from what's most important and work it's way out.

What really shined for me, was the layout. Interesting variety of holes that had me going for par 5's, laying up on par 4's and telling my ball to "go!" on par 3's. I could see this course back in it's heyday being a real stunner. Any further improvements to the current conditions would wonderfully reveal more of it's past beauty.
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