I joined JusGas88 at Tulare with a late morning tee time. Overall the course was in Ok condition maybe a tad under average muni shape. The staff is... » More

I joined JusGas88 at Tulare with a late morning tee time. Overall the course was in Ok condition maybe a tad under average muni shape. The staff is excellent that’s for sure. They are very friendly and helpful in all aspects of customer service. There has been a lot of work put into the clubhouse and surrounding area (horse shoe pit, outdoor patio) and they are working on the course itself. There will be a new water hazard going in along the inner elbow of the dog leg of the par 5 second hole. That will be very cool.

The green on the par 3 seventh hole has been reshaped since last time and is now a nice two tier green instead of the previous ridiculous super steep sloping green they had there before.

Condition wise, the fairways were really the weak link. Fairways were thin, patchy and had numerous dirt areas throughout. Tee boxes were ok. Most were level with decent coverage and minimal divots. I avoided all bunkers but others were in handful and the traps and minimal sand. Mainly hardbacked dirt with a thin layer of sand.

Greens weren’t too bad. Most rolled fairly smooth, though a few were a little bumpy. Greens rolled at a medium-slow pace. I played at Ridge Creek yesterday which had the greens rolling at their usual medium-fast pace so the greens today at Tulare felt very slow.

POP was at about 4.5 hours which for a Saturday morning I imagine is about right. Carts don’t have GPS but are otherwise in excellent condition with some of the plushest seats you’ll find anywhere. Conditions are bare minimum, but the family running the place are so nice and the price is right so I’m going to try and make it a point to get out here more often and support them.
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I've played Hunter Ranch a couple times in the last couple of weeks. First, walking in the early AM with RGM2525 and then taking a cart mid morning y... » More

I've played Hunter Ranch a couple times in the last couple of weeks. First, walking in the early AM with RGM2525 and then taking a cart mid morning yesterday. Course is in great shape right now. Greens are fantastic rolling super smooth at a nice fast pace. Fairways are nice and lush and out of winter thin condition.

Last week the maintenance crew were out replacing the turf around greens in what I call the skirt area. Chipping from off the green is now a pleasure! Bunkers have high quality sand in them and where has the last couple times they had tee markers on the extreme edges to let the prime areas recover, yesterday the tee markers were back in "normal" locations with the grass being nice and lush.

I don't know if I'll be able to get back out to Hunter Ranch in the next month before heading down to San Diego for a week of golf in mid June, but I'm certainly going to try. It's a great layout and conditions are excellent. We had lunch in the restaurant last week, and no complaints there at all. In fact, often the parking lot is full just from the restaurant goers.
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I finally made it out to DeLaveaga on Wednesday. I got a gift card for this track about a year ago and just hadn’t made it out yet. My wife has pla... » More

I finally made it out to DeLaveaga on Wednesday. I got a gift card for this track about a year ago and just hadn’t made it out yet. My wife has played it a couple of times and she thoroughly enjoys it. So off I went on a picture perfect day with temps in the 70’s and absolutely NO wind.

This is a muni course where locals hang out and just about everyone on the course knew each other. I get the feeling that it just as much social as it is golf there. My wife forewarned me as I was getting my outfit together, that don’t be surprised if I run into people in jeans and tee shirts.

Now, I’m a golf snob when it comes to dress codes on the golf course. I get it. But what I experienced was beyond belief. The “well dressed” member of the group was in a clean and pressed “Cancun” Mexico tourist tee shirt to go with his gardening cargo shorts. It went from there all the way down to a battered, dirty tank top with some 25 year old surfer shorts that looked like they were eaten by a shark and spit out!

As far as etiquette? Two of the members never stopped talking the entire round to include during my swing and while putting for birdie. Basically, think of Santa Cruz in the 60’s and you get the gest of the type of people who hang out at DeLaveaga.

Staff in the pro shop were super friendly and helpful to include changing my tee time Tuesday morning from that day to Wednesday so that I wouldn’t be on the phone during the entire round as I had some business to take care of.

Course layout is fun. Set in the Santa Cruz forest with only a few houses around. Oddly, for being a mountain course, there wasn’t that much elevation change. A little here and there but nothing drastic. I walked and it was an easy walk. The course has a lot of unique holes but nothing gimmicky. Luckily I had the help from one of the locals to help navigate the doglegs.

Condition wise, the greens were awesome. They rolled very smooth at a fast pace. Most greens were docile but a couple were double tiered. Fairways were the leak part. Thin coverage for the most part but playable. Think winter thin muni. Bunkers were thin as well. Tee boxes were average at best.

Given the conditions, I don’t think the $60 to walk price tag is justified, but it’s not far off. I’m glad went and played it. And yes I’ll be back. I forgot my gift card at home so I have to go back and play. Next time, I’ll take my mountain bike with me and go for a nice ride before/after the round and place less emphasis on the golf.
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Played on Tuesday 4/26 and greens are still a long way from being fully healed from recent aeration. All of the greens still had large holes and were... » More

Played on Tuesday 4/26 and greens are still a long way from being fully healed from recent aeration. All of the greens still had large holes and were bumpy. Greens rolled slow and bumpy for sure, especially compared to the perfect smooth and fast greens the day before at Hunter Ranch. Greens at Dragonfly will still need another couple of weeks before they are playable and then another week or so after that before being fully healed.

Fairways were in good shape. Fairly lush and green throughout. Sand traps were in real nice shape. Tee boxes were so so. Some were unlevel and had multiple divots.

Course was quiet so POP wasn't an issue.
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Quick update. JusGas88 and I played today and the greens have been sanded. They are still easily about 2-3 weeks out from full recovery. Rest of th... » More

Quick update. JusGas88 and I played today and the greens have been sanded. They are still easily about 2-3 weeks out from full recovery. Rest of the course is the same as my last review.

With cooler temps and even some slight rain drops on a couple of holes, we pretty much had the place to ourselves. $30 to walk is doable but $47 with a cart is a bit steep.
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