Fortunate enough to get a late invite to play Hacienda again this past weekend and it was once again a tremendously beautiful challenge that never allows you to let your guard down from the first hole... Continue »

Fortunate enough to get a late invite to play Hacienda again this past weekend and it was once again a tremendously beautiful challenge that never allows you to let your guard down from the first hole until the last.

Good news - the practice area that was being redone last time I played at Hacienda is now finished, so there is a small but very nice driving range and practice greens near the clubhouse. This is a very important update to the club's amenities and it's been done really well.

The course itself is a masterclass of challenge. The distances are long, the carries are intimidating, the greens are lighting fast and the overall course conditions are just a shade under immaculate at the current time. It's just so easy here to get yourself into a tricky situation, and the solutions are rarely straightforward. The layout is divine and it throws everything at you at once.

Conditions, as previously stated, are near perfect, but a little summer has creeped in for a few spots on the course. But overall the fairways are beautiful carpet that are a treat to hit from, while the rough (recently mowed down thankfully) is still a beast. I made the mistake early of trying to get too much out of my long irons when I should have bitten the bullet and used an 8 smartly instead. The bunkers are in great shape and the tee boxes (we played from the V set of tees) were perfect - at least until I got through with them.

Greens are just insanely good and so difficult to get close. Shots (mostly chips) that seemed good would run out a mile and then you would be left with a 70ft downhill lag - good luck! I had three 3-putts on the front nine trying to figure out the speed, but finally settled down and only had one on the back - still not great! But the tiers and subtlety of the breaks is just perfect. It's a real test of putting that you won't find just anywhere.

Not being able to reliably use my driver makes this course incredibly tough but I'm looking forward to the next chance to get out there and take another crack at it. Every visit gives a little more course knowledge and you'll definitely need that at a place like Hacienda to be successful.

Fantastic old school course that ate my lunch. Got out as a reciprocal and they paired me with an employee as an ambassador. Wasn't too happy about that but he turned out to be a great guy with tons o... Continue »

Fantastic old school course that ate my lunch. Got out as a reciprocal and they paired me with an employee as an ambassador. Wasn't too happy about that but he turned out to be a great guy with tons of stories. It was pretty busy out there and the round took an unexpected 3.5 hours, so it was nice to have the company. This course is set to hold the 26 CA Amateur qualifier next month and I can see why. One of the longest 6,300 yd courses I ever played. Front nine had a plethora of 400+ par 4's. Kikuya fairways (no roll) and one inch of the grabbiest rough I ever played were brutal. All greens were surrounded by deep big-lipped bunkers, filled with perfect sand. Back nine suited my game a little better with shorter, more shot maker holes. The subtlety sloped greens had been small punched 10 days ago and putted just fine, my host said they are usually much faster and don't hold as well as they did. Can't imagine! Just a great 1920's course with no gimmicks and well thought out holes. A real treat if you ever get the chance.

Fortunate enough to get my second-ever invite to play Hacienda this past week and I was thrilled for the opportunity to make good after my first-ever visit back in 2015 was an absolute tragedy on the ... Continue »

Fortunate enough to get my second-ever invite to play Hacienda this past week and I was thrilled for the opportunity to make good after my first-ever visit back in 2015 was an absolute tragedy on the scorecard. Still new to the game, I was in no position to tackle a course as challenging as Hacienda, but this time around I knew it would be much better. If you've never played here before, it's hard to describe how this superb track just kind of jumps out of nowhere at you in La Habra Heights. Your drive there makes you forget you're in the heart of Los Angeles, and then all of a sudden the property hits you. From the first hole until the last it's a completely wild ride. There's not a single 'easy' hole on this course and each has its own difficulty and risk-reward scenario. There are some significant carries on a lot of holes, one of the most tricky par 3s you'll ever play (the 16th) and enough elevations and blind shots to make you question your sanity. But it's oh so good to experience. The course looks immaculate when you pull into the parking lot, however I must admit that while the greens did roll very fast and were very challenging, the surfaces themselves were a little bit weathered and there were some strange color disparities from green to green. I wouldn't say it affected the smooth roll too much, but on a few holes there was trepidation as to how much these imperfections would impact the ball. Luckily it wasn't too bad, but optically things could definitely be a bit better. The rest of the course is fantastic. We played from the blue (V) tees and every tee box was in perfect shape, although some are quite small and tucked away in very awkward spots - did I mention this course was tough? The fairways are beautiful green carpet like you would expect from a private course of this caliber, and the rough was a very nice challenge if you missed said fairways. It varied in length but there were some very penal spots and fescue areas that will provide incredibly tricky outs. The bunkers were in pretty prime shape although I somehow managed to avoid every single one of them. The carts were incredibly plush and comfortable however there is no GPS on them - not shocking for clubs where they mostly encourage walking. No cart service but a very well stocked snack, food and beverage shack right at the 10th tee box. Everything you need can be found there. Also, if you've been there before, the driving range is quite small with only about ten stalls, but this past week it was closed altogether as right next to it is heavy construction as they removed the pool that was there before and are replacing the area with a very nice pitching and chipping practice area. So did I fix my past woes? Not exactly ... I was 18 shots better than my first visit though so that's showing something, but still did not play well enough to be pleased with the final outcome. I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and hope to get another invite to play here again.

I played in a SCGA Member Outing at Hacienda CC yesterday. I've played here four times now and what can I say, this is my favorite CC that I've had the pleasure of playing. It's always in gorgeous con... Continue »

I played in a SCGA Member Outing at Hacienda CC yesterday. I've played here four times now and what can I say, this is my favorite CC that I've had the pleasure of playing. It's always in gorgeous condition in all aspects of the game. The greens are undulated, lighting fast and really tough to figure out. This course is a true test for the average player. If you are lucky to have the chance to play here, DO IT, you won't be disappointed.

Played today with a former colleague who is a member. Having played here many years ago I remembered nothing of that experience as the course had been renovated a few years back. So it was like I had ... Continue »

Played today with a former colleague who is a member. Having played here many years ago I remembered nothing of that experience as the course had been renovated a few years back. So it was like I had never played here before. Driving in I was afraid I was going to come around a corner and see someone coming at me. Not the greatest road I have ever traveled to get to a premier private course. But once safely in the parking lot and the attendant coming out to pick up my bag and showing me were to go to check in I began to feel like a member. Tremendous customer service from all encountered. The course is beautiful and set in such a great part of the hills in LaHabra. Quite, pristine and relaxing would be descriptions I would use as you play. And I am thankful I had a member to direct me throughout the round as it is really needed. Its also hard to believe this course has been here since the 1920's and try to imagine them building such a great golf course on this land at that time. What an accomplishment. From tee to green and hole to hole, this place is wonderful. Wonderful manicured tee boxes and lush fairways are greeting you on every hole. Traps are well stocked but very playable. Greens were around 11 and chipped, putted just great the whole round but 3 putts are just waiting for you. Rough and OB are very penal. The out of bounds is something that could give one nightmares IMO. And waiting for you at the end is a beautiful clubhouse sitting on top of a hill with views of the surrounding course and amazing homes. If you have the chance to play this course do it.

Played in the final SCGA member outing today at the hallowed Hacienda Golf Club. A true hidden gem of a club, and a fantastic course. I had heard people say if you get to do one SCGA a year try to mak... Continue »

Played in the final SCGA member outing today at the hallowed Hacienda Golf Club. A true hidden gem of a club, and a fantastic course. I had heard people say if you get to do one SCGA a year try to make it Hacienda. The yearly event usually sells out within minutes, not sure how I got a slot but I am sure glad I did. This place is truly a special experience that I will never forget.

The clubhouse sits atop of the course and you can reasonably see a majority of the course by looking down. The pro shop is top notch and the locker room has that classic private feel to it. If you live close and have the means to join, this is the club you absolutely should consider.

The course right now is in very good shape. The greens are incredible, perfect in my opinion, held and rolled true. The fairways are being worked on in a couple low spots, but nothing to complain about. The sand traps, which have lips like I have never seen are great, a little wet from the rain the night before but they dried throughout the morning. The tee boxes were as good as you could ask for.

Overall, the experience was well worth it. I highly recommend this place if you get the chance.

Was invited to play Hacienda on 4/15/22. Heard incredible things about this course and it did not disappoint. Instantly, one of my favorite courses in Southern California.

The layout was near per... Continue »

Was invited to play Hacienda on 4/15/22. Heard incredible things about this course and it did not disappoint. Instantly, one of my favorite courses in Southern California.

The layout was near perfect, very challenging but playable. I would highly advise playing the correct tees on this course because it makes a HUGE difference. We played the blues and two guys in our group probably would have been better served playing whites.

The greens were rolling 11.5 today so basically you couldn't find yourself above the hole and not 3 putt. the green rolled so true near perfection.

while the rough was thick, it was very grabby and you had to pick it clean to get it going.

the staff was incredible nice and it was cool to use the guest lockers, made me feel like a million bucks! lol

if you get the opportunity, run dont' walk to Hacienda!!!

Had an afternoon, after work tee time (1:30) on a Friday. That's when the member/friend could be there. Weather was perfect. I've always wanted to play the course but didn't know any members until my ... Continue »

Had an afternoon, after work tee time (1:30) on a Friday. That's when the member/friend could be there. Weather was perfect. I've always wanted to play the course but didn't know any members until my friend joined recently. So, I was excited. Approaching the course through the winding roads that lead up to the clubhouse you start to see some of the fairways. It is absolutely beautiful from afar and even more stunning up close. There seemed to not be one blade of grass out of place. The staff started to treat us like royalty as soon as they knew we were invited guest. Every member and staff we encountered were friendly and (5) star professional. The course is narrow but reasonable. If you are playing well you won’t have any problems getting off the tees and the par 5s are reachable with good tee shots. The greens were reported to be rolling at an 11 but I didn’t think they were quite that fast. However, they were in great condition and rolled true. Very fun course. Not stupid difficult but not boringly easy either. Bunkers were sandy and not dirt hard. Course record is still held by the GOAT back when he was a puppy. You’ll enjoy this hidden gem. Even at the $143 green fee for guest.

Got the opportunity to play Hacienda today, I had heard really good things about this place and it lived up to the expectations. Course is lush, in top notch condition. What a great design with such a... Continue »

Got the opportunity to play Hacienda today, I had heard really good things about this place and it lived up to the expectations. Course is lush, in top notch condition. What a great design with such a variety of holes. Greens are amazing, bent grass, sign said 10.5 but everyone in the group felt they were a touch faster. Really no complaints, such a hidden gem back there, would love to play here on the regular if I could. Clubhouse is set up on top of a hill with a great view. Felt like a mini-riviera out there. Highly recommend if you ever have the opportunity.