First time off at 5:52am Monday. Thanks to the starter, we were able to play as a twosome, so no issues as to pace of play. I had concerns about running into back nine play, but didn't catch anyone ... Continue »

First time off at 5:52am Monday. Thanks to the starter, we were able to play as a twosome, so no issues as to pace of play. I had concerns about running into back nine play, but didn't catch anyone until #17, so we played in just a tick under three hours walking, a nice easy pace.

This course gets a lot of bad reviews, but I must admit that the greens were very good (those which had been mowed), the fairways were green and lush, although there were numerous bare patches, but generally nothing which became an issue. The rough went from bare to thin to US Open thick, depending upon where the ball ended up. Bunkers had plenty of sand and most were raked.

Say what you will about RSJ, but for $27 to play in South Orange County, it's a steal. Perfect morning, warm, overcast, with a nice breeze. The only annoyance was the number of geese - they were everywhere ! (And they left "gifts" wherever they went)

Played on Sunday, 5/27 with a mid morning round. Perfect golf weather with a slight breeze that came around in the afternoon.

The GOOD: Pace of play was at 4 hours with only minor waiting at a co... Continue »

Played on Sunday, 5/27 with a mid morning round. Perfect golf weather with a slight breeze that came around in the afternoon.

The GOOD: Pace of play was at 4 hours with only minor waiting at a couple of par 3s. The cart girl made a couple of visits on both nines, which shows attention to golfers. Bunker sand was adequate. Greens were in good condition and consistent speed. Able to donate to local charity with par 3 tee shot within a circle (I won the free sleeve of balls). Course wasn't that busy for a Sunday morning; business was picking up by the time we left after 1 pm.

The BAD: Tee boxes were mostly chewed up and divot scarred. No golf hole map to give Geese and bird droppings on greens and tee boxes. Two faint chalk circles on par 3 green with charity contest option. Poor signage direction at a couple of crisscrossing holes and coming back across road.

The UGLY: Hit the ball in the middle of the fairway on hole #1; center of the fairway looked more like it should have been circled for GUR. There was hardly any good green grass coverage in the fairway and it was better to hit in the scruffy rough to at least have consistent cushion under the ball. Knowing that the course golf ambassadors are the ones manning the charity hole, either have them have some type of cheat sheet on the charity or at least have the prize redeemed in the pro shop so that the pro shop can give a decent spiel on the charity. Saw two bird carcasses on a couple different fairways.

I know that I played this course several years ago and I should have given it a poor review. It doesn't look any better and it still deserves a STAY AWAY. If it wasn't for the group outing, I would not have played the course. Even if I lived nearby and could play a casual round to practice on my game for $10, it would not be worth it. I would be frustrated and depressed by the poor conditions to feel I could get anything worthwhile out of the play.

Played Friday afternoon, 5/18, teeing off 15mins ahead of our 1:00pm tee time on a cloudy, windy day, paired last-minute with another twosome. POP was 4 3/4 hours, waiting on most shots on each hole, ... Continue »

Played Friday afternoon, 5/18, teeing off 15mins ahead of our 1:00pm tee time on a cloudy, windy day, paired last-minute with another twosome. POP was 4 3/4 hours, waiting on most shots on each hole, but not backing up badly on the par 3s. Sometimes, I'm happy to tee off ahead of schedule. When I checked in at the pro shop immediately upon arriving, 20 minutes ahead of our tee time, I anticipated having a few minutes to practice putting and to warm-up, not being sent straight to the tee. So, be advised, as my playing partner later told me is typical here, to make sure you're 'ready to play' when you/your group pay in the pro shop. I last played here six weeks ago, which was a month after the greens were punched in March, when they were in very good shape. In spite of being 'rolled' earlier in the day, according to staff, they were now showing significant bumpiness. Greens were well-watered and held shots well, so I guess with an abundance of watering the grass growing in the aerated holes is thriving to a fault. Speed of greens were medium-paced. Everything else is about the same from my last visit in early April, representing a hodgepodge of grasses, cut lengths and firmness of turf in fair/good condition. We were nearly hit by errant shots twice. Cart girl was by a several times.

Played 4/26 early afternoon.
Greens were just okay, bumpy and slow. A few greens had what looked like tire tracks running through them. It was odd.
Fairways were pretty crappy. They should have bee... Continue »

Played 4/26 early afternoon.
Greens were just okay, bumpy and slow. A few greens had what looked like tire tracks running through them. It was odd.
Fairways were pretty crappy. They should have been marked as ground under repair on multiple holes.
Tee boxes were decent. Most were fairly level.
Round took over 5 hours

Played Monday, April 2nd, teeing off about on time at 1:22pm on a cool, cloudy day with mostly a 1-club wind. Our three were joined by a single. Play moved along pretty well until #13 on the back nine... Continue »

Played Monday, April 2nd, teeing off about on time at 1:22pm on a cool, cloudy day with mostly a 1-club wind. Our three were joined by a single. Play moved along pretty well until #13 on the back nine, then we waited on each hole until #18 tee. POP was 4hrs 30mins.

Friendly greeting by staff in the pro shop and starter. Fee was $35 for the senior rate, including a cart.

Greens were punched in early March and were very nice, pretty much 100% healed less than 4 weeks later. Ball rolled smoothly for the most part, and were medium/medium-fast at times. Held shots well.

White tee-boxes were mostly cut short and were very firm, a challenge to get the tee in some times. Very thin areas, but a few were lush. Unable to get a level area to tee off from on more than a handful of holes.

Fairways and rough were a hodge-podge once again. Mostly firm, decent roll-out, thin lies but patchy grasses all about. Did get some mud on the ball 1/2 dozen times.

Rough was long and sometimes spongy. Decent enough lies, but you needed to go at the ball with a sweeping angle of attack, else you'd pop 'em up, as our single found out repeatedly on #12.

Was in one bunker, but two swipes at it. My playing partners found them a bit more often. Overall, the sand was well-groomed and was fairly heavy-weight sand.

Aside from a few quirky features, the course provides a good challenge and some interesting holes. Greens can be very nice. I really need to figure out what clubs to hit on the uphill par 3s.

Played 3/5/18 just after they had sanded the greens the night before. Was extremely disappointed that we were not informed of this when we made our tee time. Have played here before for many years, bu... Continue »

Played 3/5/18 just after they had sanded the greens the night before. Was extremely disappointed that we were not informed of this when we made our tee time. Have played here before for many years, but the condition of the course was the worst I have ever been on. No grass in fairways, brown spots, etc. After recent rains I expected better conditions. Played on a discounted green fee and it was not worth it.

Even after I swore I'd never go back except for daybreak due to slow POP, as fate would have it I ended up back at RSJ with an 11:30 tee off. 3 holes in, 1:05 had passed, what was I thinking. Fortunat... Continue »

Even after I swore I'd never go back except for daybreak due to slow POP, as fate would have it I ended up back at RSJ with an 11:30 tee off. 3 holes in, 1:05 had passed, what was I thinking. Fortunately, things loosened up after that, and we completed the round in 4:30.

Greens are nice. Everything else is a pasture. It's a toss up on what you'll get more of in the fairways - grass or goose droppings. Dang they have a sheetload of geese and mudhens.

Still, for $30-$40 in SoCal, RSJ is almost as good as you can get. Decent place to go out and work on your game.

Played 11/7. I've played here a dozen times at least, but always as a sunrise round before going to work. Had a chance to get out for an 11:30 tee time.....HUGE MISTAKE! The pace of play was brutal. S... Continue »

Played 11/7. I've played here a dozen times at least, but always as a sunrise round before going to work. Had a chance to get out for an 11:30 tee time.....HUGE MISTAKE! The pace of play was brutal. Sat in #1 fairway for 15 minutes waiting to hit approach shot. The Par 3 second hole had a group on the green, group on the tee, group on the path between 1 and 2, and the group in front of us that just sat in their carts beside #1 green waiting.

Finally quit after 11 holes and 3.5 hours, as it was becoming apparent that a 6 hour round was very possible.

Hard to understand. This is a very straightforward course, almost no rough to slow play, very few hazards - no reason for the brutally slow play other than an overload of slow golfers.

I like the course, nothing special, but a fun course to play at a good price that is in decent condition. But man, I am never coming back here except for those early morning rounds.

Played here Monday for the first time ever. Friendly greeting by staff in the pro shop, who promptly told me about their 'club' to join for about $40/month. One of my playing partners is signed up for... Continue »

Played here Monday for the first time ever. Friendly greeting by staff in the pro shop, who promptly told me about their 'club' to join for about $40/month. One of my playing partners is signed up for it, and loves the free range ball deal. I did not join and paid $35 for the senior rate, including a cart.

Teed off about 12:40pm as a 4some and finished at 5:10pm, just after sunset on a good weather day for golf. Had short waits throughout, and a major bottleneck at the par3 8th that seemed to be the norm. 2.5hrs on the front, and about 2hrs on the back.

Regarding course conditions, very much agree with the previous review by jjrauen from September. As I was fore-warned by my playing partners on what to expect, I did not have high expectations, and they were met. Tees were a bit beat up, but mostly level.

Fairways and rough were a hodge-podge of good, short bermuda, longer kikuyu, plenty of thin areas and bare spots, lush areas, wet spots, weeds, etc. Something for everyone. Roll was sometimes good, but did end up with a muddy ball off the tee a handful of times. Usually had a decent lie. Rough for the most part wasn't too penal, not much longer than the fairways, and similar traits.

The undulating course is pretty wide-open, not that many trees, so people who spray it long off the tee typically weren't penalized too much. Water does come into play on a few holes, which helps makes it interesting. JJ is spot-on regarding sight-lines off the tees. It was helpful to have someone with local knowledge to help point me in the right direction.

Was in a few bunkers, and really liked the medium-weight sand. The base seemed to be about 1 1/2 inches below.

Thought the green complexes were by far the best part of the course. Greens ranged in size from medium to massive, with a few that had very interesting bowl-shape undulations designed into them. Pin placements Monday were near the bottom of the bowls, so long lag-putting offered several options/sides of approach to get the ball within 3 feet of the hole. Interesting. Greens held shots well enough, putted at medium/medium-slow pace, and break on many holes was accentuated due to this slow pace as the ball lost speed. Greens were mostly smooth, with some bumpy spots, as typical for a course getting so much play.

No cart lady, and very few drinking water options on the course, so stock up. Snack bar available at the turn. Marshal was seen a few times, and engaged with golfers.

All-in-all, a fun day on the course. There are just enough attractive, interesting and challenging holes here, to spice up an otherwise mundane tract to justify a return visit.