Played in the GK outing last weekend. First let me say I am an OK golfer and this course is a test of wits to say the least. It gets in your head and won't let go until you return to the club house.... Continue »

Played in the GK outing last weekend. First let me say I am an OK golfer and this course is a test of wits to say the least. It gets in your head and won't let go until you return to the club house. The first hole is easy enough and then it gets relentless. Every hole was a commute/trek. I felt like a punching bag and the course Manny Paquioa. Just when I thought I could handle this course LOL... it did a one-up on me. Not a long course just have to keep the ball fair and in play. Trust your clubs. Trust your shots. Otherwise you will play like I did -- poorly. I need to come back just to prove to myself I can still really play golf. You guys in the SD area are lucky to have a course and courses like this one in your back pocket.

OK for the golf conditions. Greens are great; they rolled true and on line. Fairways are a little thin but not by very much. A little burned out but that is to be expected with the area and the season. Everything -- meaning the fairways are green though. Rough is thick but not sticky. Play your shots with your head, not your heart and you should do fine. Course knowledge is key here a lot of blind shots and daunting ones at that. If you do not know the course I suggest getting a course guide. Been kicking myself about that little tip it would have helped me tons. Sand is a little on the thin side in some of the bunkers.

Pace of play was pretty fast and all groups finished pretty much around the same time. Thanks to Johnny and all who attended. Without you folks it would not have been a success. Thanks to the staff at Mt. Woodson... you guys did a fine job. Now to post some photos!

Mt. Woodson Golf Club Review
San Diego California Golf Course Reviews

Played in the GK outing yesterday and agree with comments by some of the other players and I'll just add that I thought the greens on the back were better than the front. The first couple of greens l... Continue »

Played in the GK outing yesterday and agree with comments by some of the other players and I'll just add that I thought the greens on the back were better than the front. The first couple of greens look like there's a fungus on something on it. Despite this I thought they were pretty fast considering, I'd say deceptively fast too. Pretty dry out here so if you didn't hit it in the middle of the fairway there was a good chance that you can catch a bad break and have it roll in the brush. There's not much rough to speak of and I really don't recall a lie that was buried. I did find a couple of bunkers and there was no sand in them, bladed all of them. Tee boxes were hit or miss. Some were good, others need some work. Staff was super helpful. I love the layout and I'll be back when it's a little better.

Mt. Woodson Golf Club Review
San Diego California Golf Course Reviews

Great GK event here. Everyone was in great spirits.
Course was unforgiving. Miscue on tee shots results in lost balls.
Felt like the greens on the back 9 was a bit faster and in better condit... Continue »

Great GK event here. Everyone was in great spirits.
Course was unforgiving. Miscue on tee shots results in lost balls.
Felt like the greens on the back 9 was a bit faster and in better conditions.
Bunkers were also inconsistent. I like the variety of shots required to play this course, although i struggled on some holes. Maybe that is partly from playing from blue tees where i am used to playing from white tees with slope ratings of 120's.

Customer service was professional. 19th hole was a bit confined. No Bev cart seen, although there were water stations along the course.

Overall, had a great time. Thanks to Greenskeeper.org anizers, and Gkers in general for a great time.

Mt. Woodson Golf Club Review
San Diego California Golf Course Reviews

Had a wonderful time at our 1st ever GKer event at Mt Woodson (6/2/2012). Other than me playing horrible (thankfully teammates carried me along) :) I am sooooo glad we made this one. Must add as wi... Continue »

Had a wonderful time at our 1st ever GKer event at Mt Woodson (6/2/2012). Other than me playing horrible (thankfully teammates carried me along) :) I am sooooo glad we made this one. Must add as with other reviews, was slightly disappointed in the condition of the course as well. Knowing Ramona is coming into their dry summer months, I still hoped the course was as nice as it was when we played a month ago (pristine!) . Bunkers were terrible/very inconsistent, most hard with minimal sand...certainly found myself in enough of them :(
Greens were nice, and rolled fast and true for the most part. Unfortunately divots left behind that people did not repair - was repairing at least 2 - 4 on most holes (but guess that's the norm these days). Blue tee boxes looked pretty thrashed, while the women's were 90% of the time, still in good shape. The wind really kicked up making this tough track even tougher. Fairways were also inconsistent, some fairly green with nice lies, others tight/thin, starting to brown out - which dictated the roll out toward each hole and how easy/difficult it was to hit off of. Rough was dry and scraggly, and didn't hold errant shots very well. Staff were very nice (as always). I don't understand why they don't schedule a cart girl for special events. There were 2 tournaments going on this day, so you'd think it would've been worth the trouble to hire someone. Also, my one other complaint - not all the ball washers had water (same ones each time we've played so I would have to guess they leak/need to be replaced). Cart path to the 2nd hole needs to be trimmed back a bit...some of the poison oak looked as though it was creeping back dangerously close. But -- Woodson is Woodson, and I don't want to commet too harshly. It is a challenge no matter how you look at it, BUT, it is a Wonderful track and everyone should play it at least once in their lifetime. The layout/sceneary/GREAT people make this one of my all time Favs! Kudos once again to Johnny, the cameraman, and the scorekeeper (and all others) that made this GKer event such a FUN one for these two first timers (dcricket and rstang06). Thank you! :)

Mt. Woodson Golf Club Review
San Diego California Golf Course Reviews

What a super event! Thank you to everyone that came. Second time at Mt.Woodson and despite the playing conditions not being up to our GK Event expectations (we really try to time these events in conju... Continue »

What a super event! Thank you to everyone that came. Second time at Mt.Woodson and despite the playing conditions not being up to our GK Event expectations (we really try to time these events in conjunction with a time of the year a golf course is in its peak condition – which Mt. Woodson was nowhere close too), the incredibly interesting layout and comfortable ambiance along with the terrific attitudes of the GK’ers playing, more than made up for it.

As far as playing conditions, it’s obvious this golf course is practicing significant water rationing. Thankfully they are making sure to keep the greens well watered as they were excellent in my opinion (mostly smooth, fast and held shots) with their only flaw being many un-repaired ball marks. As far as the fairways, I only saw a few that had more of a green appearance compared to most that were very light green and at times yellow. However they were very playable as the roots still seem healthy providing plenty of padding to compress the ball. The rough, adjacent to the fairways and often around the green complexes was very dry, crusty and a bit patchy. The combination of dry fairways and rough ended up making a tough target golf course even tougher because balls were more easily running through into the hazards. Regarding the bunkers, although I did not experience rocks or lose debris, the sand certainly needs replaced as it was very firm. The grooming around the bunkers needs to be cleaned up as well. Lastly regarding the tee boxes, considering how Mt. Woodson needs to prioritize their watering, how small the tee boxes are and the fact many players, like myself, play irons off the tee on the many short par 4’s – I don’t think its possible to maintain them nice. They simply take a brutal beating everyday and as such are consumed with divots.

Overall, normally I would not regularly play a golf course in the type of condition described above but given Mt. Woodson’s tremendous shot value, scenery and unique experience, I would put this course in my rotation if I lived closer.

Mt. Woodson Golf Club Review
San Diego California Golf Course Reviews

Had a great time out at Mt. Woodson yesterday with all the GKers. This has always been one of my favorite tracks in SoCal, but it's been many years since I've played here so I was looking forward to i... Continue »

Had a great time out at Mt. Woodson yesterday with all the GKers. This has always been one of my favorite tracks in SoCal, but it's been many years since I've played here so I was looking forward to it. The layout didn't disappoint. Just as tricky as I remember. The total yardage is short (keep in mind only three par-5 holes and five par-3 holes, which does skew the total yardage a bit), but there's plenty of challenge out there with all the crazy slopes, forced carries, well-placed bunkers and tough green complexes.

I was a little disappointed in the conditions. Tee boxes were a mixed bag. Some more sand than grass and others nice and green. I thought the greens were in good shape and for our group rolled true, though I heard others complain a bit about inconsistency. The fairways and rough were pretty dried out with a lot of bare spots and crunchy dry turf. I only had a couple of nice lies all day. The greenside bunkers could definitely use more (or softer) sand. With those deep faces, it was tough to get the ball up quickly enough. The staff was great, though a beverage cart would have been nice to have out there on a warm day.

But all in all, I think a fun time was had by all on this unique and memorable course!

Mt. Woodson Golf Club Review
San Diego California Golf Course Reviews

Played MT Woodson as part of the GK Event on 06/02. The course is in a very secluded and picturesque location. The holes are unique to each other and each offering challenge to the golfer. The course ... Continue »

Played MT Woodson as part of the GK Event on 06/02. The course is in a very secluded and picturesque location. The holes are unique to each other and each offering challenge to the golfer. The course itself is short in yardage but makes up for it in challenge. Playing from the blues for a high handicapper is going to be a daunting task, however from the forward tees this is a very female friendly course.

The greens were just okay in my opinion. Numerous times we saw the balls become quite bouncy with interesting hops along the way to the pin.

Bunkers were quite thin and would strongly suggest that they add more sand to all bunkers.

For those golfers looking for a golf outing that gets outside of the typical settings you find in Orange County this is a good course to put on your agenda.

Mt. Woodson Golf Club Review
San Diego California Golf Course Reviews

Decided to leave work early today in order to get a sneak peek at what's in store for the GK Event at Mt. Woodson this coming Saturday. Overall, the golf course is in good condition but, based on past... Continue »

Decided to leave work early today in order to get a sneak peek at what's in store for the GK Event at Mt. Woodson this coming Saturday. Overall, the golf course is in good condition but, based on past experience, not quite what I expected. Fairways are nice despite a few mounds that are brown rather than green. On the positive side, although some of these areas have been aerated in order to improve the water penetration/retention, there is turf to hit from; no thin spots where the grass hasn't filled in yet. However, there are some bare spots along the outer fringes of the rough that must be noted.

Greens are rolling true and at a medium-quick pace but, as is always the case at Mt. Woodson, putts must be struck on the correct line with the proper speed if you're going to make anything; there are very few straight putts to be found. Many subtle breaks abound which is where this golf course strikes back to make up for its' sub-5800 yard length. Keeping the ball in play is essential for good scoring; the player who attempts to overpower the course could be in for a shock at the end of the day. It's a layout where you can shoot 65 or 85...and the margin for error isn't that great.

A common issue I see addressed by other reviewers is the lack of proper ball mark repair by those who should know better; sadly, Mt. Woodson is not immune to this ongoing problem. I found myself fixing anywhere from 5-10 pitch marks on just about every green today and there was plenty of evidence of older marks that hadn't healed properly because they had been left unattended a few weeks ago.

Despite this caveat, the greens look healthy so it's obvious the maintenance staff is doing their best to keep the them in tip-top condition. There's only one that appeared under duress (#4) but I don't recall seeing any others in such a state. The greens held well, some shots backing up a few feet, but there were a few that felt firmer in certain spots and the ball reacted accordingly. Can't recall ever seeing this type of inconsistency before, especially within the confines of the same green.

Rough isn't long at all (1"-2") and the tendency today was for the ball to "sit up", which made greenside lob shots much easier to execute. Didn't encounter a single sand trap but hit a few practice shots out of the bunker on #18 and found the texture to be firm but manageable. Plenty of unraked footprints however; hope that isn't the case on Saturday.

Some tee boxes were in excellent shape...edge-to-edge turf and level...while others were in need of attention. A couple of the Par 3s seemed to feature more divot sand than turf and the two rear tees on the Par-4 fifth hole were closed, as there was evidence of some ongoing maintenance. The back tee on #8 is also an area in need of constant attention.

Overall, I'd have to rate course conditions at 6.5+ but, like all my reviews on this site, it's based on my own personal experience and standards so I call it like I see it while maintaining a degree of fairness. It could be that Mt. Woodson is in the middle of a transitionary period and that prime playing conditions are just a few weeks away. Still, we haven't experienced any adverse or extreme weather conditions in the last month so I'm at a loss as to why it doesn't rate an 8 or better.

Saturday is shaping up to be quite a day as there will be a few first-time participants in the GK Event and they couldn't have chosen a more unique or picturesque venue to join the "regulars". The golf course is in very playable condition and I'm sure there will be a few of you who may give it higher marks; I just feel that those who have played here in the past may echo the same sentiments I have expressed. Stay tuned.

Mt. Woodson Golf Club Review
San Diego California Golf Course Reviews

Just had to go back. Played here today (5/13 - Mother's Day), with my husband (rstang06) and son(his first time playing this course). We had a coupon for 2 and when we were checking in, was told by ... Continue »

Just had to go back. Played here today (5/13 - Mother's Day), with my husband (rstang06) and son(his first time playing this course). We had a coupon for 2 and when we were checking in, was told by the nice young man at the Pro Shop, I got to play for FREE!!! Yippee. Great being a Mom!! Course was pretty open so were able to tee off earlier than our scheduled 1:20pm tee time. Starter was very friendly (as is All the staff we've had the pleasure meeting). Dejavu from last time we played--GORGEOUS day, light to moderate winds, good tee boxes, greens were FAST & in quite nice shape, fairways still great - with a nice roll out on many, bunkers were better than last we played, heart pumping ride from hole 2 to 3 always gets the adrenaline flowing :) Again, reminder, Poison Oak and being in the wildersness don't go chasing balls in the deep rough - warm weather = chance of snake encounter; as is the case for many courses in this neck of the woods. Didn't see a cart lady on course, but there are water jugs (here and there) and most had some nice cold water, but make sure you bring a cold libation and snacks for the day to keep you goin. I can't get over the beauty and serenity of this course. It (and the Lady friendly part), make me wanna keep comin back! You can't shoot hard and fast at the greens as they'll roll right off the other side. I don't know how many times I played that stupid back and forth on/off game with the greens today. Need a little work on my chipping to get it up and on. Overall an EXCEPTIONAL day...and I couldn't complain about the price. ;) Pace of play was pretty good. a 4-some; 2-some, then our 3-some. The 3-some behind us seemed a little impatient, but there was no where for us to go. On this course there are several blind shots and it is hard to see if someone is up on the green ahead; so you could be asking yourself, "why isn't the group in front of us teeing off?"...a little patience on this course is needed otherwise you could hit someone-it's not a really long course. Did I mention patience is a virtue. Believe me...I'm alll about ready golf and decent pace of play :)
OBTW: They are now advertising "FREE Round of Golf on your Brithday" Just go to their website and sign-up. Also, they have a GREAT Special, Players Club discount for only $29 for the year.
Note: I sent an email (as indicated on the forum string about Free Golf) to let them know this course is now offering a Free Birthday round. Just trying to be a proactive GKer ;)
(Only lost 1 ball again today 18th hole - a Great thing!) Overall: A GREAT way to spend Mother's Day. Enjoy the course -- demanding but fun.

Mt. Woodson Golf Club Review
San Diego California Golf Course Reviews