Played Oceanside Municipal on Monday, 9/21, teeing off @ 11:30AM as a foursome but reduced to a ‘three’ for the back nine. Play was S-L-O-W as we were subjected to extended waiting periods on many hol... Continue »

Played Oceanside Municipal on Monday, 9/21, teeing off @ 11:30AM as a foursome but reduced to a ‘three’ for the back nine. Play was S-L-O-W as we were subjected to extended waiting periods on many holes, front and back side. Total POP was exactly 4.5 hours but if felt more like a five-hour round. Was told by a regular that this is not usually the norm during the week and I hope he’s correct as I have little interest in making the one-hour drive, only to slog through a glacier-paced round. Moving beyond that, the course was in pretty solid shape. A few uneven lies on some tee boxes but, overall, they were in good condition. Par-3s were a different story, however…particularly #13, which was heavily sanded. Since it’s a short one-shot hole, the turf, understandably so, is easily torn up. Not unplayable though…and an indication that the divot issue is not going unnoticed by the maintenance crew. Fairways were healthy although some holes, as I found on a previous visit, are marred in certain areas. You may find your ball lying on bare dirt, despite being in the middle of the fairway…areas that should be marked GUR but that discussion is best saved for another day. As a result, thin lies are the norm, leaving no room for error on approach shots. Fringe areas were good and a bit greener compared to my initial visit in August. At that time, I noticed some hardpan areas surrounding the greens. Seems they’ve bounced back as the result of some additional watering. Greens, once again, were the highlight, despite rolling at a medium pace at best. Putts from above the hole can get away from you if you don’t pay attention but anything uphill had to be hit firmly. Was not in the rough so I can’t offer a comment in that regard. Bunkers were well-maintained and the sand was just ‘heavy’ enough to require a little speed to send the ball any distance. Approach shots grabbed and held nicely, which encouraged aggressive play, particularly when it came to partial shots in the 40-60 yard range. And there were very few ball marks to contend with, another thing I noticed back in August. As per my routine, I’ll fix a half-dozen or so on each hole but from a cosmetic point-of-view, the greens look much nicer than other courses I’ve played recently. Friendly staff and a relaxed vibe round out the picture and at $42.00 to walk, Oceanside provides a great value…especially when you factor in the playing conditions. I find it fun to play, yet it can be deceptively challenging, especially when the wind is up. They also have a couple of well-maintained practice putting greens that attract a fair amount of activity. If I lived nearby, THIS is where I would work on my putting. While it’s not as convenient to me as Admiral Baker, I’ve enjoyed getting to play Oceanside and expect to head up there again soon. Hopefully the POP will be more in line with what I’d like to see…somewhere closer to 4:15…but I suppose a late AM or early afternoon tee time does bring that 4:30+ POP into the picture.