I finished my marathon of golf in July with a course that is in my top 5 out of the 512 courses I have played in my 43 years of "looking for my ball", Rams Hill. The only 9 is the fairways. 10's all a... Continue »

I finished my marathon of golf in July with a course that is in my top 5 out of the 512 courses I have played in my 43 years of "looking for my ball", Rams Hill. The only 9 is the fairways. 10's all around. Regarding fairways, I admit I am spoiled. The best fairways are in Japan where the 4 seater carts never go in the fairways. But given the fact that carts ride in the fairways at Rams Hill the fairways are in wonderful shape. It is like playing on carpet. I felt bad for taking a divot and running out of sand fill. The greens are slow this time of year. They run at a 9 on the stimp meter. The ball rolled so true. You just have to give it a little extra. The staff is friendly. I received electro-lite powder, shaved ice, and frozen grapes while playing. Perfect in the 110 degree heat. The game is definitely easier when conditions are this nice.

Played 6/28/26 8:40 $97 POP 4:10. Course is in over all great condition. Fairways had mostly full coverage. Cut tight & playing firm, but soft enough under for great ball striking. Fairways were olive... Continue »

Played 6/28/26 8:40 $97 POP 4:10. Course is in over all great condition. Fairways had mostly full coverage. Cut tight & playing firm, but soft enough under for great ball striking. Fairways were olive green to slightly yellow color. Some fairways had many brown areas along with an occasional small dead area. Mostly caused no playing issues and were over all in very good shape. Greens were firm and fast. They were claiming 10.5 and were every bit of that. Getting line and pace is really tough with those speeds, but they rolled very smoothly. These greens are the real deal! I hit three greens that I thought would be good shots, only to have the balls roll off and into collection areas. I was playing solo with no one behind and would occasionally hit a extra ball to some of the greens for fun. I hit 4 onto the 14th green trying different landing locations and NONE of them would stay on the green. The 11th fairway is a down hill par 5 with a strong slope left into water. Any ball hit to the center of the fairway has better than average chance of running down the slope and into the water. The wind starting nuking after 11am at @25+ and made the greens and fairways even trickier. Instead of tacos they give out a free shave ice at the turn or at 14. Temps were in the mid 80s and beautiful. Fantastic course in very good to great condition. Easy recommend.

Played in the Clash at Rams Hill two weeks ago. It was a two-day, two-man tournament run by Rams Hill. Friday we were invited to the very exclusive Borrego Springs yacht club for opening drinks. They ... Continue »

Played in the Clash at Rams Hill two weeks ago. It was a two-day, two-man tournament run by Rams Hill. Friday we were invited to the very exclusive Borrego Springs yacht club for opening drinks. They hat the TGL LAGC simulator truck running a closest to the pin competition as well as drinks and snacks.

This is the first time I have played the course since they decided to be year-round, and man, the course still looked great. Temps were in the 100s, but the course was still lush and playing great.

Tees, Fairways, Rough, and sand were in great condition with only a small amount of browning locations scattered across the course, but those were few and far between. Greens were the highlight as usual, firm and fast yet healthy. Good roll with no bumps or divots despite having two full days of competition.

It's still a drive to play out here, but given the cheaper rate in the summmer its worth playing if you can handle the heat.

PS - The free tacos and Carmel Apple Cookie are the bomb.

Took advantage of a ‘Golf Now’ Hot Deal and headed out to Rams Hill on Thursday. The savings were noteworthy…$50.00 off the rack rate…which I found too tempting to resist. Weather forecast pointed to ... Continue »

Took advantage of a ‘Golf Now’ Hot Deal and headed out to Rams Hill on Thursday. The savings were noteworthy…$50.00 off the rack rate…which I found too tempting to resist. Weather forecast pointed to a high temperature of 92 with 17% humidity and just a breath of wind. The day before Halloween? Sign me up! Absolutely love the layout…can’t say enough good things about Fazio’s redesign vs. Ted Robinson’s original routing. I have more fun playing here than anywhere else in Southern California and couldn’t wait to see what kind of shape it was in since their maintenance process was completed back in July/August. Well, the golf course is in impeccable condition. Full coverage on the tee boxes and fairways, relatively short yet healthy rough, consistent sand to play out of, and greens that I feel are the best around. This combination is about as good as it gets. And speaking of the greens, they are beginning to soften up compared to my experience earlier this summer. Shots were stopping right by their ball mark, which meant a more aggressive approach into the pin locations could be undertaken compared to May/June. But don’t be fooled…the greens rolled at a posted ‘12’ on the Stimp…and were every bit that quick and smooth as glass. Yet, nothing outrageous…totally fair…even with the challenging contours one must navigate if on the wrong side of the hole. The new surfaces are definitely sturdier than the ones they replaced. I can’t recall seeing a course with so few ball marks…you literally had to search for them…despite being so receptive. They are indeed a pleasure to putt on. Also want to mention the fairways; they’re cut short and tight lies are the order of the day. Solid contact produced shots with the proper amount of spin, which assisted in controlling shot trajectory/distance. It is so satisfying to flush fairway woods off this turf. Customer service level continues to shine. As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, everyone is committed to guaranteeing one’s experience exceeds all expectations. So many courses talk about providing that type of vibe yet far too many of them fall short. Not so at Rams Hill. So I walked away with another positive memory, which was boosted by a solid ball-striking round (it’s about time), and being paired up with three other guys who were great company. I’m looking forward to a couple more visits planned for December but wouldn’t be surprised to find myself out there again this month. Weather will be much different…or maybe not…but I expect playing conditions to be top-notch if the course continues to be treated with this level of TLC.

1Plus1 was on the money with his 6/25 review. I played 6/27 at 7:00. Went right out, nobody in front or behind. Everybody likes to feel like they stole something(legally) once in awhile. After our... Continue »

1Plus1 was on the money with his 6/25 review. I played 6/27 at 7:00. Went right out, nobody in front or behind. Everybody likes to feel like they stole something(legally) once in awhile. After our first 18(in 2.5 hours) we were listening for sirens. Another 18 later and we were sure the cuffs were waiting for us at the clubhouse. Just couldn't resist another 14. I'll admit an is a factor for me, but quantity with this quality just doesn't happen that often. Been playing summer desert golf for a long time and this was the best conditioned course for darn near July I can remember. Plus, it is an extremely fun track. Add in the reasonably priced and delicious food and beverage and the outstanding customer service and I still can't figure how there were only ten groups on the course. As 1plus said, the course is closed 7/7-17. I'm not sure I can stay away no matter how hot it gets. Water and ice machines on the course - use 'em.

Getting a bit repetitious here but with a high temperature forecast to be a mere 95 degrees, I headed out to Rams Hill yesterday, just six days removed from my last visit…and 112 degree heat. I simply... Continue »

Getting a bit repetitious here but with a high temperature forecast to be a mere 95 degrees, I headed out to Rams Hill yesterday, just six days removed from my last visit…and 112 degree heat. I simply could not pass up the opportunity to play on such a benign mid-June day so it was a very easy call. Course is still in good shape but there are some isolated areas showing signs of slight heat stress. Nothing widespread but I did notice a couple of spots here and there…predominantly on the perimeter of the fairways…that may need some attention. With that being said, the maintenance crew was out in force when I teed off @ 11:30 and a couple of fairways were being watered as I approached. I expect things to dry out a bit as we get deeper into the summer but it appears the staff is committed to maintaining conditions at a high level. Tee boxes and fairways were great; laser-sharp level platforms to tee off from and the Par-3s are not torn up with a bunch of old divots. You’ve basically got a ‘blank canvas’ to work with and the turf is cut tight. The greens…which I consider the true highlight of the course, both in design, scope, and condition…were once again flawless. 11.0 was the posted Stimp and they were pretty quick. I’m definitely getting spoiled out here; I’m not used to seeing the ball track exactly along its line…and the consistent green speed that carries over from one hole to the next is something that cannot be overlooked either. As I’ve alluded to in my previous two reviews, the putting surfaces are quite firm but will be aerated as part of an extended maintenance period that will run from July 7-17, with the golf course remaining closed during that time frame. There is a secondary maintenance period scheduled for August 11-13 that will be less aggressive but it’s just another indication that management is ‘all in’ on making Rams Hill a ‘must play’ destination course. Unless another sub-100 degree day pops up over the next couple,of months, it may be a while before I get to play here again. December is already on the calendar, however, and I’m looking forward to seeing how different the course plays…and looks…at that time.

Made a return trip to Rams Hill (played there on Memorial Day) to take advantage of their generous FREE Birthday Round offer…and the course is in very solid shape.

Had a most enjoyable time as my d... Continue »

Made a return trip to Rams Hill (played there on Memorial Day) to take advantage of their generous FREE Birthday Round offer…and the course is in very solid shape.

Had a most enjoyable time as my daughter played alongside me. The course was empty…temperature hit 112 degrees as we finished up the round…so we were able to adopt and maintain a relaxed, leisurely pace from the opening hole.

Won’t get into much detail here…my previous review still stands on all accounts…but I thought the conditions may have been a notch higher. They’re keeping the course watered as we encountered a couple of fairways and areas short of the greens that were damp from a recent dousing. The end result? Healthy turf that provided excellent lies to hit from.

Fairways didn’t play as fast as they did on Memorial Day but we still saw some roll out. Coloring is a healthy green with no signs of any burn-outs and the rough was in good shape as well. Bunkers are well-maintained but due to the heavy sand, it’s tough to get an appreciable amount of spin on the ball as it has a tendency to ‘settle’ in the sand.

Greens still firm but playable; you must take that into account when deciding where to land your approach shot. Going long into the back fringe areas of these sloping greens will really test your resolve and short game shot-making skills so distance control is a must.

Putting-wise, as was the case a few weeks ago, they were awesome. Devoid of ball marks and smooth as glass, the posted Stimp number was 11.5. Didn’t feel overly quick but you most certainly must respect the sloping, downhill putt.

Tee boxes were a bit softer this time around, which was a welcome improvement. The aeration that’s taken place since the end of May has helped alleviate that issue.

Had new woods and wedges…and golf ball…in the bag since that last round so I was able to make a fair comparison between the ‘Old vs. New’. Happy to report the upgrades provided some measurable improvement from the tees/fairways and around the greens. That will make the upcoming credit card bill somewhat easier to digest. Maybe…maybe not.

I’d like to close by thanking Rams Hill for continuing to take a proactive approach to providing the best possible experience to their customers. From course conditions to the positive vibe exuded by their staff, they’re doing an excellent job. Already looking forward to my next round.

I played today on their birthday special. A great deal indeed. 1PLUS1 nailed it in his review of 5/27 and I cannot do any better. I concur with his post so please read it should you be going to play h... Continue »

I played today on their birthday special. A great deal indeed. 1PLUS1 nailed it in his review of 5/27 and I cannot do any better. I concur with his post so please read it should you be going to play here. I had not played here in several years as well and what they have done since is just spectacular IMO. This time I stayed overnight in PS after playing The Stadium course rather than drive 350 miles in one day for a round of golf. So a short drive from PS to Rams Hill with a chance for breakfast and warm up was ideal. Had a great weather day and a great round of golf as well. Its a great venue and even though I had a free round I would still pay to play here. And when it comes to customer service Rams Hill has it covered in all areas hands down. HIGHLY recommended.

First round here since the end-of-year GK Event in 2016…and subsequent expansive/ambitious turf project that was initiated in 2023…so I’m long overdue for an extended review. Decided to take advanta... Continue »

First round here since the end-of-year GK Event in 2016…and subsequent expansive/ambitious turf project that was initiated in 2023…so I’m long overdue for an extended review. Decided to take advantage of an attractive Memorial Day promotion…along with ideal weather conditions…so I made the trek from San Diego with equal parts anticipation and trepidation. Overall, course conditions were solid, especially when taking into account the relative ‘newness’ of it all. While there were some isolated, very small patches of sand in a couple of fairways where the turf was bare, I didn’t encounter any lies that ‘compromised’ my ability to strike the ball. Seems they’re continuing to fine-tune things so I’m more than willing to grant some slack in that regard. Took a little effort to tee the ball at my preferred driver height as the tee boxes were very firm. A few did show signs of recent aeration but I opted to employ my shorter ‘iron tees’ when necessary. Fairway coverage, other than the occasional bare spot, was good. Had consistently healthy lies the entire day but I think the turf may need a little more seasoning. Had no issues at all regarding club-head-to-turf interaction as I was easily able to create some nice divots. Rough was relatively short and somewhat wispy but with full coverage. You might find the golf ball might sitting up one time but settled down just a bit the next. Gives the option of still going for the green rather than having to hack the ball out into the fairway, which is a nice feature of this thin-bladed grass. Was in one bunker for the day and found the sand a touch heavier and not quite as firm as I’m used to. One thing you cannot do here is ‘quit’ on the shot; keeping the speed up and using plenty of bounce is the key to success. What really caught my attention was the greens: they were absolutely flawless. Still on the firm side…it took some effort to locate my ball marks…but putting was akin to rolling a ball on a pool table. While I expected to see putts roll at a quicker pace…I’d characterize the speed as medium-plus at best…I haven’t played on greens this true and consistent in quite a long time. Given the firmness of the greens, firing at the pin was a basic no-go. It wasn’t like hitting to concrete-hard surfaces…I was able to get some wedge approaches to settle down within ten feet of their ball mark while longer irons rolled out a few more feet…so I found myself playing for the front third of the green when the pin was located in the middle of the green and mid-point if it was towards the back. When pitching from the fringes, I was able to impart a good amount of spin on the ball…lies were tight…but made sure to allow a little more run out, especially when forced to navigate the slopes on the greens. In closing, I would be remiss if I didn’t allude to the outgoing and personable staff: from the gate person to the bag drop/cart attendants to the snack bar and restaurant employees…they are the best. Each and every one I encountered seems to genuinely enjoy their job. The golf course stands on its’ own merit but the people here elevate the experience to another level.