A couple days late (played Saturday 1/18) but better now than never...

Nestled into the hills of Fallbrook within the confines of the Sycamore Ranch housing community, The Golf Club of California i... Continue »

A couple days late (played Saturday 1/18) but better now than never...

Nestled into the hills of Fallbrook within the confines of the Sycamore Ranch housing community, The Golf Club of California is a hidden gem of a course. Having experienced some trying times both economically and membership-wise, the once "destined-to-be-private" club appears to have steadied the ship and is open for public access at very reasonable rates.

Designed by Wade Cable and former PGA touring pro, circa 1960s, Johnny Pott, what you have here is a layout carved from the natural rolling terrain with a number of elevation changes to keep things honest. There are plenty of flat lies to be found but there's also enough slope to some of the fairways to warrant your attention. It's a layout that gives one the impression very little earth was moved in order to arrive at the finished product.

Offering five sets of tees, as well as a composite routing, The GC of California provides plenty of variety and options to suit a wide range of players. The inclusion of 'Combo Tees' is a nice touch and something I'd like to see at other courses with multiple teeing zones. The Mens' Combo (6619 yards) falls right in between the Blue/Black yardage (6467/6828) and they didn't ignore the girls either: two sets of ladies' tees are on the card...5011 and 5304 yards, respectively...with the option to play a Ladies' Combo that stretches out to 5585 yards.

Typical of courses in this area, environmentally sensitive areas abound and must be avoided. As a result, some holes are narrow, most notably, #1, where precision off the tee is the main objective. Given the fact some of the fairways slope towards these hazards makes those tee shots even more challenging.

Conversely, there are a number of holes where the fairways are wide enough for you to take driver without a second thought and this further adds to the appeal of the golf course. This is one course where you'll probably hit every club in your bag that day. It boasts a fine variety of holes to challenge the single-digit player without beating up those who still aspire to reach that plateau.

And speaking of plateaus, the greens can be quite constrictive in certain areas so familiarity with the layout is a definite advantage. False fronts, 'pockets' of greens defined by fault lines and slopes, subtle yet influential undulations...they all have to be considered before firing at the pin, especially if the locations are as brutal (Pin Sheet #9) as they were on Saturday. That being said, there was nothing unfair about it...well, it may have been borderline on a couple of holes...but if you know how the green is designed then you simply hit the right shot or face the consequences.

I found the overall playing conditions to be very good with little to take issue with. Tee boxes were level and in good shape with the expected sand-filled divots on the Par 3s. Fairways are dormant (I see fewer courses bothering with the expense of overseeding these days) and although not uniformly green, the turf quality was excellent. Be forewarned, however...the lies are tight so if you're looking for a cushy lie you won't find it here. As a result, the fairways play fast, although there were some spots where I picked up some mud on the ball, costing me roll-out yardage.

Sometimes it works in your favor, sometimes it doesn't. For example, I lost 25 yards on my tee shot on the uphill Par-5 sixth hole when my ball rolled back towards the tee after it settled at what I thought would be its' end point. Rub of the green I suppose.

Rough was on the short-ish side although a couple of greens had a second cut that was a bit longer. Didn't present any particular difficulty regarding shot execution but my only gripe was that the fringe areas were somewhat inconsistent. You could be facing a shot where the lie offered more than one club option (wedge, putter, hybrid) while just a few feet away the wedge option would have been taken away due to a very thin and spotty lie.

Greens were outstanding and rolling fast; there may have been one or two areas where it got a little bumpy but putts tracked true. Seemed to me these greens break more than what meets the eye; plenty of snap at the end of some putts despite a rather benign appearance slope-wise. And I must add there were hardly ANY unrepaired ball marks to be attended to: a major point as far as I'm concerned as more and more reviewers allude to this problem at other courses. The same held true for fairway divots; the majority, if not all, had been filled with sand.

Bunker sand was very good...a touch on the heavy side but still fluffy enough to get through the shot without much effort. Only complaint here is that earlier players failed to rake their 'tracks' in more than one bunker.

Service level was excellent and although the club strives to uphold a strict dress code policy (see how far you can get before someone asks/tells you to tuck in your shirt), the atmosphere is congenial and pleasant. Staff was friendly and quickly provided a shuttle ride to/from the driving range since there were no carts available when I checked in. Nice locker room facility and a bar/dining/outdoor patio area close enough to the 18th hole to provide a view of incoming tee shots.

Large putting green conveniently located near the 1st tee; it's design...and speed...mirrored what I encountered on the golf course (another strong point). Driving range offers a couple of split tiers and is all grass. Just $5.00 for an unlimited supply but I must say it behooves you to pick through the 'pyramid' and hit the newer ones; there are too many balls that are long past retirement.

Full tee sheet on Saturday with Club Matches scheduled in the morning (I teed off @ 12:15 or so) but play moved rather well. Was paired with a couple of slower players in a foursome but finished in about 4:40. We actually caught up with the group ahead of us on #18 but only waited a couple of minutes before proceeding to tee off.

It's been a few years since I've played GC of California but I'm anxious to return soon. The current state of its' conditioning is great and further enhances the challenge provided by the layout. The difficulty factor increases when the wind blows so it's a course you can tackle many times yet it may not play the same on two consecutive days. I had a great time and may find myself adopting this as my local "go-to" course if the rates and conditions continue to be favorable.

Tee'd off 1/4/14. Tee Time: 11:40. Weather was beautiful! Pace of Play for this course is touted at 4 1/2, but today (due to a mini-tourney several groups ahead of us), POP would be more like 4.45... Continue »

Tee'd off 1/4/14. Tee Time: 11:40. Weather was beautiful! Pace of Play for this course is touted at 4 1/2, but today (due to a mini-tourney several groups ahead of us), POP would be more like 4.45, which was more accurate. Luckily got our 18 in before dark. This facility is simply beautiful, tucked away within the gorgeous homes/valleys/hillsides of Fallbrook. Excellent facilities/Semi-Private course. I had called in the past to see about using my coupons; and staff didn't seem overly friendly/seemed more annoyed than anything, but I will have to say, upon check in with the Pro Shop on this morning the two gentlemen that assisted me were very accommodating, entertaining, and started my morning off with a chuckle & smile. Note: if you want to use the driving range, you need to pay an additional $5.00. The range is a short drive away from the clubhouse (you will see it on your right as you approach the turn right into the course parking area). The Chipping/Practice Bunker area is up the hill from the driving range. I didn't go check it out so cannot report further on it. There is a large practice green adjacent to the clubhouse. The Snack Bar is tucked away at the end of the back side of the bar/special events building; which is adjacent to the cart path when transitioning the turn. Carts are quick/responsive; however not equipped with GPS. Onboard ball/club washers, cooler w/ice, and trash basket under the seat. Starter (Steve) was Very Informative; Very Friendly; and added to the pleasant experience prior to teeing off. This place is Very sensitive about its protected areas and makes no bones about you NOT going off into them to search for your ball. Everything is to be treated as a lateral hazard to keep the POP moving...sooo be prepared (i.e. bring extra golf balls), unless you're a straight away hitter. Anything to the right or left and you're typically going to find some trouble on a majority of the holes. Blind shots on many as well as Forced carries. Not my cup o tea personally; but I wasn't hitting my best anyway. Fairways were typical for winter conditions - VERY tight, so had to hit my irons vs hybrid/fairway wood. Missed hits could result in a good roll for distance at least. Was easier hitting out of the rough (just my opinion on this days round and course conditions). Men...you certainly have your work cut out for you from the Blue tees. We played today with fellow GKers (Bsparks/Brian and the Tobster/Tobi -- always Fun Fun Fun regardless of what we shoot) :) Course has some gorgeous views; especially from their gimmicky Par 3 with the bunker right square in the middle of it...what's up with that? Neat, Yes...but I can see golfers cachunking the green up trying to chip their ball over the bunker when they find themselves on the wrong side of it...again...just my thoughts about it. Interesting Hole. Bunkers were quite nice (if you like playing in the sand box), as there was plenty of sand in the ones I visited. Greens were large, had major undulations, and were Fast/slightly bumpy. Some were Firm, Some were Soft which made it difficult in itself as you never knew if your ball was going to check or bounce and run off the back or side. Course throughout seemed to always slant left to right or right to left...not many flat areas and well hit straight away tee shots would typically roll to either side. May try this course some other time in the future, when the fairways are in their prime. Course sees a lot of play as evidenced by the many divot marks (repaired), throughout the fairways. Starter Steve made his rounds a few times later in the day, Marshaling the field, and again offering a smile and "How are you enjoying the course?" I think my sad face spoke volumes as the course was kicking my 6. :( Cart Person came around several times and was also very pleasant. This Course is well worth a try and we may opt for another go at it sometime in the future...if the price is right ;) Having prior course layout knowledge is definitely a Plus!! Tobi and Brian were given a course booklet; but we weren't as special I guess ;) GREAT time with fellow GKers, as always. Just this novice golfin gals opinions. :)

Played Saturday at around 11:45am with GKers Tobster, DCricket and Rstang06. Semi-Private course that is the sister property of Vellano CC out in Chino Hills. Very nice grounds and facilities here. Pa... Continue »

Played Saturday at around 11:45am with GKers Tobster, DCricket and Rstang06. Semi-Private course that is the sister property of Vellano CC out in Chino Hills. Very nice grounds and facilities here. Parking lot is pretty small but they have overflow parking just 100yds away.

About the course - pretty challenging from the blues, for a 20HC such as myself. course knowledge here is a must....you gotta know where to hit the ball, there are several lengthy forced carries and blind shots.

Bunkers seemed pretty fluffy, Rough wasnt too bad, Fairways were really too thin and it was challenging to pinch the ball and get any spin.

Greens were a mixture of FAST and Medium, by the afternoon there were a lot of bumpy rides for your ball to go in route to the pin.

All in all, we enjoyed this course and look forward to playing it again.

No GPS on the cart, but the carts do include a cooler and a ball/club washer.

Cart service was available and we saw her on both front and back 9.

Played 7-28-13 12:30 $50 P.O.P. 4.5 hrs. Fairway's have thinned a little, but are still in very good shape. In the past the fairway's were very thin requiring precise ball striking. They are not Des... Continue »

Played 7-28-13 12:30 $50 P.O.P. 4.5 hrs. Fairway's have thinned a little, but are still in very good shape. In the past the fairway's were very thin requiring precise ball striking. They are not Desert Willow lush, but are great. Greens were perfect at a medium fast pace. Found two bunkers and they were soft. Noticed a couple of fairway ones that were wet and compacted. I really enjoy the layout, challenge and the great conditions of this course. Some very good vista's as well.

This is my overall favorite course in the San Diego area. It is in very good shape right now.

This course is great. I love the layout, both fun and challenging.

I played this course on 7/8 and I thought that it was in really good shape. The wind is always pretty difficult with many of the... Continue »

This course is great. I love the layout, both fun and challenging.

I played this course on 7/8 and I thought that it was in really good shape. The wind is always pretty difficult with many of the holes playing straight into the wind.

Tees: The tees were fairly level with only a couple that were noticeably uneven. The grass was well maintained on the boxes and there weren't too many divots.

Fairways: The fairways were nice and tight. They had recently punched the fairways however it did not affect play. I had a lot of great lies from the fairways. No negatives here.

Rough: The rough was not lush and green but the grass was good. There weren't different types of grass all over and it was very consistent and fair. If you got in the rough you could get out of it.

Bunkers: The bunkers had only a small amount of sand in them and they were pretty compacted. On a positive note, it made it easy to get out of the bunkers, however it was hard to control distances.

Greens: The greens were in great shape. There were hardly any ball marks and rolled very smooth and true. Many of the putts were surprisingly straight even though the greens are very undulated. There are many tiers on this course so be accurate with your irons. The greens were medium-fast, maybe a 10 on the stimp? Really green and very enjoyable.

Overall, I really enjoyed this course. It is difficult and quite long if you play from the blacks and factor in the wind. Make sure you hit fairways and play smart golf here. Probably the best deal in San Diego and definitely one of my favorite courses in North County.

Played here 6/30 with AndrewZ28 for our match in the GK Cup. This was my first time playing this course and I was blown away. From the secluded environment to the standout course conditions, there was... Continue »

Played here 6/30 with AndrewZ28 for our match in the GK Cup. This was my first time playing this course and I was blown away. From the secluded environment to the standout course conditions, there was absolutely nothing to complain about at The Golf Club of California. On to the review...

Tees: Good for the most part. I felt as though certain holes did have a lot of chewed up areas however it wasn't more than a handful and there was always enough green to set up your drive. Ground was also firm but not concrete.

Fairways: Excellent all around. They were green and cut perfectly. They allowed drives to roll and they were great to hit from. I really enjoyed seeing how well maintained they were and it made for a more eye-pleasing round of golf.

Rough: Excellent all around. Not overly punishing but thick enough to penalize errant shots. The "rough" wasn't even the toughest part outside the fairways, I would say its actually the natural hazards. The environmentally sensitive areas are what really can kill a good scorecard.

Bunkers: Pretty good. The sand wasn't particularly soft but certainly soft enough to hit out of. They were well raked and well taken care of. I only landed in two of them but there were no rocks and enough rakes.

Greens: Pretty good. They didn't always look spectacular but they rolled well. They were fairly slow in the beginning but once the sun baked them they rolled at a med-fast pace. The greens varied in size but they were really good overall.

Pace: Amazing! What else can be said. This place was deserted and it showed with a back nine under 1.5 hours. The one group we did run into graciously let us pass and we were on our way. This alone is reason to play here.

Etc: Property was amazingly beautiful. Wonderful clubhouse and attentive staff. The cart attendant (incredibly friendly and kind) was the highlight of the day. The carts were great and had ice in the coolers. Everything about this place reeks of class.

Highly recommended!

We played here today (6/30) as part of the GK Cup V.

Sal and I teed off as a twosome at 1:40 with a $47 rate from Golfnow.com. We played the entire round in less than 4 hours, and after passing ... Continue »

We played here today (6/30) as part of the GK Cup V.

Sal and I teed off as a twosome at 1:40 with a $47 rate from Golfnow.com. We played the entire round in less than 4 hours, and after passing the other three golfers on the course at the turn, we had the course to ourselves. It was pretty d%mn amazing. I'm not sure if this is normal out there, but my guess is that POP is probably pretty good on a regular basis and for the rate, this should be a go to for everyone.

Anyway, on to the course review. I'll say that the course was in really good shape. Like, we had awesome lies and great conditions everywhere. The greens were kinda weird in that they rolled well and held all shots, but were kind of shaggy and slow. I think it had to do with the crazy heat we had the past few days. But they were totally fine.

This course is really cool. You're seriously totally secluded and get a great variety of holes. Up and down, short and long, straight-forward and tricky. Just a lot of fun to play.

I can't recall the guy who checked me in, the starter or the cart guy, but the beverage cart attendant was definitely memorable. Not only am I a huge fan of any course where the cart attendant comes around every 3-4 holes, but when she brings with her Sierra Nevada and a cool attitude, I tend to store that in memory for when I book my next tee time.

I'm pretty sure this course is in the most random location for everyone (my iphone maps said I was 14.2 miles away and the drive would take 37 minutes...what the heck?!), but it is more than worth it for anyone. It is a fantastic layout, POP is incredible and I'd bet anyone who says they can find a better value in SoCal. And the beverage cart attendant is my favorite ever. Ever.

Go play here and thank me later.

Played 6/15 4 pm $44 P.O.P 3:45. Played a match play with dconnally. I've only played this course maybe 4 times and this is by far the best I've ever seen it. In the past the fairway's were green but... Continue »

Played 6/15 4 pm $44 P.O.P 3:45. Played a match play with dconnally. I've only played this course maybe 4 times and this is by far the best I've ever seen it. In the past the fairway's were green but very thin, that demanded precise ball striking. This time they were fantastic. Lush with good roll. Greens were fantastic at about a couple notches below med/fast. Would like a little more speed on them, but they rolled true and were consistent. A fantastic deal at that price with very few people on the course. Hey Johnny... Future GK play site ??????

Played rudyclub in our round-robin match at 4PM (paid $44 for a online reservation) on Saturday, 6/15/13, on a great day for golf. Course was almost deserted but an earlier tournament had left the pin... Continue »

Played rudyclub in our round-robin match at 4PM (paid $44 for a online reservation) on Saturday, 6/15/13, on a great day for golf. Course was almost deserted but an earlier tournament had left the pins in very hidden locations, making the greens and approaches very challenging. I like the design here and conditions overall were very good. Greens were pretty firm, rolled well at medium speed, and had very few ballmarks. Fairways and tees had been recently punched (tees not sanded) but this really didn't affect play. Fairways had not been cut recently and were a little bushy, and the ball tended to sit down.

Bunkers generally had ample sand in them but many were packed from moisture or very wet. Tees were in good shape, except that par-3 tees were a little torn up.

I'm surprised that, with these conditions and pricing, the course isn't getting more play. Perhaps the somewhat remote location is a factor. Wish it was a lot closer to Orange County. Recommended.