I am an 8 handicap who plays weekly in the Los Angeles County area. I was vacationing with family in Carlsbad and looking for a course to play. I've played the Torrey Courses, Aviara, Arrow Wood, and ... Continue »

I am an 8 handicap who plays weekly in the Los Angeles County area. I was vacationing with family in Carlsbad and looking for a course to play. I've played the Torrey Courses, Aviara, Arrow Wood, and the Crossings. In my opinion the Golf Club of California is a far more enjoyable course than the latter two on that list. I'm posting this review to help other golfers who may be looking for a course to play in the San Diego County area.

It was a warm summer day in the 90's but I didn't mind the heat at all. Teeboxes were level and had plenty of grass, fairways were firm and rolling out, and the greens were soft and fast. Bunkers had some of the best sand I've seen in a while. Couldn't have asked for better conditions in the summer.

Played 2pm to get their twilight rate and finished in 3.5 hours. The course layout was really creative and unique. There are forced carries from the tees and well-protected greens. One thing I really loved about the course was that it wasn't just a typical back and forth course where 3 holes are always alongside each other. Each hole felt "framed" and designed with intention. It is quiet and the local scenery is beautiful.

In my opinion the only two things that were lacking were the lack of refreshment carts/water stations and the poor condition of the golf carts. Other than those two things, I highly recommend this course if you're in the San Diego County area!

Early morning Sunday round in just over four hours. The staff is great and the carts are average with no gps. The course changed ownership in January and new management has made some improvements. ... Continue »

Early morning Sunday round in just over four hours. The staff is great and the carts are average with no gps. The course changed ownership in January and new management has made some improvements. The tee boxes had good coverage but a few were very sloped and soft. The rough has returned on many holes but there is and will be always be numerous forced carries and protected areas that come into play on many holes. The fairways are filling in nicely with nearly full green coverage everywhere. The traps were are nicely groomed and most had good to great sand with rakes that had been used! The greens quickened up as the round progressed but still seemed a little slower than in previous rounds. They rolled true with unseen breaks on several holes. The entire course is really looking good and surely will continue to improve. I mentioned the rates are very reasonable and was told that they will be going up. Definitely recommended.

Played this course yesterday on 12/13 and had a great time. It was my first time playing and as a single was paired with a twosome and another solo. Everyone was great and we all had a good time toget... Continue »

Played this course yesterday on 12/13 and had a great time. It was my first time playing and as a single was paired with a twosome and another solo. Everyone was great and we all had a good time together.

The course was is very good condition and the greens were in excellent shape. This was my first time playing and driving down from Mission Viejo was well worth the time and money spent. I loved the layout and the challenges it provides without being unfair. Most holes have that risk reward where you have to think about your shots. I would say for me I basically hit driver off every tee for the Par 4/5s, but mainly due to me being more confident in that over my 3w. I played from the whites and hit anything from 5i-SW into most greens. On 17 I hot a decent drive in the fairway and still had about 180 into the green so I hit the 4 hybrid into the green side rough.

Fairway rough wasn't thick at all, bit the rough around the greens were well maintained and taller and more lush. The greens were very fast and if you landed on a green slope it would role down it easily.

Played The Golf Club of California this past Sunday, May 23rd. We teed off at 7:15 in the morning and played in about 4:15 which was great.

I hadn't been out here for a few years but I've always th... Continue »

Played The Golf Club of California this past Sunday, May 23rd. We teed off at 7:15 in the morning and played in about 4:15 which was great.

I hadn't been out here for a few years but I've always thought it was an interesting layout. Since the last time I've been here it looks like they re-did the bunkers and they now have bright, white fluffy sand and they played well. I was in a couple and I think it probably needs a little more time to settle in because its pretty soft.

The fairways and rough here are still pretty thin and firm. I wasn't hitting it that great and trying to be really precise on the firm conditions gave me some fits, but I do think as the weather warms up they'll thicken a bit. Overall better than the last time I played there and if I was playing better it would have been fine.

The tee boxes seemed to need a mow but they were lush, level and I never had an issue finding a good spot.

The greens were the highlight of the day for me. They ran really smooth, held shots great and ask the day warmed up got plenty quick which was fun. I don't remember them being this healthy so that was a lot of fun to play on.

I really do like this golf course. It's a bit tough when the fairways get too firm and fast because the course is not really designed for too much run out and big bounces, but at this time it's not much of an issue and I think it will keep getting better.

Just a lot of fun to play, definitely a challenge but some opportunities to score. I'd get out and play soon and enjoy the great greens!

Played yesterday, Sunday, teed off at 11:40am. POP was 4.5hrs, a little on the slow side, but not too bad for a weekend. $75 to ride no frills cart, no GPS which would be very helpful at this cour... Continue »

Played yesterday, Sunday, teed off at 11:40am. POP was 4.5hrs, a little on the slow side, but not too bad for a weekend. $75 to ride no frills cart, no GPS which would be very helpful at this course. There's no yardages on the course, so my golfbuddy GPS was absolutely essential!!

Course is in decent winter shape. Fairways and rough are dormant, lots of roll on all shots, be careful with those layups on the par5's. Good lies in the fairways for the most part. Teeboxes were all in good shape, no problems whatsoever. Greens held well struck shots and were very fast!! I had problems with the speed all day. Traps were nice, and they had rakes!! yay. First rake I've touched in over a year. Saw the beverage cart twice and she was nice. Customer service was fine all around.

Absolutely love this course. The layout is pretty darn awesome. Local knowledge is helpful. A little more expensive than I like to pay, but that's the going rate all over the place right now. I definitely recommend and it should get better in the spring.

Always one of my favorite golf courses to play, and with the vast improvement of the greens, it just makes it all the more enjoyable. Staff is always fantastic, friendly and accommodating.

Conditi... Continue »

Always one of my favorite golf courses to play, and with the vast improvement of the greens, it just makes it all the more enjoyable. Staff is always fantastic, friendly and accommodating.

Conditions, even with the recent cold weather have improved since I last played here. Still some issues with the fairways, but nothing too severe. Rough was a mixed bag, but again, not bad. I am a bit biased towards this course because I really enjoy the layout and the friendliness of the staff.

Early morning 4+ hour Sunday round on a very crunchy course. We got out a little early and the first green was still frozen? The fairways were frosted over until the third hole. The staff was frien... Continue »

Early morning 4+ hour Sunday round on a very crunchy course. We got out a little early and the first green was still frozen? The fairways were frosted over until the third hole. The staff was friendly and the non-member carts are good. The tee boxes were all level and had pretty good coverage but were a little on the dry side. The rough does not exist here at this course. The fairways are extremely firm and dry. The bermuda is dormant and the good/bad shots all find ob area and you'll have a hard time finding them! The traps were very well maintained and had ample dirt/sand but most were damp. The greens were definitely the quickest I've seen in a very long time. The greens held well struck shots good and most had few ball marks. The greens are fairly large with quite a bit of slope. If you like fast greens with a lot of break this is your course. The problem will be getting to the greens without rolling off the fairways after making good drives from the tee! The rates are a little steep for what is offered but not as bad as others in the area. The very nice outdoor patio looks out onto the 18th hole - which is probably the best conditioned one you'll find.

Played Nov 25. 710am tee time. Chilly 41degrees when we teed off. Play Blue/White combo 70.7/129 6254yrds.

Short Review: Course is in great winter shape!! FANTASTIC greens, and although relatively ... Continue »

Played Nov 25. 710am tee time. Chilly 41degrees when we teed off. Play Blue/White combo 70.7/129 6254yrds.

Short Review: Course is in great winter shape!! FANTASTIC greens, and although relatively dormant, pretty good fairways/rough. Good POP if we could've kept our balls out of trouble (sorry group behind us). Worth the tee time!

Long Review: Arrived at 615am to a chilly 41 degree day. Made for a wet dewy start for course conditions except for the greens, they were cut or rolled in the AM. Course dried nicely as the day went on. The Carts were ready and staged for the day, and the range was already open to warm up. Clubhouse check-in was a breeze and the starter was very friendly. We grabbed our carts and headed to the range, pretty good condition of turf, little sandy but much better than hitting off mats. The putting practice green was very close to actual course conditions, so take advantage pre-round.

GREENS: If you follow my reviews, you know I love a good putting surface. These greens were EXCELLENT! Very green, no ball marks really to speak of, smooth, pretty soft, and not bumpy whatsoever. You could see that they were cut or rolled in the AM from the lack of dew, so it was nice not having to deal with putting through water.

FAIRWAYS/ROUGH: Didn't hit many fairways but they were in pretty good shape. Mainly dormant but still good lies overall. There were some approach areas that had lots of divots filled with sand trying to recover, but given its winter/dormant, I get it.

BUNKERS: Bunkers here use more dirt like sand, if that makes sense. But, they were excellent, I hit a few bunkers and there was no issue bottoming out. Fair amount of softness to them.

TEE BOXES: Green and Good condition. Some had more divots with sand than others, but the course did a good job moving the markers around to try and avoid it as much as possible.

Overall, very challenging but fun course. Bring your whole golf game repertoire as no two holes play the same. Looking forward to a redemption round here.

First off this morning at 5:45am. Still a but cool in the AM, but by the back nine it was very pleasant out. Check in was smooth and efficient. Mark in the pro shop is always great to deal with.

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First off this morning at 5:45am. Still a but cool in the AM, but by the back nine it was very pleasant out. Check in was smooth and efficient. Mark in the pro shop is always great to deal with.

They recently over seeded the tee boxes and green surrounds, so lots of "baby grass" but I never have a problem with courses doing their required maintenance. Greens still shows signs of the aeration, but I suspect in another 10 days or so they'll be fine. Fairways were better than last time I played here, although still some areas which need attention.

One of my favorite courses to play. Love the layout ! Wish it were closer to home, and too bad the green fees keep climbing. (Like everywhere else)