4/11 guru outing with Nick and Bob on a cool dew covered 7 am start becoming quite pleasant by about 9--course is in the progress of recovering from recent maintenance. Fairways have been plugged and... Continue »

4/11 guru outing with Nick and Bob on a cool dew covered 7 am start becoming quite pleasant by about 9--course is in the progress of recovering from recent maintenance. Fairways have been plugged and most of the holes are filling in but are still visible--most are tightly mowed so they give a rather thin appearance but actually provide decent lies with adequate cushion.
Tees lush and level. Bunkers were freshly groomed and all with the same good quality sand.
Greens are in a recovery process--those that are in more shaded areas are about 85% of the way back--#4 about 75%--seemed like the back 9 was more like 90% and were rolling a lot better.
Very friendly staff with a hearty welcome I would estimate about 2 more weeks and some good mowing and rolling to return to full excellent condition.

Played solo on 3/8/17 BDay golf for $25 cart fee (no way could you walk this layout), great deal. Temp was in the mid 70's. Played with an elderly 2-some. POP was about 4 1/2 hours, had to wait on a f... Continue »

Played solo on 3/8/17 BDay golf for $25 cart fee (no way could you walk this layout), great deal. Temp was in the mid 70's. Played with an elderly 2-some. POP was about 4 1/2 hours, had to wait on a few holes. Course was in great condition. tee boxes level and full, fairways were perfect, I mean perfect, greens med-fast and rolled very true. This is a course you'll need to play a few times to get a handle on it. Did I know there was a hazard down the entire right side of #1, nope. If your spraying your driver, it could be a long day for you, a lot of lateral hazards await you. You can find some really good deals online, I'll be back out there again and tame this course.

Wow did not know my course review could be edited Mike. At least you did not erase it this time. Played 3/29.First off let me point out that this is truly San Diego county's hidden jewel. I live in ... Continue »

Wow did not know my course review could be edited Mike. At least you did not erase it this time. Played 3/29.First off let me point out that this is truly San Diego county's hidden jewel. I live in North Park in central San Diego and I make the exodus here 5-6 times a year. If you are a person that loves and understands golf course architecture this is your place. You have everything you could ask for. Long par 5's, reachable par 5's, a reachable par 4, and a slew of long but really fair par 4's. Finally, the course boasts one of the best sets of par 3's I have ever seen. The routing is unbelievably natural and the holes match very well with topography and wind direction. Not much dirt was moved here except for bunkers and humps.There really is not a unfair hole. Customer service is always unbelievable here. Langdon up front always comes with the kindness. The starters are awesome and I always end up shooting the ish with them for 20 min before I tee off I can not discuss the course conditions because I came on a day when the greens were punched, and the fairways were a little chewy. But I have played here when conditions are perfect and the greens are burning and that 74 course rating looks a little suspect. This course could no doubt challenge pros and top am 's and I am surprised they don't hold some mini tour events. Do yourself a favor and drive here. It's on the same level as Barona but a little tighter. Top five public golf courses in San Diego county no doubt. Hi Mike. When are we gonna play hahah

I played with Gary and Art in the GK Guru event yesterday. Both of them gave very comprehensive reviews which are similar to what I would have said. I'll focus on the few things that stood out for me... Continue »

I played with Gary and Art in the GK Guru event yesterday. Both of them gave very comprehensive reviews which are similar to what I would have said. I'll focus on the few things that stood out for me.

Course conditions were overall pretty good, particularly the bunkers, which were in much better shape than the last time I played here. I don't recall seeing a beverage cart all day, nor a marshal, but we never had to wait, even as a threesome. The greens were in good shape and seemed to roll true, with not too many unrepaired ball marks. If you like solitude and nice scenery you'll like this course. A few houses around but which don't come into play, and a hole or two is close to Hwy 76 but the traffic noise is not bothersome. I don't recall seeing much drinking water on the course, but there's an ice machine and water by the pro shop.

Overall, this is a nice place to play. Scenic, fairly-priced, and I don't ever recall a pace of play problem.

3/16 with gurus Broomy and grantar2--good company on an ideal day--course is in nice shape overall--fairways are being punched but the plugs have been removed so the roll and most of the lies were no... Continue »

3/16 with gurus Broomy and grantar2--good company on an ideal day--course is in nice shape overall--fairways are being punched but the plugs have been removed so the roll and most of the lies were not affected. Rough along fairways was short and not penal--much heavier around and behind most greens. Tees level lush also have been punched but no issue really.
Found 2 green side bunkers with a fine grained but heavy sand--got out ok but still missed the putts to reward decent shot. Sand quantity and quality appears consistent through out the course. Found 2 fairway bunkers filled with the same soft sand and did not make the required good contact.
Greens were smooth medium fast receptive for many full shots but chips and pitches were subject to more roll out. Course provides pin placement card so there is good variety for the holes--some were quite challenging to say the least what the tiers and slopes that are available. Specifically have to comment on #7 the one with the bunker in the middle--the pin was dead behind it at the top part of the green--holy crap--what a visual!!
Staff is friendly cheerful--starter Jill a wealth of information and a real ambassador for the course.
Limited drinking water on the course so remember to fill up by the club house where there is ice and big cups. Also a little quirky--no ball washers on the course--a throw back to being a private club with washers on member carts.
150 yard markers in the fairways and a few sprinkler heads have info--make sure to have a GPS.
Had a good outing scenic nature infused setting--4 hr POP with no waiting--just a few struggles inherent in the wild shot. Thank you for hosting us and thank you Johnny for setting it up.

Played Thursday 3/16/2017 with the Greenskeeper Guru’s teeing off at 11:30am. Temperature range 57 degrees on arrival to 76 degrees when leaving the course, light breeze.

Arrived that course 9:30 ... Continue »

Played Thursday 3/16/2017 with the Greenskeeper Guru’s teeing off at 11:30am. Temperature range 57 degrees on arrival to 76 degrees when leaving the course, light breeze.

Arrived that course 9:30 am. Parking lot is intimate, and immediately has the feel of a private club, intimate setting. The club house, dining, snack bar, men’s locker room and pro shop are all attractive, and the staff are attentive and friendly. As is fitting the locker room itself along with the member lounge and showers are restricted to the members.
Upon arriving I took advantage of the large practice green and chipping area. The practice green accurately represents the greens found on course, with tiered levels, double breaks, and speeds. Pins on the practice green are set to test you in advance. The area of the green has a first cut and second cut of rough and rolling hills that allow you to chip from uphill, downhill, and behind hill lies. The only thing missing was a bunker.

The Guru deal included warm up balls, on an all grass range. There is a sign on the tee that gives the days yardages to the various targets.

I noticed that the carts were divided between member and non-member carts. Both the private and public carts were equipped with charts showing the pin placement from the center of the green +/- as well as elevation differences. They also both include ice chests loaded with ice. What is absent on the public cart are ball and club washers. This is important as there are none on course. Additionally water is only found at the club house (Styrofoam cups, plastic lids, crushed ice, and cold water) very nice, and then at two water stations on course. I always carry two bottles on me, and was able to keep them cool in the ice chest. We did not see a service cart or marshal on course. I was glad in addition the two bottles of water, that I had taken a cup of ice water and a large Arizona Iced Tea Company Lite Arnold Palmer I had purchased at the snack bar.

Befitting a private semi private course the pace of play was outstanding. We tee’d off on time at 11:30am and were complete by 2:35pm for a round of just over 3 hours.
I was fortunate to play with two fellow Guru’s who were far better than I and had played the course before. Many thanks to Dave and Gary. This is a course where you want at least one of your fellow players to know the course well. The starter was very informative, but until you are the tee box with no idea where the hole is, and what is behind the hazard you have to hit over, or that you have to play the slope of the fairways, to a landing zone that still can’t see the green, you don’t know how much you are going to appreciate the help.

Tee boxes, level, mostly lush, many punched, but not so that you would notice. I played the white tees. On many holes the green is not visible from the tee box. In some cases the hazard such as water is not visible either.
Fairways, rolling, sloping, dry, winter grass, some punched, all in excellent condition. The carts are equipped with divot mix, and many fairways have divot mix positioned in landing zones. They appear to be well used. Most divots I saw were filled and we attempted as a group to keep up with the tradition. San Diego has not gotten nearly as much rain as the rest of the state and is still in drought conditions.

Bunkers of which I sampled four were in very good condition filled with soft sand. Both Gary and Dave found fairway bunkers, and unfortunately the sand was soft here as well, and they shaped more like green side bunkers than many other fairway bunkers I have seen.

Rough – penal, but not overly thick, spotty in many places.

Hazard, there are large areas of environmentally protected areas where you cannot retrieve your ball, and large areas of lateral hazard. Hazards are well marked.
Animals along the way. Besides the usual assortment of squirrels (all animal, none human), bunnies, birds and noisy bull frogs, we also had to stop for a rattler crossing the cart path, and lizards.
I don’t usually review cart paths, but these are the best maintained I have ever seen. Along the way there are bridges that feel very old world.

Greens, challenging, evil, sensitive, good condition, few ball marks. The greens have uphill where you don’t see it, breaks that are contrary to what you see. Some have false fronts, Some tilt in multiple directions, others have multiple tiers, another has a pot bunker right in the middle of the green, and in our case the pin was behind the bunker, about 8 feet in from the fringe and a hazard. Down Hill par 3. I am not sure but I think I set a personal record for three putts this round with the number of holes set on breaks which could send the ball yards past the hole.
The conditions this afternoon were ideal. I could see a much more severe test if the wind were up. The added water from the rains mean that flowers are in bloom everywhere, the hills surrounding the course are covered with groves, vineyards, and grass. The views are spectacular. This is a visually stunning course and is truly a gem.
On a hot summers day with a later afternoon wind this course would be technically beyond my abilities, but today it was just right, a stiff challenge, shared with great playing partners, on a beautiful course, and a bargain rate. I regularly pay more to play beat up muni course.

I look forward to coming back to play again.

3/13 using a groupon $62 2some+range balls--foggy start 1st 3 greens wet and slower then with the sun speed up to medium fast to fast. Mostly smooth with quite a few unrepaired ball marks on many hol... Continue »

3/13 using a groupon $62 2some+range balls--foggy start 1st 3 greens wet and slower then with the sun speed up to medium fast to fast. Mostly smooth with quite a few unrepaired ball marks on many holes. Greens have some varying levels and undulations with some challenging pin placements having to read the green and the prevailing topography--#15 from the front right ball location to a mid-green pin--I swear breaks UPhill.
Fairways which are ample and wide have firmed up over the last 4 weeks providing extra roll and still good lies and cushion. Currently in the process of plugging the fairways starting on the back 9. Rough is present but not penal. Tees level but also being plugged.
5 bunkers today 3 green side 2 fairway--sand is consistent comprised of a fine grain but heavy prone to semi-bury if not rolled in. My preference is to have firmer sand from the fairway as this makes it hard to advance the ball.
Friendly staff easy check in--starter and marshal are helpful and cheerful.
Scenic park land setting--enjoyable outing--courteous 4some let us through almost as soon as we caught up POP 3 1/2 hours.

Played Thursday on a warm day. Teed off at 11 and we were done by 3, so pace was great. Course is in good shape but they are punching the greens in a week or so. Greens were nice with little ball ma... Continue »

Played Thursday on a warm day. Teed off at 11 and we were done by 3, so pace was great. Course is in good shape but they are punching the greens in a week or so. Greens were nice with little ball mark damage and rolling medium speed, rough was not to bad. Tee boxes are a little chewed up in certain spots but level and always able to find a nice spot to tee it up. The fairway bunkers all have new sand and they are very soft. Group had a couple plug and that is not fun when you have some of the distances to the holes we had. They were the only problem but that will be solved soon enough when they get some water on them. Great track and love the layout.

I was able to make the GK Guru outing here with a great group of fellow GK'ers.
Check in was smooth with very helpfull guys in the pro shop. Went over to the nice grass range to warm up. The practice... Continue »

I was able to make the GK Guru outing here with a great group of fellow GK'ers.
Check in was smooth with very helpfull guys in the pro shop. Went over to the nice grass range to warm up. The practice green was very close to the greens out on the course at the start of the round. by the end of the round the greens got a little slow and bumpy.Not unexpected on a sunny day after alot of rain.
we started a little early and the starter had some helpful information for us.
Tee boxes were nice and the fairways while a little thin were dry for the most part.
The bunkers both fairway and greenside had lots of very soft sand.
I found tbe course to be challanging but fair. Playing here a couple of times would be helpful to know where to go with your tee shot.
Overall it was a great day on a nice track for a great price. I will try to get back here again.