Played here 12/11 with my friend on an 8AM tee time (actual tee off time was closer to 8:20; thank you very much 118 Freeway). I had heard much about this course, but this was my first time playing he... Continue »

Played here 12/11 with my friend on an 8AM tee time (actual tee off time was closer to 8:20; thank you very much 118 Freeway). I had heard much about this course, but this was my first time playing here. This course reminded me a lot of Arroyo Trabuco and a bit of The Crossings combined; every hole seemed to have a dramatic drop-off and trouble everywhere. A fun course not in peak shape (obviously) but very fun and challenging. On to the review:

Tee boxes: Good shape overall. Never had any issues finding solid ground and I was happy to see they offer a good amount of options for all skill sets. They could stand to touch-up the paint in the markers to be able to differentiate between white and silver, however it was amazing to see them paint the curb nearest the tee sets with a touch of color to indicate which box is which; small touch goes a long way.

Fairways: Again good shape, although I would hate to see how these looked before the big rains last week, since I fear they were dry and crispy. Conditions this day were good in that they offered excellent lies, a fair amount of run (which wasn't always a good thing on some holes), and a visually pleasing ambiance.

Rough: Where it existed, penal! I distinctly remember two shots on the Ridgecrest 9 where the rough ate up my ball. That rough was thick and deep enough that 3 minutes wasn't enough to even start looking. The rest of the hazard areas were also well kept and equally penal.

Sand: Was only in one bunker all day, and although the sand was more dirt color than pearl white, the consistency allowed for good shot shaping (and a sand save). Ample amount of rakes was a plus.

Greens: Good to excellent shape, however they were running like glass today. Every putt was brutal as it would run at least 10-15 inches past your desired target. Also, the green complexes here were downright nasty at times; tiny bean shaped greens for some holes, monster lake sized complexes for others, by far the biggest challenge of the day.

ETC: Carts had good GPS (the same software as Rams last Sunday). Staff that I encountered were friendly (starter especially). Pace of play today felt worse than it actually was since most groups played the same combo, but ended up being 4 hours on the nose. Layout was fun and challenging. Lots of parking at the property. No cart service which was a shame. A good challenge that comes recommended.