Absolultely love this course, can't wait to play it again.

Absolultely love this course, can't wait to play it again.

Played Sat July 28th. I’ll join the chorus that praises Olivas; not much else to add. Overall the course condition is good – not much better then the others in the area – however Olivas really plays a... Continue »

Played Sat July 28th. I’ll join the chorus that praises Olivas; not much else to add. Overall the course condition is good – not much better then the others in the area – however Olivas really plays as a links-style course like you’d see on TV. Combined with genuine hole designs [doglegs, tree placement, hazards] for me Olivas was a treat.

One word... Wow! I played this course when it was the old Olivas and have been looking forward to play it since they redesigned it... boy, was I thouroughly impressed. From tee to green this was one o... Continue »

One word... Wow! I played this course when it was the old Olivas and have been looking forward to play it since they redesigned it... boy, was I thouroughly impressed. From tee to green this was one of the best courses I've played and I don't hesitate to say this could be one of my favorites. The layout was great and I enjoyed the elements. Teed off at 3pm in the sunshine, few white clouds and nice breeze that made you have to choose your club wisely. Finnished at around 7:45 in the fog shooting blind onto the 18th green. Played from the champions tees and didn't play that bad, for the first time and with the elements. The tee boxes were actually level and the greens were rolling true. It would be nice not having to see the hackers that will be attracted to play here, which were right behind us, but what can you do. I've never had the privelage of playing in Scotland or a true links style course, but for 4 1/2 hours I was there: ocean breeze, fog, and all. I'm coming back next week.

Played mid-afternoon on Jul 21. This was my first round ever here, and I was very, very impressed with the layout and conditioning, and the greens are superior. I've played over in Scotland on true ... Continue »

Played mid-afternoon on Jul 21. This was my first round ever here, and I was very, very impressed with the layout and conditioning, and the greens are superior. I've played over in Scotland on true links courses, and while this isn't exactly the same, I really like how the architect opened this course up to the ocean breezes to expose it to the elements. Yesterday, we played the front 9 in the sun, and the back 9 in a deep fog and marine layer. On the front 9, the wind blew hard, but on the back, it receded. However, the marine layer made the air heavier and your ball didn't fly the same way. So basically, you're constantly adjusting - so it's very challenging. I like that the course isn't tricked up either - the course lays out right in front of you. I think this course already is one of the best values in SoCal, and as it matures, will only get better. This course is an instant favorite for me.

WOW, great course, beutiful, good greens fair layout and well manicured. Will be back to play. Played here and Buena same day and surprised by both. Will play here as much as possible(gonna go brok... Continue »

WOW, great course, beutiful, good greens fair layout and well manicured. Will be back to play. Played here and Buena same day and surprised by both. Will play here as much as possible(gonna go broke doing it though).

Also-Dont even look for your ball in the tall grass,

Wow! I kind of expected the course to be an improvement over the old layout, but I was very much surprised how "eye appealing" the new layout is. It's not that any of the holes are spectacular, it jus... Continue »

Wow! I kind of expected the course to be an improvement over the old layout, but I was very much surprised how "eye appealing" the new layout is. It's not that any of the holes are spectacular, it just that the general flow and visual effect is very pleasant. But best of all...... the greens!! They are some of the best I've ever played on. (As good as Robinson Ranch when they first opened) I'd prefer them a little faster, but at the speed they're at, easy to be aggressive and make a lot of putts. Too bad this place is so far from home (almost 150 miles) because I'd play here more often

Played this Friday morning at 6:30 am. Not a lot of fog and started on the back. My overall impression is positive. I believe the layout changes are very good, the holes are mostly enjoyable, and t... Continue »

Played this Friday morning at 6:30 am. Not a lot of fog and started on the back. My overall impression is positive. I believe the layout changes are very good, the holes are mostly enjoyable, and there are yardages on plates in the fairway/rough everywhere. There are two downsides to the course. When you play the course for the first time there are many holes that you have no idea where to it and how far until the fairway turns or runs out. I wish there were some pictures of the holes or a yardage book. The other downside were the conditions. Tee boxes were fine, but the fairways were soggy, bare and had punch multch everywhere, and the greens were very unreceptive even with a short iron to a green from an elevated tee box.

The postings have been so informative, accurate and well written about Olivas Links. Thank You! I was up in Ventura on business and felt inclined to experience this course myself for the first time. L... Continue »

The postings have been so informative, accurate and well written about Olivas Links. Thank You! I was up in Ventura on business and felt inclined to experience this course myself for the first time. Loved the new layout and the playing conditions were exactly as our online community described. I snapped PHOTOS of every hole. Keep the postings coming...they are great!

Played 5/31 for the first time. Good and bad things in abundance, as with any newly opened course.

First, the bad: Some of the fairways have huge sand areas where grass has not grown in. Local... Continue »

Played 5/31 for the first time. Good and bad things in abundance, as with any newly opened course.

First, the bad: Some of the fairways have huge sand areas where grass has not grown in. Local rules allow for a free drop. Other fairways are rock hard and thin as if the grass didn't grow in thick enough. Another bad thing was that there semed to be no marshalling. We played to front at a nice pace (2 hours), but it took us 3 hours to play the back. A foursome 3 groups ahead of us was 2 holes out of position on a crowded day, and no one urged them along, and they didn't seem to care that the whole course was backed up behind them.

Now, the good. The layout is extremely interesting and fun. No 2 holes are really the same, and the prevailing winds cause you to have to think about your shots. The holes can be tough, but are fair. A straight-ahead short par 4 might have a multilevel, undulating green, while holes with tough tee-shots will end on a flatter, calmer green. The course is plenty long, with the tips measure 6,800+ yards. We had our hands full from the blues at around 6,500. The greens are immaculate, but who knows how long they'll stay that way in poa country...

The only other observances are:
There are no maps, layouts or overviews of the course, so as first-time players, we often had no idea where to hit, or what lay around the corner.
There seem to be lots of no-shows. When I called for my tee-time for 2, they only had one after 12, and no times for 3 or more until after 2. When we got there a little before 11, they had jst sent a foursome of singles to the first tee. Another guy showed up, but his 3 other players cancelled. There were lots of threesome groups on the course. Maybe they need to implement a 48 hour cancellation policy with a credit card.

All things considered, a fun day on a fun course that will (hopefully) only get better with time.