Lives
Novato, CA
Handicap
5-9
Age
65+
Gender
Male
Skill
Advanced
Plays
A few times a week

Review Statistics

Average Rating

3.6
3.6
Total 23 Reviews

Rating Breakdown

23 Reviews
5 Stars
2
4 Stars
15
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
1
1 Stars
2
Recommended Courses
18
Not Recommended Courses
4
Helpful Votes Count
21
Not Helpful Votes Count
1
First Review
10/21/2012
Last Review
12/29/2019

Reviews Map

Reviews

3.6
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First time playing this course
Recommended
Review has

Indian Valley Golf Club

Played On 12/28/2019
I Recommend This Course
Incentivized Review
4.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

Worth a drive if necessary

Driveworthy for quality of design, conditioning, and beauty. Though sited on hilly terrain, it is still very walkable. No houses on the course (can't count the distant house along 3 fairway) and the view from 16 blue tee box is world class. Choosing the correct tee box will provide an enjoyable and challenging round.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Rooster Run Golf Club

Played On 11/09/2019
I Recommend This Course
Incentivized Review
4.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Excellent Track

Fun track and relatively (relative to the times) well maintained. One of the better draining courses in the north bay for winter play. Easy walk.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Hiddenbrooke Golf Club

Played On 03/17/2019
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Such a Shame

This was once a great course. It’s really depressing to see it in its current state of decay. Arnold would be disgusted. I don’t quite understand how a company with the pedigree of Troon can have a course like this in its portfolio. There is no longer someone to greet you at the bag drop so rather than leave my bag unattended I walk it in from the car. The range was never good (200yds. straight uphill) but now it’s a disgrace. There are no mats but there is very little grass. It takes some searching to find a position for your stance and the ball. It does, however, prepare you for your upcoming experience at the course’s tee boxes. The fairways are in respectable condition considering the wet winter we’ve had. The rough is US Open length. No fault there to the operators, again because of the severe winter. They’ll be mowed soon, I’m sure, but for now keep your eyes on drives that leave the fairway. My group found two dozen lost balls within 15’ of the fairways. Most courses in these days of dwindling golf revenues still put energy and dollars into the greens. Here competing grasses—poa?—have invaded. The landscaping that was once lush is now mostly weeds. The pond at the 16th green is nearly empty and quite ugly. They still have a plaque commemorating the LPGA events played at the once great track at the first tee box. Those were the days.

Conditions Fair
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Always Enjoyable

I like both courses at Blue Rock, but prefer East. It's a nice layout in relatively good condition--with one exception. The bunkers are in dire need of sand. They're really terrible. Greens are just OK. Speed is fine, but they're very bumpy. There are plenty of pigs playing here that can't seem to spend precious time to repair their ball marks, but no more than any public course these days, I'm afraid. I like that they now allow hitting off grass at the range on weekends.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Response from on 11/01/2017:
Hello v, thank you for the four-star review. We are glad you enjoyed our layout and course conditions. We also appreciate your feedback about our bunkers, greens, and other golfers. Thank you for playing Blue Rock Springs Golf Club and we hope to see the next time you are in the Vallejo area!

Napa Golf Course at Kennedy Park

Played On 10/26/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Very enjoyable course

I thoroughly enjoy this course. It's one of the best munis in the area--after the Fairfield courses. Like all public courses in this era of hard times for the golf business, it could use more maintenance, notably worn fairway areas and tee boxes, and a good number of dead pines that need to come down (before they fall down). Unlike many courses, muni or otherwise, the bunkers here have sand! (no small expense for course owners) The layout is very interesting with unique holes. #10 is a classic which takes playing a few times to determine the best strategy. Aesthetically pleasing and no houses.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Foxtail Golf Club - North Course

Played On 08/27/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Good Course

I enjoy the course and it is in very good condition for a north bay public course. The bunkers are absolutely unplayable, but the greens, fairways, primary rough are all in good shape. Tee boxes are just OK, but you can always find a decent spot to tee off from (level, decent grass). Populated by the usual pigs who don't repair their ball marks or sand their fairway divots. I guess the one benefit of dirt bunkers is I don't have to complain about the folks that don't rake them.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

One of the best public courses in N. CA

Beautiful course, very well cared for, and very fun to play. It does get hot in the summer--97 during my round with little to no breeze much of the time. Plenty of bottled water is provided around the course in refrigerators and the cart girl passes several times during a round. The pristine conditions tend to lull me into the impression that it's an easy course. It's not, though not difficult to have a good time. You need to manage your game to score well, especially positioning on the greens. Greens roll true if you have the luxury of avoiding some poorly repaired ball marks. Like all public courses, you will have to repair marks of the pigs you can't manage to repair their own. Green brakes can be subtle. I'd estimate the speed at 10.5-11 the day I last played (8/20). I drive the three hour round trip 8-9 times a year because it's so enjoyable.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

The Links At Bodega Harbour

Played On 12/26/2014
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Good weather
Used cart

Pluses and minuses

Pluses: Ocean views (except see below), unique holes (see below), well designed greens in good shape and rolling fairly true.
Minuses: Unique holes--like 18: a par 4 with blind tee and approach shots (unless your drive is positioned left and relatively long), a par 5 that needs a full (incorrect) diagram at the tee box to convey the driving target (don't aim over the red tees from the blue tee box as it advises), beautiful ocean views UNTIL you actually get to play right along the coast on 16 and 17 where the ocean is completely hidden by a continuous tall dune, greens that look like mine fields due to pig golfers not repairing their ball marks, no sand and seed containers on the carts, and my number one pet peeve--slow play with no marshall. Overall, I enjoy the course. Despite a few odd holes, the design is interesting and thought is required at most tee boxes to choose a club and landing area. It's not an easy walking course by any stretch. The drive from most locations is not short, but it is very scenic.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Mare Island Golf Club

Played On 12/14/2014
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Average weather
Used cart

Fairways are coming back

The recent rains are already showing their effect on the fairways that were getting a bit ragged. New blades are sprouting aggressively. Greens continue to be well cared for. There are a few blemishes here and there, but overall, they roll quite well.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

Indian Valley Golf Club

Played On 11/29/2014
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Good weather
Walked

Best maintained public course in Marin

No other public facility in Marin (probably even the north bay) does as much work to improve and maintain the course. The greens continue to roll well despite the recent rains, and the fairways are in excellent shape considering the drought. I hope future plans focus on rebuilding a number of tee boxes that are not in good shape--about the only thing I can find to criticize.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Unique Course

Terrain intensive. You'll get a workout walking this course, to be sure. Virtually every hole is significantly up, down, or both. Greens are nice--only moderately fast, but well maintained and roll quite true. I had one of my best putting days ever, which made for a good score. My biggest complaint is the range has been closed the two times in the last two weeks I've played the course. I'm not sure why they can't get the balls picked up and back in the machine for the next day.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate

Hiddenbrooke Golf Club

Played On 05/18/2014
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Average weather
Used cart

Nice course, but sign of the times

There's no question that Hiddenbrooke is a nicely designed course--despite the presence of surrounding houses. Most houses are well out of play (not all), but it's mostly the negative visuals they present. Golf courses are not exactly cash cows these days, to understate the issue. So as is the case at most courses, Hiddenbrooke's thin operating budget shows. But they are spending what's necessary to maintain excellent greens and very nice fairways. The surrounding scenic terrain is mostly untended and the visuals aren't what they used to be. The range is often "out of balls" and the balls they have should have been retired long ago. I had two balls in my small bucket that were core only--no covers. Three others were split. 5 or 6 were respectable. There always used to be a greeter at the bag drop that would set up your cart for you. Now only occasionally. I can't remember the last time I saw a marshall on the course. It's been years, and they are often needed as play can be slow. There usually is a cart girl, however. So much for the negatives. I really like the course design. The almost always present wind makes for some challenging play. I think it has the best closing three holes in the north bay area. Reachable S-curved par 5, scenic par 3 (less so due to lack of maintenance), and a final par 5 you can birdie or bogie--or worse. Well worth playing.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Stone Tree Golf Club

Played On 01/30/2014
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Best Constructed and Maintained Public Course in Marin

There is no other public course in Marin close--though there are many other courses I enjoy playing just as much. Construction of the course was state-of-the art (imported sand base, etc.) and the maintenance rivals private courses. Despite the drought, the course is pristine. Hence the not inexpensive greens fees. It's a very fun play with plenty of tee boxes to accommodate all levels. It's a difficult course, to be sure, but a few of the more penalizing aspects were eliminated a few years ago in a mini-remodel. I've never played a Johnny Miller course I didn't enjoy, and this is no exception. The facility is upscale from top to bottom and everybody associated with the property is very friendly. Highly recommended.

One downside. They have tried for many years to add a driving range, but it isn't going to happen. The hitting stations (into a net) will have to suffice.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Valley of the Moon Golf Club

Played On 8/23/2013
I Recommend This Course
2.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Good course in bad condition

This course has several things going for it--fun, traditional, well established layout, easy walk, scenic (except for the houses), nice practice facilities centrally located, friendly folks, and reasonable prices. Unfortunately, the greens are a mess--fungus? Even where the grass is healthy, they run soooo sloooow. The fairways have numerous burnout areas as well, which makes for crazy situations: Two tee shots landing on the fairway within three yards of each other--one is sitting in thick 1"+ high wet grass and the other on hardpan dirt. The course is just not in good shape, but would be fun if it was. One design criticism--there were two very small elevated greens I remember that had buried elephants, making for very difficult play. I think they are out of place on a relatively easy track.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Difficulty Moderate

Roddy Ranch Golf Club

Played On 8/1/2013
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Fun Course

Enjoyable layout. Touted as a "true links style", you could argue the description. Yes, there are few trees, most greens avoid forced carry approaches if you properly position your shot allowing bump-and-run or longish off-green putts, and wind is always present. The comparison stops there. The course is dirt based not sand, fairways have been heavily contoured with equipment, and it is obviously not on the ocean. Conditioning was fair--there were several fairway areas "under repair" and a few greens had bare spot issues, but not bad. Nice practice facilities, no houses, few parallel fairways. Fortunately, we had nobody in front of us the entire round so didn't experience the slow play others have complained about. Recommended.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Difficulty Moderate

Franklin Canyon Golf Course

Played On 7/7/2013
1.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Average design qualities, terrible shape

The course has some things going for it--relatively scenic (back 9 a little more so than the front), no houses, and few parallel fairways. The design is relatively interesting, though a few holes are not understandable from the tee box. I fortunately play with GPS that shows me an aerial view of each hole and yardages, otherwise we would have been lost more than once. The reason I won't be back any time soon is the condition of the course. I wouldn't call it a goat track, but it's on its way if it doesn't get some serious attention. I sympathize with courses, as I know the economics are tough these days, but some courses are doing much better than others with scare resources. The tee boxes are an absolute mess--not just barren, but horribly un-level. Fairways are better, but have far too many barren and "under repair" areas. Greens were better than either the fairways or tee boxes, though VERY bumpy and with inconsistent speeds. The bunkers are severely lacking in sand. Ball washers were nearly empty of water. The carts had sand/seed bottles, but ours was empty. Range is very short--6-iron distance. Practice green (they have at least two that I saw) is nice, as you can chip--and there is a bunker as well (though it is perilously close to the range with no protection). If the course was in (much) better shape I would play again. But unfortunately, it's not. So I won't. BTW--Round time was 4 3/4 hrs.--not too bad for a 4-day holiday.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Difficulty Extremely Easy

Eagle Ridge Golf Club

Played On 6/12/2013
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

First Class

This is a terrific course. We enjoyed every single hole. Very well maintained, scenic, and the folks are extremely friendly. Loved the greens--readable and true. They will undoubtably gain a little more speed through the summer heat, but rolling very well now. Our threesome took a little 2-day trip that included this round on the second day heading home. We all agreed we will be making the 1 hour 45 minute drive down here and back for a day trip soon.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Difficulty Moderate

Eagle Vines Golf Club

Played On 4/20/2013
3.0
Verified Purchaser

Nice course but too many 5+ hour experiences

It's a very nice course, but I won't be back any time soon and never again on a weekend. I've had numerous 5+ hour rounds here and I've never seen the occasional marshall do anything to help folks move along. Today there was a 6-some on the course with a train of golfers behind. Instead of breaking them up (or not allowing it in the first place!) the marshall simply acknowledged the fact. So I, unfortunately, will play elsewhere.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Difficulty Moderate

Peacock Gap Golf Club

Played On 4/14/2013
1.0
Verified Purchaser

Avoid until course is re-built

I don't know what the plans are, but the greens have been left to rot. I haven't spoken with anyone, but they must be planning on changing the grass on the greens with the clubhouse re-build currently underway. Every green on the property, including the several practice greens, are half dirt. I paid ten bucks to play and was cheated. The poor guy I played with paid $36 (ouch). Golfnow showed an "aeration alert", but these greens haven't been aerated for many months. This is not currently a playable course.

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Easy
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser

Nice course, but pig golfers

I thoroughly enjoyed the course--interesting holes, nicely designed, relatively fast undulating greens, and scenic (except for the many surrounding houses, though they do not come into play). Huge downside: the clientele are pigs. Bunkers were a mess--seldom raked, despite a minimum of two rakes per bunker laying alongside. Fairways were littered with un-replaced divots and there was no sand on the cart. And the greens--I am not exaggerating when I say this: my partner and I repaired on average, 15 ball marks APIECE on each and every green. And we didn't even begin to get the majority of them. We had to repair marks on virtually every green before we could even putt. They looked like an artillery range. I've never seen anything like it. Fortunately there were few people on the course so we didn't experience slow play. That would have pushed us over the edge. The entire north course is unfortunately separated from the clubhouse by a major thoroughfare, so getting food and drinks at the turn is not possible, but the cart gal came by three times during our round, which was appreciated. Our only other complaint is that because the course is surrounded by houses, they need restrooms. I needed one about half way through the round. Where did I find one? At the 17th tee box. Who designed a course and placed a restroom at the 17th tee? I'll play here again--it's an enjoyable layout. But I just can't get over the way the course is treated by the golfers and a few of the quirky design elements.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Difficulty Moderate
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