Lives
Salt Lake City, UT
Handicap
15-19
Age
45-54
Gender
Male
Skill
Intermediate
Plays
Once a week

About

My reviews are consistent and true. As a designer of golf travel experiences, course play is all important. I look for the playability of the course for players who are mid to high handicappers. My reviews are for the day I played the course.

Review Statistics

Average Rating

4.3
4.3
Total 42 Reviews

Rating Breakdown

42 Reviews
5 Stars
19
4 Stars
18
3 Stars
5
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Recommended Courses
41
Not Recommended Courses
1
Helpful Votes Count
11
Not Helpful Votes Count
5
First Review
02/26/2016
Last Review
12/13/2018

Reviews Map

Reviews

4.3

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Bear's Best Las Vegas

Played On 12/06/2018
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Texas Advisor
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

Not a Nicklaus Fan, but this course is good!

I have played a lot of courses that are a compilation of the best holes in Scotland, England, by Nicklaus, etc. Bear's Best Las Vegas is a stern test as the holes imitated are Western North America courses from Old Works in Montana to the the desert locales of Scottsdale, Palm Springs, and onto Cabo San Lucas in Mexico.

Located on the western side of the valley on a nice bench with great valley and mountain views, this course is a great play for the price in Las Vegas.

Our group played on another cold morning with wind and overcast skies. We played the White tees due to mixed handicaps. 6,043 yards with rating/slope at 69.1/124.

The course plays through several different residential areas, with many of the fairways lined with supposed $5million+ homes. They added to the scenic views and were far enough off that they did not come into play for our group.

Jack "Friggin" Nicklaus' name was said in jest many times as bunkers were founds and greens overshot as they did not hold.

The course has flat, uphill, downhill, sidehill, and forced carry holes. Great opportunity to use every club in your bag. My driver and three wood got a lot of play and my 2-hybrid was my usual approach club due to the wind.

Course is in decent winter conditions. Staff is helpful if not a little thin for the amount of players coming through. Great facilities.

If you are staying on the Strip, it can be a 30 minuted ride. This is a great course to add to any buddy trip to Vegas.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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Commented on 12/16/2018

Great! We're glad that you enjoyed your experience with us and we appreciate your review. We look forward to having you back again soon for your next round!

Desert Pines Golf Club

Played On 12/05/2018
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Texas Advisor
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

Do or Dye? A little bit of both!

Desert Pines is located center Las Vegas. Pete Dye is the credited designer and there are elements of his designs that are famous and are incorporated here.

The course is well known to locals. Green fees favor them over visitors, especially on weekends.

The practice facilities include a double-decker driving range and practice greens.

The course has some quirky holes; berms running through the middle of the fairways, large waste areas, green complexes close enough together that from the fairways give one wonder on which to play.

All that being said, I play this course annually. Staff is great. Pace of play is consistent. Course conditions for fairways and greens are good.

A quick transfer from the Strip, it is a good course to hone your game prior to tackling some of the big courses in town.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Texas Advisor
First Time Playing
Cold weather
Used cart

A course with a view

The Revere Golf Club is located in a retirement community and is comprised of two courses. The Lexington course is the older and apparently the more challenging.

Our group played with an 8:30 am start time. The wind coming over the top of the hills made for a cold, blustery day that made playing golf an ongoing effort to stay warm and focused.

The course plays through several canyons lined with homes. Club selection is key on this course. Long uphill drives are necessary several times and the short par 4's are deceiving. The views of the Las Vegas skyline, the Valley, and Mount Charleston are impressive. The perspective makes that mountain look above 12,000 feet in elevation than the snow capped 7,500 that it is.

Course conditions are the biggest challenge here. From experience, clubs like this suffer from too much divot damages on greens. Local members just don't repair them. On the flip side, it was cold enough that the greens were hard and not holding shots. I do congratulate the agronomy team on fighting through this and working on the courses.

Add this course to your list. Another good one to dial in your game prior to playing the more well known tough courses.

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

Bali Hai Golf Club

Played On 12/03/2018
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Texas Advisor
First Time Playing
Cold weather
Used cart

Bali Hai BallyHoo

Our group had an 8:30 am start time in in what turned out to be a frigid sub 40 degree Las Vegas morning. It's high desert, yes. It's winter, yes. Still felt unseasonably cold.

Staff on-site was tremendous. The young lady at the bag drop off was on her game for a cold Monday morning and the caddie master was exuberant in his short pants.

The course lays at the south end of Las Vegas Blvd and directly across from the runways at McCarran International Airport. I have heard much about the facility as a friend of mine is a former Director of Golf here and of course, it was/is owned by the famous Vegas gambler Billy Walters.

I want to get this out before I detail the course. You will be playing in the noise of landing or departing airplanes. No way about it. During our round, one of my playing companions timed the take-offs at every two minutes over three holes. That said, deal with it.

The course has berms, bunkers, some elevated tees, some water hazards, some small greens, and some large greens.

Due to the mixed handicaps in our group and the sake of time, we played from the Silver Tees at 6,156 yards 68.6/113 rating/slope.

The first tee sets a good tone. Waste areas in front and down the side to a slightly elevated green. Bogey is a good score here but our group all played to par.

The par 3's are great. Number 16 is a carry over water to a two-tiered green and played at 100 yards. #14 par 3 is a bruiser at over 200 yards.

The long par 4's and the par 5's offer a great test. the berms on each hole do a great service to slicers and hookers as they can force the ball back down into the fairway if caught beneath their ridges. Even so, for those over, there is usually fairway.

As the weather warmed to a balmy 45 degrees, the course got better.

Overall, the fairways and greens were in good condition. The rough is dormant. We got a great deal on green fees. I look forward to playing again.

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

Reflection Bay Golf Club

Played On 12/02/2018
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Texas Advisor
First Time Playing
Cold weather
Used cart

The Return of Reflection Bay is a Triumph!

Jack "Frigging" Nicklaus' Signature Design return to play in 2014 and the last four years have been heaven sent to the team at the course to get it in this condition after being closed for so many years.

Not all amenities are available yet but there is a nice restaurant/bar, fully stocked pro shop with kind and knowledgeable professionals, and excellent cart staff. The practice areas are limited to a putting green and cage driving range.

The course is absolutely wonderful. Adjacent to Lake Las Vegas and and the Westin Resort, the views of the local mountains, the water, homes, hotels, and attractions are beautiful.

The course has many of Jack's must have's: forced carries, big bunkers, left or right, etc. I loved this course. Absolutely loved it.

I rank it top 5 in Vegas golf, excluding the hard to play like Shadow Creek, Cascata, and Wynn.

Worth it!

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

The Ranches Golf Club

Played On 08/08/2018
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Texas Advisor
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Hidden Gem of Utah County

We played on a hot, windy afternoon day from the Black tees at 7,035 yards. Slope is 73.1/133.

While the course was built to sell a residential development in an outlying area, the routing is good, using available elevation changes, man-made mounding, and wide fairways. The downside - the course is 100% through a tightly packed residential area. If you can tune out the noises and distractions for this family-dominated layout, then you are fine. The wind was blowing hard when we played. A benefit going with it, dastardly hard going against it. Greens are in good shape and are mostly benign. The first hole is a par 5 downhill and the 18th hole is a short par 4 going uphill into the wind. The slope on 18 is steep. It reminds of the 2nd hole at Dark Horse Golf Club in Auburn, CA. Straight uphill, into wind, use your longest club.

The course bills itself as the "Hidden Gem of Utah County". It very well may be. We walked on without a wait and the value is good.

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

Homestead Golf Club

Played On 07/20/2018
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Texas Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Best of Class in Golf Resorts in Utah!

We played in nearly perfect morning conditions from the Blue tees at 6,524 yards 71.1/133.

Crater Springs Golf Course is the resort course for the venerable Homestead Resort. It is the perfect amenity in this mountain side location. The resort is manager by one of the all time greats of resort management, Paul Christensen, who made our round happen at last minute.

Crater Springs is named due to the thermal springs in a crated located on property. The course is routed up the mountainside then down through a flat land that used to be marshes.

The course is the perfect resort course in that the there is a tee for everyone. The fairways are wide and the greens hold. Bunkering is not ridiculously hard. The course conditions were fantastic. The course gets a lot of rounds played and the team maintains excellent form.

I recommended a couple of nights stay at the Homestead. Play the resort course and maybe one or two of the local state park course close by (Wasatch Mountain and Soldier Hollow). Easily the top resort choice in the State of Utah!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Texas Advisor
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Gold Course gets Five Gold Stars!

We played from the Blue tees at 6,629 yards 71.0/127. We arrived at 4 pm and got a twilight rate of $20 for 18 holes with cart.

First, the views of Heber Valley and the surrounding mountains are unparalleled. The course plays across the hillside and into a flat that was once the site of the 2002 Olympic Games Biathlon. The Gold Course is touted higher than the Silver, although both courses looked to have the same landscape.

The front nine plays the hillside is huge fashion. While the fairways are wide, wind gusts can move your ball into the rough quite easily. The second nine plays down into a flat. Wind is with you going out and against you coming in.

I love this course. The wide fairways and tricky greens are protected by a lot of bunkers and the wind.

Soldier Hollow's courses are a must play for any golfer playing in this valley. The courses are operated by Wasatch Mountain State Park which also manage the eponymous courses, Mountain and Lake.

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

Oquirrh Hills Golf Course

Played On 06/23/2018
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Texas Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Tooele's Muni Course provides old and new

We played from the Black tees measuring 6,581 yards; slope is 70.3/124.

The front nine of the course is the old muni in this town. Lots of trees, small overgrown greens, wide fairways. Greens were hard the day we played, tough to hold an approach shot. Typical city muni course.

The back nine is newer and is built immediately east of the front nine through a gully that originates in what is called Middle Canyon in the Oquirrh Mountains. It is wide open with few mature trees and it surprisingly plays shorter than the front nine. There are two signature holes on this nine. #13 is played over water to a green that is backed by a rock wall/dam feature. #14 tee box is on top of the rock wall/dam (see pictures) and provides a stunning view of the Tooele Valley looking north to the Great Salt Lake.

Pace of play was great through 12 holes. Then we ran into a local foursome of "members" with both personal and course golf carts. Speed of play was not a question for them. They took their time, gave dirty looks, and caused the last six holes to be played over two hours. Frustrating but expected in a rural town muni.

This course is popular with locals as it is a relatively easy course compared to others in the vicinity. Course is maintained decently. A renovation is needed on the front nine greens.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Fairly Easy

Stansbury Park Golf Course

Played On 06/21/2018
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Texas Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Good weekday course to work on your game

86 degree weather under perfect skies. We played from the Blue (back) tees at 6,779 yards. Slope is 70.8/122.

First time I have played the course since Fall 2016. There have been improvements, specifically the pond between the 2nd and 8th fairways. It looks to be rebuilt. It is surrounding by laid sod that is struggling to find it's growth.

This course is easy to get on, relatively affordable, and sits within an old residential development. Greens are bigger, some are sloped, very little undulations. Fairways are wide and are in the best condition that I have seen them in over ten years. The greens have damage from animals, dry spots, and non-repaired pitch marks. The last is difficult to fathom as most players at this course are local residents who pay a "member" fee annually. They need to patrol their course more.

Staff is great. Same old good people in the shop. Snacks are available as is beer.

I will play this course a couple of times a month.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Fair
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Difficulty Fairly Easy

The Links At Overlake

Played On 06/20/2018
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Texas Advisor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Utah's Most Underrated Course is one of it's Best!

The Links at Overlake is located in the middle of Tooele Valley. Bordered by 10,000 foot high mountains on three sides, and open to the Great Salt Lake to the north, the valley is a high desert climate with sustained winds. Today's weather was perfect. 80 degrees with a 8 mph wind from the north under gorgeous blue skies. We played from the black tees, measuring a hefty 7,248 yards on the scorecard. I think we played under 7,000 yards as most of the tees were up in their boxes. Slope is 72.6/124.

We walked on to the course. It was disappointing to see so few cars in the lot as this course is fantastic. The staff is always genuine, friendly, and today asked what we wanted to pay. Great question. The going rate I answered. A great value!

The course is exceptionally conditioned given it's wind-swept location and high desert locale. The tee boxes are groomed and flat. The fairways a little dry as expected allowing for balls to roll. Too often I found my ball 30 to 40 yards ahead of where I thought I should find it. Good for the ego. The greens are a gem. No pitch marks, no weeds, no dry spots, pins cut in good locations, and most lines putt true. They are all sloped. There are several water hazards throughout the course. Not normal for a links course but necessary to keep this course hydrated.

Native grasses are OB and treated as lateral water hazards. Don't go too deep into looking for you ball. There are plenty of things that live in the high grass that can get you.

Today was a two club wind when playing into it. Otherwise, the wind was blowing sideways majority of the holes.

The range and the practice green are great. The pro-shop is a modular structure. There are drinks and snacks but the design is not meant to host you. Get what you need, get on the course.

Players who enjoy challenging golf will love this course. Only 40 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, the pace of play is ten times better than what you will find in the Salt Lake Valley and the price is perfect.

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

Delaware Springs Golf Course

Played On 04/25/2018
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Texas Advisor
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Delaware Springs is a special muni course

I love Delaware Springs Golf Course. It is scenic, it abounds with wildlife, and it is always in great playing conditions. The staff in the pro shop and the staff in the cafe are all outstanding. The course has tough holes and many risk rewards. I played in windy conditions as a thunderstorm descended upon us. The wind changed from the North to coming from the South and changed how the course played. The grounds team does a wonderful job on the greens (they are fast) and the fairways. Play this course!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Response from on 04/30/2018:
Hi GreerGolf, thanks for the great review! We appreciate the great feedback about your round and hope to see you again for another round soon. Thanks for playing #DelawareSpringsGolfCourse!
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Texas Advisor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Palmer Lakeside, a tale of two nines

The front nine holes of this course cover the gamut of types of holes: easy, over water, over trees, over deep gully's, into the wind, into the wind, and into the wind. The second nine is more scenic and more playable. Greens are in good shape while the fairways looked dried. Lacked the greenness of the trees, etc. Staff was exceptional. I was hosting clients on this round from UK, Germany, and California, and they all had challenges yet thoroughly enjoyed the course.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Texas Advisor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

The Hills Signature Course

My first visit to the The Hills of Lakeway Country Club was to play a scramble tournament on the Hills Signature Course, the best I am told of the clubs four courses.
The course is in a residential community and the layout is over rolling hills with elevation changes, lots of trees, wide fairways, and excellently located hazards.
We played the blue tees but I will tell you sometimes they played as the tips and sometimes played up front. The wind was blowing and this caused many holes to play long.
The greens were in great condition and rolled true and fast.
This is a private club and you need a member to play it. I am looking forward to a return trip to play my own round.

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

TPC San Antonio - Canyons Course

Played On 10/30/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Texas Advisor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Our group played from the Tournament tees 6700 yards 72.3/134. Started at 50 degrees and warmed up to 70 degrees with moderate winds that affected shots. First time for me playing at TPC San Antonio. First impression was great seeing Greg Hiller on the instruction tee. Nice to have a former tour player on staff.

The course appears to play short visually but is definitely longer. The course conditions are good. Playing dry and ball is running. Starter told us greens were 12 to 13 on the stimp. They were fast but played true. The green complexes did show Pete Dye bunkering but green size was a moving target. Some very small, some amazingly large. We played on a Monday so the greenskeeper had most pin placements on ridges. Made for some tricky putts.

The layout ran both sides of a gully (Canyon?) that will filled with live oak, wildlife, and cactus. I lost five balls but found a dozen more. The fairways are wide. A few have narrow openings off the tee. Several doglegs offer big hitters a chance to cut corners for easy scoring. The par 3 holes are all exceptional.

I enjoyed the course immensely. It was mostly empty. We did have two member twosomes play through us and we finished our round in slightly over 4 hours.

I look forward to playing the Oaks on my next visit.

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

Hidden Falls Golf Club

Played On 10/28/2017
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Texas Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Hidden Falls Golf Club

Played from the Blue Tee, 6,732 yards, 72.3/123 on a late, almost perfect Saturday afternoon. I live on this golf course and it was the first time I have played it. It is a residential daily fee course that allows use to use every club in the bag but little to get the imagination going. A lot of greens are protected by mounding. The par 3 holes play long, #17 has to be under the power lines and over the water. The green fee + cart totaled $27. Worth playing at that price.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Fair
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Fairly Easy
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Texas Advisor
Cold weather
Used cart

This course deserves to be an American Top 100!

Our group played The Classic at a 9:00 am shotgun in cold, wet weather. Playing from the White tees (70.2/133/6,062), the course played more difficult than expected. This course is beautiful. Almost gaudy in it's green shades on the ground and the myriad of colors of the trees turning as winter approaches. Fall Golf at it's best. Every shot seemed to require an extra club. Several holes have small greens to protect par and others surrounded by RTJ Jr-esque bunkers. Fairways are wide with limited blind shots. With fallen leaves abundant, hitting even slightly off target will cause a lost ball. Staff is authentically native Minnesotan. I have wanted to play this course for years and now I want to come back again and again.

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

Grand View Lodge - The Preserve

Played On 10/04/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Texas Advisor
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart

This hole has a blind shot!

The Preserve at Grand View Lodge is located in a most beautiful location. Rolling hills of hardwood forests and wonderful lakes. A great test of golf with severely undulating greens that can cost two strokes per hole. I kid you not when I say This Hole Has a Blind Shot. I feel this was the mantra of the day. How many holes? 14, 15? Perhaps. Keep your ball in the fairway and in sight. Hole #1 is a great starting hole. Downhill drive, to uphill green. Par 5. Should be par 6. Even though I parred it. This is a must play course in Northern Minnesota. The Grand View Lodge is exceptional in its layout, service, and amenities. I look forward to returning each year.

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

Rush Creek Golf Club

Played On 10/03/2017
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Texas Advisor
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart

A daily fee course that resembles a private club

Our groups played from the Silver and only got 9 holes in due to wet and cold weather conditions. Playing the back nine at 3,077 yards, 70.3/137. Easy course to score on from this far upfront. The course was cart path only the day we played. Minnesota Fall Golf. Lots of leaves in the rough. Large greens, some undulating, hold shots. #18 is a fun hole with marshes down the left side and if you want to get home in two you need to hit over them. #12 is a great par three surrounded by marshes and reeds. #13 is a strategic play over water twice. #17 is a dogleg left begging for a big shot to cut it off. Absolutely ideal setting. Staff was great and the clubhouse was palatial. I highly recommend playing this NW

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

White Bear Yacht Club

Played On 10/02/2017
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Texas Advisor
First Time Playing
Wet weather
Used cart

WBYC plays longer than it is!

Our group played from the White tees at 6,266 yards, 71.2/131. In cold (50 degrees), wet conditions, the course played like it was it 7,000 yards. This course is absolutely beautiful. I am amazed that it was carved out of hardwoods on hilly terrain over 100 years ago by Donald Ross. The layout fully takes advantage of the hills, woods, and marshes. The course is across the road from White Bear Lake. Keep the ball in the short grass for best approaches to tough greens. The greens are deceptively undulating. This was Fall Golf which meant leaves in the rough could hide your ball. The staff was fantastic in the pro shop and in the cafe. The shop is well stocked and you could walk out looking like a well-heeled blue blood. I would love to return to play this course in better weather.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
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Commented on 01/03/2018

White Bear Yacht Club is one of the true hidden gems in Twin Cities area, along with Woodhill Country Club in Wayzata. Always great to see that someone had the chance to enjoy WB, as I clearly remember just how deeply I fell in love with the course the first time I teed it up there.

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