Lives
Beaumont, CA
Handicap
5-9
Age
45-54
Gender
Male
Skill
Advanced
Plays
A few times a week

Review Statistics

Average Rating

3.6
3.6
Total 115 Reviews
1 Featured Reviews

Rating Breakdown

115 Reviews
5 Stars
7
4 Stars
58
3 Stars
44
2 Stars
5
1 Stars
1
Recommended Courses
89
Not Recommended Courses
26
Helpful Votes Count
10
Not Helpful Votes Count
2
First Review
09/24/2012
Last Review
02/19/2024

Reviews Map

Reviews

3.6
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Maderas Golf Club

Played On 05/06/2018
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Beautiful And Deceptively Difficult

I have played at least 200 courses in Southern CA. The Maderas Golf Club ranks in the Top 10 of the courses I have played. My reason for giving this course a high (5 star) ranking is more related to the course layout (beautiful and challenging) than to the course conditions. The condition of the course is very nice - but I gave it 4 stars not 5. The greens and fairways were nice, but I wouldn't really call them beautifully manicured. There were several rough patches on the edges of the greens, and the fairways were a bit hard and dry. The sand traps were also a bit inconsistent. So I couldn't give 5 stars for course condition. But, I don't think I have ever played a golf course that combined such beauty and difficulty. Many of the holes really didn't look that difficult from the tee. But, after 18 holes I was at twice my index! I don't think I have ever played a course that requires such a complete array of shots! Up hill, down hill, side hill, left-to-right, and right-to-left. And with a 10-15 MPH wind added in on the back nine, it became a very difficult course. And it was a one of the most complete tests of golf I have ever experienced. Oh, and one more thing. Just because you are in a cart doesn't mean you aren't going to get a real workout! If you play the back (black) or green (second from back) tees, you are going to be walking several hills to get to the tee boxes - especially on the back nine. And on many (most) of the holes you will have a nice uphill walk to get back to your cart from the greens. When the round is done, you are going to feel like you walked this course! Have fun. And bring your "A Game".

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

PGA WEST Pete Dye Dunes Course

Played On 04/08/2018
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Nice Course Layout - Aging a Bit

I have always liked this course. I have played it at least 25-30 times over the past 25+ years. There was a time when this course was considered one of the best courses in Coachella Valley. It hosted the PGA Tour Qualifying Finals for several years back about 20+ years ago. It has aged a bit (haven't we all), but it still holds up well against most local courses. Management has closed and/or stopped maintaining a few of the back tees that I used to play many years ago. But that doesn't bother me since I don't play those tees anymore. By today's standards this isn't a very long course (less than 6,600 yards from the new back tees). But it can still play very tough - especially when the winds are up! Bunkers are pretty consistent and have plenty of sand. They don't drain very well, so it is pretty typical to have about 1/2 inch of dry sand on top, but wet and hard sand underneath. (This is my biggest "gripe" about the course.) The greens rolled very true - after fixing a few ball marks on almost every putt. (Doesn't anybody fix their ball marks anymore?) This course also has a very nice practice area. A full range, chipping area, and putting greens... I can't quite give this course 5 stars because the course conditions just aren't as nice as some of the top courses in the Coachella Valley. And because there have been no major renovations done to the course or the clubhouse since this place was built back in the early 1990s. Still, a very nice course.

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

Santa Anita Golf Course

Played On 02/17/2018
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Used cart

SLOW PLAY RUINED EXPERIENCE

I have played this course many times over the years, but probably won't ever play this course again. Our Sunday 11:08 AM tee time turned into 5 1/2 hours of waiting on every single shot. There were several times when we arrived on a tee box to find we were the second group waiting to hit. This translated into a round of playing the first hole 18 times. Not golf. And the worst part was that there was NOT a marshal on the course, and the guy in the pro shop told me that 5 1/2 hours "IS NORMAL" for a weekend! It won't be normal for me, 'cause I won't be playing this course again.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Difficulty Fairly Easy

Palm Desert Country Club

Played On 01/20/2018
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

Great Value for Traditional-Style Course

This has become my favorite course in the Coachella Valley. The course conditions are good (not great) and it is a good overall value. The greens are in good shape, the sand traps are playable, and the fairways have plenty of grass. I don't think this course is worth more than $50 - $60 per round. So whenever I can get a good deal (under $60) I will play this course.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Response from on 01/26/2018:
Thanks so much for your review and feedback of Palm Desert Country Club! Please come back and see us again as we would love to have you back.
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Excellent Par-3 Course

I don't give many 5 star reviews, but this course came close. I have seen many 5-star reviews given to courses that really don't rate more than 3 stars at best. I believe I have given out only two 5 star reviews out the dozens of reviews I have written. So 4 stars for a par-3 course is pretty good! Two things prevented this course from getting 5 stars. First, the sand traps were NOT in consistent, and were generally in poor condition. While I was only in two traps for the 18 holes, both were very hard packed dirt (maybe sand?), under about 1/4 inch of loose sand. Bottom line, you could not get your club under the ball to hit a standard explosion shot. Most of the sand traps I looked at were in the same condition. The second "issue" was the generally boring layout of the course. I know it is tough to make a par-3 course exciting, but a few more trees and more dramatic use of sand traps would help. (Of course if you are going to make the traps tougher, you either have to loosen up the sand, or add some new sand.). Overall, it is a very nice par-3 course. One of the best short courses I have played.

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

PGA WEST Greg Norman Course

Played On 12/16/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

Almost 5 Stars - Just Lacking in Off-Course Services

The course itself was very nice. Fast and true greens, above average fairways, and very playable sand traps. I had just 3 issues with the overall experience. First, it was cart path only, in mid December, which is very unusual. Most courses in the Coachella Valley completed their over-seeding about 2 months ago. And there was no notice that it was cart paths only anywhere on Golf Now. Second, the cart/beverage person drove by our group on the second or third hole (didn't stop), and we never saw her again (maybe she quit at noon?). And the final dis-service was that after the round I was hoping for a sandwich and a beer. Since I wasn't able to get anything to eat or drink on the course I was hungry and thirsty. It was about 3:20 PM and the restaurant/bar appeared to be closed - although the doors were open. I stood around in the bar, and called out, but nobody answered! So, I didn't get a sandwich or a beer - but the restaurant/bar at Indian Springs Golf Course did get my food and beverage money (they were still open at 4:00 PM when I got there on my way home... Overall, the course is in great shape, but the management of the food and beverage part of this course leaves something to be desired...

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Nice Course - But SLOW Play & No Parking

I booked this tee time at 12:07 PM thinking that 5 hours should be more than enough time to get in 18 holes. Not at this course! I arrived at 11:20 only to spend the next 25 minutes trying to find a parking spot! The closest parking was in a parking ramp that was a 10 minute walk to the pro shop! Ridiculous! It got worse from there. My 12:07 tee was delayed over 20 minutes - we didn't tee off until 12:30. I should have remembered that this course is always about 15-30 minutes late with their tee times, because they book tee times only 7-8 minutes apart. So it was a bad beginning, and then came the ridiculous pace of play. It took us 1 hour and 15 minutes to play the first 3 holes! The end result was that it became dark, and I had to quit before being able to finish the round. If I ever play this course again (which is doubtful), I will plan on the round taking 5+ hours (it usually does)! I can't recommend this course because the pace of play made it feel like I was playing the first hole over and over again.

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

Oak Quarry Golf Club

Played On 10/21/2017
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Slow Play (Again) - And Course Conditions Declining

I would like to provide a good review for this course, but once again I can't. This time it took 5 hours to play - which was a 1/2 hour fast than the last time I played here. But 5 hours is too long for a golf round. And to make matter worse, the course conditions are declining quickly! The greens did not roll true at all! There were patches of various grasses, and many, many uneven and bumpy areas. The speed was inconsistent from green to green. The one consistent thing was dozens of unrepaired ball marks on every green. The fairways were hard and dry, with only occasional good lies. There were many fairway shots hit off of rock-hard dead brown grass. The sand traps were extremely inconstant - varying from good with soft sand, to hard as a rock and basically unplayable. Considering that this course is overbooked and is a 5+ hour round every time (with money pouring in), one would think that some of the money could go toward course maintenance and improvements. But all I have seen in the past 2 years is a course that is deteriorating at an ever-faster pace. Too bad - it was a nice course. Now it is just average - and declining quickly.

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

Shadow Hills Golf Club

Played On 09/16/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Not What I was Hoping For

I have played this course several times in the past. The course is in the worst condition I have seen in the past 5 years. I hope it is because they are beginning the process of over-seeding, but I don't know for sure. The greens were very dry and crusty and did not hold approach shots very well. The fairways were unusually wet resulting in many mud balls from the middle of the fairway. To add variety, there were also areas of the fairways that were burnt out and dry, and other areas that appeared to be ground under repair (although they were not marked). The driving range was oddly turned around - requiring a 400 yard drive to get to it. Perhaps the most annoying part of the round were the swarming gnats throughout the entire golf course. I played rounds in the Coachella Valley each of the past two weekends and did not encounter bug problems at either of the other courses. I hope things improve. This course was in great condition in prior years.

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

Mission Hills - Gary Player Course

Played On 09/09/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Nice Course - But Slow Play

This was at least the 10th time I have played this course. I like the set up - average to wide fairways with hazards to catch the most off-line shots. The fairways were in great shape, and the sand traps were very playable. The greens were a bit bumpy and slow, but that is typical in late summer hot weather. What prevents this course from getting 5 stars is the slow play, the primitive "clubhouse" (a temp building), and the lack of any course marshaling. There was a course marshal, but we only saw him on the second tee to ask us when we teed off - why? Our 3-some spent the entire round waiting to hit every single shot. We were stuck behind a 4-some that, by the end of the round, was more than 2 holes behind the group in front of them (also a 4-some). Basic golf etiquette would have had that 4-some allow us to play through. And the course marshal also should have provided that instruction - if he had been doing his job... But even with these issues, I will be back because this is one of the best courses in the Coachella Valley.

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

Yucaipa Valley Golf Club

Played On 09/02/2017
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

An Average Course for an Average Price

The best part of this course is that it is relatively inexpensive. But you generally get what you pay for. The greens were recently punched, so they were slow and bumpy. The fairways are below average with large dirt areas and thin grass on most holes - especially on the back 9. The sand traps are not really playable - they look like hard dirt with no sand. Impossible to hit a "standard" sand shot from any of the greenside bunkers - fortunately I wasn't in any of the traps! The owners are in the process of "repairing the bunkers" on the course. Not sure exactly what this means, but I hope it means putting sand in the sand traps! On the positive side, the staff is very friendly, and the food and drinks are reasonably priced.

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

Arrowhead Country Club

Played On 09/01/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Old-Style Traditional Course

This course is an old-style traditional course with tree lined fairways and bent-grass greens. The course is in much better condition than most of the courses in the area. The traps are fair and playable, the greens are fast and true, and the fairways have more grass than most. A good value, and a course I will play again and again.

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

The Golf Club at Rancho California

Played On 08/26/2017
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Getting Better - But Fairways Need Attention

One of the main issues I had with this course was the SLOW play! As a 4-some we waited on every shot for the 3-some in front of us. And in front of them was another 3-some, and then 1-2 or more open holes! Not a marshal in sight the entire round - on a Saturday! This produced a 5 hours round. Now on the course itself... This was the 4th or 5th time I have played this course. While the greens were in much better condition than the last time I was here, the fairways are getting worse. The amount of grass in the fairways is declining - while the weeds and bare spots take over. Too bad, 'cause the rough is lush and green in many spots, the greens are nice, and the sand traps are playable. I also like the layout of this course, so I will try it again in a month or two. I know grass seed is expensive, but...

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Poor
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Nice - But Full Potential Never Met

The two Morongo Golf Courses at Tukwet are nice, but the course conditions could be much better. They consistently over water these courses (especially the Legends Course) to the point of having standing water in many sand traps. And the fairways in front of the greens that are so wet that balls frequently plug (bury) in mushy grass just 5-10' short of the greens. And even with all of the water, there are many bald dirt patches in areas around the greens and in the fairways. This combined with the multiple types of grasses and weeds overtaking the many of the greens have combined to lower my rating of the course conditions from 4 stars to 3 stars. These could be 2 courses with 5 star ratings. They have now sunk to 3 star golf courses. Too bad, these courses were really nice about 20 years ago when they first opened. And now, instead of putting money into the golf courses to improve course conditions, they are remodeling the pro shop! The ownership of these courses have the money to make the condition of these course 5 stars. But instead they are choosing to remodel the pro shop. Really?

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

Santa Anita Golf Course

Played On 07/22/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

A Good Value with Lots of Trees

The last time I had played this course was at least 15 years ago. When I played it last week I was pleased to see that the condition of the course was actually quite nice. No, this isn't Augusta, but it is an interesting layout with tree-lined fairways, and fairly small greens. There is plenty of grass in the medium-wide fairways, and the rough is not long, but it is thick. The greens are a bit long and bumpy, but for a relatively inexpensive public course, the overall conditions were above average. I will play this course again when I am in the area. I would like to give this course 3 1/2 stars, but they are getting the 4th star because of the friendly staff in the pro-shop and in the restaurant. The food was good too!

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

Arrowhead Country Club

Played On 06/30/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

A Nice Surprise in San Bernardino

The Arrowhead Country Club course was a very nice surprise in San Bernardino. It is an "old school" course with tree-lined fairways and bent grass greens. The overall condition of the course is 4 stars +. I couldn't quite give it 5 stars because it is lacking a few basic things - like signs that tell you where the next tee is, and/or signs that tell you what tee you are on! There are also a few trees that need to be trimmed so that the back tees are more playable (the 16th hole comes to mind). But the fairways are better than most courses, the bent grass greens are fast and roll true, and the sand traps are very playable. The staff is friendly and the food in the bar/restaurant is good. The buildings need to be remodeled, but the course only needs a few easy cosmetic changes. I will definitely play here again.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Nice Course - But Not a $100 Course

I have played this course at least 20 times over the past 4-5 years. It is a nice course, and is usually in good condition. However the price keeps going up. And this course is not worth anything over $60 dollars. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being Pebble Beach nice) this course is a 5 or 6. So GOLFNOW prices for this course at between $90 and $120 are just plain ridiculous! I would never pay $100 for this course! Are they kidding? There are several courses in the Coachella Valley that are just as nice for at least $20-$40 less per round - even this time of the year. The "let's rip-off the snowbirds season".

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

Desert Dunes Golf Course

Played On 09/03/2016
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played

You Get What You Pay For...

For those who are looking at the current (early Sept 16) low prices for this course, there is a reason the price is low. The present condition of this course is terrible! There are only occasional patches of live grass on the tees and fairways. The greens are still o.k. - although they are cut long and are very bumpy. But the fairways and tees are mostly dead brown grass, or no grass at all. In addition, I found the two greenside bunkers I had to play out of hard as a rock! They obviously hadn't been maintained for weeks - if not months. The staff mentioned that the course will be reseeding in about 2+ weeks, so maybe this course will be playable again in about 6-8 weeks. Since this used to be one of the premier courses in the Coachella Valley, I will try playing this course again in November or December. But if it hasn't improved considerably, that might be the last time I spend my hard earned cash on this course. The management of this course hasn't spent any serious money to upgrade this course since it was built about 20 years ago. And it is really beginning to show...

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average

Redhawk Golf Club

Played On 08/28/2016
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played
Excellent weather
Used cart

Not What It Used To Be

The last time I played this course (prior to 8/28/16) was in the late 1990s. It sure has deteriorated since those "glory days". Lets start with the greens. They were overwatered to the point of being "mushy". Several greens had large patches of dirt and should have been GUR (ground under repair). I have seen better greens at muni courses! The fairways were also very inconsistent. Some very dry and hard and some soft and wet. Grass was inconsistent. The traps were generally o.k., but were definitely not 5 stars. When I first played this course I would have given it a 9 out of 10 rating (my complaint back then was a lack of distance markers on the course). Now I would not give this course better than a 5 out of 10. This course is now a $40 course with generally higher rates. It could be worth $80+ if they would fix whatever is destroying their greens, do maintenance on their sand traps, level and re-seed the tee boxes. This course does have a great layout and could be a 5 star course.

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

Legends Golf Club

Played On 07/02/2016
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Used cart

Nice Greens - But Everything Else Was Just Average

After driving an hour to try this course for the first time, I was really hoping I would like it. But the best thing I can say about the course is that the greens were very nice - although a bit slow. The fairways were extremely dry and bare in spots. And the tees were average at best. There were an unfortunately high amount of un-repaired ball marks on most of the greens. But that might have been the two foursomes of very slow players that I was stuck behind for the final 6 holes. I didn't see them repair a single ball mark. The course was very much like the neighborhood it is located within. It was probably very nice about 10-15 years ago. But now it seems a bit run down and is definitely in need of remodeling. This course conditions are average to good, but the value for the money is only fair. The conditions at Cross Creek Golf Course (also in Temecula) are better than this course, and the green fees are lower. This course is more convenient to the residents of Temecula - which is probably why they think they can charge more. But with all of the choices of golf courses within 20 miles of Temecula, they may want to reconsider their pricing... Nice - but not the best value for the $.

Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Fairly Easy
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Commented on 08/16/2016

Thanks, well written view point, taking your advice...

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