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If you want underprivileged kids to play this course, fill in some of the lakes /ponds. I played this course years ago before whomever runs it now, they have taken away the charm by digging too many ponds on this course. Granted it needed some touching up but the ponds will eat up a beginners golf balls by the 9th hole! The redesign left no bale outs on the water holes. Go over or in the water! There is absolutely no design to this layout now. Kids won’t have enough golf balls to make a full round. It’s all risk and no reward. Sucks too because the old course was a nice place to play and learn. Won’t ever come back. Suffered 3 penalty shots because of the water in play. Still broke 80 (78).

So I read recents reviews and we decided to give Battleground another chance. Well we chose wrong. Golfers call a bad course, “a goat ranch” and this course still fits this title. Whomever is running this course now, still can’t get it right. Years back we would have our Shell Golf tournament benefitting a local orphanage. The course was maintained and run by the city. Golfing Pro, Louis Gantz always did a nice job for us. The course was always pristine and well maintained. Water aeration and waterfall features WORKED! This course needs a lot of TLC. Every hole has something aesthetically wrong with it. Just poor maintenance, period. We also had two flats with the golf carts we were assigned. They brought us a replacement for the first one, we didn’t call for the second. We just “limped” in with the second one.To whomever is running Battleground, we wouldn’t return to your course even if you offered us free golf for a year! Simply unbelievable! The city of Deer Park should also be ashamed of itself for having such a nice layout go to waste.

We were traveling in from Lake Charles and decided to stop and play one more round. Called in Thursday and set up a tee time. We arrived early to check the greens out. OMG how does this place even stay open! Why are you open??? Evidently this place has no income coming in because everything is overgrown. Clubhouse is old and tired. When you have to walk through and around to get to the pro shop, that’s not very efficient. Just a dump. Don’t waste your time. I would have taken more photos but figured this was embarrassing enough. I’m glad we didn’t play.

Played here when the course was opening. Noticed the old club house is still there. Driving range shutdown! - 1 putting green not cut -1

Golf cart attendant very rude. The young man needs a lesson in manners. -2

We played behind a fivesome who was a little slow despite “looking like regulars”. Pace of play -1

Maintenance rolling greens ahead of us. Made for very smooth greens. +1

Water and ice at restrooms is good. +1

Restaurant very good. +2

Will we return? Probably yes but since we’re from Houston, it won’t be anytime soon.

We played this course a year ago. We fish every year in Lake Conroe but also play local courses. What a difference a year makes. Once again horrible greens. (Last year they said it was the freeze) absolutely no maintenance on the course and it’s a Thursday. Couldn’t hear a trimmer or mower anywhere on the course. Rough is too penal but it’s understandable when the maintenance crew is at the maintenance shed / building all day. This place needs someone to return it back to some glory it once had. It’s not going to happen sitting in the maintenance shed.

Seems the course is now run by local college students which I guess is ok. But the fry cook couldn’t handle more than one order at a time. Took 30 mins for a hot dog and draft.

Carts are nice and clean.

Putting green is a chipping green. Mostly sand.

Back the course…rough off the cart paths is 1-2 feet tall and thick. Group in front kept losing their balls which made pace of play very slow. CUT the rough. I saw plenty of tractor mowers capable of mowing this in the maintenance yard.

I feel sorry for the local college that has to have its name / mascot associated with this course. All it takes is someone willing to work and get this course back in shape. Do it one hole at a time!

So Arcis is finally pumping money back into CC. New carts and greens slowly coming back. They even spent money on over seeding this year. They have cleaned up some of the water collection areas which is more aesthetically pleasant to see. Sand traps actually have some sand. Cart beverage out but they need more water stations on the course.

Pace of play is still a problem. (4.75 hours) The pace of play could be improved by possibly cutting down some more rough. I’ve seen players spend a lot time looking for lost balls. It’s a links style course. Make it faster! The greens are well protected by bunkers anyway.

We had not played here in a year due to the poor condition of the greens. Happy to see that the greens have grown back. Pace of play is still too slow. No drink cart! Only two tee boxes with drinking water available, #6 and 14. Unbelievable! With Houston weather being hot and humid they could at least put out some temporary stands with water.

Sand traps need work. Rough is penal. 20 out of 20 carts out needed seats to be replaced or reupholstered! The gasoline carts move you along pretty well. We’ll be back hoping greens get just a tad faster.

This place is definitely taken for granted the people that come to play here on a normal basis. They “promise” a hot dog and chips after your Tuesday round but they don’t even cook any to start with. In my opinion that’s being deceitful or just plain lying!

We booked a round on the Tradition course only to find out the back 9 was closed for bridge repairs. Come on tell your patrons that the back 9 is closed when calling or at least on the website! Just sorry management! And then your staff try’s to talk it up because it rained we had a delay on the repairs. BS! Bridge repairs don’t happen over night.

Not at all happy with this outing. Think we’ll give Cypresswood a year or two to get there “crap” together before we come back.

We played Gus last Friday, 1/7 and the greens were in excellent shape. Returned a week later to find them peppered with ball marks. It’s unbelievable that some players or hacks don’t take the time to fix a simple ball mark. The greens can’t handle this barrage for very long.

The HGA has done well to bring back Gus only to have it “assaulted”. Tell the players when they check in to please fix their ball marks. Have the marshals ask some players too. If the players get upset, good then maybe they won’t come back!

Those of us who used to play Gus “back when” have and do appreciate the hard work the HGA has done.

It’s been awhile since I’ve played here but it’s not hard to remember why I quit coming. This place is a poster child for what happens when a city course is leased to a corporate group. The only good, golf carts are fairly new.

Course needs major maintenance. Greens are coming back but never back to what they were when city ran the course. They are cutting them so much smaller because they can’t grow grass! The “memory trees” planted all over the course are beautiful oaks but need major trimming by a trained arborist. Fairways have grass but need to be cut. Putting green comes with “mud traps”. That’s a first for me.

They have maintenance guys running around in John Deere carts burning gas and watching golfers instead of cutting grass. We saw these “clowns” trim around 3 trees and then take a smoke break by the practice facilities restroom. Then they headed back to the compound racing to get there.

Overall course maintenance needs to tackle one hole at time and cut grass, clean and trim trees. Maybe within a month you could have the course looking decent. Don’t be surprised you’ll have enough branches and limbs for a bomb fire! What a shame.

Oh and cut down the cypress “guarding” number 5 green. It wasn’t originally designed to be there. That was a good risk / reward hole before.

HGA has done a fabulous job bringing back Gus! Greens were super fast and true. Fairways are fast and tightly mowed which makes the track playable from the back tees. Sand traps are playable which says a lot for a public course.

Hoping that they get the rest of this project completed soon because the parking lot needs work and no clubhouse to eat a good burger would really complete a good round.

HGA you need to consider another project! It’s obvious you what your doing. Maybe Brock??

This course is soooo tired, it needs a year off! Greens have too many weeds and crab grass. Looks like they were recently treated but dead spots all over. Why were they allowed to get in this bad of shape in the first place? Seems every hole has a water hazard! Why? It’s suppose to be a resort course! No wonder you can’t get people to play it. Trees overhang making driving a real challenge. Cart paths...hold on to your kidneys because they are in pretty bad shape. If this course got a “redo” recently, someone made out like a bandit? We won’t be back! It’s a shame too because Conroe needs public courses. We went there to play and eat afterwards at Landsharks. Found out the place is closed Monday and Tuesday (LOL). Del Lago, La Torretea (?)...changing names won’t help if your not going to make the course playable for resort guests. Driving range was too small for a driver.

I have played AP before and since the last time, the course looks tired. Ditches need maintenance. Carts paths also in need of some repair. The greens had just been vertícut. So, they were not true at all. It’s not a $75 course. If I compare it to Golf Club of
Houston (twilight rate $60) no way does AP match up. We played two rounds and they charged us full rates both rounds. Unusual practice I’ve come across. Most courses charge you only cart rates for a replay.

We enjoyed the day but that practice left a bad taste in our mouths.

AP you can do much better! Step up if your gonna carry the name, Augusta!

Course
74 Traps BUT THEY need a lot of maintenance. No rakes to be found anywhere?

Some pin locations have NOT been changed in awhile. Some where at least 6” wide from wind and play. LOL

#17 is the best hole on the course yet the area surrounding the green is rough. Clear it out and make this hole what it was meant to be!

Design / layout is very challenging BUT a bit quirky. You don’t need to place a trap or hazard everywhere! I understand the slope rating now. It was manufactured but the terrain is enough to make this course Challenging. .

HOW ABOUT SOME BETTER SIGNAGE FROM HOLE TO HOLE.

SERVICE
We tried to play two days before but Pro Shop attendant kept telling us it was cart path only. We took the chance and went anyway and the gentleman told us the course had NO such rules. LOL.

Service at the turn was slow because they had only person tending to players and resort guests. It took us at least 20 minutes to buy and load up.

Place some water on the course! Puerto Rico is warm and players need water! One free water bottle is not enough.

Overall
For the $100+ we spent, this course needs a little more care. Compared to the other high end courses in Puerto Rico, this course rates #5 in my book. Only because of the layout is it worth playing again. Otherwise value falls short.

We returned to play Gus and we were very disappointed in the conditions of the greens. So so many ball marks which players are not taking the time to repair. It’s unfortunate too because the HGA did a bang up job on the course. If they don’t get a handle on this, it’s quickly going to get back to a “hackers” course again. Ask the marshals to help police instead of just riding around! Greens are in need of a heavy top dress of sand to cover all the ball marks. Good luck trying to sink a birdie putt of 4-5 feet!!! Creek(s) need a serious clean up too. Nasty full of plastic bottles and trash. Lastly, DON’T allow walkers on weekends. Slows pace of play.

I have waited to replay hearing greens have been redone but they were still in poor condition and some were suffering from erosion. Obviously they do not have a good greenskeeper. These “new” greens will not survive. For the value, it’s good to come and play and hack around but don’t expect good greens. I won’t be returning anytime soon.

Mr Wally advised us to hit most tee shots left. Very good advise. Fastest greens we played this trip. We played The Bandit on Wednesday, May 1 and comparing greens, these were just a little bit faster. The Palmer is a version of The Bandit but on steroids! Unless your accustomed to playing slopping fairways, uphill shots, and some blind shots, this course is worth playing. Plenty of tee boxes to make the right choice. Fairways are wide enough if you stay left. (Listen to Mr Wally). We will be back and play the Resort course next time too.

I first played The Bandit in 2000. The scenery has changed a lot. More homes and some of the trees have grown up. Great greens but if you don’t play this course on a regular basis you will lose some strokes putting hitting it on the wrong side. Pin placement was tough this day. Beverage cart came around every 3-4 holes. Only #18 green had some issues but all the others were in excellent shape. Fairways are plenty wide. It’s the approach shots that make this course tough. Definitely playing it again...sooner than later now that I’m retired.

You would think that a course that charges this much to play could afford to overseed the greens! They obviously had issues so why not plant winter rye until the grass grows back? No fun hitting greens in regulation only to struggle making two foot putts. Beverage cart girl was too busy with Titleist demo guys and never made it out to front 9. Another young lady finally showed up on 17. We canceled our 2nd round and played a local muni (Brackenridge). Greens were In ten times better shape. Our annual golf trip WON’T include The Quarry ever again.

We played Brackenridge twice because The Quarry greens were in so bad shape. Lots of mature trees but the tee shots are playable except #16! Not sure about that tree in the middle of the fairway. I can hit a draw but this shot requires you to hook it about 30 yards! Interesting hole nevertheless. Just laid up and made par both days. Greens are in excellent shape for a muni. But as usual some players don’t know or care to repair their ball marks. Should utilize the marshals to go around and fix some of the ball marks? Very happy we decided to play this local muni. Not very long but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s not a worthy challenge.