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First let me say I'm a 15 handicap who is handicapped and am a relatively short hitter (Drive about 220, down from there). The five different lengths at this course work beautifully for me, I'm typically playing the 2nd or 3rd shortest tees depending on how I'm feeling. My round today was a great experience with just a few exceptions.
First, they have let almost every bunker grow over this summer and they are now waste areas. I hit out of a few with no problems, but was not required. But very few actual sandy bunkers.
The greens were receptive, and rolled true today, even though there are still spots with no grass and just sand. Been like that for a very long time.
I've always been fascinated by the layout, S-curve par 5's and lots of trouble around, water, woods, swamp, you name it. On days like today, with gorgeous weather, I welcomed it.
My only real concern is that for the last few months I've been able to play a ton of high end courses in the City (Idlewild is in the middle of relative nowhere) during the day on a Friday or Thursday for around $30-$35. Paying $63 today was the most I've paid for a round in a very long time, especially for a 2:00 tee time on a Friday.
I do recommend this course, in a 50 mile radius of it there is nothing even close to the quality, maybe that's why the prices are high.

I'm always struck when I travel to places like Florida, Texas, and the like how many quality public, city/county owned golf courses there are. Lots of choices.
In Baton Rouge, few choices that don't allow the ground to turn into concrete as the weather dries out, and Santa Maria is usually one of them.
This trip the greens were in great shape, the fairways changing over grass and were very hard, I hit 5 balls that landed on greens or in fairways but ended up in the water, seems the watering was at a minimum.
I've always like SM's layout. The Par-3's have wonderful greens, long, skinny, and from day to day are very different holes. The Par 5's usually will give you a broad driving area and then punch you on the 2nd shot. Laying up is a pretty good idea, especially for a 15 handicapper like me.
Overall, a good place to play, but with all it's financial issues, will remain to be seen if the County can keep it up.