eightbitprince

I played this course on a Friday and was paired with another single. This was a good course but perhaps not worth $90 at this time of year. In the winter this would be a fair price for this course but is pretty high for this time.

That said, staff were amazing, cart staff amazing, starter amazing, course conditions: better than average, 7 out of 10 ... specifically greens run very slow for this level of course compared to other ChampionsGate, Celbration and Reunion courses.

It's a wonderful course to play but recommend playing on a weekday.

Staff were terrific, however 16 of the 18 holes were in terrirble condition.

Greens: 1 out of 10 - many greens were bare with 30-40% of the green was dirt or bare spots painted green.

Fringe: 1 out of 10 - fringe around greens was inconsistent and in very bad shape, uneven, over grown, bare spots, sometimes mud or dirt only. Playing chips and pitches into the green could not be made with normal technique or strategy. Instead the player must choose their shots to avoid the poor groundskeeping.

Sand: 6 out of 10 - Bunkers on the front 9 were average to poor but bunkers on the back 9 were in tremendous shape with new white sand that played true without being overfilled.

Fairways: 5 out of 10 - Some fairways were dry but all were playable. These are what could be considered satisfactory, but not great. Often finding bare spots throughout or overgrown sections right next to playable lies.

Rough, Second/Third Cuts and areas just outisde of fairways: 2 out of 10 - these areas were very inconsistent throughout the course. There didn't seem to ever be a true second cut and in many areas you would expect to find your ball in the rough, there would be no grass at all or weeds that have grown in over the grass that should be used throughout the course. These areas make up the majority of landscaping on courses like Glen Ivy, and were wildly inconsistent and nearly all were in poor condition.

Tees: 2 out of 10 - 16 of the 18 tee boxes were in terrible condition, with many closed and Blue tees often moved up to where White or Gold would be.

In general, this couse is a wonderful layout that I really enjoy but I cannot recommend it in the shape that it is in.

The conditions have gotten so far below even Municipal level that the only way I could see them making progess would be to close the course for a few weeks and tear out the turf, reseed and get it back to playing condition with an eye for detail.

At just over 6500 yards off the blue tees this course challenges every skill level by making shorter holes longer with drastic elevation changes, and includes many narrow fairway entry points and blind shots throughout. Tournament / black tees not available when we played.

The layout is difficult but not punishing, but there are a few holes that may punch you in the gut just when you think you are playing well. For example, a 240 yard PAR 3 that plays 280 when the pin is in the back of the green.

Overall I think this is a very enjoyable course especially for mid-low handicap players. I would not recommend this course for a new or learning player unless they are going to play the furthest forward tees. The opening hole will see the “tough guys trying to bomb drives” losing ball after ball on the opening tee shot if they are not accurate.

Greens run medium-fast, but are not at a punishing pro speed. They did not post the speeds, but I would guess they run at about a 10. This course does not indicate pin position with their flags. All flags were white regardless of front, mid or back pin.

Last my only minor gripe. Like many other courses during COVID, there are no rakes. While the bunker side sand appears to be good quality, the course does not fluff or churn the sand daily, so it settles and collects water underneath making traps very wet and firm even when it’s been sunny for days, even though it appears dry on the surface. If they were to have grounds keepers rake the traps in the morning this would be a massive improvement to the only concern I can think of. Yes it’s a little dry right now in some areas, but that’s normal this time of year and the conditions were overall 8/10. And impressive feat for COVID golf.

Please give this course the benefit of the doubt because it’s a great place to play during COVID. They won’t even let you on the property without taking your temperate at the gate which I appreciate.

So get out there and enjoy this course with your friends. It’s a nice getaway just miles from Orange County or LA.

I have played Tijeras Creek a few times and really enjoy the fantastic layout and terrific fairway conditions and bunker conditions. But this is my first time since COVID-19 became an issue.

The course has clear signage. The staff is considerate and respectful providing great guest service, while also making a point to be clear about safety guidelines and communicating them to guests.

This was a massive relief and it was clear that everyone cares for their guests at the course. From checkin to the cart team to the bar staff to the roving cart staff: everyone was on the same page about safety while also being cheerful and providing amazing service.

Honestly it’s the only experience I have had like this in months and it should be commended. Especially because everything else was great too.

There were only minor quality changes to the course between my last visit and my visit during COVID-19 and that is amazing considering the circumstances.

If you do go for a round there, be sure to thank the wonderful staff.

Birch Hills is a terrific layout for an executive course. It does something that few executive courses can do. It asks you to play every shot in your bag. Long hitters may pull the driver 2x times and be tempted by greens just out of their reach, while other skill levels can play the same hole with an iron tee shot, and take their normal approach for par.

And that is where the beauty of this course lies. It asks you to play your game. For you to be uncomfortable on some ranges you may not consider practicing. But each time you are practicing shots you need to play when you move along to longer layouts.

It can be a very slow course when it gets busy, backing up around holes 5-6 but that’s to be expected with so many par 3s on a course.just know that’s what you are in for?

Arrowood is a challenging course that throws a lot of variety at you with its superb layout. It features tons of elevation changes and each green offers it’s own unique challenges.

Green speeds were fast the day we played and were posted along with pin positions on the first tee. Good thing, because designer Ted Robinson, Jr. asks you to think a little bit when playing this course ... especially on your approach to the greens.

The last 4 hole on this course are stand out and a wonderful way to finish the day. I love hole 16 which features a beautiful island green lined with bunkers in the back and one sneaky mini-bunker up front. It’s a hole that requires great distance control on both off the the tee and approaching the green.

All staff we met during our rounds were friendly, and knowledgeable about the course and seemed excited to talk about the layout. The small cafe has a wonderful feeling at sunset, and is a perfect place to wind down after your round with a cold beer and some delicious pub fare.

To sum up, I love this course. From the people to the practice area, to the unforgiving layout ... it’s a “players course” and among my favorites in Southern California.

First of all the staff here in the pro shop and cafe are great. It’s a very nice place to spend a leisurely afternoon playing golf. I emphasize LEISURELY.

My tee time was at 2:30 as a single player and I was grouped up with two other golfers. We tee’d off on time but it was apparent from the start that the pace of play ahead of us was going to be very very slow. Like a lazy drive down a crowded boulevard on a Sunday.

The pace of play seemed to largely be due to groups ahead of us unfamiliar with the basic course rules (stated on many signs) and some of them seemed new to golf so they may not have any idea that the course had guidelines or even know the basics of etiquette. I did not see a Marshall, and these are situations where one could share guidelines to help everyone on the course out.

The conditions:

Tee boxes: 3/5

Fairways: 3/5

Greens: 2/5, very slow, soft, a few were in very poor condition so much that your ball would bounce even on short puts.

Course Layout: This is a very forgiving course layout for golfers with little accuracy control. The fairways are wide open, a miss will land you in the next fairway with an easy shot putting you back in your fairway. The design of the greens is the highlight here with a few tiered greens with major elevation changes, however they weren’t well kept. The bunkers and hazards are placed in a way that would be better described as scenery with only one or two holes asking the golfer to make a shot to avoid them. The tree lined sections of the course are rarely out of bounds because the trees are spaced out. An easy, but enjoyable course.

Friendly Staff, Great Cafe, Perfect for a casual day of short game practice.

The staff member at the counter was friendly when we arrived. And made my friend feel at home for his first time on a golf course. She let him know what the best deals were to get some balls and assisted with loaning him a few clubs.

It was a slow Sunday and the course was busy but for the price Heartwell is in pretty decent condition. I’d say it’s a fair value for what you get.

At the turn we stopped and had burgers and beer in the cafe and the food was good.

If you are looking for some short game practice (no hole is over 140yds ... a few are 90 or less) at just a little more money than the price of a bucket of balls at most ranges, you can’t go wrong with playing at Heartwell.

For $21-25 in the afternoons this course is great for tune-up rounds or a casual round with friends.

The good? It’s full-length with plenty of par 5s. The condition is decent. Not great not bad. Right in the middle. The greens are a bit slow here, but they are soft and well-kept, so short-game balls will check if you can impart any spin to your ball, or tend to approach with your loftier wedges Dan, the worker in the pro shop / checkin was very nice and struck up a conversation while we were waiting.

The driving range isn’t anything special, it’s fine, however there are 3 generously sized greens. All seemed to be okay for putting AND chipping with enough surrounding fringe and open grass to work from a variety of distances while practicing.

The bad? Pace of play CAN be slow here. But on the right day this isn’t the norm. While playing, we saw a few locals crossing the course (right through where we were shooting) on their way home for the day. Along the back of the course away from the club house, there is some graffiti. Not a deal breaker, but otherwise the setting was well-kept.

Lastly, this course is best for those looking for a course over 6,000 yds, but doesn’t offer that much of a challenge. It’s mainly flat, and there are 2-3 holes near the end of the day that are nicely designed. There is no danger in this course, just hit away, making this a good choice for those who are looking to work on their long game without being punished by hazards all day.