Lives
San Diego, CA
Handicap
5-9
Age
25-34
Gender
Male
Skill
Advanced
Plays
Once a month

Review Statistics

Average Rating

4.6
4.6
Total 16 Reviews

Rating Breakdown

16 Reviews
5 Stars
9
4 Stars
7
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Recommended Courses
16
Not Recommended Courses
0
Helpful Votes Count
1
Not Helpful Votes Count
0
First Review
06/05/2017
Last Review
01/17/2024

Reviews Map

Reviews

4.6
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First time playing this course
Recommended
Review has
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great Views, Good Food, and Fast Greens

I played on a holiday and the pace of play was slow on the front nine but fast on the back nine after asking the group ahead of us to make an adjustment to catch up with the group in front of them. I played the Canyon and Ranch nines from the blue tees. Besides some temporary confusion from the starter about playing partners and when to tee off, the entire experience was ideal.
The greens rolled nicely but were too fast for most players at a speed of 11. Many balls rolled off of the green on chips and long putts. This wasn't really a bad thing, but definitely an added challenge. The fairways were in decent shape, but most lies were tight. There was ample sand in the bunkers. Most of the teeing grounds were in good shape, while others needed some work. All in all, the course was in good condition. The management puts forth a good product consistently. I have played this course 3 times in the last 2 years and enjoyed all 3 rounds. I will return.

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

Arrowood Golf Course

Played On 12/22/2023
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Wet Fairways and Excellent Greens

The fairways were wet in some places, but it didn't detract much from the round. Our group took some preferred lies. The course layout is interesting and there are some pleasant views. The French Dip sandwich with side salad was very tasty and I recommend eating on the veranda, which overlooks the course. I did not use the driving range, but it looks fully equipped. Despite the 1 hour drive, I will return.

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

Native Oaks Golf Club

Played On 04/01/2023
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Course was aerated recently, but shows promise

This was my first time playing the course. I’ve heard good things, so I finally tried it. The price was $85 via GolfNow. I was informed in advance that the course was aerated, so I knew to lower my expectations.
The course and operations show promise. I’m compelled to return once the course recovers from aeration and all of the wetness from recent rains. I predict that the course will be in great shape by mid-April.
As for conditions on the day, the bunkers were soggy with standing water in some of them. The fairways were “furry”, which made for low roll. I assume that the fairways haven’t been cut since aeration a few days prior. The greens were sandy of course, but rolled true enough to make two-putts. However, chipping and putting was a challenge as expected. All in all, it was difficult to score well due to the conditions. That said, I will return to try the course with more typical conditions.
The food at the clubhouse was decent and a good value. The service at the turn was quick.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Good Golf and Better Food

Pace of Play:
I played on a Tuesday. Many of the players were locals and some were members. The pace of play was great, though it's worth noting that it seemed that not all tee times/slots were filled.

Course Conditions:
The tee boxes were in decent shape with some unevenness. The fairways were in good shape. The bunkers were well manicured and filled with ample amounts of sand. The sand is soft and fluffy, so make sure to swing with speed on the sand shots. The greens were in excellent shape and were running fast at 11.5 on the Stimpmeter. Some of the greens have multiple tiers, but for the most part, the challenge was reading the subtle breaks within a tier and gaging the speed correctly on such fast greens.

Restaurant:
I ate an early dinner there after the round. The service was welcoming, fast, and accommodating. The food was great and full of value. I recommend the sliders!

Overall Review:
This is a well managed property and I've enjoyed it the three times I've been there. There are three nines on the property and all three are good, but most say the Canyon and the Ranch nines are better than the Vineyard nine. The price is higher than I'd like to pay, but I can't complain as everything is well done at this facility.

Note: I don't know if walking allowed, but I have not seen anyone walk there. It is a hilly property which makes for many elevated teeing grounds with great views.

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

Maderas Golf Club

Played On 06/03/2021
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Good times at Maderas

The greens were lush but much slower than usual for Maderas. The back nine greens were closer to normal. The deal I found via Teeoff.com (same parent company as GolfNow.com) was the lowest price I’ve ever paid for this course: $70! All around it was a great twilight round during the long days of the year. I hope to return soon.

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

Maderas Golf Club

Played On 11/02/2019
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Great Conditions with Fast Greens

This is my favorite public course in San Diego. I’ve written about that before, so I’ll focus on the recent condition of the course. The greens were nearly perfect. They ran smooth and fast. If anything they were too quick, but not by much. The fairways were consistently good and the bunkers were raked and contained plenty of sand. The tee boxes were in good shape. When booking a tee time at Maderas, try to find a discounted rate, but even at the price I paid of $180, the course quality and hole variety is worth the asking price. Normally, I try to play this course for $90 to $120 and at that price, it’s a really great value. This time I booked on short notice at a time when most San Diego courses were aerating, so the options for tee times at nice courses were few.

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

Aviara Golf Club

Played On 11/04/2017
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Fun Round at Aviara

The course and conditions were excellent. I really enjoyed the consistency of the greens.
Concerning price, this course is out of my budget. However, if I can find a way to play less than $130 of my own money, I’ll consider it. To bring the price down I suggest you do what I do and save up credits as a GolfNow frequent player and then apply the earned promo codes for discounted golf. I was able to get my $190 Hot Deal price down to $140 with $50 in promo codes. Furthermore, ask friends and family for GolfNow gift certificates for your birthday. Then redeem it for a round at Aviara.
I enjoyed the round. I’ll play at Aviara again next year.

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

Maderas Golf Club

Played On 09/24/2017
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

5 Stars

I keep coming back to this amazing course. If you can afford the $105 non-peak Golf Now tee time rate, it's a must play. The conditions are typically very good and yesterday the conditions were great. In addition, the weather was ideal, so I could not ask for more.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent

Maderas Golf Club

Played On 09/10/2017
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Fairway Conditions Are Excellent

The management of this course is so good. The fairways were in amazing shape, especially considering the low precipitation in the San Diego region. Two greens on the front side were a little thin in some areas. Other than that, the putts rolled true. The sunset late in the day made the afternoon round more spectacular.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent

Carmel Mountain Ranch Country Club

Played On 09/04/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Challenging Par 3's, Some Greens Are Thin

I love the course layout. Every hole is unique. The course conditions are slipping, and with playership down I'm not surprised. Some of the greens on the back nine were thin. It seemed that some of the greens were minimally sanded. I'm hoping the greens improve going into the fall. The bunkers are filled with dirt, but I could play from them. The fairways are good for the most part and the tees are in good shape.
I couldn't believe that more people were not on the course on Labor Day. It could be a symptom of golf's decline, but I suspect also that this course is too narrow and too penalizing for most mid to high handicappers. That said, playing on a holiday for $39 (plus golf now booking fee) was really nice. I'd be happy to play the course for $55 in its current condition provided that the place of play is good. Look for a round at mid day or early afternoon for a quicker round.
Note to the club: re-upholster the cushions of or trash the old white backed chairs that are outside the clubhouse. They look poor. In general, the grounds around the hitting nets and outside the clubhouse need sprucing.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Another Sycuan Gem

This was my first time playing the Par 3 course at Sycuan. I've played the championship courses (willow and glen) a couple of times each before. I appreciated that the quality was only a few notches below the other two courses. It's nice to see that the management cares also for the course that caters to novice golfers and those who wish to work on short irons, chipping, and putting.
The layout was more interesting than I expected and as a 10 handicapper playing with a less experienced golfer I was pleased that there were several 140-180 yard par three's. My main issue was that the blue tee boxes are not officially in use since the blue markers are not placed. That said, I played the "back" tees anyway. Frustratingly, there are no tee distance markers to show the reference point for the posted yardage for either the white or blue tees. To SYCUAN MANAGEMENT: Please install tee reference markers so that golfers can choose correct club without need for rangefinder.
In terms of course conditions, the grass on the trees is anywhere from bad to above average, with some tees having grass that is too long. I only saw one bunker and I didn't go in it so I can't vouch for its quality. The fairways were in decent shape. The greens were in good shape and I felt that if I hit a putt on my line it would go into the hole. The speed of the greens is moderate, which is appropriate for a par 3 course. I plan to play this course again, expecially if I'm booking a round of golf with someone new to the game. If you are looking to play every club in the bag, play one of the other courses.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Response from on 09/14/2017:
We appreciate your feedback. We are glad you decided to try out the Pine Glen course for the first time. We will look into your tee marker concern. We look forward to your next round!

Carmel Mountain Ranch Country Club

Played On 08/26/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Throw back Thriller

I grew up in SD and played this course several times when I was young. I lost interest in it years ago when I started hitting the ball harder and got increasingly nearvous about hitting a house. It's importantly to note that the homes are close to the edges of the fairways on several holes and many of those same holes have narrow fairways. That said, the $45 (plus small booking fee) rate for a Saturday morning round was too good to pass up. I played with my friend and one other person we met on the first tee. The pace of play was really good. We waited less than a minute a few times during the 18 hole round.
As for the course conditions, the greens were in good to great shape and rolled fairly true. The fairways were in good to great shape as well. The bunkers were consistent but they were filled with what seemed to be dirt. I agree with a previous reviewer that the bunkers should be improved. That said, I was able to play shots from them with considerable spin because the dirt is so gritty.
This was my first time playing the course since the turf reduction and takeover by JC golf management. The turf reduction has two upsides and one downside. The upsides are that it makes for a slightly more natural coastal desert feel and it means that the grass that remains can receive more water. The downside is that this tough course is less forgiving of wayward shots.

The course is not long even from the blue tees. I consistently hit 265 to 275 yards with my driver and I used driver on only 4 holes. I used several 3 woods and long irons off the tee. The important thing is to hit straight tee shots (200 to 230 yards in most cases) on this shotmaker's course.

My advice is to play this course if you are hitting the ball consistently straight and you can get a good deal. Provided that the pace of play is good, I'd be happy to play this course for as much as $65 on a weekend and $50 on a weekday. As an added bonus, the burger I had a the snack shop was good and plentiful. The par threes are truly challenging and the views from some holes give sweeping views of the surrounding hills covered with boulders.

Final thoughts: This course does not have a driving range but does have a hitting net with 10 or so stalls. The practice green is large and seemed to roll similarly to the greens on the course.

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

Carlton Oaks Lodge & Country Club

Played On 06/04/2017
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

A Good Challenge

I am a SD local and I have played this course 6 or so times over the last 10 years. Every time I play it, I'm glad I did primarily because the layout is interesting. Also, there are few houses on this course, which is always a plus. There is some freeway noise from the 52 freeway, but it's a peaceful round for the most part.

The lakes, streams, waste bunkers, and bunkers demand accuracy and length from the tee and fairway. Most of the holes are unique and if the wind is blowing west to east, several of the par 4's play really long. Some of the par 3's are tough. Hole 17 is a doozy in that the green is very elevated and if you don't land on it, you are almost sure to be in a bunker. In general the course has small greens. In some cases, I feel that they are unfairly small.

While the course conditions have varied over that period, the conditions have been at least mediocre and more typically are good to great. I found that the course conditions are better than 12 months ago and I attribute this to the record rain in SD in the winter, following a 5+ year drought. My only complaint is that the greens were thin. They rolled fairly true, but I wonder how these greens will look during the heat of summer.

I recommend playing this course in Fall, Winter or Spring, because it can be very hot in inland SD in the summer. One time I played there in August or something and it was 103°F. I'll never do that again. For a comfortable round, play Carlton Oaks when the high temperature in Santee is less than 85°F.

The course is long, but it doesn't have to be. There are six tees. The black tees are 7228 or 7304 yards (depending on the set-up) making it one of the longest courses in the SD area. I play the blue tees which are 6700 yards and I typically score in the 80's. The green tees are 6320 yards, and would be a good choice for moderately skilled golfers playing the course for the first time. I find it odd that there is no tee in the 6450-6550 yard range.

Most recently, I played this course on a Sunday and my tee time was just after noon. The pace of play was excellent because not many people tee off midday. I paid $46 (walking rate), which is a good value. I'd pay as much as $60 (walking) with the good conditions. The starter did allow a fivesome, which bothers me in principal, but my twosome was ahead of it and I could tell that the fivesome allowed other twosomes to play through. A marshal roamed the course and was watching for slow play.

In terms of amenities there is a decent driving range, a chipping area I have not used, and a great putting green with flat and sloped regions. The water coolers on the course are kept full and there

I purchased the French Dip sandwich after the round and sat outside on the patio, which overlooks the putting green, course, and nearby hills. The food was tasty and the view was better.

To sum up, if you want to challenge your skills and get away from it all, play a round at this laid-back course with good amenities.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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Commented on 07/12/2017

Useful information as I attack the course Saturday 15Jul17.

I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

A Nice Round

The course layout has a mix of straightforward holes and few more interesting holes. For the most part though, what you see is what you get.

The course conditions were typical for Sycuan and much better than many courses in SD. The fairways were fairly lush by SD public golf standards. The greens were mostly consistent and rolled true. If you can get GIR's you should be able to roll in a few putts for birdie.

I've always been treated with good customer service here.

I recommend this course. While the terrain is similar between the two 18 hole courses on the property, if you care about aesthetics, then play Willow Glen since it is a little more beautiful.

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

The Crossings At Carlsbad

Played On 04/22/2017
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

One of My Favorite Courses in San Diego

I live in SD and I love this course. It is challenging and I would not recommend it to novice golfers. I shoot in the low 80's on an average difficulty course and I typically shoot in the mid to high 80's here. I have played this course numerous times and I always have a good time. The course layout is so interesting and no two holes are alike. There is a LOT of elevation change throughout the course.

The views of the surrounding area and ocean are great. While this course does not boarder the coast, it is probably only 2 miles inland so it is a perfect choice for the summer, when most inland course are uncomfortably hot. Also, there tends to be wind in the late afternoon that will make club selection even more difficult for shots with elevation change.

The course features many elevated tees, lots of bunkers, and some pretty water hazards. I should note that you cannot walk this course. There is a lot of distance between holes and some crazy hill climbs. I heard that the cart path measures about 6 miles.

One cool feature of this course is that prop planes and corporate jets take off from a nearby runway. It adds visual interest to the experience especially when your golf game is not worth watching.

I could go on and on about this course but let me just say this: It is one of the best courses and values in the area if you are a SD or Carlsbad resident. It is simply one of the best city/municipal courses in So Cal. I consider playing this course any time I can find a tee time for less than $90. At $80 or less the value is super good.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

Fun Course for Novice and Experienced Golfers

This was my first time playing Willow Glen. I played Oak Glen (the other 18 hole course on the property) a couple of times before. By comparison, I think Willow Glen is more aesthetically pleasing, and the level of difficulty of the two courses is similar. Both courses are fun to play. Above all, I appreciate the variety.

This course caters to players of a range of skill levels. The course presents enough obstacles for someone who shoots in the 80's but is forgiving enough for someone who shoots in the 90's to low 100's. While there are plenty of lateral water hazards, and a few water hazards (ponds), you shouldn't lose many balls even with errant shots, because there is extra space on this course. If you put yourself in play off the tee, you can score well here. Tip: Driver is not always the best play off the tee.

Very few houses border the course, which I like. The views in the valley that this course resides are beautiful. It's a peaceful place to play. I recommend walking as it is a mostly flat course. There were two elevated tees that made for a fun shots down to the fairway below.

This course is fully loaded with all of the amenities. One of my favorite things about playing here is that the starter announced our tee time and welcomed us to the tee. Sometimes it's the little things that make all of the difference. Also, the tee times stayed on schedule, which is rare these days. It's all to common that when I arrive at a course (not this one) with enough time to warm-up, the staff wants me to tee off ASAP, just because the tee is open. It can be frustrating. Fortunately, Sycuan seems to stick with the tee schedule.

To sum it up, the fairly long drive to this course is more than worth it. This is a great course, that is run efficiently. It is a good walking course and if I can pay less than $70 on a weekend (walking rate), I'll consider booking a tee time.

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