VanJohn

We liked the course and the price was right. However, we had booked a 7:45 start time but had to wait until 8:25 because of a regular shotgun start group. So don't trust the early morning start times on Golf Now.

While the course was so-so, the price was good if you just want to get out and swing the clubs for 9 holes.

While the fairways are generally bone dry, the greens are in good shape and the value for the dollar is good, especially for duffers like us who need to swing all the clubs. The holes offer a little bit of everything except sand, so it's a good challenge.

My wife and I golfed during a twilight promotion that made the value wonderful compared to other Palm Springs area courses. It was great to play such a high quality course at that price. Fairways are generous with few really dangerous hazards. Greens were most often guarded by traps but not excessively. The first cut of rough was quite easy to play. So, it was a pleasant outing for both of us.

The Golf Now deal we had made this a good value and it's worth checking with the course anytime because they seem to have a lot of deals, especially during the weekdays. The staff was pleasant. The fairway grass was poor and the greens extremely slow but the layout and a couple very challenging par 3s made it fun to play.

National City is a fairly typical municipal course - only fair condition and challenge, shortish, nothing special in layout or design, a useful place to keep your game in shape, particularly the middle and shorter irons. However, it's great advantages are that it's so accessible within San Diego and the price is right - making it a great starter for the beginner golfer but still useful for the average duffer who has a little time to spend at a favorite game.

Built into a housing development and slightly rolling hills, Reidy Creek is a gem of a par 54. I used every iron in my bag and was challenged by varying layouts and hazards from hole to hole. We were quite tuckered after walking the 18. It seemed to play longer than its yardage, yet every hole was a fair challenge for a par 3.

As advertised, Desert Sands was short enough to allow a full round in under four hours even on a busy Saturday but long enough to allow some use of most clubs in the bag. Easily walkable. The greatest challenges are the greens that seldom have flat spots.

Several factors make this a good value: the on-time start and smooth pace, decent course conditions, ease of walking, and a decent work-out for the short-medium game. A minor complaint was no drinking water on the course.