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Let's be clear, this is neither an "executive course" nor a typical par 72, so I love playing here for a change of pace. Playing from the tips is very tough since the course rating is over par; I'm a 6 hdcp and think the white tees still offer a challenge. Greens are in better shape than the last few rounds I've played here, I hope they stay this way. Although they're on the slow side, at least all of them are consistent that way and it would be tough to hold approach shots on some of the greens if they were a more typical green speed.
95% of the 50 or so rounds I've played here have been done in under 4 hours. This round I just played was not crowded and two of us got done in 2hr 40min! Love it! Definitely recommend playing here now

Greens on the course were covered in sand, it would have been nice to know that ahead of time from Wente or from GolfNow. Not worth the full price given those conditions. Everywhere else on the course besides the sanded greens were in great shape.

First time playing an Alastair Mackenzie design course and there were certainly Augusta National looks to the holes. Except for the long native grass around a lot of the tee boxes and greens which the member in my foursome noted was un-MacKenzie like. Greens' slow speed caught me off guard but the same member pointed out it's poa annua which gets hairy in the afternoon, but the ball still rolled true.
Not a whole lot of sweeping views except the 1st and 12th tee boxes. But individual hole designs are very interesting with lots of contouring and thoughtful design

I live an hour away but I'm really considering playing here more often. Greens rolled true and not too fast, not too slow and hold approach shots well. Really cool layout, I played Mountain up in the hills and Canyon among the woodlands which was very scenic. I'm sure Lake is just as good. My dad and I played Coyote Creek two weeks ago and we agree Cinnabar Hills is a cut above Coyote.

Course is a bit overwatered, I had a mudball 4 or 5 times hitting into the fairways and greens even though it hasn't rained in two weeks! But I suppose if it was too dry, the course would be unreasonably tough. Greens are faster now than in years past. Some bunkers look new, others are turning crustier.

Favorite aspect was the greens; fast and consistent!
Least favorite aspect was the bunkers; some were bone dry or crusty.
Course was playing soft, very well irrigated, so much so that some of the rough near cart paths was muddy. But it's better than the last couple years when everywhere here was too dry and almost impossible to play. They had lost the course when it was firm so I'm glad they're controlling it now. More playable now, though you'll still have shots that take weird bounces and leave you scratching your head

Surprised that it is overwatered. It's a links course, let it dry out in the summer. My dad's tee shot on 17 plugged in the fairway grass short of the green! A ball plugging in early August is unfathomable but it is entirely possible here where it's overwatered and muddy in some spots under trees. It was very annoying sidestepping geese poop on the fairway, rough, and green on all 18 holes. Pro shop staff looked worn-out, uninspired. I guess I would to if I had to deal with sassy and grumpy old men everyday! There was a long line in the golf shop when I arrived because it looked like a new person was in training and the old golfers in line lost their patience. You could cut the tension in there with a knife. Same old men sounding rude in the pro shop couldn't even follow directions on how to get to the first tee, driving where they shouldn't have.
Not coming back because of the perplexing sogginess on the course, minefields of geese poop, and toxic golfers whose behavior rubs off on the staff

My dad and I played and had a few shots that landed in the rough and disappeared...I think they'll surface in March!

Flat layout. Greens are not too fast, not too slow. Good luck on the those long par 3's. Several tee boxes are starting to look hacked up. Nice fluffy rough is not too punishing. Greens are soft this time of year.

It was my first time playing here so my friend and I went from the Whites, even though I'm usually a Blue tee player. It was still a good challenge and was a very interesting course to play! You'll see every type of look off the tee and into the greens, all sort of undulations, doglegs, and forced carries. Greens were a little bumpy and weren't uniform in color but had a great pace to them, not too fast nor to slow. Course layout is a little like Callippe Preserve but constructed even more on the hillsides. Very cool course, will be back again for sure

I played here a couple times a month or two ago when it was in much better shape but now the course is very dry and bumpy. The cart paths are super dusty and gets your shoes and bag dirty. The old dude who works in the proshop, Jason, gets offended when you book your round on GolfNow like you're taking business away from the course. He was pretty sulky to me.

Layout is fantastic with some beautiful views. It was my first time playing here in 9 months and I have to say, I was disappointed by the condition of the greens and bunkers. I'd be hard-pressed to pay their regular $63 rate to play fairly bumpy greens and crusty or soggy bunkers. I'll play here in the future because the layout is tremendous

Played as a single and breezed through the round in 2 and 1/2 hours. The five groups of people in front of me were all kind enough to let me play through but if I was with anyone, it would've been a 4+ hour round.

Fairways were fine, some of the tee boxes were being aerated but I was more bothered by how some of them were wavy.

Greens were ridiculously bumpy even though they had a nice color to them. I think these are characteristics that they are over-watered. If you have a put outside 15ft, it will serpentine its way to the hole across all the bumps!
Would play again at least for the price I paid

Not as nice as the 18-hole course which isn't in that brilliant of shape to begin with.
Some greens were good, others were very patchy and weird. Rough was pretty dense/unforgiving and some had clovers growing in them. Worst of all were the teeboxes, or should I say, Sandboxes. I just look for and bit of grass within a 20 yard radius of the teebox and hit from there. And on some holes there are tree branches hanging directly over where you want to hit the ball, which was annoying. I only like playing here once a year for $5

I've played a few times a year here for the past three years and the course is presently in the best shape I've ever seen it. Greens are finally normal instead of slow and bumpy. Around the greens it's still a little muddy in the rough, though. They've laid down brand new grass in all the fairways so they're no longer rock-hard, though we'll see how they fair in the summer months. Bunkers looked ok (I miraculously never had to play out of one!) but tee boxes are still a little hacked up. I played here Wednesday for $15 and enjoyed it so much, I came back Thursday for $24. It was a shame in the past because I live five minutes away but would always rather play Tri-Valley courses or courses closer to the Bay than Redwood Canyon. There's still some work to be done here, but it's now playable for single-digit handicappers as well as casual weekend players.

Had a mid morning tee time, but conditions were wet and soggy the entire round even though it hadn't rained since two or three days before. I only played here because it was so cheap. They laid down new grass on all the fairways but it was cart "path" only still. Greens are the best I've ever seen them, they're finally normal and not slow and grainy. They've had issues with course conditions in the past but their hard work is starting to pay off. I can't wait to see what it's like in a few months time but until then, I'd probably play elsewhere

This course definitely values accuracy over distance. I feel like the course rating should be higher because it's so narrow in some spots. Trees are everywhere and you're bound to be hitting a shot underneath or through one. Greens are slick, yet bumpy, so I'm not a fan of them. It's just not very rewarding to your handicap if you play well here. I love the layout at least, but I wish it was in a bit better shape. I once had a 14 on #14 so try topping that

Hope you like kikuyu grass. Soft greens and somewhat wide fairways. Long par 3's & short par 5's. First four holes start you off nice and easy and last four holes finish nice and easy