Second half of my low/high doubleheader was at Sierra Star. I booked a 1:20 tee time once I was on the road and knew when I'd get up to Mammoth. $95 for an afternoon rate is quite expensive, but this ... Continue »

Second half of my low/high doubleheader was at Sierra Star. I booked a 1:20 tee time once I was on the road and knew when I'd get up to Mammoth. $95 for an afternoon rate is quite expensive, but this course is the best thing in a popular resort area. As much as I ended up loving the course, I would feel much better in the $60-70 range. I teed off by myself a little after 1:00, but quickly caught the groups ahead and had nowhere to go. Another single caught up to me on the 8th hole and we played it out together with a total pace of just over 4 hours. Nice guy from the Bay Area who is a GK member. He's one of those "lurkers" for now and couldn't remember his screen name, but I did my best to encourage more reviews from a NorCal player. The course was in solid shape, better than I was led to believe from the last review. I agree the fun layout and the gorgeous scenery tend to balance out with any flaws in the conditions, but I would still say things were quite good. Tee boxes good. Fairways mostly quite good with lush rye grass. Rough pretty consistent and enough to penalize bad shots. I was in a ton of bunkers today and all had good, coarse sand. The greens weren't as bumpy as the last reviewer mentioned. They were firm and a bit hard to hold approaches, but rolled pretty good at medium speeds. I love mountain courses with narrow fairways, big pine trees and plenty of "target" golf. This is my kind of place and reminded me a lot of my beloved Mt. Shasta Resort, though I'd still favor my sentimental favorite. Great contours and diverse, challenging design. I started off playing the mysterious green tees. They weren't listed on the card, but were on every tee box sign. At first I thought maybe they were a combo set between blue and black because there is a huge difference between the two (roughly 800 yards), but they were generally listed within 5-10 yards of the blacks on the signs. No black tee markers were even out, so it was confusing. I ended up moving to the blues when I checked GHIN and saw there was no rating for any green tees. I did notice the elevation affecting distances here. Definitely a club or two less, though the wind was blowing strong this afternoon and that factored in. I did also notice I was huffing and puffing early on after going from very low to very high in just a few hours, but my lungs eventually caught up to the thinner air.

So after vacationing in Mammoth for many years, I finally decided to play Sierra Star. I have always been scared off by the green fees (rack rates are $125), but after seeing a golfnow hot deal for $... Continue »

So after vacationing in Mammoth for many years, I finally decided to play Sierra Star. I have always been scared off by the green fees (rack rates are $125), but after seeing a golfnow hot deal for $65, I jumped on the opportunity to play. If I only had one word to describe this course it would be "amazing". To be perfectly honest, the conditions of the course are not what you expect from a $100+ course, but what this place lacks in conditions it makes I up in views. The majestic Jeffery Pine tee lined fairways definitley made up for the bumpy greens. The beautiful mountain backgrounds makes you overlook the ocassional bare spots in thr rough. And the natural mountain streams running throughout the course makes you forget about the price you paid to play. If you ever get a chance to play here, jump on the opportunity because most likely, you'll never play another course like it.

Played here 8/13/13. One of my absolute favorite tracks, even though it's pricey. Payed $70 bucks with cart, had a 4 pm time and went off at 3:30. Finished in less than 4. Course is green all around. ... Continue »

Played here 8/13/13. One of my absolute favorite tracks, even though it's pricey. Payed $70 bucks with cart, had a 4 pm time and went off at 3:30. Finished in less than 4. Course is green all around. Fairways are lush, although a tad thick. Rough is lush and not too thick. Sand traps are fluffy and full of sand. Greens are excellent as well. A little slower than the other course in the area (Snowcreek), but they are still a challenge to put on. Greens have a lot of slope in them and come into play in approach shots quite a bit. You definitely have to land in the right spot to make birdie.

Played Fri. 07/26 Course is very scenic with tree lined fairways.
Course is in very good shape but I thought the greens were quite bumpy. There are no straight or flat putts that I could find. No dr... Continue »

Played Fri. 07/26 Course is very scenic with tree lined fairways.
Course is in very good shape but I thought the greens were quite bumpy. There are no straight or flat putts that I could find. No driving range, just a few mats hitting into a net. The putting green and chipping green were good. Got a local rate and pace of play was nearly 5 hours

Played here Saturday 9/29 in the second group out a 8:30. It was in the low 50s when we teed off but it warmed up quickly to the mid-70s. Absolutely gorgeous day. The course was in outstanding cond... Continue »

Played here Saturday 9/29 in the second group out a 8:30. It was in the low 50s when we teed off but it warmed up quickly to the mid-70s. Absolutely gorgeous day. The course was in outstanding condition. The grass has fully recovered from the winter/spring problems. The fairways and rough were lush. The greens were great. They ran medium fast which was fine considering the undulations. I putted one ball off the green into the rough when I hit to the upper tier when the flag was up front. The sand was wet but a decent hitting surface. Customer service was fine. We played in a lttle over 4 hours mainly because the course is tight and we had to look in the woods for some balls.

One player hit a ball off the grass on a hole and I found it in a drainage area between a couple of boulders. I stood down there and asked if he wanted me to pick it up. After observing there was bear dung two feet away, he told me to get it. I grabbed that ball and hightailed it out of the area. The cart lady came up and signaled us to come over. Standing behind a net about 20 feet away from the drainage pipes, we could see the outline of a bear's head in one, about 5 feet away from where I had picked up the ball. It took me several holes to calm down after that!

Sierra Star Golf Course Review
Mammoth Lakes California Golf Course Reviews

Played here June 23rd. Let me start by saying we play here every year, it is a beautiful/scenic course, challenging and the staff by far is the friendliest at any golf course. Just so everyone knows... Continue »

Played here June 23rd. Let me start by saying we play here every year, it is a beautiful/scenic course, challenging and the staff by far is the friendliest at any golf course. Just so everyone knows, the High Sierras/Mammoth had very little snow this year. The impact on the golf course means the grass was exposed for most of the winter so the cold weather absolutely hurt the course and killed a lot of the grass. It's going to be a while before all of the dead spots are able to grow out. Even though the low ratings because of the conditions right now, I would still recommend playing here, the scenery and service is worth it alone. There are trees that line all the fairways, if you have a tendency to spray the ball, this is not the course for you.

Sierra Star Golf Course Review
Mammoth Lakes California Golf Course Reviews

Played Sun. 9-18. Had a 7:50 tee time which got pushed back to 8:30 due to a frost delay. Was met in the parking lot and they loaded my clubs on the cart and parked it next to the practice area. Only ... Continue »

Played Sun. 9-18. Had a 7:50 tee time which got pushed back to 8:30 due to a frost delay. Was met in the parking lot and they loaded my clubs on the cart and parked it next to the practice area. Only a few mats with nets to warm up. Nice chipping area and really nice putting area. The staff was very professional and the starter was very helpful with course info.
Tee boxes were overall quite nice and level. Did not have a bad lie in any fairway. The greens looked as though they had been punched recently and still had sand on some of them. A little bumpy and inconsistent. Very few ball marks.
This place is VERY narrow and the rough is the most penal I have ever played. Had to be 3-5 inches long and just stopped your club. Can't tell you how many times we heard balls bouncing of of trees in the distance.( followed by profanity)
Some of the most amazing views on a course you will ever encounter. I was going to take some pics but left the camera in the hotel.
Overall a very nice way to spend a day. Although a little expensive I will be back.

Played in the afternoon on 9/16/09 & 9/17/09. Course conditions were great and the weather was fantastic. From tee to green everything is green and well manicured. Greens can be tricky to read, but... Continue »

Played in the afternoon on 9/16/09 & 9/17/09. Course conditions were great and the weather was fantastic. From tee to green everything is green and well manicured. Greens can be tricky to read, but they are receptive. Every hole is a visual treat, but accuracy is needed to score low. Anything off the fairway will cost you. Greens are tiered so pay attention to pin placement. It's a challenge to figure out what club to hit with altitude, wind, & temperature adjustments to factor in. But, enjoy the scenery and pristine course conditions. One of the best mountain courses in California.

Played July 27. Course is pristine. Greens hold well, do have a little brown in em'. Fairways are lush, and get good roll. Rough is a good length. Great soft bunkers. Great views, and not very windy e... Continue »

Played July 27. Course is pristine. Greens hold well, do have a little brown in em'. Fairways are lush, and get good roll. Rough is a good length. Great soft bunkers. Great views, and not very windy either. Course is tight. So prepare to have the 3 wood eat!!