Heard good things but never had a chance to play here yet. Woke up early one morning with the golf itch and no work. I... » More

Heard good things but never had a chance to play here yet. Woke up early one morning with the golf itch and no work. I saw there was a 6:30 tee time and decided it was 500 club day.

Showed up 15 minutes early and there's was no one in front or behind of me and the starter let me go as a single. I believe 1 group was ahead of me who went at first light. I really really enjoyed the course. Granted half of the course is flat and on the back nine a few holes run along each other. However, there is not a house in site. You really feel like you are secluded and away even on this course. In fact half of the course runs along a preserve and offers a nice sense of isolation on a few holes.

The greens were the best part. Near perfect just ran medium speed, and had some minor divot damage. Rolled very true. The bunkers were fine, could use a little more sand but nothing bad. The fairways and tee boxes were nice and lush. Minor damage in the rough and divots in the fairways. A lot of hard pan and dried out grass beyond the fairways. Good conditions just not lush and pure.

I like what they did with the course. It has some funny elements to it. The island green short par 4 is out of place but a really fun hole. The church pew bunker on 18 is a funny touch as well. The few mountain holes are superb and I enjoyed the subtle dog legs and sand hazards that would run across a few of the par fours. The course has a lot of soul to it. While not on the level of a Scottsdale desert track, it's a definite step up from the boring 70s tracks scattered all over town. I really enjoyed the layout and will be back.
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The prices dropped earlier here and I was able to snag a 6:30 am tee time Sunday here for $59. This place is pure right... » More

The prices dropped earlier here and I was able to snag a 6:30 am tee time Sunday here for $59. This place is pure right now. The course is on the same level as any premier course in Scottsdale. I consider it the older brother of Legends Trail but still younger to Quintero. The shots and lines you have to select require immense strategy and is a true thinking man's course.

Looking back and photos and even thinking back I can't remember any issues with the course. The only things holding it back from 10s were the bunkers and the tee boxes. The greens, fairways, rough were perfect. Greens were a sneaky medium fast especially on downhill putts.

The tee boxes did have divots and were slightly uneven lumpy on some. The bunkers were consistent but a very very thick course sand. Much too thick for a course like this IMO.

I'm been twice in the last week and looking to go again. Course is 40 minutes out of town but worth the drive right now for the conditions.
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Prices have begun to drop here from the winter highs. I went out and walked at 3:00 for $55 through their website. I r... » More

Prices have begun to drop here from the winter highs. I went out and walked at 3:00 for $55 through their website. I really do love the North side.

The course is in awesome shape. Tee boxes were perfectly level, minimal divots, nice and lush. Fairways and around the green are lush and perfect. Bunkers were perfect. They use a lighter finer sand here. Nice and fluffy. Always consistent shot.

Only demerits were the greens show some time of prep work on the edges. The greens were a tad dried out and had some dried out ballmarks. Were slightly dinged up. A few had some small needle like holes around them. Also red spray paint marking around some of the greens. The rough and natural shrub in front of a lot of tee boxes and some of the natural hazard had been given a buzz and didn't look the most natural.

Mostly some cosmetic things but really nice conditions right now and weather for a nice walk at Talking Stick N.
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Played today with Alex326 for our GK Cup 15 match. It was nice to find a golf course open and Alex got us a 10:00 for $2... » More

Played today with Alex326 for our GK Cup 15 match. It was nice to find a golf course open and Alex got us a 10:00 for $25 riding, so that's a big plus. This is really a big parkland style layout and it would be difficult to actually lose a ball OB. There were many large trees lining most fairways. Very lush conditions throughout. The grass in the rough was so thick and sticky, it could grab your club and make it difficult if you weren't able to hit clean, ball first contact.

Greens were medium slow, but they rolled true and has no discernible bumpiness. Sometimes, the downhill putts toward the river could get away, but uphill putts needed a firm stroke. They were also somewhat soft and I fixed many a ball mark, most of which were made by the groups ahead of us. Covid19 protocol called for a round piece of foam at the bottom of the cups to prevent balls from going all the way to the bottom. No flag sticks were touched.

Fairways and rough were very similar. Lots of variety of grasses growing all over the fairways and rough; some of it was clumpy and having a good lie was almost a matter of luck. The fairways could be cut more and the rough was pretty thick if only 1"-2" in height.

Tees were mostly level and finding a good place to hit from was easy. We played the white tees, but the difference was minimal and more often than not were were just forward of the blues by a couple steps.

Bunkers were okay to look at, but hitting from them was iffy. They had some soft sand in a thin layer over some well packed hard pan. I think we both had difficulty at times. No rakes; again, Covid19 protocol. Hopefully most folks who enter the bunker would smooth their footprints and divots with their feet, but that was not always the case. We smoothed out ours and we never landed in someone else's footprint.

Overall, I liked the course. It's right off the Kern River at the foothills of the Sierra. There is a campground nearby and the river looks really full now. I think the campground is closed due to this Covid19 hysteria anyway. The green fee we paid was as good as you get for a full length course riding. Definitely, you could walk. There are a couple of lengthy par 3's of over 200 yards. That was challenging. It's lush now, but I don't know what summer will do. I did see there were others from Southern California here, so if you are in the north part of LA County, then it's doable for a day trip.
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Rode the Blues (6550/71.8/131) as a single in less than 3H mid morning on a GN "Hot" deal. The weather was around 65, su... » More

Rode the Blues (6550/71.8/131) as a single in less than 3H mid morning on a GN "Hot" deal. The weather was around 65, sunny and fairly calm.

COVID-19 conditions throughtout, so no services offered. Probably the best I have ever seen Avila look.

The tees were all over the place. Some were terrible, others almost pristine but many were unlevel.

The fairways had good coverage and were semi lush.

The rough was mostly thick and clumpy.

The traps need an overhaul. Everyone I saw was raked, but there is little sand and what is there is not good quality.

The greens putted nicely. Firm and medium fast, they rolled well.

The tree lined layout is up/down rolling hills and sits down in a valley. No ocean views even though you are less than a mile from and can hear the ocean. Lots of trees and hazards to avoid. Decent amount of doglegs, plus you need to know where to aim off a hill to get your ball to end up where you want on many holes. Average layout in mediocre playing condition, but it's a fun layout to play. Small warm-up range with mats that would accomodate short irons only beside the first tee. Rough around the edges, but recommended.
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I must confess I feel very guilty about writing this review, given the circumstances we are all living with. Coto is op... » More

I must confess I feel very guilty about writing this review, given the circumstances we are all living with. Coto is open, but with severe restrictions. No tee markers, no rakes, no pins, no ball washers, no drinking water, certainly no carts, and strictly enforced social distancing.

Very few players, mostly I believe because it is walking only, coupled with no flag sticks. However after a few times, you pretty much know where the holes will be, and since I always walk, the no carts has no impact for me.

As expected, course is in pristine condition, with such limited play and no cart traffic. The North will be closed effective 4/5/20 for three weeks for scheduled maintenance, but the South will reopen on 4/7/20. (Those greens were punched two weeks ago)

I cherish every round, because I never know if/when they will close down. However being all by myself, and the only items I touch are my own clubs, tees, and ball. Can not imagine anything safer than playing golf under this conditions. Heck of a lot safer than going to Ralphs, Lowes, Costco, getting gas or even take out food. Plus the mental benefit and physical benefit are immeasurable.
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I played Madera Municipal on Saturday afternoon. Walked the course as it is completely flat and super easy to walk. On... » More

I played Madera Municipal on Saturday afternoon. Walked the course as it is completely flat and super easy to walk. Only one semi-long transfer (between 10th green and 11th tee). The rest is a walk in the park! Again social distancing orders in place. Single player per cart for those not walking, and raised cups along with no rakes in the bunkers.

Being a weekend with limited courses open it was packed. POP was a bit under 5 hrs. We waited on every shot. Such is life, during weekend golf.

Course was in slightly below average Muni condition. Tee boxes were about average and fairways are starting to recover from winter thin. Recent rains had fairways greening up but still some thin spots throughout.

Greens were very slow. They obviously have not recovered from the mid march aeration. Bunkers were hard pan dirt. No need for a rake as footsteps and club didn’t leave a single impact mark!

Overall, conditions were ok for a valley muni course. The only real drawback were the super slow greens.
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Played Desert Dunes at 9:30 Sunday 3/29/20, with Vic, and Uncle Jimmy. Clear skies, 65 degrees, & 20 mph West winds! Wh... » More

Played Desert Dunes at 9:30 Sunday 3/29/20, with Vic, and Uncle Jimmy. Clear skies, 65 degrees, & 20 mph West winds! What were we thinking! It was easily a two club side wind and a four club wind if head on. Everything was blooming, mixed bag/clover/cactus & ladybugs.

Tees, in decent shape but noticeably firm due to days worth of sustained winds, some mixed bag, 5 out of 10. Ladybugs.

Fairways, firm side, they were decent but still had 'winter thin' type give and roll out. Some mixed bag and some acne, not expected but I could deal with it, 5 out of 10. Ladybugs.

Rough, the rough here had many flavors of depth and density... like a box of chocolates. Easy to challenging and plenty of mixed bag too. 5 out of 10. Ladybugs.

Traps, about 20% of fairway bunkers were pretty thin and had some standing H2O...I was in one of those and was able to pick it clean. The greenside bunkers were ok, with more acceptable depths of sand and density, 6 out of 10 rating. No ladybugs.

AARG(Areas ARound Greens), within 20 yards, were like the rough...mixed bag and lots of varying length. It was challenging at times to decide which club to chip, flop or pitch with. 6 out of 10. Ladybugs.

Greens, these were firm(scratch that, they were hard), mowed tight, and without a lot of final break( but not unplayable). They were hard enough that we rarely had to repair ball marks, but they were holding a surprising number of approach shots. 5 out of 10. No ladybugs, they didn't loiter on the greens...

The practice range is dirt and weeds, some grass, not mowed much. The practice putting green pretty much matches the course holes. The chipping green is rough, and with ladybugs everywhere. Thank goodness the practice & course greens were void of them.
Saw the beverage cart 3 times, and had hot dogs from their complete outdoor grilling setup between 9 & 10. The clubhouse sheltered them mostly from the wind. Speaking again of wind, it was clearly blowing more while we were on the back 9, easily more than a five club wind when going head on!
Cheers,
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Okay call me irresponsible, i got out today at Arrowood at 7:45 and finished in 4 hours walking. This was my first time ... » More

Okay call me irresponsible, i got out today at Arrowood at 7:45 and finished in 4 hours walking. This was my first time playing here since it is 91 miles away but it is one of the only courses still open and knowing things are going to get much worse soon I thought this might be the last time i will be playing for quite a while. Turns out that statement was right since they notified us that today would be the last day open until further notice. I would rate the course but what the point........they will stay closed for an undetermined amount of time. I will say the course layout is great and a lot of fun to play. Hope to be back before the end of 2020.........
Be safe all!
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Got out and played on 3/28. Took all the precautions necessary, we each drove separately, 3 of us walked/1 rode a cart,... » More

Got out and played on 3/28. Took all the precautions necessary, we each drove separately, 3 of us walked/1 rode a cart, I paid up front and everyone venmo'd me their fees, we brought our own food and kept our distances at all times. Despite those measures, we had a blast yesterday, probably more so because at least for me, I've been working from home and not going out at all.

The golf course was in really good condition, it's been about 12 years since I've last played here and I forgot what a great layout/challenge this course is.

Greens were rolling so smooth and if you found yourself on the wrong side of the hole, it was a challenge. Overall, greens were great!

The rough was hit and miss, you could find yourself in rough 4"+ high or nice and thin.

Fairways were in good shape, not much divot damage to speak of. Maybe a tad thin but not bad at all.

All in all, an absolutely fabulous day with my buddies. The way we figured, from 6am until 4pm, I came into contact with a total of 5 people. This morning, the wife had me go to Costco to get some things for our parents and I probably came into contact with 40-50 people.

Stay safe out there!
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Played here yesterday with my son. We had a 1:54 tee time. The course has all the COVID-19 precautions in place and real... » More

Played here yesterday with my son. We had a 1:54 tee time. The course has all the COVID-19 precautions in place and really has a good system. Only those with a reservation can enter the front gate. Contactless check-in and payment with the clerk indoors and a desk in the doorway preventing customers from entering. All singles unless two members of the same household want to play together. (Twosome maximum.) No carts, walking only. No touching the pin. Cups are adjusted so they are very shallow and the ball just sort of wedges between the pin and the edge of the cup. No rakes in bunkers. We teed off a few minutes early and pace of play was slow, which was then compounded when a single jumped in between us and the group in front of us on the 5th hole, and he was talking on his cell phone non-stop (or pretending to) and ignoring everyone around. Pace improved on the back as some people were just playing 9. Overall POP was 3:20.

The course is in quite good condition. Greens are far and away the highlight. They are smooth, a little more firm than soft and medium speed. Nos. 6 & 12 seemed a little different than the rest (12 was just re-built, I believe). Fairways are really great in spots and not so hot in others. Rough also varies from hole to hole. There are various types of grasses throughout the course as well. I was in one or two bunkers and they were good. Tee boxes were the low point, pretty clumpy and many were very hard and difficult to get a tee in the ground.

It felt great to get out of the house, enjoy the fresh air, play golf and support the course and its employees. Thanks to the staff for implementing practices that make it feel safe to play.
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Ventured out on 3/28 with a 10:12 tee time. Weather was nice 62° light winds and just a beautiful day for golf. BB is pr... » More

Ventured out on 3/28 with a 10:12 tee time. Weather was nice 62° light winds and just a beautiful day for golf. BB is practicing safe COVID-19 standards and had contact less service all around. Every player had their own cart and I think this helped with pace of play today. We got off right on time and finished in under 3 1/2 hours. The were groups a head but it was moving swiftly.

I really enjoy this course and its fair if you keep your tee shots in the short stuff. A few long holes and a few short one made for a fun day. Conditions are top notch right now given the peak season. Tee's were lush but needed a mow but nothing that would interfere with your shots. Fairways were like carpet and looked spectacular. Rough is still mostly dormant but the Bermuda is coming in. Next week its going to be warm so maybe 2 weeks and the Bermuda will be green. The greens had just been punched last Monday but they were a small needle punch and the sanded greens rolled smooth but slow. Given a week I think they will be fully healed up.

I recommend playing here if you can get a deal but....... the rack rate is way over the top and IMO not worth it for $280. If you have ClubCorp its $40.
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