Just got back from an outing with the guru guys: Johnny, Larry, Gary, and Vince on a rather "warm" afternoon. Check-in was simple enough and I was met with a "better you than me out there in that heat" line. I've done worse by far (114 in the shade in Yuma and 117 in Palm Desert come to mind), but this one was a bit rough due to the humidity and haze. Headed over to the range and was able to hit a few shots to the targets set up at the standard yardages. Putting green up front was quick, a bit spongy, and foreshadowed the absolutely frustrating putting day I was about to have.

Headed out on the course as a 5-some (not like there were many other people out in the heat) and we decided to play the blue tees. The course itself is very interesting and could technically be seen as "target golf." While you are not severely penalized (most times) for a miss off the tee, the course does give you hints on where you should be off the tees. Most landing areas are given as the widest part of the fairway and usually just before bunkering on the shorter par 4's. You can decide to bomb it over the bunkers (I did plenty of that after the heat took hold of my thought processes) but you will have to fit the ball into a much smaller landing area.

Tee boxes: I don't think we stood on a single tee box that I would consider "level" (yes, I'm picky about that as I like to use the full tee box depending on the pin position or the shot I want to hit). I think much of that would be due to tee box positions used this day. I spent a great deal of time looking for a spot I was comfortable setting up without being above/below the ball or on a downslope.

Fairways/Rough: Some fairways are hard/short/fast (love this most days) and others are cushioned and lush. The rough is a mix of long and short areas with some tough lies to be found if unlucky. Not complaining as that is the point of rough. Personally, I would like the rough a little longer around the green to allow for a larger variety of shots. There were a couple wet spots on the edges of the fairway and into the rough including a casual water spot I found with a shot. No big deal, but makes me glad to see watering being done.

Greens/bunkers: I wasn't in any of the green side bunkers on the course but did see a few shots that appeared to come from adequate sand conditions. I did get to look at plenty of the bunkers as I was heading to my ball and the other bunkers looked to be about 75% in good condition and 25% in need of additional sand. The greens themselves look to be a mix of grass types leading to afternoon bumping and a mottled look. With the grain, the greens are absurdly fast when you are above the hole (I was up there very often). Against the grain, expect the ball to stop on a dime and break hard. The greens, whether into or with the grain, will take the spin and the ball will dance for you.

Funny/strange aside: Our cart's GPS system refused to work until about the 12th hole. By then we were already using an old yardage book my father game me and my laser. I cannot speak to the accuracy of the cart system but the other units in the group seemed to be more accurate than most I have seen in "mountainous" terrain.

Played on 5/18/17 with John after the Guru outing. First time here and it really is an interesting place to play. I can officially state that in the wind we started in I cleaned out my old ball stash within the first 3 holes and had to play "good" balls. Very demanding for it's length. Don't expect to hit many drivers here, but do expect to be penalized for poor decisions and poor swings. Also, expect your great shots to be rewarded with relatively easy birdies.

Tee boxes were not very level on some holes, but the grass coverage was solid and you could find a relatively flat spot to play from. Fairways are in great condition as well as the greens themselves. Sand would be my big gripe for the course. As with most courses in SoCal these days, there just isn't any sand to allow one to splash the ball out onto the green. You almost have to play pitch shots instead.

These holes, while short, have a TON of character and the views are amazing! Huge boulders, lakes, and various trees adorn all the holes. There's tons of wildlife (bunnies, squirrels, hawks, and even the occasional rattlesnake based on signs and some probable dens observed under said rocks), and don't be surprised if the rabbits just stare you down while you play the hole. They are not exactly skittish about being around golfers.

If I get my game in order, I will be back for a second attempt at conquering this gem. You cannot go wrong with a course this much fun to play ... even if every major error turns into a look in the bag for another ball.

Yet another of the GK Guru meet reviews here! Played on 5/18/17 and I have to say this is a really interesting course. The front starts out somewhat inviting, and then the teeth begin to show a bit. By the time you get to the back 9 you are almost on a different course with very tight holes and some evil greens. Those who played with me will remember the 3 iron at 215 (pin) home where it hit the narrow (and severely contoured) green and jumped sideways and forward! After that it was a comedy of errors turning a delicate eagle pitch from maybe 15 yards into a bogey. *Insert a sad trombone here*

In general, the course is in really amazing condition. It has been 7+ months since I last played, so I might be biased against pre-winter rain conditions in SoCal, but the fairways were in great condition. I don't think I saw much damage anywhere from old divots, however there were a few reminders the course was flooded this past winter. The greens were receptive to most shots (excluding the above 3 iron) and the ability to utilize spin to keep the ball under control was evident. If there was one negative to the course, it would be the bunker conditions. Hard pan looks to be the standard, and one bunker looked as though it was overtaken by roots from an unknown source. Note this bunker was not one that anymore than 1% should ever end up in, but it did catch my eye looking down at it from a green side location (it was back down a hill).

This is a really great course and someplace I will have to make the 70 mile drive to play again this year.

Played this afternoon on a GolfNow offer for $30. I do enjoy this course, but some of the upkeep issues really need to be addressed:

First off, the greens are seriously disrespected by the golfers and it doesn't appear the course itself has gone out to try and repair the damage while cutting and watering the greens. There is quite a lot of damage from old ballmarks and from improperly "fixed" ballmarks.

Second, The conversion from rye to bermuda seems to have gone on for more than a year now and doesn't appear much better than it was a year ago.

Third, bunkers... if you don't put in the money and the effort to take care of the bunkers now it will cost you more than double later. Sand is cheaper than having to re-shape, re-line, and then apply new sand.

Still, love the layout and play it well even in the 2 club winds in the canyon (+6, 78 with 3 water balls)... but I would really like to see the greens in shape and not running in the medium-slow range. It is a great course and if they can get the upkeep to match the course layout it would actually be worth the rack rate. As it is, $30 is probably my max.

Played this course as the second round of a GK outing in Las Vegas. What an amazing place! From the second you drive in to the valet to the second you leave you are treated like a member at one of the most exclusive clubs in the world. Practice areas are amazing with a large chipping green and multiple practice putting greens.

The course itself is an outstanding piece of design that uses the lay of the mountains to its advantage in both routing and to help defend itself. The forecaddies are a huge help in finding the proper line and know the greens like the back of their hand. I don't believe there is one "flat" hole on the course so be ready to account for elevation changes and beautiful views galore.

The fairways and greens are standout features ... if you can say anything is a standout feature. The greens were running 12 on the stimpmeter the day we played and were in very good shape for being prepared for the upcoming overseed. The putts broke very true and I was only interfered with by an old ball mark on 3 putts. Sadly, they were all birdie putts in what I consider "make" range on greens that pure, but that is golf. The fairways were a bit soft in some places for my own liking (3 mud balls including backing up a driver 2 feet from the divot left in the fairway). Granted, I am a big fan of hard and fast conditions, so you might prefer the slightly softer conditions off the tee.

As with the other course we played in the area, the sand in the sand traps was the only real negative to the course. A thin layer of crust with hard pack (wet) just under it. In a couple places, the bunker base material was visible and had me thinking twice about the choice of shot I would choose. In fact, I think I set a record for the course as the first person to play the course and find their ball in a footprint left behind by a previous group in a green side bunker. Our poor caddie saw where I was and I think he was a bit embarrassed. It happens... no major worries from me, but it did get to up my bunker shot count for the day to 8 total. The over/under was set at 10, so I guess I won the under bet. I was informed that the bunkers were due for some major repair work to bring the bunkers back into outstanding playing condition during the upcoming overseeding, so in late September I would assume the bunkers to be back in top shape.

If you get a chance to come out and play this course, I wouldn't think twice about jumping at the opportunity! I am going to do everything I can to make another trip out as soon as I can get the time, the money, and permission from the wife. The views, the people, the course, and the chance to play in this setting is not something to be missed!

Played in the GK outing to Rio Secco on a "warm" (by Vegas area standards) morning. The course itself is very interesting for what can be considered a "resort" course. Every hole contains interesting features and some very punitive rough.

If you are a fairway finder you will find the course a very enjoyable place to play. If you are a ball sprayer, and the rough is as high as it was for our outing, you will be using all your casino luck on lies. Very dense for the most part and rather long (maybe 3-4 inches in most places). The bunkers are rather deep and well placed. The only negative to the bunkers would be the lack of sand and the hard, wet base sand underneath a very shallow layer of summer crust. If there were a bit more sand, the bunkers would be amazing.

The greens around the course are nicely contoured and can leave you a bit perplexed at times. When we played, the greens were running rather slow (maybe 7-8 on a stimpmeter) and I left a good 10 putts short. Hard to talk yourself into hammering a putt in the desert downhill, but that is what was required at times.

The Million Dollar Hole (#7) is a great long par 3 over water that played into the prevailing gusts making club selection a bit of a guessing game. Thought I had it in the bag until I ended up about 1/2 club long... so much for the million bucks. I would say it is the best par 3 on the course.

HUGE negative for the course in a desert setting is no fountains to be found anywhere on the course. This is a danger for heat exhaustion (I did get a bit overheated myself), and I would suggest the course look into either water stations throughout like Southern Dunes (Maricopa, Az) where you can grab bottles every other hole, or adding ice water jugs at intervals.

This course is worth the visit to Sin City, and with faster greens and more sand in the bunkers could easily give everyone in your group a chance to be a hero and take the million home!

Played a few days back with my cousin on a deal he found. Even with the deal, there is no way this course is worth the price we paid let alone the normal $200+ rate. First off, the design of the course is lacking in an overall theme and seems to have been shoehorned into the hillsides. You get a couple of holes that look to be well designed only to have a green that even RTJ would think is absurd and unfair. Many holes lack a landing area for drives and fail to reward a well struck ball.

I have played many Pete Dye (or his son's) designs and this one makes the least sense of them all. At least with the Stadium Course you know that a good shot will be rewarded with a putt that might be made... or at least a 2-putt. When you hit 12/14 fairways, you expect to hit at least 12 GIR's (4 hole leeway for par 3's vs misses from the fairway). Sadly, I hit 9/18 GIR's and had 3 sail over greens after a disagreement between the cart's GPS and my laser rangefinder (which apparently doesn't work very well on those fat pins with no reflectors on them). Cart said 170, laser said 140/172/166 on the 3 tries to pick up the pin. Went with the cart yardage -10 yards (160 to be back of green at worst) and proceeded to airmail the green. That happened three times to me.

Long story short, save your money and play somewhere fair. I shot 80 from the black tees and really feel like I left 10 shots on the course, and not due to a poor swing of the club but rather due to the course itself.

First time playing here and it is a very interesting place to play. Forced carry on the first hole is rough from the back tees given the short driving range. Hard to get the feel for all your clubs when you cannot hit some of them. This course is partially target golf and partially "rear back and hammer it ... but straight." If you hit it where you need to, the greens are visible and rather accessible. There are some blind shots, but they can be minimized. The one issue I had was a lack of yardage markers in the fairway, but since I carry a laser rangefinder I can work around it.

The greens are fast and hard. Sadly, so was the sand as nobody had worked on it after the course watering that day. I am not sure if there are any flat putts on the course, but you do NOT want to be above the pin unless you can sneeze on the ball and keep it on line.

Great course and I will be back on Monday to give it another shot. First time through is a learning experience and the second round should be putting what was learned into play.

Decided to come back out and see how things are going with some more time to heal. Fairways are starting to look a bit better, but the soil is really causing them issues. Bunkers are looking much better and had a decent sand base going. The greens are still slow compared to what they used to be, but most people would probably be a fan of the speed.

Things are getting better ... provided they get some rain things just might be back to normal in the next 2-3 months.

I love this course and the challenge it brings. Hard, fast conditions where you have to think about the shots you are going to hit and to maybe play shots not seen on many courses on this side of the Atlantic. That said, the drought has destroyed the course and everything it was. Grass covers maybe 35-40% of the fairways and the rest is a sand base with dirt and very soft. The tee boxes are very lush (need a bit of a cut) and so are the greens. In fact, I have never seen the greens this soft and definitely not this slow ever. I would say they were rolling between 6 and 8 on the stimpmeter at best. I know they punched within the past month or so, but there are still remnants of that process to be seen on all greens leading to slow, bumpy putting.

I hope this winter they get a TON of rain and the grass returns... and when the grass returns so will the challenges that made this course a blast to play. Until then, it is simply a place to go to get away from the 5 hour round found in many other courses across Southern California.

This is an AMAZING golf course that you really need to play once. The course plays very fair for all players provided you have a general idea of where the ball is going to go. Fairways are a bit wider in general than Troon's other course (Monument, another amazing course) even if the course is rated tougher. The black tees play 2 strokes over par and a 149 slope, and if you cannot carry the ball 240 bare minimum I would suggest you put your ego away before you hurt yourself. 4 par 4's over 440 from the Black tees vs moving up one set of tees and only facing one par 4 over 430. You will need spin to be able to hold the greens in the summer. I can hold the greens at Pinehurst #2 in the summer with a 4 iron, but had some issues holding out here in the heat.

Give this place a shot and you will not be disappointed... but play in the SUMMER and save BIG!

This course might be interesting once they following problems are rectified: "Fairways" with no grass, "sand traps" with no sand in them (more like rocks), and some system to help people who have never played the course before find the greens easier uphill. There are so many blind tee shots that you spend most of the day worrying the group behind you isn't going to shell you. You will probably be down there a while in the shelling area since you lose tee shots hit right into the middle of some fairways. Worst scoring round I have had in over 20 years, as in since I started playing long courses at age 15.

Personally, I will not play this course again... even if paid to.

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