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Was the last group off at the GK Event this past weekend. Had an absolute blast and we finished somewhere in the 4:15 mark so pace of play was awesome!

This was my first time at Desert Willow and I absolutely loved it. I thought the layout was super interesting, challenging but fair and visually really stunning. I haven't played much desert golf but this one had a different feel to me. You feel like you're kind of secluded in your own oasis as opposed to being out in the desert. It was really cool.

The conditions of the course were fantastic. Kind of crazy how "sticky" the grass is this time of year. Had nothing but great lies all day, but that deep emerald green overseed is so lush. Absolutely loved the visual and playing conditions.

I had some difficulty with the greens and I think there is something about putting in the desert where the mountains or whatever have an affect on the break. They rolled pure but I felt like they were a tad slower than they looked but on chips and pitches had more roll out than expected. But they were fantastic, no complaints.

The staff was awesome, the facilities are great and it just feels a crazy world class experience. I would highly recommend Desert Willow to anyone with no hesitation. Great place!
10 Likes.
Played in our monthly tourney this past Saturday and the conditions are so good right now.

After the rain, mixed with some punching and fertilizing and overseeding, the Goat is probably the best I've seen it in a couple years. It's play firm and fast and that makes for a really, REALLY tough golf course.

I think the greens are absolutely perfect right now. They don't hold particularly well, but I'm a fan of bouncy greens, at the Goat or anywhere. I just think it's fun. But if you play here right now you have to have some serious patience because the ball isn't stopping where you land it and the layout doesn't really lend itself to that kind of golf.

I think if you come to the Goat looking for a challenge, a really cool vibe and some fun golf, it's a 10/10 right now. Just don't look at the scorecard, see par 65 and 4500 yards and think "I'm going career low today!!". Its just not happening.

Great time to play right now.
13 Likes.
Was lucky enough to play in the GK 20th Anniversary Party this past weekend. It was a home game for me as I play 90% of my golf at the Goat. The heat wave earlier this year (coupled with a city shut off of water) put a beating on the course, but it's coming back with the cooler weather. I think the rest of the reviews were pretty spot on when it comes to the conditions. The Goat is never going to be pristine, like playing in the desert this time of year, but I think it can use a little more time to smooth out some rough edges.

The greens have actually come back quickly after a verticut and aerification took a toll on them. Good to see them getting closer to their expected quality. I always feel the greens are the Goat's strongest characteristic, both strategically and condition wise. When those greens get firm and fast they provide a stout test.

I really, REALLY love the back nine these days with the improvements and renovations from 10-13. It's just such a cool little loop (needs a name, like Amen Corner) and then 14 and 15 provide great scoring opportunities so that's fun.

Really loved playing with Mark and Phil and seeing everyone. Just a great day all around!
11 Likes.
I played in a golf tournament for three days (8/20-8/22) this past weekend and there isn't a better word to sum up the current state of Grizzly Ranch better than WOW!

I've been coming here for 6 years now and this is by far the best condition the course has ever been in. After about 15 years, the team at Grizzly finally got access to consistent water (I don't remember the details but I believe it had to do with rights and pump access) and there isn't a bad spot on the entire course. All the lakes were full of water (if you're staying up there, the pond off 1 is a great little fishing spot, super fun), the fairways, tees, greens, and unfortunately the fescue right off the edge of the rough were all super lush.

Having played three days over the same track, I can also say the staff here know how to put on a tournament and how to set up a course in the most interesting way possible. It was a tough but fair test and the creativity and care they showed for how they wanted the field to feel about their course shows how much it means to them.

The entire team is here is one of the best in the business and when you couple that with an amazing track and test in world class conditions, you get an absolutely fantastic golf experience.

I can't recommend getting up to Grizzly right now more if you can. It's one of the best golf experiences I can remember.
16 Likes.
Played a full round at Goat Hill for the first time since end of May. All the major renovations on 12 and 13 are complete and the two holes are really, really great. The addition of turf in areas has paid off incredibly as the course is much more playable than it has been in the past.

Overall the conditions are Goat are pretty good right now. The heat, humidity and complete lack of water are starting to take their toll, like they are everywhere else, and you're getting some pretty firm spots around the course. The greens were still really, really good if not as firm and fast as I like because of the weather, but nonetheless they rolled true and were great at holding shots.

There are a few new projects kicking off this week to improve the experience including more new cart paths, added turf to soften areas where people hit it a lot and the ball gets bouncing away and some tee replacements.

All in all, a fun place to play and I think the back nine, with everything that has been done on holes 10-13 is just a super fun loop.
11 Likes.
Got out to play Goat Hill for the first time in a bit right after a special event/Korn Ferry qualifier this week. First time the renovation on #13 was open and what a great hole! I always loved that hole before but the green is about twice as big, two massive pot bunkers on the left and a cool little collection area in the back. The par 3's at the Goat just get more and more outstanding/difficult.

The course is in fantastic shape. Tee boxes are in some of the best shape I've seen them as the weather has warmed up and never had a bad lie. Greens weren't as fast as I expected but it was due to the wind kicking this week and if they would have double cut and double rolled like they do for other tournaments, it could have gotten silly.

The other project wrapping up is a cart path re-do and new sod on the par 4 8th. This is a huge upgrade if you ask me because good to great tee shots would get penalized in an area with just ragged or bare spots. Now you'll be able to get a bit aggressive and have a good lie if you hit a good shot.

Goat Hill is my home course, but I haven't played it in awhile since I've been at other spots, but it's really staying the course and continuing to get better.

Don't sleep on the challenge you get from this course. The winner of the Korn Ferry qualifier when asked what he thought of the Goat was "4500 yards of sheer terror". Sums it up nicely :)
9 Likes.
Posting about a week late. Went first off around 6:30 as a twosome walking and the first ball was in the air when it was still a tad dark and tough to see. The fire pit by the first hole was raging so that was a nice way to take the chill off.

I typically HATE playing dawn patrol/dew sweeping golf, but we walked the course in 2:15 for 18 holes and I could really get used to that pace of play. So fun!

We followed the mowers going on a Friday so the greens were absolutely PURE! It's really a treat to be the first people putting a foot print on a green :)

The course right now is in great shape in all areas except the tees. Most have been renovated and sodded with bermuda so with colder temps they just don't recover as quickly as normal and you get some bare spots.

The fairways are fantastic! This is the best time of year for kikuyu with lush and super tight lies that have a ball sitting up on a tee. The greens, even when not right behind the mower, are really good. Just fun and rolling great.

Only thing I can add is that if you want the "Goat experience", Friday afternoon is the way to go. There's a Skins game going on, the range is typically full with people having drinks and laughs and afterward I don't remember when a quick glow ball loop or a one club challenge at The Playground doesn't happen.

Course is a great value and fun place to hang out.
10 Likes.
I was part of the GK outing here on Sunday, 12/12. I believe this is my fourth time to Rams Hill and I enjoy the experience more and more every time I play here.

I'm typically the guy who gets to the course just a couple minutes before their tee time but I was about two hours early this time so I could really enjoy the facility at a leisurely pace and I'm glad I did. I was able to take advantage of the absolutely perfect weather and the super great staff at Rams Hill. STarted the day off with a killer bloody mary from Jose in the bar and headed to the short game area at the far north end of the range. I'm not sure if people know it exists because I was there for almost an hour and never saw another soul. They have a couple shag bags full of ProV1s, two interesting greens complexes, about 4-5 bunkers and the ability to hit up to 50 yard shots. It's one of the best short game areas I've ever experienced and it was cool having it all to myself.

After some time on the practice green I hit a few balls (Prov's again) on the range which is set up to give you a feel that resembles the golf course. Definitely a great practice area.

I consider the layout of Rams Hill as a whole, rather than remembering a couple signature holes and the rest filling in. In my opinion the strength of this course is the full 18, the variety and challenge it presents and it's ability to hold your attention. It's difficult but fair, straightforward but engaging. I'm really starting to like it more and more.

As for the conditions, they're obviously better than 90% of the courses in SoCal but there was a feeling of it being early in the overseed season. As some people have mentioned there were some bare areas and I think it's just that the grass hasn't had the optimal time to thicken up. I for one had nothing but perfect lies all day but I did notice those areas that need a bit more time.

The bunkers I were in were perfect (and I love the brown edges, that just looks so cool) and the teeing areas were great. I will say that the greens rolled a bit slower than they looked but I kind of attribute that to playing later in the day, after a very busy day ahead of us. Still exceptionally good so nothing to worry about there.

All in all I absolutely love Rams Hill. It would be a blast to stay the night there, get in more than one round, maybe figure out a way to play some glow golf under the stars and just enjoy the peaceful beauty of the place. Always a strong recommendation.
16 Likes.
Played both days this weekend in a tournament. It had been awhile since I played all 18 at the Goat so I was really looking forward to it.

Having played this course so much I definitely feel that it's at it's best this time of year. The course plays a bit firmer and faster and the greens are just exceptional.

All the improvements have taken and filled in and the course was so much fun and in great shape. You still get some funky stuff on the fringes but when you hit from where you should the lies were great all around.

Right now the greens are just perfect. Firm, rolling at about 10.5 and really smooth. They were cut and double rolled for our round Sunday which sent the scores soaring from the first day. With the size, shape and undulations of the greens at Goat Hill, those kinds of conditions can be brutal...or super fun if you're into that kind of thing :)

Tee boxes were really good for the most part. There are a couple places that don't get as much sun this time of year so stayed a little damp, especially with the amount of fog we've had recently, but never an issue finding a flat lie.

I'm not sure when the next project is going to kick off here as it seems it's been non-stop improvements and renovations, but the current conditions definitely warrant a visit.
17 Likes.
Played in the GK Cup Final group yesterday, teeing off around 12.

This was my first time playing Oak Quarry and I'm a huge fan. Echoing the other reviews, it wouldn't be fair to rate this course considering the timing of playing, right before major maintenance.

That being said, I really liked the course under the conditions. I can only imagine how amazing this place will be once overseeding and aerification settle in and the course is more on the lush side, but the firm and fast conditions made for some serious fun. Even in the current state I thought the fairways provided great surfaces and the greens rolled at a decent speed and held shots.

I will say that the layout here is one of the best public layouts I've played in SoCal. There's no shortage of variety of holes, most with multiple options for each shot (you can be as aggressive as you want and there were bail out areas), the scenery is amazing as it's definitely a photogenic track.

Every staff member I met was super friendly and major thanks to the guy who opened up the bar for us after the round so we could have a beer and celebrate Mark's win :)

I can't wait to come back and play this course after the maintenance and get the full experience. Really had a blast and would highly recommend Oak Quarry.
8 Likes.
Played with the GK Gurus yesterday, 8/5, teeing off about 3:00 PM.

I hadn't been to San Vicente since I was a kid when we'd visit and stay at the time shares, so this was more or less my first time visiting since I didn't recall much. That being said, I wish I would have paid more attention all those years ago because I absolutely loved this layout.

The course has a very traditional feel at it's core, but when I hear that I tend to think of something repetitive and boring and San Vicente is the complete opposite of that. Our group kept commenting that it seemed every 2-3 holes reminded us of a different course. Started out a little like Rancho Bernardo in, moved into some Mt. Woodson with some Cross Creek thrown in and sprinkle it all with some Pasatiempo and Barona when you got to the greens and green complexes. When I was driving home and was going over the round in my head I realized I hit every club in my bag during the round. To me that is just one of the greatest compliments I can give. From the tee shot all the way through to the approach, this course provides multiple options that range from conservative and safe to aggressive and rewarding. Each hole is like Choose Your Own Adventure experience and that makes for an enjoyable day for all types of golfers.

I want to spend its own paragraph talking about the new greens and green complexes. They went through a complete overhaul and it was money well spent! I don't know who the designer was but they definitely have a deep love and respect for the golden age of course design. You get multiple biarritz greens, a punchbowl and even pseudo Redans that make front pins simply wicked. The bunkers remind me so much of Pasatiempo and Riviera. The afternoon light created some incredibly cool looks and textures visually. They're obviously firm as they are so new but I never felt like they were unfair. I just didn't know where to miss and of course I'm just not a good enough golfer to hit big, high, spinning irons to tight pins :)

Overall the conditions were really good. I never had a bad lie in the fairways although I might consider a couple "thin" but the ground underneath had plenty of give so getting solid contact (again if I made good swings) wasn't a turf issue. It seemed the back nine had some super pure fairways, especially the 18th. A couple tees were a little beat up but there are some new ones and multiple options so I'd be trying really hard to be critical if I went that route.

On top of all that, the staff and hospitality was the best I've experienced in a long time. I got the feeling that the team there is genuinely proud of their course and facility and eager to share that enthusiasm with it's customers. That kind of attitude is contagious and I really appreciate how they handle their business. We hung around for a bit and had some drinks and appetizers and it's a great spot to enjoy some food and beers.

I'm already planning my next trip back out there because I want another shot at the course now that I have some knowledge about the greens. This is a course I could play over and over and never get sick of. Really looking forward to getting back out there soon!
9 Likes.
Played Sunday 8/1, teeing off at 10:15 and finishing in a little under 4 hours.

All of the recent renovations have taken hold and the course is 100% open in it's normal spots. #5 and #14 new tees are open and awesome. Really lush, flat, bermuda tees. So great to see all the new teeing areas. The kikuyu portions of the fairways are almost too lush as is kinda normal this time of year in coastal Socal, but I never had a bad lie. There's a ton of new bermuda turf around the course that makes a HUGE difference in playability.

The greens out here are really healthy, holding shots well but just a little slower than usual. I actually think it makes the course MUCH easier because shots don't roll out (and off) the greens as much when they get firmer and the ball starts moving around. Still solid surfaces to putt on.

All in all it's good to see the improvements open and ready to enjoy. The amount of work put into this course in the last 6-12 months is really impressive.
12 Likes.
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