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Played here for the first time on Monday morning, July 27. Check-in was smooth and simple with Jennifer in the Pro Shop. An unusual quiet morning allowed my partner (riding) and me (walking) to go out as a twosome, following another pair. We played at a comfortable 4-hour pace, waiting on a few tees, but it was so serene, quiet, peaceful, we didn't care! We played the orange tees and I can't remember a bad tee box. The fairways were in good shape and the rough was mercifully short. There are mature trees on the course, but the fairways seem generously wide. You'll find several forced carries, elevation changes and water hazards. The greens are fun too, medium fast, several with multi-tiers and plenty of undulation (there were a number of un-repaired ball marks on most greens). I was able to avoid the fairway bunkers, but the green-side bunkers I was in had good sand. We had a great morning round at this impressive public course. We will definitely be back again.
8 Likes.
Played Creek+Oaks on 11/28 with a 12:22 tee on 11/28. Check-in with Shea in the Pro Shop and the starter Glen was pleasant and they got us out on-time. Both of these nines are in good shape. I can't recall a bad tee box, though there were a few with numerous un-sanded divots. The fairways all had great coverage with relatively short rough. The greens were nice, fairly receptive, with smooth medium-fast rolls. Creek is fairly flat course with distance decisions occasionally challenged by afternoon gusting winds. Oaks is a bit more challenging than Creek with several elevation changes and water. Though the sun was beginning to set, we finished the round before darkness fell. A good afternoon of golf.
6 Likes.
Played last Friday. Made a single player reservation online (www.koolinagolf.com). If you book at least 8 days in advance, you save $50 and don't have to pay until you play. Made a 7:00'ish tee to avoid the crowds, mid-day heat and p.m. wind.

Got to the Golf Shop at about 6:15 to check-in. I really appreciated the friendly efficiency of the Starter and his team. I got my cart, met my playing partners, hit some warm-ups, worked my way around the putting green, and was ready to roll to #1 before 7:00.

I've played Ko Olina before and enjoyed it each time.

From those previous experiences I learned the advantages -- mentioned above -- of a morning tee time. This time, I learned that four weeks isn't enough time for this course's greens to fully recover from aeration. While the greens were well along in the healing process, you could see the remnants of punch and sand on the putting green...and several greens on the course.

Still, our group had a blast. Memorable stops include #12 the Par 3 signature hole; the back-to-back Par 5s at #13 and #14; and the challenging #18 with a 170 yard second shot -- a forced carry over water -- to hit the green in regulation. Even with our early morning start, we still had to contend with occasionally gusting winds, which added to the challenge of this fun and well-kept track.

If I had another opportunity to play Ko Olina, I'd do it again. Just be sure to ask about course maintenance work prior to play.
10 Likes.
I was really looking forward to playing Kapolei on Thursday (10/25). So much so, that I pulled into the parking lot a full 90 minutes before my morning tee. Luckily, it was a quiet and the starter assured I could head to #1 when ready.

BTW, every member of the staff I encountered -- from the Pro Shop, to the Starter, and the cart crew -- were welcoming, courteous and friendly.

One of the things I like about this course is that it isn't attached to some gargantuan resort hotel. Both locals and visitors play here, which implies that Kapolei is "legit" and as you play the course you're reassured that it's true. Conditions were consistently good, front to back. Level and lush tee boxes, fairways like carpet, playable rough, and really nice greens. I was able to avoid the water along 11 holes and the bunkers I visited were fluffy.

My favorite hole? #10. The island tee box was so cool.

If you're going to play Kapolei, check out the Course Tour on its website. There are some handy tips for every hole.
9 Likes.
Played on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 7:30 a.m. Enjoyed the relaxed vibe at check-in, on the range, the putting green, and the first tee. Started on-time as the fog burned off. I don't recall a bad tee box, but there are a couple of temporary tees due to course construction -- which is a good thing. New tee boxes are being built on #11 and #14; and there's also a temporary green on #11. Not sure when this work will be completed, but players will certainly benefit from it.

Fairway turf is generally good and the rough is kept pretty short throughout. Ten fairways feature a right or a left turn, so you'll have to give some thought to club and target selection. The greens are in good shape, but roll a little slow. You'll probably find some ball marks to fix in addition to your own, but that's always the case...isn't it? The surprise is the bunkers. Nice, fluffy sand to hit from. Pace of play was about 4.5 hours, perhaps a Marshal could have speeded it up.

All in all, as a walker and muni player, I enjoyed Los Amigos. It's only $30 for the round, it has improved since the last time I visited, and I'll go back again.
12 Likes.
Played Emerald Valley on June 15. The course is about 20 minutes south of Eugene in the town of Creswell. We checked-in about 30 minutes before our tee time. The staff was friendly and accommodated our desire to hit a few warm-ups before heading to #1. The range has mats, but the tee line was moved up for hitting on turf...a nice touch. The starter at #1 was a wonderful source of course knowledge for our group. He let us know that the course is flat with lots of trees lining the fairways, some water, and lots of left and right doglegs. But the big test at EV is putting. He warned us that the greens are fast with a lot of undulation. He wasn't lying, especially about #4. It is a nightmare if your approach is below the hole! Emerald Valley hosted the regional qualifier for the 2014 U.S. Open, so we knew that it wouldn't be a cake walk...and we weren't disappointed. Being located in the Pacific Northwest this course gets its share of rain, which keeps it lush and green. The fairways vary from wide to narrow (with plenty of mature trees along the way), though the rough is not especially deep. If you aren't playing with a local, you might want to buy a yardage book in the shop (or pay attention to the map on the scorecard) because the water hazards have a way of sneaking up on you. Pace of play was good. We finished in under five hours on a Sunday morning. We had a good time at Emerald Valley and we agreed that if given the chance, we'd go back again.
2 Likes.
After seeing Michaelko's review, we decided to play Pearl CC. It's close to Honolulu and seemed like a natural choice for our "local" public golf course vacation. As we've come to expect during our tour of local courses, the staff was friendly and accommodating. The moment we pulled-up at the bag drop, an attendant appeared to take our bags and direct us to the starter -- who treated us like old friends. We even got a Mainland Visitor discount that was way below the rack rate.

Perhaps it was because it was a weekday/mid-morning, but we were free to go a half hour earlier than our reservation and the PoP was an easy four hours. The course is well maintained with level and clean tee boxes. The fairways are in good shape with medium rough and plenty of trees lining many of the holes. We really appreciated the greens which rolled medium-to-fast with just about all of them breaking toward Pearl Harbor (as a sign at the #1 tee advises).

It's a straightforward layout with some doglegs here and there, but it was a good track for the newer players in our group. If you're looking for a round of resort golf or challenging courses...Pearl CC may not be for you. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy playing the usual suspects, like Ko Olina, Ko'olau, Kapolei, and Turtle Bay. But for this trip, Pearl was a good fit.

And Michaelko is right about the sweeping, panoramic views of Pearl Harbor on the back nine.

If you want to play a bit of local Hawaii golf history, you may want to consider Moanalua Golf Club. It's a no-frills nine hole, Par 36 course that was built in 1898 and is said to be the oldest golf course in Hawaii. It has some blind tees and a few severe (uphill and downhill) elevation changes. I can't remember the last time I rode in a gasoline-powered cart but we did at Moanalua. It was like stepping back in time.
1 Like.
Wanted to play a quick/cheap round of short game holes with the family. Never been to Hawaii Kai, so we decided to try it. The staff was very friendly and the price was low. but as is usually the case, you get what you pay for. We were on vacation, so we didn't mind the slow play. And we could live with the tight lies in every fairway. But the greens were brutal. Reminded us of our lawn at home. We didn't play the regulation course, but would recommend it sight unseen over the executive course. Oh well, live and learn.
2 Likes.
First time playing Willowick with a couple of buddies and a local single. Played on a Group Golfer deal which included the round with cart, a hotdog and drink for $28. Cheap!

The starter was working solo, but was efficient and cordial, getting groups checked-in and out to the tee quickly. Had a 6:05 a.m. start and we were hitting by about 6:15. Our single, Mike, told that Willowick is the oldest public course in OC. If that's true, it's in pretty good shape.

The tee boxes are in reasonable shape, mostly level and not too beaten up. The fairways are hyper-wide and lined with mature trees. If you go down the right or left sides, look out for overhanging eucalyptus limbs. They kind of sneak up on you. The rough isn't deep but it is distinguishable from the fairway cut. If you hit in the fairway, you'll find the conditions are good. While there are some low lying muddy areas, I don't recall any significant bald spots or ground under repair.

When you consider that this is a shorter (Par 71) track -- a little more than 6000 yards from the back tees -- with really wide open fairways, no water hazards, and virtually no elevation changes, no one would blame you for assuming that this course is a snoozer. But you'd be wrong.

What made this course fun for us was the greens and the bunkers defending them on several approaches. The putting surfaces were in good shape with surprisingly few ball marks. They rolled true but only about medium fast, which was actually a good thing. Here's why...

Many of the greens are sloped from back to front. If you try to stay below the hole and spin it, you'll roll back off the green. If you stick your approach above the hole, you're challenged with a fast downhill putt. Most of the level greens have subtle undulations and several (#1, #3, #4, #8) are guarded by deep bunkers that stretch across the front of the green -- forcing high pitch shots to carry the bunker and land on the green. It tested our short game skills in many humbling ways.

If you're looking for a deluxe, resort experience do not go to Willowick. But if you're in the mood for muni value and fun from the second shot to the pin, it might be worth your while.
3 Likes.
After reading ringworld's (05/09/13) review of this course I gave it a try on Sunday morning, May 12. I've never been to Los Amigos before, so I can't say whether it's better or worse than in the past, but for $35 walking it was worth it. Sure, some of the tee boxes are kind of beaten up but it's a LA County course that probably gets a lot of rounds every week. The fairways are wide, so you can really let it rip off the tee if you want. If you go too far left or right, you'll contend with some big old trees but that's always the risk you take. I like the variety of Par 3s here, ranging from 120 to 243 yards (blue). It makes you think about club selection off the tee and challenges your accuracy. For the most part, the fairways are in good shape, there are some thin sports and tight lies here and there, but again, the variety of good and bad lies is part of the game. The bunkers were a mixed bag from dirt to fluffy sand. One of the best parts of the course are the greens. Though they weren't exceptionally fast they were all in nice condition, rolling smooth, and none seemed to pocked with unrepaired ball marks. I finished in less than 4 hours and that was following a fivesome - pace of play was good. I know I'll go back again but I'll keep an eye on the thermometer. It started to get kind of hot around mid-morning and this is only May!
5 Likes.
Made a solo reservation in advance and showed up early on 4/7/13. Checked-in with the friendly guys in the pro shop and went over to the turf practice tee to hit some warm-ups (cart and balls are included in the fee). The starter swung by about 30 mins later and offered an earlier start with three local players -- which I appreciated.

The weather was great. Clear skies, warm, and virtually no wind. The course was even better. Because it's about 40 mins south of Las Vegas, Primm Valley is quiet and there are no houses around it. Nothing to to distract you.

Conditions were good from tee to green. Level and well groomed tee boxes, and with the exception of divots, I can't remember any bare spots in the fairways. The rough was a few inches deep, but because many of the fairways are framed by hills and mounds that funnel errant balls (especially those hit to the right) back into the fairway, the rough isn't a major factor. But like any desert course, if you shank or hook, you can end up in a waste area.

The bunkers were in pretty good shape. The sand wasn't fluffy, but it wasn't hard or crusty either. Luckily, I didn't roll into any of the really deep green-side traps, some of which have pretty steep faces.

There's water on the course as well, though I don't recall that any that had to be carried.

The greens were fairly fast and hard, but it's the desert. Right? The ball would tend to bounce and release more than usual, but you'll also have fewer ball marks to fix. And, it forces you to think a little more before hitting an approach, pitch or chip. There's a lot of tiered and sloped greens, which means a lot of uphill and downhill putting. Again, you're forced to look and think a lot more before you stroke the ball.

PoP was a leisurely 4.5 hours and surprisingly, we didn't wait on a single tee -- and this was a Sunday.

I had a very enjoyable experience on the Desert course at Primm Valley -- my playing partners Robert, Bill and Joey were all great guys -- and will return to try the Lakes course as soon as possible.
8 Likes.
Played on Thursday, 9/8/11, while visiting Eugene. Course is about 40 minutes drive from town but is worth the drive. Arrived early (6:45 am) and walked-on solo with a two-some ahead and no one behind. The starter was a friendly, shared course conditions before taking the green fee, and gave a rundown on the layout for this first-time visitor.

Four tees: Black (7036 yards, 74.5/143), Blue (6544 yards, 71.9/135), White (6055 yards, 69.5/126) and Red. The fee was $35 to walk.

The course is in a rural area with farms to the south and east, a vineyard/winery to the north, and hills along its west side.

The front nine is laid out on mostly flat land with mature trees and some water as the major features. A few holes have target markers to show the way over a hill in a fairway or to lead your way for a severe dogleg. The majority of tee boxes are in good shape and level. The rough is deep enough to lose a ball if you don't keep an eye on your shots. There are a few bare spots on a few fairways but these are the exception.

The back is very different from the front -- as it winds its way up and down through the hills. Many elevation changes. Elevated tees with views of the valley and more mature trees. It's a lot of fun.

The greens are in good shape. Players fix their ball marks here. The ball rolls well and there is plenty of undulation and a few tiered greens too.

Check out Diamond Woods if you're in Eugene.
2 Likes.
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