First time back out at Rustic Canyon in almost five years so needless to say I was quite excited to get back out on this Gil Hanse gem. It was supposed to be a crazy hot Friday afternoon but it turned out just perfect and not even too much wind careening down the canyon. Epic.

The prices at Rustic have definitely gone up since my last visit, but it was always likely underpriced if we're being honest, so I was okay with the new cost. You do get what you pay for and here it's nothing but golf goodness, especially when the conditions are so good.

Greens were just tremendous and it's always fun to navigate those massive complexes. Am I on the green or am I not? Can I chip from here? SHOULD I chip from here? It's wonderfully tense decision making at its finest but the payoffs are fabulous. Greens rolled really nice, not as super fast as expected, but still demanding of your full attention. Just wonderful.

Fairways were in very nice shape as well with superb coverage in just about every area. Sure, it's hot out there so a few hot spots are going to find your ball, but it's 100% the exception rather than the rule. The rough is only to be found in a few spots as you're either in the fairway or in a native area sprinkled with a playable (in many cases) fescue that draws in all errant shots. Tee boxes (played the blues) were flat and in very good shape, while the bunkers all had good sand in them but it's not of the super fluffy and light variety.

Course layout everyone knows but it's just so good and fun. Get your scoring in on the front nine as the back is going to give you a bit of a harder time, but they're both equally engaging and challenging routes. It was hot so we took a cart and they were nicely appointed but do have an annoying GPS trait where they show you a color-contoured green map on every approach and you can't simply turn that part off which is vexing. Seems an easy fix!

So yes, get out to Rustic as soon as you can and you won't be disappointed.

It was a memorable day back out at Black Gold this past week but not in the usual positive way unfortunately. When I arrived I was surprised to find the driving range turned into a parking lot. Yes, there is and will not be any range at BG for at least six months.

They are currently re-doing the main parking lot with solar panel roofs and after that will be re-doing the driving range itself, so for now you've got a few nets adjacent to the lot and free balls and mats to hit from - not really ideal for a premium course as long as they let everyone know in advance. Our outing was booked online so we had no idea this was the case.

There was some other first tee drama which I won't bother going to deep into but needless to say everything got off to a pretty poor and delayed start thanks to errors on both our parts and the club's. It happens I guess.

As for the course itself, I don't ever remember it playing as tough as it did this past week, but I also had the most awful ball striking day in years so it was definitely the worst possible course for that coincidence. There is a significant carry on 80% of the holes at BG and the landing areas are as tight as you'll find in SoCal - a recipe for disaster if your game is off.

Conditions were mostly good though at least with the greens being really superb. They are tricky, fast and often infuriating - but that comes down to the putter. Shots were very difficult to hold without a doubt but great shots ended up in great areas. Fairways were mostly in good shape but definitely some dry and thin patches out there, while the rough was pretty much non-existent as there's really only fairway and mayhem out there - that's it.

Played from the blue tees and they were all mostly in good shape, while the bunkers looked much better than they played. It always seemed like there was more sand in them than there really was so skulling a few bunker shots is not out of the realm of possibility - be prepared.

Cart service came around numerous times and the carts are very nicely appointed and have a very good GPS system on them. Nothing to complain about there. In truth, I just had an awful day playing so that soured me on the course, but also the initial problems seemed to have a good deal with that outcome, but who knows? On another day I'm sure it will be a great course again to me but I'm in no major hurry to get back until my game is in proper shape again.

Made it back out to Navy this past weekend with the Rancho Park men's club for a tournament and the course did not disappoint. It's a very fun and challenging layout from start to finish with the odd wrinkle of not getting to play a par 3 until the 9th hole.

Most of the water features on the course right now are less intimidating as many of the course's lakes are either completely or partially drained, so you may still have a shot out of the hazard that you didn't before when they're full. Footing is terrible though and you will sink so still try to avoid at all costs!

Course conditions are solid across the board with no major complaints about anything in particular. There were a few areas marked off as GUR but we were warned about that in advance of the tournament. I found the greens to be really fun and engaging. They ran medium-fast and held shots well. The fairways had mostly good coverage with thin spots here and there, while the rough was thick in spots but mostly very playable.

Bunkers were in good shape but of course another layer of sand is never something to scoff at, while the tee boxes (my flight played the whites) were level and had mostly good coverage with the exception of just a few.

No cart service throughout the day but there is a fine snack shop at the 12th hole tee box that has everything you need. Carts are in good shape and do have a rudimentary GPS system on them, but I would still bring a GPS app for layups and a range finder for exact distances to the pins.

Overall another solid experience at a very cool course.

Had a fun foursome out at Encino this past week and got absolutely hammered by the heat being far too dumb to actually try and walk it. Not smart! I ended up having to jump into my friend's cart around the 14th hole as I was getting dizzy in spells.

Price is always right at the Encino/Balboa complex and this day was no different, but we also had (for the first time I can ever remember) cart service riding around with drinks and snacks - color me shocked! POP was very good for the day apart from the always crowded par 3 15th hole that always jams up.

Course conditions were mostly average to good with the highlights being the greens. They are in good shape, run smooth and medium-fast - no complaints at all. The fairways are a little burned out to be honest, but not terrible. Rough is very manageable and wont' get you into too much trouble. Bunkers were a little on the thin side but playable, while the tee boxes (we played the blue tees) were serviceable - far from pristine but flat and decently covered.

This course won't win any beauty pageants anytime soon but it gets the job done every time.

Played in another RPGC men's club tournament at the home course this past weekend and am delighted to report that the greens are in tremendous shape right now. Completely healed, rolling true and fast and in very optimal condition for one of the busiest courses in Los Angeles.

Unfortunately the opposite is true of the fairways and some other conditions. My flight played from the white tees but those tee boxes were in good condition, while the bunkers were just okay and the rough was thick but playable. Back to the fairways - dry, thin and just not very optically pleasing. The recent heat did a number on them, so hopefully this past week's small rainfall will do the opposite, but I'm not convinced.

POP was okay for the most part but we were the final group for the tournament so it was expectedly a longer round than normal. Once again no cart service but a great little snack shop at the 12th tee box.

Hoping the club can get the fairways in a little better shape and then playing here will once again by a no-brainer.

RPGC tournament this weekend at El Dorado - my favorite Long Beach course. I feel it has the best layout, biggest challenge and most rewarding round in the area. It's flat but has plenty of challenge to it. And right now, the biggest challenge is those speedy greens.

They're really in top shape right now, running very fast but holding shots and their lines very well. Impressive for sure. The rest of the course is also in pretty darn good shape to be fair. Fairways have nice coverage throughout, although there were some areas with standing water from the recent rains. Rough is very playable while the bunkers were obviously impacted by the weather, but nowhere near as bad as anticipated.

My flight played from the white tees and the tee boxes were all flat and well kept - no issues there. Overall just very nice conditions right now at El Dorado.

POP was a little on the slow side but it was a tournament so it makes it somewhat understandable, and in truth we didn't hit any real slowdowns until the back nine. Before that things were running very smoothly (with the exception of my swing). We were required to ride for this event as well and the carts are nothing special but serviceable (and no GPS).

Great day out at Knollwood at the end of next week and happened to land in a perfect spot between groups that we never did any proper waiting on a single hole all day. If you've played some near six-hour rounds at Knollwood, then you'll understand what an absolute treat this was.

The course is also in quite good shape so that just added to the experience, and we also had a beautiful afternoon when the sun came out to enhance our day. The greens are running really nicely and hold up shots well, while the fairways are mostly in good shape with a few thin spots here and there. The bunkers looked okay and the tee boxes (played from the blues) were all pretty good as well.

Layout at Knollwood is always very fun and challenging, and this week was no different. No cart service and the carts themselves are very basic with no GPS, but you'll be fine. I didn't play very well at all but it was an exceptional day at this fun course and long may it continue.

Played a solo round at Rio Hondo this past week and was certainly disappointed with a well-over five-hour round and some crazy long waits on the front nine at the 7th and 8th hole tee boxes. There's not a marshall in sight to move this along?

Greens are recovering nicely from the latest aerification but need probably about another week or two before being in optimum shape. Still, they're not bad at all right now. Fairways have a few too many thin spots for my liking but there is also plenty of good to go around. Rough is cut to a manageable length and the tee boxes (played the blue tees) were okay. I was in about three or four bunkers and they had mostly serviceable sand in them.

No GPS on the carts but they're in good enough condition to enjoy your round. But really, the POP over five hours was really a cause for serious frustration. I am always a big fan of Rio Hondo and consider it one of the best LA County munis, but it was a little bit frustrating this time out.

I will try to piggyback on the last review of Harding from earlier today, but it's pretty much spot on and doesn't need much more from me. In short, Harding has seen far better days and it's in dire need of a makeover.

The green on hole 15 is one of the worst I've ever experienced at an LA City course. It's just dreadful and frankly embarrassing. The rest were also not in the best of conditions (and inconsistent in terms of speeds), but nowhere near as bad as this one. Fairways are just okay and really just about everything right now is subpar. I'm hopeful that the upcoming greens work will also cover things like thin bunkers and very poorly-conditioned tee boxes.

And yes, the missing tree on hole 16 is really a bummer. It absolutely used to shape that hole and while you still need to make two good shots, the character is missing. What can you do?

I will always prefer Harding to Wilson (unlike many) but I would not recommend it right now until it gets a lot of TLC.

Two RPGC tournament rounds this weekend and on Sunday we played Simi Hills. I always enjoy this course for various reasons, but I was placed in a flight that was playing from the back tees, so it was definitely more of a challenge for me on this particular day.

Had a 12:40 tee time and it was a gorgeous, sunny and warm afternoon. We all had to take carts (no walking for this one) and the carts are nice but do not have any GPS yet - something to keep in mind if you're coming here first time. The layout is pretty fun and has some water features, a few holes with some interesting elevations (mostly on the front nine) and some tricky angles and landing areas, but nothing too crazy. It's just a solid eighteen.

Greens are in very nice shape right now and rolling and holding shots well. Can't really think of any complaints about them. There are many subtle breaks but the pin positions for the tournament were very difficult indeed. On a regular day out there you should not have too many problems if you're making good strokes.

Fairways had good coverage throughout with the occasional thin area depending on your landing spot. I mostly played solid lies all afternoon. The rough is cut to a comfortable length so no difficulties there, while the bunkers had good, not great sand in them. Tee boxes (black tees) were in good shape as well. Everything is working pretty well right now at Simi Hills.

Definitely recommend and it's always good value for your money.

Got my first taste the new Diamond Bar this week and I can honestly say that I'm impressed beyond my expectations. Not only is the new front nine layout really well done with the space provided, but I can honestly say these new green complexes are some of the absolute best in SoCal - and that includes a LOT of private clubs.

My buddy and I had an afternoon tee time and spent a few minutes on the solid range before heading over to the starter on the first tee. We played the blue tees which are a good challenge and rode. The carts are nothing special but get the job done.

The redesigned front nine now has taken the old par 3 9th hole going up that big volcano and turned it into a far superior par 3 3rd hole that still looks like it's growing into its best form but plays really nicely over the same lake. Then you get over to the other side of the property and the holes and setup are just really nice. The redesign has moved the holes a bit farther away from the freeway, so it doesn't feel as suffocating as it used to, and that's great.

The back nine hasn't changed much at all but still plays really nicely and is a lot of fun. The 18th hole is a real fun challenge and maybe one of the better closing holes in the city. There is a lot more open space now as well which means as this course matures it should be getting better and better in terms of coverage. It feels very wide open but has a lot of strategic bunkers that will make you consider your lines.

POP was also pretty good for the first half of the round, but we did back up a bit after the turn, but nothing too terrible, although I can imagine rounds here on the weekends taking a bit more time than someone would want.

In terms of conditions, once again the greens and green complexes are simply top notch. I don't think you're going to find a better looking green than on hole 13 - it's stellar, as are most all the others. Really great work by the redesign team here. I would give the greens even higher marks but you will find a lot of ball mark scars from the guests who don't take enough time to fix them, but they're not affecting superb rolls and great reception. They're just fantastic and you should definitely go play them.

The fairways were in good shape as well but I did see that they were coloring them with a sprayer so I'm not sure how much that says about their quality. From a visual standpoint, at least this week, the course looks very green indeed, but it's a chemical facade that I'm not going to complain about too much. Most of the course had very good coverage and I didn't find too many bad lies at all, but it looks even better than it plays. The rough was not too bad and there are a lot of mulch areas now that can make holes challenging.

The bunkers had good sand in them and I never had any trouble with those shots all afternoon, so that's always fun. The tee boxes were all in good, not great shape. We'll see how the course changes over the coming months as it grows into its new shape.

So overall, and especially with an entirely reasonable $60 rate with cart midweek, it was an absolutely fantastic experience at the new Diamond Bar and I can't recommend it enough. Really looking forward to getting back out there.

Tremendous midweek round at Angeles National with a 10:48am tee time on a gorgeous and hot April day in Sunland. The course is in very fine shape right now and the layout is just as tough as ever. You're either in the fairway here or you're in the desert - plain and simple.

We played from the white tees and it still gave us more than enough to handle. Even the 'short' holes are so strategically difficult that if you're in the wrong spot on the fairway, you're going to have to try something extreme to get back into play. This course has length, very strategic angles and bunkers, incredibly tough greens and even a few water features to boot.

Conditions are very nice right now with the greens being in super shape. They roll very fast, very true and very dangerous. I can't count how many times I blew past the hole thinking I had finally dialed in the speeds ... I had not (as evidenced by FIVE 3-putts - ugh). You will need some incredibly precise approaches to hold these greens as well as they're simply moving very quickly, but they're great fun right now.

Fairways had nice coverage but you will definitely find a few thin spots with the heat here bearing down on the course, and I dont' think that will ease up as summer approaches. Rough, where you can find it, is very playable and fun. Bunkers were mostly in good shape and I found a whole lot of them, while the tee boxes were also in very good condition.

Some of the cart routing is an adventure as you're looking to get to the next green or tee box, but the carts have a very good GPS system and are well-appointed. The snack shop near the golf shop is very good and convenient as well. We allowed a single to pass us at the third hole and it was smooth sailing the rest of the afternoon, finishing in under four hours. Amazing!

It was great to finally get back out to ANGC for the first time in years and hopefully it won't take that long again for the next time, and hopefully my game will be in better shape for its challenges.