Not sure how or why it ever took this long to finally play the Ike, but Mattias and I decided on a 10:20am tee time the previous day and made the trek out to Industry Hills. With a $110 greens fee, I ... Continue »

Not sure how or why it ever took this long to finally play the Ike, but Mattias and I decided on a 10:20am tee time the previous day and made the trek out to Industry Hills. With a $110 greens fee, I was expecting some pretty quality stuff out there. And I got it in some places, but in others, it came woefully short. And yet I'm not really all that bothered … let me explain.

The course itself is a gem. The varied terrain, the challenges off the tee, the variety of holes and the overall 'fun' that this course has is exceptional. I really enjoyed playing here - plain and simple. We played from the blue tees and you could absolutely feel each and every of the 6800 yards plus that this course demands. Hit some bombs out there only to find myself still 200 yards from the green, and other tee shots requiring less than driver and precision. And some of the par 3s are real spectacular, especially the par 3 15th. Fantastic.

However, the current conditions at the Ike leave a lot to be desired, but I'm also giving them a bit of a pass because I know that they're 'letting things go' a bit before re-seeding in 2-3 weeks. I get it. I really do. But full price still? Whatever - our choice to say yes or no. But while you can definitely find some nice areas of fairway out there, there is no shortage of thin lies, bare spots and general dryness all over, including right around some of the greens (including terrible coverage around the 10th green). The rough is also a mixed bag that can either thrill or mortify you. Tee boxes started off fine but got gradually worse and eventually near the end were just overgrown and disappointing. Bunkers were mostly okay but found a few too many rocks in some of them.

And the greens? Most were in good shape but a bit spongy, however they rolled at a good speed and generally held their lines well. Receptive to approach shots? For sure - the sponginess comes in handy there. But a few of the greens had a bit of damage, but nothing to really complain about. Overall they were probably the best part about the course conditions. It's just a shame though to know that when this place is back in its pristine shape, it must be a truly great day out on the links.

Cart girl came around numerous times and it was pretty warm out there so that was appreciated. Also a nice little snack shop right near the first tee which was helpful. The carts have GPS and that is a nice touch as well as there are quite a few blind shots to navigate while you're out there so the hole overviews come in handy. Cart paths? They could definitely use some re-paving sometime soon. Bouncy ride for sure.

So overall, I'm still happy about the day despite the sub-optimal conditions for a place that has the reputation of Industry Hills. I can't wait to come back when it's back at 100%. I wouldn't even mind coming back before that, but no way for $110 again. In its current condition, I think a reduced rate to $75 or so would be fitting for a course that's this great from the blimp view, but not so much from the floor.