Played on 6/13/18. Pace of play was solid, teed off at 3:15 and finished at 6:50. The new ownership has really turned this place around. Really solid conditions. Greens rolled true, if not actually "f... Continue »

Played on 6/13/18. Pace of play was solid, teed off at 3:15 and finished at 6:50. The new ownership has really turned this place around. Really solid conditions. Greens rolled true, if not actually "fast". Fairways right now are just fantastic. A few goofy holes, like 7 and 16, but overall, a fun course.

On vacation in the area and chose to play St. Mark this year based on some recent GK reviews. Paid $45 with tee time and range balls. The practice area is large with plenty of space. Range balls ar... Continue »

On vacation in the area and chose to play St. Mark this year based on some recent GK reviews. Paid $45 with tee time and range balls. The practice area is large with plenty of space. Range balls are limited flight.
We were paired up with another player from the area and he was a very friendly and big help around our first time on the course.
The course was in good shape overall. Tee boxes were consistent with really no bad spots or severe divot damage. Fairways were good with a few bare spots but nothing to make the course unplayable. The greens were a highlight to me being very soft and receptive to shots. I was only in one trap but the sand was nice and a bit on the wet side. I had to adjust to actual sticky rough around the greens as we don't get too much of that in AZ.
As previous reviewers have said, the course is not going to kill you with length or forced carries. One par 5 was playing close to 600 yards but for the most part all the holes were playable from appropriate tees. Par 3s were of varying length which I enjoy as were the par 4s. Some driver holes some no driver holes. Fun dogleg holes where being able to shape your tee shot helped but wasn't necessary. The course is mostly wide open with a couple water holes.
The price and fun factor made this course very enjoyable to play and I would recommend it to the GKers who live in the area.

Played on Sunday, 6/3 teeing off around 8:15 and paid $49 through the course website (I assume, I didn't make the time).

It had been a few years since I had been out at St. Marks even though I had ... Continue »

Played on Sunday, 6/3 teeing off around 8:15 and paid $49 through the course website (I assume, I didn't make the time).

It had been a few years since I had been out at St. Marks even though I had been to the executive course and the resort restaurant and grounds since the new ownership took over and did the renovations. I can say that they have definitely done a really good job with St Marks. The pro shop and restaurant have been changed around and now it's much brighter, open and a really cool spot to hang out. Pretty good pro shop with all the balls and stuff you need (although the apparel needs some work :).

As for the course, St Marks isn't the most interesting or compelling layout, but it's a pretty good set of 18 holes. There are a couple holes where you need some experience to play well and I feel like I hit every club in the bag. Now that I think about it, you get a fair share of dog leg holes and a couple greens are funky enough to make things interesting. However, the conditions of the course have really improved and it was really great to play.

Lots of good coverage in the fairways with nothing but good lies for me. There are occasional brown or bare spots here or there but overall I was really pleased with the conditions. Definitely can tell they've put some resources into this part of the course.

The greens were in really good shape. Just really healthy, smooth and held great. I wouldn't say they were fast but definitely true. Lots of fun to play on.

I think the ownership of the resort and courses set out the goal to provide a fun and relaxed atmosphere to play golf and I think they succeeded. Considering this course is 5 minutes from my house, it was $50 with cart (super nice carts by the way) on a Sunday morning prime time and we played in about 4 and 15 minutes, I'll be back soon.

Nice work St Marks team.

Early Saturday morning round just under four hours. The staff always great. The entire course is in very good shape right now. The tee boxes were all in good shape with great coverage and level. T... Continue »

Early Saturday morning round just under four hours. The staff always great. The entire course is in very good shape right now. The tee boxes were all in good shape with great coverage and level. The fairways were very green and had very good coverage with tons of kikuyu grass throughout the round. The rough was not too tall or very thick but stopped offline shots and was easy to hit from. The traps were all in great condition with a few in need of a little sand. The greens were great - they held shot well and rolled like a thick felted pool table! The kikuyu rough around the greens made pitch shots very difficult especially when it was the length of the bermuda grass. The course is in the best shape I've ever seen it in - definitely recommended!!

Had a San Diego Seniors match Monday AM. Course was quite busy. I haven't played here since last summer. Friendly Pro shop Staff. Well stocked Pro shop. Driving range but off mats. Two nice practice... Continue »

Had a San Diego Seniors match Monday AM. Course was quite busy. I haven't played here since last summer. Friendly Pro shop Staff. Well stocked Pro shop. Driving range but off mats. Two nice practice putting greens. Greens: smooth, holding with medium to fast speed. Some of the grass around the greens was 3-4" high, very challenging. Fairways: a combination of a variety of grasses cut VERY thin; below average condition. Rough: very punishing, 3-5" high kikuyu. Traps: raked but firm. POP: just over 4 1/2 hours. Food in the restaurant; average. OK to play ONLY if you get a good deal.

First time back here in a couple years and pleasantly pleased. The pro shop is being remodeled so the makeshift shop was a room filled with the bare necessities and of course a cash register. The te... Continue »

First time back here in a couple years and pleasantly pleased. The pro shop is being remodeled so the makeshift shop was a room filled with the bare necessities and of course a cash register. The tee boxes were mostly level and had decent coverage with a few divots on the shorter holes. The fairways were in good shape with much more kikuyu grass than I remember from my past rounds here. The ball sat up well in the fairways and they were soft enough for good play allowing for plenty of spin into the greens. Some areas along the fairways were pretty thick and soft but did save errant shots an kept your ball in play. There are many narrow fairways lined with over hanging trees - so straight hitters do have an advantage. The bunkers looked well groomed but damp - didn't find any today. The course doesn't really have that many bunkers which seem to come in play. There are water features that can add strokes if you haven't played the course before. This course has some elevation changes and also a 600+yard dog leg par five with a postage stamp for a green. The greens were in great shape and quickened with the day. I heard the pro shop say the greens had been vericut and sanded lightly earlier in the week? The greens held shots well and were in the best shape I've seen them in my visits here. A few of the greens are sloped away from the fairways making low approach shots impossible to stop on the green. The place was super busy when we completed our round around noon - not a parking spot available. The locals really support the course and many of the players seemed regulars here. I thought the rack rate was almost twice what I would expect to pay for a similar course. Recommended if you like older tight courses with plenty of trees!

Played St. Mark for the first time against GKer rat-patrol in a GK Cup double redemption elimination slugfest. This course was previously called Lake San Marcos Country Club North (the entry pillars t... Continue »

Played St. Mark for the first time against GKer rat-patrol in a GK Cup double redemption elimination slugfest. This course was previously called Lake San Marcos Country Club North (the entry pillars to the parking lot still show LSMCC), but I don’t know if they are still affiliated with the executive course (formerly LSMCC South) across the lake. A couple views of the lake from various holes, but most of what you see are houses and apartments close by many holes, and there’s lots of OB on one or both sides of most holes. Turf is that nasty kikuyu throughout and it’s spongy, sticky, and nasty to get out of when they let it grow shaggy around the greens.

Greens are small, roundish, and without any serious undulation. Most are flatish or gently sloped. The greens had very good coverage firm and showed few ballmarks, rolling well at medium speed. I don’t recall any bare spots. Some of the greens had a splotchy appearance, perhaps from different kinds of grass. The practice green had many bumps and hops on it, but I didn’t notice that on the on-course greens. Kikuyu fairways generally gave good lies but didn’t roll out well. Rough was more difficult the deeper it got, and in some sideslopes could be dry and ropy, with scattered bare spots. There were many scattered areas around the course with drainage issues where the mower had not been and conditions were wet and sloppy – some were roped off. I wasn’t in the sand. Tees were OK, level and playable.

Many holes suffer from being wedged into narrow areas. Homes/apartments are very close by the par-3 #11 and the par-3 #13; the latter is a hole in search of a playing area, with a steep slope/homes along the right, trees and an unplayable drop-off along the left, the green surrounded by sand and from the back tee hiding behind the slope on the right. Definitely a hit-and-hope situation. Hole #14 plays from an elevated tee downhill to a huge bunker and lake 220 yards away – then it’s another 175 to the green. Just a stupid gimmick hole. Hole #7 green slopes away from you and is a boomerang shape with a kikuyu lake in the center. As stated above, there’s lots of OB on one or both sides of most holes.

Starter was pushy. No cart girl, and not that much water available. No rangers around, but play moved OK and we finished in around 4 hours. Food in the clubhouse was good. Be alert for the turn off San Marcos Blvd. or you’ll wander through the neighborhood like both Jim and I did – their signage is non-existent. OK for a casual round, but not a course I want to play again.

Played St Mark for the first time ever today, all this time and I just never made it to this course . . . didn't even know where it was, now I do. It was a little tricky finding the course as Google m... Continue »

Played St Mark for the first time ever today, all this time and I just never made it to this course . . . didn't even know where it was, now I do. It was a little tricky finding the course as Google maps threw me waaaay off the path. Anyways make sure of you directions before you come, "Know Before You Go!" . . . also the sign when you drive in says Lake San Marcos Country Club?
When I did find it check in was a breeze, then I went out to warm up a bit, this was a bit before 1:30 with a 1:56 tee time. As soon as I was on the putting green I heard the starter announce that we were second up? As this was a GK Cup match D-Con my opponent wanted to warm up. When I informed the starter of this he said he thought we wanted to go off early, but neither of us ever said anything of the sort. The starter was a bit surly about the fact we wanted to warm up (you think he'd encourage the purchasing of range balls?), but said OK, you'll have to wait then, huh? Whatever D-Con changed his mind (and I'm sure he wished he hadn't)and we went off a few minutes later.
On to the course conditions . . .

Tees: mostly level with ample space inmost to find a good angle
Fairways: the ball usually sat up quite nicely, balls didn't get much roll out, but the surface was good to play from . . . one thing though, the front of greens were not very bump and run friendly, most shots that didn't reach the surface just stuck or even bounced back at you
Rough: sticky and rather thick in spots, that stuff would really grab you by the hosel!
Bunkers: I wasn't in any but they looked quite playable
Greens: accepted well struck shots with spin rather well, but many of my poorly struck pitches ran through the green. These greens seem quite grainy and are hard to make many putts on, they rolled decent, they were medium speed with a bit more speed/roll out down grain (putting towards the southwest)
Layout: We played the Blues and I found the layout interesting and challenging enough, not Torrey South (review to come tomorrow, God willing), not overly dramatic like say Mt Woodson or The Crossings, but just a good old fashion golf course in the vein of say RB Inn or maybe Mission Trails.
Customer Service: besides the a bit grumpy/pushy starter (not everyone wants to go out early, some people like to warm up!), all other staff encountered were pleasant and helpful.
POP: was outstanding as we played in around 3 1/2 hours . . . so maybe pushing people out early helped with that?
Recommendations: if you get a good deal, if you want a casual round and a pretty low stress round this place is a good pick.

Not really a walking course as it plays through houses and there are a few long jaunts between holes, doable but not a walk in the park.

Sorry so late, just didn't want to dismiss writing a review on this course.
Actually played twilight (3:15pm) 6/30/16. Had a Freebie coupon for 2 w/cart, I was presented at the Carlsbad Golf demo da... Continue »

Sorry so late, just didn't want to dismiss writing a review on this course.
Actually played twilight (3:15pm) 6/30/16. Had a Freebie coupon for 2 w/cart, I was presented at the Carlsbad Golf demo days. Can't beat Free. Hadn't played St.Mark in quite awhile, and last time we played we weren't overly excited. BUT I'm truly Happy to say the course is in remarkably WONDERFUL conditions from tee to green. Check in at Pro Shop was very pleasant and they even got us out a little early even though the late afternoon was quite full. Lots of twosomes/threesomes, so we finished in a little under 3.5Hrs. Tee boxes were nice, mainly all were level and in great shape. Fairways were excellent as well, most fairway divots filled in, minimal bare/GUR areas, some soggy spots from...dare I say it?...Water!! Bunkers were pretty consistent, good shape/adequate sand to support easy outs; maybe a few were a little crusty from water over-spray. Rough in good shape overall as well. Manageable length, not too penalizing. Its obvious they have invested significant time/effort in course upkeep/improvement. Loved the new drought tolerant landscaping around the tee boxes. Greens were in very nice shape as well. Medium to Slow roll, fairly true roll/some slightly bumpy (but it was at the end of the day), minimal ball marks, and held shots well. Some blind approach shots so you really need to pay attention as to where players are ahead of you. Overall we were very impressed with St.Mark. Their practice areas are nice as well, and their onsite restaurant is a welcome for after game R&R. So Very Glad we gave this one another shot for sure. Very Pleased. Just this golfin gals thoughts. :)