First out Tuesday on a beautiful, but cool autumn morning. The course remains cart on path, which will continue for at least two more weeks, which is appropriate because the new grass is still growing and has not yet completely filled in. Much of the fairways look good, but there are still areas which are struggling to take hold. The greens rolled very well, with more pace than... » More

First out Tuesday on a beautiful, but cool autumn morning. The course remains cart on path, which will continue for at least two more weeks, which is appropriate because the new grass is still growing and has not yet completely filled in. Much of the fairways look good, but there are still areas which are struggling to take hold. The greens rolled very well, with more pace than before, yet still very receptive. Bunkers, tee boxes and rough are fine. Just have to be patient before I make a final call as to the success of the overseeding.
» Close

Participated in the GOLF MOOSE/VIVID Private Club Event (my first) @ Dove Canyon on Monday and was happy I elected to do so. As is always the case when Johnny is involved, it was a well-organized affair with the club staff providing a welcome, hospitable atmosphere. A tip of the hat to everyone who made this day possible.

And I was blessed with great company…having been ... » More

Participated in the GOLF MOOSE/VIVID Private Club Event (my first) @ Dove Canyon on Monday and was happy I elected to do so. As is always the case when Johnny is involved, it was a well-organized affair with the club staff providing a welcome, hospitable atmosphere. A tip of the hat to everyone who made this day possible.

And I was blessed with great company…having been paired up with Johnny, Ron, and Mark…which elevated my level of enjoyment. Got to witness a number of high-quality shots from the boys as well. And much appreciation for Mark’s guidance throughout the day since this was my first initial visit to the golf course.

Expansive, warm, and inviting clubhouse that’s conducive to relaxing with a drink and trading stories following a day on the course. Large practice range facility with a short-game area off to the side provides the opportunity to work on all phases of one’s game. Although we were relegated to hitting off mats, they were in good shape as I didn’t notice any signs of excess wear…and good quality range balls I might add. Practice putting green overlooks the picturesque finishing hole and was pretty close to mirroring what I encountered on the course.

As for the course itself, I’d rank it as one of the more demanding layouts I’ve played. Typical Nicklaus design: it demands precise iron play in order to score well. Having the ability to hit high approach shots is a huge plus…particularly when the pins are tucked in the far reaches of these devilish greens, many of which are on the narrow/shallow side and run diagonally to the fairway. And Jack’s bunkering has them well-protected. For a guy who was never known for his sand play, I get the impression this is how he’s chosen to exact his revenge.

While I personally feel some of the contours and segmented sections of the surfaces ‘push the envelope’, there is a perverse sense of pleasure one experiences if able to navigate those challenges successfully. Adventuresome and mentally-stimulating are appropriate terms when it comes to describing the pitching/chipping and putting experience at Dove Canyon.

And with that said, the golf course demands full engagement from start to finish; it’s an exciting layout and the word ‘boring’ never comes into play. I found the elevation changes, rolling fairways, and general scope of this design quite pleasing to the eye. There are a number of excellent holes out there but it’s tough to top the dramatic tee shots you face on the Par-3 10th and 17th holes.

Course conditions were very good; tees, fairways, and greens in solid shape for this time of year. Took note of a few bare spots on a couple of greens but didn’t have to deal with anything that compromised play. Rough was just long enough to create an issue but that was dependent upon the lie: if the ball sat up, not much of a problem…but a different story if it burrowed into the turf.

Greens rolled at a quick pace but nothing unreasonable…especially given the contours and slopes…and were very receptive to well-struck shots. Yes, the approaches are challenging, but if you hit the mark distance-wise, the ball did settle down nicely.

Bunker sand had good texture…a bit on the heavy side…along with plenty of depth, with just about all of them requiring lofted escapes as the ones I was in all sat below the putting surfaces and featured steep faces.

Having no previous experience at Dove Canyon, I felt I was at somewhat of a disadvantage…which wasn’t helped by a sloppy ball-striking round. But now that I’ve gotten a look at it, made some observations, and taken notes, I’m looking forward to a return at some point down the road.
» Close

Price was right. 60 after 10:30. The course is in good condition. We played 10/15/25. The greens were very receptive and quick, probably a 10. They can get these faster whenever they want. Very scenic course and what you see is what you get. Its defense is wind and the greens. You miss on the wrong side and it will cost you. In fact, the rough around the greens is difficult. Bu... » More

Price was right. 60 after 10:30. The course is in good condition. We played 10/15/25. The greens were very receptive and quick, probably a 10. They can get these faster whenever they want. Very scenic course and what you see is what you get. Its defense is wind and the greens. You miss on the wrong side and it will cost you. In fact, the rough around the greens is difficult. Bunkers are so so, hit or miss. You can save many strokes by fairways and greens. All in all it's a great course and the price is refreshing.
» Close

Played here Monday in the Golf Moose/Vivid Golf outing run by Johnny. I was in group 1B with Johnny, Ron, and 1PLUS1, starting around 10:15 and finishing just under 5 hours later with no waiting all day but no one pressing us either. Excellent weather with extremely clear skies and very little wind until the last couple holes. As usual, food at Jack’s Den is tasty and well pric... » More

Played here Monday in the Golf Moose/Vivid Golf outing run by Johnny. I was in group 1B with Johnny, Ron, and 1PLUS1, starting around 10:15 and finishing just under 5 hours later with no waiting all day but no one pressing us either. Excellent weather with extremely clear skies and very little wind until the last couple holes. As usual, food at Jack’s Den is tasty and well priced.

Conditions are mostly good to great with some great areas and other areas in need of some TLC. Fairways are probably the highlight, cut short with good coverage but sufficient cushion under the ball. Rough was in good condition and a little deeper than the fairways, putting a premium on keeping drives in play. White tee boxes were mostly good, although some seemed to have erratic mowing patterns – half of the ninth tee box (between the markers) was much longer grass than the other half. Bunkers were good but seemed a little wet, possibly still holding moisture from last week’s extremely heavy rainfall. Greens were mostly great – smooth, medium-fast, and accepting of full shots – although there are some dry/bare spots on a few greens that could use some attention.

The more times I play here, the more I really love the course, especially 7-18. We all had a great time. Thanks to Dove Canyon for being willing to open their doors to Golf Moose, and thanks to Vivid Golf for the great sponsorship. I helped run the putting contest and it was cool to see six people win a free polo by draining a really tough putt. If you ever get a chance to play Dove Canyon, seize it!
» Close

Played last Friday in a Rancho Park Men's Club tournament at the home course and found the course to be in pretty good shape overall on what turned out to be the most perfect golf weather day you could ever want. It was stunning.

The clubhouse situation is still a bit of an embarrassment after so many years now of nothing actually being finished, so you're still limited... » More

Played last Friday in a Rancho Park Men's Club tournament at the home course and found the course to be in pretty good shape overall on what turned out to be the most perfect golf weather day you could ever want. It was stunning.

The clubhouse situation is still a bit of an embarrassment after so many years now of nothing actually being finished, so you're still limited to a food truck which gets its orders from a snack window near the driving range. It's highly impractical. The range itself is good but over-crowded and the ball quality has gotten pretty poor I've noticed.

My group played from the white tees this round which is still plenty of challenge at Rancho. The fairways were in mostly good, not great shape but there were plenty of dead or dry areas just off the main lanes. Bunkers were okay, while the tee boxes were level but not always greatly covered. The greens were definitely the highlight as I found them to be in good shape, rolling true and holding shots well. The were particularly fast on this day as well which befuddled many in my foursome for most of the afternoon.

I think Rancho could definitely benefit from some upcoming precipitation but it's still in good enough shape right now that if you get a time, don't hesitate to take it.
» Close