We played on 11-12-23. This was the first round of a three day golf weekend with my friend Jackie. I had played here once a few years ago. I remember it being a fun layout with less than stellar condi... Continue »

We played on 11-12-23. This was the first round of a three day golf weekend with my friend Jackie. I had played here once a few years ago. I remember it being a fun layout with less than stellar conditions. Nothing much has changed in those areas.

Check in was fast and friendly. While there were many carts to choose from, we searched through all of them to find one that didn’t have a torn up seat. Finally found one. Then that cart quit working by the time we got to the starter shack. The starter kindly gave us his cart so we were back in business… only to wait on every hole behind a very slow foursome.

It really is a fun layout with lots of undulating fairways, deep bunkers and a few water hazards. The greens were in very nice shape. They were quite soft but still rolled fast medium speed. Conditions around the rest of the course weren’t pretty but played just fine. Even the pebbly dirt bunkers were easy enough to get out of. The fairways were equal parts brown and green. They had good coverage but some pretty tight lies that always give me a chipping challenge. The rough varied from bare to clumpy to ball-hiding deep.

Overall, we had an enjoyable time. I would really like to play here again when/if conditions are much better.

Haven't played this course in awhile but it is still one of my all time favorites, it's in fantastic shape, greens are really good. The layout is what makes this course great, it is a links course an... Continue »

Haven't played this course in awhile but it is still one of my all time favorites, it's in fantastic shape, greens are really good. The layout is what makes this course great, it is a links course and every hole is unique and different. #18 is a good par 5 with an island green surrounded by water, #6 is an excellent par 4 with no bunkers, and #3 is a tricky par 3 surrounded by bunkers. That's why anytime I'm around Bakersfield I make sure I play this course. And when finished they got a great sports bar and food is terrific.

This course has a fun layout with several water hazards in play. There is a variety of hole shapes to keep things interesting as well. Course is flat but far from boring. Overall conditions are aver... Continue »

This course has a fun layout with several water hazards in play. There is a variety of hole shapes to keep things interesting as well. Course is flat but far from boring. Overall conditions are average. Greens roll fairly true at a medium pace.

Fairways still have a number of thin areas throughout the entire course. Fairways had enough coverage to present a decent hitting surface but that’s about it

Tee boxes were all in good condition with only the short par 3’s being heavily riddled with divots.

Bunkers remain hard pan dirt. Great customer service and POP was on the slow side I attribute it to a nice sunny day and everyone was trying to get their “weekend” golf in. Can’t blame them. The track isn’t worth a special journey to Bakersfield for but certainly worthy of a play if in the area

Played afternoon of 9/29. $41 midday rate comes with cart, so ok price.POP
was about four hours with minimal waiting and a mid round beer run. Been awhile since
my last play. Greens are much better ... Continue »

Played afternoon of 9/29. $41 midday rate comes with cart, so ok price.POP
was about four hours with minimal waiting and a mid round beer run. Been awhile since
my last play. Greens are much better than last several times. By that I mean they have full coverage of grass. Medium speed and quite bumpy. Grass seemed a little long on them, combined with lots of ball marks and spike marks and ball was bouncing all around. Edge of cups were very ragged also. Tees are level cut really short as it looked they had sown rye grass seed on them. The geese were snacking on them so good luck with that. Fairways were very good. Rough was thick in some places, but also a patches of real thick stuff. Bunkers are a total mess. They looked like they were raked but its just a very thin layer of dirt. We saw balls rolling through them? Its almost the same as hard pan. Lakes are a pea soup green color, gross. IF you stay out of the numerous bunkers and take the bumpy greens for what they are its a fun course. Well designed just not great conditions. It is a change from my regular dose of the county courses.

Played today with a late morning tee time. Course is in full “winter” mode. Fairways were dormant and super thin. Almost no grass at all. Rough was decent enough. Fairly lush with some thin sp... Continue »

Played today with a late morning tee time. Course is in full “winter” mode. Fairways were dormant and super thin. Almost no grass at all. Rough was decent enough. Fairly lush with some thin spots here and there. Rough was about 2” tall. Greens had been aerated about a week ago so naturally they still have some healing to go before being back to full smooth rolling. Tee boxes were a bit chewed up. Oddly enough, the short par 3’s had good coverage but a lot of the longer holes had a ton of divots throughout.

POP was very slow. It was a foursome two groups in front that were holding everything up. The twosome in front of me finally got around then at the turn and I did the same 2 holes later. After that, it was clear sailing. Bunkers were more dirt than sand. Most were a bit thin but playable.

Customer service was good and the layout is a lot of fun. Course has several water hazards throughout which make accuracy a premium over length. Once the fairway grass comes back to life and thickens up, this will be a good course. Right now, is 50/50.

Played a Mandatory Golf Friday round in Bakersfield after a 4+ hour ride from Sacramento on the way to the desert under sunny skies and pleasant short and short sleeve weather.
Interesting lay out an... Continue »

Played a Mandatory Golf Friday round in Bakersfield after a 4+ hour ride from Sacramento on the way to the desert under sunny skies and pleasant short and short sleeve weather.
Interesting lay out and how they pulled off a "links" within the riverlakes name. It is a links style track with many water features to go along with the humps bumps and bunkers of a links style course.
The course overall in good to better shape. The greens medium with good coverage a few too many un-repaired ball marks not the fault of the course imo. Fairways good. Bunkers well positioned as I was in them 6 holes in a row to start. Not the best sand but manageable as I scored well on the front.
Simple hotdog and beer from inside to start as we arrived a bit early but weren't able to get out as it was busy. Friendly staff and member met there. Beverage cart was out. Pace of play as expected.
Fun course then off east on route 58 to the NV/AZ border.

Love this course, very challenging, no two holes are alike which is very cool. It is a links course so lots of bunkers and humps which makes it even more interesting to play, front nine is good but b... Continue »

Love this course, very challenging, no two holes are alike which is very cool. It is a links course so lots of bunkers and humps which makes it even more interesting to play, front nine is good but be ready for the back nine, holes 10-13 are the real deal. Restaurant/bar is excellent, food is great and they have a large beer selection which i like and a nice wine selection which my wife enjoys.

I was in Bakersfield for work on Thursday 6/24 and wrapped up with just enough time to squeeze in a round. I chose Links at RiverLakes Ranch to experience a new course. Being this was my first time ... Continue »

I was in Bakersfield for work on Thursday 6/24 and wrapped up with just enough time to squeeze in a round. I chose Links at RiverLakes Ranch to experience a new course. Being this was my first time playing here and not having a clue what to expect, I went in completely open minded. I didn’t come away disappointed. Fun layout with tons of water in play on the flat course. In addition to all of the water hazards, the designer replaced the original almond orchard trees with pine trees which are now mature. You really get the sense of a quality setting and forget that you’re in the flat dry Bakersfield valley.

I opted to take a cart to carry extra water due to the heat and glad I did. Back nine has some long transfers between holes. Layout has a good mixture of strategic holes (less than driver off the tee) and grip it and rip it ones.

Due to playing in late late afternoon (finished at sunset) the greens were a bit bumpy. Typical Poa late afternoon greens. I will say that we also encountered quite a lot of unrepaired ball marks. Green complexes have multiple tiers. Most are manageable double tier greens with an upper and lower, but a few have the multi “diamond” shape tier complexes.

Fairways was decent. A few thin spots here and there throughout the course but not bad overall. Tee boxes were flat with nice coverage. Sand traps were the weak link for sure. Most were hardpack with very little sand.

Customer service was a mixed bag. Check in crew in the pro shop was ho-hum but the kid in the starter shack was Excellent!!

Overall, I really enjoyed this course. I paid the rack rate of $34 with cart for the super-twilight rate which wasn’t too bad. I don’t know that the course would be worth the weekend prime time rate but for my entry price, I’m not complaining that I chose to check this off my list.

Played 3/21. Cold windy low 60's. Tees were quite good. Fairways were pretty good. Its that time of the year wee there are three types of grass in the fairway all growing at different rates. Teeing of... Continue »

Played 3/21. Cold windy low 60's. Tees were quite good. Fairways were pretty good. Its that time of the year wee there are three types of grass in the fairway all growing at different rates. Teeing off early avoids a lot of the problems. Cut quite low, but still little uneven with the clumps of different grass around the greens. Rough was a real mixed bag. Mostly short and thick, but some places really tall or bare dirt. Greens had been punched a couple of weeks and are still recovering. Putts were bouncing and getting thrown off line. Back nine was a little better. Bunkers, I was in one and not sure what is in it combo dirt/sand? Whatever it was it was rather firm and dry even though it had rained two days before. Now time to vent. I usually take the wife as a walk or ride along. I get one day off and we spend it together. Her best friend is married to one of my regular golf buddies so she will usually go too. Last year on Mothers Day management told us no spectators due to COVID, but they could go if the paid full price. So we did not golf. Ran into another problem this time as well. We booked with four, but wound up with five. They would not allow fivesomes. Two of us also brought our wives who are best buds. They only allow one spectator per group. Seems crazy if you paying for another cart. We asked if they would split us two and three not go on that idea as they would not be able to fit two more on the tee sheet. We went to the tee as four and one wife. I knew the starter semi well. Whined at him. He said call them back we will get you off as two and three can't do five however. So thats how we went off two and three and kept the girls together! Also they only serve lunch in the cafe there, no breakfast .