This was one of the courses I stopped to play on the way up to Yosemite this afternoon. With Sierra Meadows now closed, River Creek is reaping the benefits. It wasn't packed out there, but pretty busy... Continue »

This was one of the courses I stopped to play on the way up to Yosemite this afternoon. With Sierra Meadows now closed, River Creek is reaping the benefits. It wasn't packed out there, but pretty busy for such a rural 9-hole course on a warm Friday afternoon. I wish this course had a full 18 because it deserves a little more attention. I had to wait on a men's club shotgun fivesome on the first two holes and I later caught up to another couple, but otherwise it was a good quick pace of around 1.5 hours. $30 for nine holes with a cart felt a bit steep, but I think the cart was half that price.

The course was in pretty good overall shape. Tee boxes and fairways maybe a little shaggy, but good coverage throughout. Rough was generally pretty nice, too. I wasn't in any bunkers, so no comments there. Greens firm, but receptive enough and rolling smooth at medium speeds.

I was pleasantly surprised by this course. One of the better 9-hole regulation courses in California that I've played. Really nice secluded setting with a lot of big oak trees and boulder outcroppings in play on most holes. Hilly terrain with a good mix of holes. Very reminiscent of Horse Thief. Not worth going all the way out to Ahwahnee just for it, but worth a stop if you are in this neck of the woods. I drove by what's left of Sierra Meadows afterwards and it doesn't appear to be coming back any time soon, so that should mean good things for River Creek. I just wish I had played Sierra Meadows before it closed last year. It's one of the ones that got away!