Played here today with a 6:30 tee time that I booked a couple weeks ago for a $20 surcharge before their normal public booking window opens. Then an additional $117 for greens fees and cart today. Sta... Continue »

Played here today with a 6:30 tee time that I booked a couple weeks ago for a $20 surcharge before their normal public booking window opens. Then an additional $117 for greens fees and cart today. Started right on time, paired with two other singles. One of them walked, one rode. There was one group in front of us who apparently play here all the time and they were very fast. I don't think we saw them after the first hole, although around 14 a twosome did pop in front of us. I think it was a playing lesson with the pro or something, though. Pace was great and we finished in almost exactly 4 hours. Absolutely gorgeous morning although a little chilly and windy.

Conditions are outstanding. Greens are in very nice shape. They roll medium-fast and can get really fast on downhill, downgrain putts. They were soft enough to accept full shots well, but not super soft. Fairways are excellent except some muddy spots in some low-lying areas. Primary rough varied from around 2 inches to 4 inches deep and was extremely lush. Farther offline there are tall grasses that felt sorta like chopping out of the barranca at LACC in the recent U.S. Open. Black tee boxes were mostly great; some showed signs of somewhat recent aeration, but not a big deal. The gorgeous bunkers were all in excellent condition. Holes 1 and 12 were CPO.

I've wanted to play this course ever since it went public in the mid-'90s and it definitely lived up to and even surpassed my expectations. I really loved it. Didn't hurt I got a picture-perfect morning. There are tons of elevation changes, doglegs, short par 3s, long par 3s, gorgeous views, beautiful bunkers. Very cool history of the course, too, with it dating back to the early 1900s. It's very much a "pure golf course" in that no homes or anything else gets in the way. It felt very much like a private club to me. One of my favorite "new to me" courses in quite some time. Highly, highly recommended.