Our monthly group got four spots at Hansen Dam this past Saturday and it was a scorching hot day with our first tee time at 10:40am. Carts were preferred under hot sun as walking would have been a rea... Continue »

Our monthly group got four spots at Hansen Dam this past Saturday and it was a scorching hot day with our first tee time at 10:40am. Carts were preferred under hot sun as walking would have been a real energy drain. I was in the second group off and we played from our customary white tees with this ensemble.

Course conditions are bizarrely better it seemed on the front nine than the back nine. The greens were all pretty consistent - holding shots well, rolling pretty true and running at medium-fast speeds - no complaints there. But the grass seemed to be somewhat lusher and there was better coverage on the front in the fairways. The rough was definitely thick in some areas and it's not hard to lose a ball in there right now. Bunkers were okay/average - nothing spectacular, but nothing too bad to make a fuss over. Tee boxes were fine.

There was no cart service and that was disappointing on such a hot day, but more to that point, in order to secure the four spots, we paid a pretty outrageous $82 each, which included the cart but did NOT include range balls for warming up. I found that pretty insane to be honest. The carts are on the newer side and have good GPS, but no coolers for ice on the sides.

At a normal greens fee I don't think all of these factors would have rubbed me the wrong way, but we paid kind of a premium price for a non-premium experience. My next solo visit I won't have any of these complaints I'm sure and I'll just go back to enjoying Hansen Dam like I almost always have before.