Played Woodley yesterday 12/4 with a 12:20 start, riding with another single joining a walking twosome. We all played the whites. To the point, the course is in good all around shape, with exceptions.... Continue »

Played Woodley yesterday 12/4 with a 12:20 start, riding with another single joining a walking twosome. We all played the whites. To the point, the course is in good all around shape, with exceptions. The recent rains have given it some greening up and, fortunately, I saw no remaining indications that that the course resides in a flood basin. Although there can be thinner spots beneath the green on the fairways, they are generally pretty good. Teeing grounds here are always good, bunkers were reasonably clean and no complaints abut the sand. Rough here is rarely an issue and very playable while the greens and complexes were mostly in good playing shape with the greens running a nice medium — mostly. The exceptions are greens 8, 14 and 16 which were all sanded. Not mentioned at the course or in the most recent GK post, we were all a little surprised when we arrived on these greens. They all have at least a little elevation to them so you don't know before you actual arrive at the green. They ran obviously slower than the other greens but were playable. If you aren't too fussy, I wouldn't let it dissuade you from playing here as the overall course and majority of greens are fine. If you are that fussy, I'm not sure why you are at Woodley, but now you know before you go. Give them a week. The weather was gorgeous and it was a perfect day to be out on the course. The kind of day that makes you grateful you are in SoCal in December. Some breeze came up mid round but didn't last. Pace was very good and we got around in 4.25 hours with plenty of light right before sunset. No regrets.

Played Woodley for a 620 rooster am round.

Brisk morning with fog burn off by 730.

Course was ok but still recovering from being flooded/ 10 especially was bad.

Obviously this course doesn... Continue »

Played Woodley for a 620 rooster am round.

Brisk morning with fog burn off by 730.

Course was ok but still recovering from being flooded/ 10 especially was bad.

Obviously this course doesn't drain well so that was to be expected.

Sand traps were not raked and cementy so it made it a little more challenging for my guys.

Greens were decent just a little sluggish from the water and all the pin positions we're tucked.

POP was 4 hours for us walking.

Played here Monday morning early. 740 tee time.

Whoa! It was so foggy. Like zero visibility for 12 holes. Just teeing off into the abyss.

It didn't burn off until 1030 and we played in just o... Continue »

Played here Monday morning early. 740 tee time.

Whoa! It was so foggy. Like zero visibility for 12 holes. Just teeing off into the abyss.

It didn't burn off until 1030 and we played in just over 3 hours which was cool.

Greens were good but so soggy and slow with all the top water from the fog.

Course was in decent shape with exception of the 5 pounds of grass clippings and Geese crap that gets all over the pull cart.

Still happy to get out and play golf.

Made a morning-of tee time for 12:50, Friday 10/10 and went out as one of three singles playing the whites. I've played here more in the last year because it is a go-to for last minute tee times. I'd ... Continue »

Made a morning-of tee time for 12:50, Friday 10/10 and went out as one of three singles playing the whites. I've played here more in the last year because it is a go-to for last minute tee times. I'd say the conditions were about what you would expect this time of year. The fairways were mostly decent with coverage, but not without the bare patches you might expect after a long summer and before the rainy season. I wouldn't expect lush here and I was fine with it. The rough had examples of both more lush and more dry areas, but mostly it is not penalizing. I missed any bunkers but my playing partner's limited experience in them indicated firm. The green surrounds were more often greened up and good for chipping. First time in about 25 years I chipped in for birdies twice in a round. Greens were good shape, running at medium pace and minimal pitch marks. The course is very forgiving in its generally flat expansiveness and in that respect lower stress than some. I had a better than average round for me and so came away with few complaints about the course or conditions. Know before you go and I pretty much knew before I went.

As an aside, when reserving my tee time, the site showed only one available, which I took, but when I got there right before my time, they said I'd be playing alone because the threesome didn't show up. Fortunately, by the time they announced me on the first tee a few minute later, they had added couple of names and we went out as a threesome. It turned out to be a good number and the young man and woman were both excellent company. Any inadequacies about the conditions seems incidental and it was one of those rounds where the game and the company came together for a particularly enjoyable round.

Out today, Friday 7/18 with a 12:12 start as a single joining a threesome. After some recent very frustrating rounds, I've been hitting the range more and trying to wrestle my swing into a more consis... Continue »

Out today, Friday 7/18 with a 12:12 start as a single joining a threesome. After some recent very frustrating rounds, I've been hitting the range more and trying to wrestle my swing into a more consistent iteration. Woodley's open character makes it a more forgiving layout and a good place to road test what seem to be recent swing improvements. The course is in surprisingly good shape for mid July in the Valley. Teeing grounds are mostly green and level with room to move around. Fairways are surprisingly green for this time of year and rolling out well with constantly decent lies. Rough is more often not punitive. I was in one bunker and it was fairly clean but pretty firm. Green surrounds were very suitable for short game and the greens were pretty nice, rolling at a quick medium speed, clean and true enough. Pace was consistent but sluggish until the last few holes and it took us about 4.75 hrs to get around. A two-club wind at times, it was a warm, but not oppressive day. Actually pretty nice to be out. Solid muni conditions and quite enjoyable. Seems some of my adjustments were working, so that made for some further satisfaction on the day.

Got out to Woodley Lakes this past Friday for a fun round with a buddy of mine and we were joined by another single with an 11:50am tee time. It was a beautiful summer day with little to no wind and t... Continue »

Got out to Woodley Lakes this past Friday for a fun round with a buddy of mine and we were joined by another single with an 11:50am tee time. It was a beautiful summer day with little to no wind and temperatures that failed to mimic the sun, so that was good. It was still hot enough to ride though and not walk.

Was quite pleasantly surprised to find Woodley in such favorable conditions this late in the season. The greens were running really good for all the traffic, held shots nicely and actually had some decent pace to them. Nothing tricky at Woodley so good putting is easily rewarded.

The fairways were mostly in good shape with some thin or burnt out lies here and there, but overall very pleasing and not at all expected. The rough is completely manageable as well. Tee boxes (played the blues) were all level and good, although a few were a bit thin in terms of coverage. Bunkers were okay - nothing great, nothing horrific.

POP was a dreamy four hours on the nose which was amazing for this time of day. There is no cart service so having to run back to the snack shop/cafeteria at the turn isn't ideal, but it is what it is. Woodley does have a very good driving range with grass so that's a treat, but you can't take your carts down there all the way which is a bit annoying when it freezes up on you ... first world problems.

Overall a very good showing at Woodley for a straightforward golf experience without all the frills and drama of other courses, but great to get in a solid round for some confidence with wide open fairways and little trouble to get into on the day.

From 5/24

Woodley delivers last minute!


Got out onto The Woodley for a last minute unexpected round of golf! Played with Nolan and Liam and finished in just under 4 hours.


The Woodley w... Continue »

From 5/24

Woodley delivers last minute!


Got out onto The Woodley for a last minute unexpected round of golf! Played with Nolan and Liam and finished in just under 4 hours.


The Woodley was lush, green, and in good condition. Pace of play was excellent (3:45) for a Saturday. I note the following conditions:


Tee Boxes: Lush, green, and level. Good.


Fairways: Lush, green, and defined from rough. Good.


Greens: Lush, green, with medium speed and softness. Speed about a 9.5 - 10. Thumbs up for the greens! Good.


Sand: Bunkers were filled with quality sand. Good.


Rough: Lush, green, and defined. About 3 - 5 inches. Good.

I was left very pleased by The Woodley's condition and pace of play. Solid look for The Woodley!

Late but quick review because playing only 12 holes the previous outing, I wanted closure and went back to play 18 on Thursday 4/24 with a 12:30 start. When booking, I overlooked the fact that the gre... Continue »

Late but quick review because playing only 12 holes the previous outing, I wanted closure and went back to play 18 on Thursday 4/24 with a 12:30 start. When booking, I overlooked the fact that the greens had been punched between rounds, so my previous review pretty much stands except for a greens update. They were mostly lightly sanded with what I consider medium punch holes, but I thought they ran surprisingly true and on the slower side of a medium that didn't feel overly sluggish. No need for a big compensation for speed, and I made putts. In the end and despite the surprise, I had a good round and wasn't disappointed. Greens were pretty clean before the aeration so give them another week and, despite any visual remnants, they should be performing quite well.

Made last minute 4:20 tee time at Woodley yesterday, raced cross town and arrived into the pro shop as they announced my name on the tee. I joined a twosome and another single, all pleasant guys. For ... Continue »

Made last minute 4:20 tee time at Woodley yesterday, raced cross town and arrived into the pro shop as they announced my name on the tee. I joined a twosome and another single, all pleasant guys. For Woodley the conditions were solid and typical for this flat, open course. Tee boxes here skew large and level with good coverage. Fairway grasses are mixed but were pretty consistent as to decent lies on the day. Rough here is usually very playable, less often a little thicker and costing some distance. Bunkers were clean, nicely groomed and on the firm side so the ball tended to sit up. Green surrounds were in good shape and I had success getting up and down on numerous holes. Green's surfaces were pretty clean at a reasonably quick speed that were enjoyable to putt on.

It is what it is, which is wide open and pretty forgiving so it compensated for a rushed, last minute, no warmup start late in the day. Pace was slow due to the group in front of us and I got through 12 holes before walking in, a little while after sunset. Without the group in front of us, probably would have gotten through 15 holes. Bottom line, with appropriate expectations, I was not disappointed and glad I got out.