I joined my high school buddy here on a foggy, cool and breezy Monday, 6/27/22, teeing off a little late around 10:15 between several foursomes. My first time playing here despite living in SoCal for ... Continue »

I joined my high school buddy here on a foggy, cool and breezy Monday, 6/27/22, teeing off a little late around 10:15 between several foursomes. My first time playing here despite living in SoCal for the past 40+ years – I generally avoid 9-holers and never had an invitation from friends. He invited me during the COVID period but they weren’t allowing carts out, which is a no-go for my bum knee. The setting was attractive and very quiet with the surrounding hills close by, very few homes in view, and the damping effect of the fog. We moved along with the other players ahead and behind, finishing in just under 2 hours.

Greens are the highlight of the course and are in very good condition, fairly firm and rolling nicely at medium+ speed. Speeds were consistent through the round, which is great. There’s no significant tiering and most greens are fairly flat. I consistently played too much break on most putts, which we found to be almost always pretty straight. Greens didn’t hold shots too well due to firmness. Many green surrounds were closely mown and shots running onto these slopes funneled down into collection areas or against rough collars. Tees were level – we played White, as the Blue card has some very long par-3s. Fairway lies were good and rough was generally very playable. Traps had apparently been recently refurbished and were visually appealing, had adequate sand quality and quantity, and played great.

Club facilities are nice and look to be recently refurbished. Small but attractive pro shop and snack bar/restaurant available. The accompanying resort was pretty busy during the breakfast/lunch hours with an international clientele. Valet parking is required and staff is efficient. No driving range, but a large netted hitting bay is available, and a tiny putting green about the size of a walk-in closet.

OK for a quick casual round.

WARNING: Greens are aerated despite no alert above! As a result, I didn't rate the conditions.

Played here today with a 3:26 TeeOff.com "Deal" time. Arrived around 3:00 to a very busy resort! They ... Continue »

WARNING: Greens are aerated despite no alert above! As a result, I didn't rate the conditions.

Played here today with a 3:26 TeeOff.com "Deal" time. Arrived around 3:00 to a very busy resort! They have started complimentary valet parking with no self parking since I was here last. Checked in and was told to go talk to the starter about 5 minutes before my time. I got paired with a twosome and another single and we started a little bit late. Course was very busy and we waited on every tee. Finished in a little under two and a half hours. I'd estimate maybe one or two groups behind us had enough light to finish. It was a beautiful afternoon and very windy at times. Gets chilly quick once the sun dips behind the mountains.

Conditions are decent. Greens look like they were aerated maybe sometime in the last week. Large holes, filled with sand, and very difficult to keep on line or gauge the correct pace. Other than the aeration holes, they seem to be in good shape, but I'd give them at least another week or two to heal. Fairways were green, mostly good with some thin spots and imperfections. Good definition between the rough and fairway, with the rough being a bit longer in most spots but also thinner in others. Blue tee boxes were decent; a few I had to search for some grass to find a good spot. I wasn't in any bunkers but my playing partners were and they seemed to be filled with nice sand.

Despite being one of the closest courses to my house, I rarely play here. It's so beautiful on a nice day. A bit of a bummer that the greens were aerated, but otherwise it was a really fun afternoon. (I don't take rounds on 9-hole courses all that seriously anyway.) Definitely recommended if you can find a decent price or if money is no object.

Good ol Ben Brown. Great little 9h course just off PCH at a small resort. Short par 4's and some long par 3's alternate for the very walkable 9 holes. As it resides in a canyon this course can get ext... Continue »

Good ol Ben Brown. Great little 9h course just off PCH at a small resort. Short par 4's and some long par 3's alternate for the very walkable 9 holes. As it resides in a canyon this course can get extremely windy, which to me makes it even more fun. Not sure if it's worth it at full pop, but a quick 9 after work? Worth the $30.

Spending the weekend down in OC so snuck away to the Ranch at Laguna Beach nine-hole course tucked away in a beautiful, looming valley with the Aliso Creek bisecting the layout and adding to the beaut... Continue »

Spending the weekend down in OC so snuck away to the Ranch at Laguna Beach nine-hole course tucked away in a beautiful, looming valley with the Aliso Creek bisecting the layout and adding to the beauty of this wonderful location.

Everything is top notch here - the valet parking, the beautiful deck and patio area, course conditions, and of course the price to match. I had forgotten a hat so I'm not exactly sure what the greens fee was because I added one to my bill, but I think it was around $55 or so. But it was well worth it.

This is no bombs-away course in any way. The first hole requires a 150-yard or so layup and then it's a par 3-par 4 back and forth all the way to the ninth hole. There are some absolutely beautiful holes here and the surroundings are brilliant. Total seclusion out there and a challenging yet fun short course that will keep you smiling the whole time.

Greens were in very nice shape and only one or two with any severe slopes to them. They rolled medium-fast and held lines well, but surprisingly found a few ball marks which was odd at a premium-ish course. Tee boxes were in good shape (played from the blues) except for the last hole which is covered by trees so the tee went into the dirt and nothing else.

Bunkers looked and played amazing ... very nice fluffy sand in most all of them. And the rough was very playable and fun. Nothing but high marks for this place and if I lived closer I would love to play it more than a few times, even though the price is fairly steep for nine holes. But the entire place is a high-end experience across the board, so you're getting your money's worth.

Oh yeah, no carts but those of the push variety. Maybe that keeps help the place in great shape. There are no services out there anywhere so bring your cold water and a snack, but you're going to have a good time either way.

On Wednesday I played Ben Brown’s at The Ranch in Laguna Beach. I truly enjoy walking this course, frequently there are dear crossing the fairways, grazing on the tees well Coopers’ hawks fly overhead... Continue »

On Wednesday I played Ben Brown’s at The Ranch in Laguna Beach. I truly enjoy walking this course, frequently there are dear crossing the fairways, grazing on the tees well Coopers’ hawks fly overhead. My early morning 6:04 am Round cost $25 and the starter got me out about 10 minutes early playing as a single with no one ahead of me and no one behind me for two holes. This allowed me play two balls on some holes or keep pace after shanking a couple of drives.

The course is located at The Ranch in Laguna Beach, a quaint high-end hotel tucked into a canyon in Laguna Beach just off of PCH. My round was scheduled for 6:04 am, I arrived early about 5am and enjoyed an Americano then hit the driving range, ok driving net. Staff was warm, friendly and engaging. Playing in the morning in July the temperature was wonderful, just perhaps a little chilly for shorts and golf shirt until after I warmed up. There are a number of very good seniors that play this course in the early hours during the week.
The course opens with a par 4 over a creek, unless you can carry 225, layup at 150 and use a wedge to reach the green, you are unable able to see the creek from the fairway only the bridge which indicated a narrow creek hitting up about 20 feet to a raised and sloped green. Despite the small bridge to the side, the creek inline with the fairway is very wide. The creek comes into play on six of the nine holes, often requiring very precise shots into sloping postage stamp greens.

The course is in very good conditions following the winter and spring rains, and the course is continuing to make improvements. I had mud come into play on only one hole, and if my shot had carried it would not have been a problem. The fairways are in very good condition with the usual wear areas where the electric carts come off the paved cart path onto the fairways. The course right now is very green as are the canyon sides around it, truly pretty course, however there are no ocean views to be had.

The courses primary defense is its narrow fairways and overhanging tree limbs that force you to elevate the ball quickly or punch low. The blue tees add angles, and elevation on several holes to the complexity.
The first two tee boxes both blue and white were a little chewed up, the remainder were lush, all were mostly level. There is no divot mix on the tees.

Despite being built in a canyon most fairways are reasonably level side to side, but up hill or down hill lengthwise. The second hole in a exception, very narrow and unlevel across the board. Most errant tee shots will find the OB with rattlesnake warnings, or the creek.

Rough is deep, thick, sticky, averaging more than four inches. Watch your ball all the way as it will be hard to see in the rough which was very evenly mowed.

Bunkers are excellent and the mostly elderly player ahead of were doing a good job of raking the bunkers if they were in them based on the visual evidence.

Eight of the nine greens were in excellent condition rolling very fast. All of the greens are sloped in one direction or more, and hole placement takes advantage of this. There were virtually no ball marks on the greens, the groups were doing a very nice job of repairing marks. One green was suffering form a condition along the fringe with about a 6’ by 3’ brown area. The first cut of rough around the green was approximately 1 inch, and the outer rough closer to 3” plus.

If I need something to complain about the benches on the tees unlevel on most holes but only one was unusable, I also don’t like that the course tends to set the blue tee at #7 in such a location that you are under a set of low hang trees. This whole tends to play 210 yards which for me is a driver, but the trees are too low for me to feel comfortable given my shot shape. Trees that you have to go over or around are used on a couple of holes, but his one is a little over the top. At $25 to $45 dollars per round without a cart it’s not a course I would choose too often, it is a course I very much enjoy playing however so I treat myself with the occasional round here. Another great part of this course is the resort restaurant, finish an early morning round and follow it up with a short stack of their wonderful buttermilk pancakes. Heavenly.

Great course with incredible views; ideal walking course for anyone of any age. Couple of Comments: 1) No plates in the tee boxes to verify yardage 2) Wind seemed either in your face or at your back... Continue »

Great course with incredible views; ideal walking course for anyone of any age. Couple of Comments: 1) No plates in the tee boxes to verify yardage 2) Wind seemed either in your face or at your back; never noticed much of a cross breeze. 3) Excellent bar for post round drinks.

01/22/2019
Haven’t played much since the end of last year due to an elbow injury, after playing my local nine hole decided to try a more challenging track, but still nine holes. On Tuesday I played B... Continue »

01/22/2019
Haven’t played much since the end of last year due to an elbow injury, after playing my local nine hole decided to try a more challenging track, but still nine holes. On Tuesday I played Ben Brown’s at The Ranch in Laguna Beach. I wanted to take in the whole course so walked the nine holes. Round cost $30 and the starter got me out about 20 minutes early between a foursome and a twosome. This allowed me play two balls on some holes or keep pace after shanking a couple of drives.

The course is located at The Ranch in Laguna Beach, a quaint high-end hotel tucked into a canyon in Laguna Beach just off of PCH. My round was scheduled for 9:28 am, I arrived early about 8am and enjoyed an Americano, watched a few foursomes get underway and then hit the driving range, ok driving net. Staff was warm, friendly and engaging. Playing in the morning in January the temperature was cold enough to require a jacket and warm up pants. The jacket was gone by the third hole as the sun was up. There was wind but not as bad as I had feared. The thing I noticed immediately that I really liked was the spacing between groups. The starter spaces to the course to allow for seniors walking, kudos.

The course opens with a par 4 over a creek. Having not played the course and not being able to see the creek from the fairway only the bridge which indicated a narrow creek hitting up about 20 feet to a raised and sloped green, I lost my first ball. Despite the small bridge to the side, the creek inline with the fairway is very wide. The creek comes into play on six of the nine holes, often requiring very precise shots into sloping postage stamp greens.

The course is in very good conditions following the rains, had mud come into play on only one hole, and if my shot had carried it would not have been a problem. The fairways are in very good condition with the usual wear areas where the electric carts come off the paved cart path onto the fairways. The course right now is very green as are the canyon sides around it, truly pretty course, however there are no ocean views to be had.

The courses primary defense is its narrow fairways and overhanging tree limbs that force you to elevate the ball quickly or punch low. The blue tees add angles, and elevation on several holes to the complexity.
The first two tee boxes both blue and white were a little chewed up, the remainder were lush, all were mostly level. There is no divot mix on the tees.

Despite being built in a canyon most fairways are reasonably level side to side, but up hill or down hill lengthwise. The second hole in a exception, very narrow and unlevel across the board. Most errant tee shots will find the OB with rattlesnake warnings, or the creek.

Rough is deep, thick, sticky, averaging more than four inches. Watch your ball all the way as it will be hard to see in the rough which was very evenly mowed.

Bunkers are excellent and the mostly elderly player ahead of were doing a good job of raking the bunkers if they were in them based on the visual evidence.

Eight of the nine greens were in excellent condition rolling very fast. All of the greens are sloped in one direction or more, and hole placement takes advantage of this. There were virtually no ball marks on the greens, the groups were doing a very nice job of repairing marks. One green was suffering form a condition along the fringe with about a 6’ by 3’ brown area. The first cut of rough around the green was approximately 1 inch, and the outer rough closer to 3” plus.

If I need something to complain about the benches on the tees unlevel on most holes but only one was unusable, other than that I really liked this course, and as my daughter gave me a gift card for three rounds I will be back. At $30 to $45 dollars per round without a cart it’s not a course I would normally choose for myself, it is a course I have very much wanted to play, however at this price I might be led elsewhere, that is not a knock on the course, and I bet a twilight round in July or August with a breeze off the ocean would be delightful.

Played out here this morning with a 10:48 tee time. Was sent out by myself right on time, following a twosome. Pace was decent and nine holes took about 1:40. Weather was schizophrenic: Very foggy to ... Continue »

Played out here this morning with a 10:48 tee time. Was sent out by myself right on time, following a twosome. Pace was decent and nine holes took about 1:40. Weather was schizophrenic: Very foggy to start, then beautiful, then cold and windy, back to beautiful, back to foggy. It seemed to continually change from hole to hole. Course is currently walking only due to recent rains. I encountered none of the service issues the previous reviewer did. Half the parking lot is self parking, so I didn't have to valet, and the pro shop guy I dealt with was super friendly and helpful.

The course is generally in good condition following a closure due to recent storms. Hopefully the storms coming later this week don't overflow Aliso Creek and cause further damage. The greens were great: Medium-fast to fast, smooth and held full shots very well. Fairway conditions were mixed. Most all were quite wet and they looked good from afar, but some were a bit thin and/or muddy in spots. No real complaints from me, though. Rough was pretty lush but also mixed conditions. There are large areas of GUR roped off all over the course, and within some of those areas is some of the lushest, best looking grass this side of Rams Hill (or Augusta, take your pick). It looks like they laid down sod in those areas and it's really fantastic looking. Tee boxes were decent, some a bit beat up. Bunkers I was in were good.

Despite living about four miles from this course as the crow flies, I'd only played it once before. That time, the whole course was aerated and dried out, and it wasn't all that inspiring. Wow, what a difference today! This is such a gorgeous course in a wonderful setting. On the third hole, if you'd told me I was in Hawaii, I would've believed it. At $35 for nine holes of par 32 golf, I doubt I'll be out there too often, but I sure would like to be.

I took a ton of photos and posted 40 to a Flickr photo album here: https://goo.gl/rFktMq

welcome to the overly strict state of aliso creek the course is 9 holes and fun enough but my god has a little power gone to the heads of these folks. First the outlawed cigars and cigarettes not just... Continue »

welcome to the overly strict state of aliso creek the course is 9 holes and fun enough but my god has a little power gone to the heads of these folks. First the outlawed cigars and cigarettes not just in the course but in the parking lot as well then they stopped letting carts out at twighlight now your car must be valet parked and their is a sign on the first tee telling you it's irons only the as if the this isn't enough when you finish you stripped of your cart at the ninth green and told when and where you can pick up your belongings by teen surfers who look at you like it's your fault they are here and not in the water . My buddies got stuck in traffic so I asked to have our tee time pushed back and the kid tryed to cancel us I reminded him if gave up our spot then everyone would move up so there would be an opening someplace and finally he agreed to allow us out 45 minutes later . I'm not real sure this place even wants local golfers anymore and the only friendly guy on the whole property was this young kid named JD , was awesome he marshalled and started us and after let us take the carts out to the front of the property . Anyway after playing this place for 40 years we could be done here honestly I can't take friends here with a straght face