Played here yesterday with a 12:24 TeeOff.com “Deal” time. Used seven $10 reward codes and paid $5.99. Check-in went smooth. Check-in No. 2 over at the starter shack was a little bumpier. They called ... Continue »

Played here yesterday with a 12:24 TeeOff.com “Deal” time. Used seven $10 reward codes and paid $5.99. Check-in went smooth. Check-in No. 2 over at the starter shack was a little bumpier. They called four singles to the tee and then the starter had us wait a while for everyone to show up. Only three people did, so they eventually sent us off as just three, a couple minutes past our time. The starter asked each player if we had water because it was going to be hot, encouraging us to buy waters for $2 each from the starter shack. I was really surprised that a course with $99 weekday afternoon tee times can’t spring for two 25 cent waters per player… ESPECIALLY when they’re not filling the jugs out on the course. Never saw anyone ahead, so pace of play was entirely up to us, although there was a really quick group on our tail starting around the 6th hole. We were keeping pace but when they hit right up behind us on the par-5 11th, we invited them to go through but they said no and then seemed to make an effort to lay back a bit the rest of the round. Total POP right around 4:00.

Conditions are pretty good overall. For the overabundance of annoying ads and notifications on the GPS screen, they could really use one urging players to fix ball marks. The greens had tons of ball marks and as a result, were pretty bumpy. It seems the maintenance staff fills unfixed ball marks with blue sand, which visually makes them stand out more than normal. Anyway, greens were about medium speed, bumpy in spots and pretty soft, accepting full shots well. Many greens had some small bare spots as well. Fairways were really nice bermuda with great coverage. Rough was also in very nice shape, just a little longer than the fairway but never really penal. Gold tee boxes were good. Bunkers looked to be maintained but had a hard-packed base that need some work.

Nothing to do with the conditions but just sorta amusing anecdotally: One of my playing partners was practically Inspector Gadget. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone bring so many accessories to play golf before. His cart looked like he was overseeing a NASA rocket launch with a bunch of wires going everywhere. He had a phone holder in his cart’s cup holder, had another big mount for his tablet affixed to the steering wheel column, had a metal post he’d bring down near the green and stick in the ground so he could lean his unused clubs against it instead of laying them on the ground, and had a ball retriever on the grip end of his putter. Roger Dunn must love when he walks through the door.

Overall, fun day on a nice layout but the nickel and diming for water on a supposed “high end” course was a big turn off.