Played yesterday at 10am. There was a 15 minute delay to get started. My friends wanted to play this course because we couldn't find the right price at San Juan Hills or Tijeras.

I was actually ... Continue »

Played yesterday at 10am. There was a 15 minute delay to get started. My friends wanted to play this course because we couldn't find the right price at San Juan Hills or Tijeras.

I was actually not looking forward to playing because I've read so many crappy reviews on the internet - ranging from "on par with a pig farm" to "bird sh$t on greens that look like double A size batteries"

I actually had a fun time playing it. It's not a goat track. Greens were pretty decent, not too many divots. There were a few bare spots on the fairways but overall not too bad.

I wouldn't put this on my A list, but it does the job for satisfying your golf fix. It's in standard muni shape with some interesting holes.

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course Review
Irvine California Golf Course Reviews

Played Wed 3:30 afternoon. Started as single and joined another single to play as double. Took little over ~ 3.5 hrs. The course condition needs help. Lots of dead and burnt grass areas in roughs. ... Continue »

Played Wed 3:30 afternoon. Started as single and joined another single to play as double. Took little over ~ 3.5 hrs. The course condition needs help. Lots of dead and burnt grass areas in roughs. Tees not level and greens are very bumpy with lots of ball marks. Yes we are having heat wave but it was excessive. This course is close to my place and easy to walk on. I would play this course more if the conditions were better. Wish this was at least Mile Square quality.

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course Review
Irvine California Golf Course Reviews

Played here for the 1st time in a long, long time as part of a work group scramble. I actually had a lot of fun, but that was because of who I was with, not the condition of the course. For a not-ch... Continue »

Played here for the 1st time in a long, long time as part of a work group scramble. I actually had a lot of fun, but that was because of who I was with, not the condition of the course. For a not-cheap muni in OC, Rancho San Joaquin, they need help. Maybe they don't get the banquet business and so they are short on funds, but the course is just not in good shape.

There were way too many brown and bare spots on the fairway, the 1st cut rough was frequently thin and burned, and there was at least one large area of standing water marked off. The yardage markers at the tee boxes could also use a map of the hole, since they seem to get a lot of their length from dog legs, so big hitters who know the course can really cut corners.

I should recommend the place so that the courses I like get less traffic, but I would rather steer you to Mile Square, Costa Mesa or San Juan Hills, all course that are in the same general price range that seem to be in better shape.

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course Review
Irvine California Golf Course Reviews

Course plays like a pretty standard muni. Back 9 is in better shape than the front 9. Front 9 could use a little more watering. Tee boxes were good, fairways were okay on the front 9 good on the back ... Continue »

Course plays like a pretty standard muni. Back 9 is in better shape than the front 9. Front 9 could use a little more watering. Tee boxes were good, fairways were okay on the front 9 good on the back 9, greens were pretty good. Good value if you can get on for $25 or so. About a 4.5 to 5 hour round.

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course Review
Irvine California Golf Course Reviews

Sanded and punched half of greens on back 9 on 4-9. Front 9 was ok. By half of green means either right or left half - flag is on other half. Fairways were very ragged, chewed up. Although course ... Continue »

Sanded and punched half of greens on back 9 on 4-9. Front 9 was ok. By half of green means either right or left half - flag is on other half. Fairways were very ragged, chewed up. Although course looked very busy, pace was not bad - our 3some took less than 5 hours. Sand in bunkers mostly wet and heavy. Enjoyed walking, rather than riding, cuz could get closer to my ball on the cart path only holes with my entire set of clubs. Some tee boxes were "domed," so need to be careful to find a good spot to tee it up. Will return when the aeration is finally completed.

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course Review
Irvine California Golf Course Reviews

I have been writing reviews for this course more regularly than others because this course keeps improving. The fairways are the best I have ever seen. The greens are good but tough. They will aeri... Continue »

I have been writing reviews for this course more regularly than others because this course keeps improving. The fairways are the best I have ever seen. The greens are good but tough. They will aerify next week, I think. Rounds of golf time wise have increased due to the better conditions.

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course Review
Irvine California Golf Course Reviews

Played yesterday (Monday) morning. Pace of play was 4:30 hrs which is long for Monday morning. But i played behind their club member tournament (behind a group of slow playing seniors), so it's unde... Continue »

Played yesterday (Monday) morning. Pace of play was 4:30 hrs which is long for Monday morning. But i played behind their club member tournament (behind a group of slow playing seniors), so it's understandable. The course conditions are gradually getting better. Green condition is very good. However, they started punching the back nine greens without announcing. So beware.

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course Review
Irvine California Golf Course Reviews

Barely acceptable conditions on Thursday, 3/15/12 at supertwilight. Behind a group of poor golfers playing the wrong tees who had no idea how to move play - they were literally 3 holes behind by #15. ... Continue »

Barely acceptable conditions on Thursday, 3/15/12 at supertwilight. Behind a group of poor golfers playing the wrong tees who had no idea how to move play - they were literally 3 holes behind by #15. Course very dry throughout, with firm but bumpy greens, fairways with a mix of grasses in between the patchy and bare spots, torn up tee boxes and poorly prepared sand traps. Other distractions included the young kid I was paired with, a pretty good player, chipping on every tee to his father playing baseball catcher, or playing croquet with a driver between the tee markers. Other than rote ball-banging, nothing was accomplished. A waste of time.

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course Review
Irvine California Golf Course Reviews

Costa Mesa, San Juan Hills, Mile Square, Willowick look out there is a new kid in town and it is Rancho San Joaquin!! Although the fairways and rough are still well.. rough, the greens are fast and... Continue »

Costa Mesa, San Juan Hills, Mile Square, Willowick look out there is a new kid in town and it is Rancho San Joaquin!! Although the fairways and rough are still well.. rough, the greens are fast and true making the course harder than before. Miss it on the wrong side of a hole and in many cases you have no chance of getting up and down. These greens due to the speed and undulations could very well be the toughest in Orange County right now including private courses. Yes, private courses. More and more people are now playing here due to the improved conditions. Expect longer weekday rounds now not 4 hours or less like before.

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course Review
Irvine California Golf Course Reviews