Met up with ABBACAT yesterday and played the Stonehouse/Oaks combo at Temecula Creek on a picture-perfect day. Mid-to-low 70s temperature-wise but the steady 15-20 MPH wind…which, for the majority of... Continue »

Met up with ABBACAT yesterday and played the Stonehouse/Oaks combo at Temecula Creek on a picture-perfect day. Mid-to-low 70s temperature-wise but the steady 15-20 MPH wind…which, for the majority of the round, was against us…made for quite a challenge.

Overall, conditions were good although I felt there were a few rough spots along the edges on Stonehouse. Random bare spots here and there, some damp, muddy areas that needed attention, and a general appearance that made things look as if they were in some sort of transitionary stage.

Tee boxes could use some leveling, a few greens still showed aeration holes (#3 in particular), and the greenside trap on #4 was crusty and looked like it hadn’t been attended to in quite some time. I felt I was walking onto a sheet of ice when I entered to play my shot. Was able to navigate the 50-footer successfully…stuck it to four feet to save par…but there was a lot of guesswork involved. Although the bunker on #8 Oaks was better…firm but more playable…I feel the entire collection is in need of some work.

Greens throughout the course were soft…you immediately felt it under your feet…which led to approach shots holding nicely. Speed was definitely on the slow side, similar to the practice green, and putts took some sharp turns once they began to lose pace. Would like to see things firmed up a bit, which would lead to truer rolls.

With that being said, the ball mark damage was fairly minimal yet we still fixed quite a few fresh unattended marks during the round. Fringe areas were in good shape and the rough was healthy and thick. Took a bit of speed when it came to hitting short pitch shots but the receptive greens made it possible to get the ball to settle without a ridiculous amount of rollout.

Pace of play was very satisfying, although as a twosome sandwiched between a couple of fours, we did have a few delays to contend with. Nothing of consequence, however: teed off @ 2:00PM, played at a relaxed pace, and wrapped it up 4 hours and 15 minutes later.

Followed up the round with dinner at the course, which put a proper finishing touch on what turned out to be an enjoyable day.

Considering the steep fees many courses now charge on weekends, Temecula Creek’s late rate of $78.00…with a cart…cannot be overlooked. As far as I’m concerned, you definitely get your money’s worth here.

Despite the minor ‘imperfections’, the course is highly recommended. Hopefully things will get tidied up as the summer approaches but they’re really not far off. The personable staff also deserves mention as they provide a warm and welcoming vibe.

I’ll be back soon.