Played Butterfield on 4/12. Wanted to get out early so I got there around 6:00 am just before daylight. There were more than a few golfers out there which was surprising at that hour. The starter wa... Continue »

Played Butterfield on 4/12. Wanted to get out early so I got there around 6:00 am just before daylight. There were more than a few golfers out there which was surprising at that hour. The starter was not there and everyone was just waiting around for him. I decided to go ahead and tee off solo and pay when I made the turn. A twosome walking ahead of me did the same as did a twosome walking behind me. Eventually, a twosome showed up behind me that was riding two separate carts, skirting around, playing very fast and jumping around playing different holes. Didn’t understand what these clowns were trying to do but its unfortunate they let them out. I made the turn and payed (he only charged me $14 which was nice). Surprisingly, this course was in good condition considering the last time I was out here when it wasn’t in very good shape. Fairways had some bare spots but overall in ok shape. Greens were rolling very nicely. Even the tee boxes were in pretty good shape as well. Rough was very thick on most holes. Balls are hard to find if you’re in the rough. Sand traps however are a different story. It’s more like hard packed mud/sand but this has always been true of Prado so this wasn’t a big surprise. The guys in the clubhouse are always great. Same is true of the restaurant. POP was great since I walking solo it was about 2 1/2 hours. I really like the practice areas here. The range has grass tee areas and is huge. They also have a nice chipping practice area. Course is not difficult but have always enjoyed the layout. Downside is some of the holes sit next to a sewage treatment facility and the smell can be strong as it was on this day. There also used to be cow fields next to the some of the holes but it looks like they have removed them and have graded to build something. Looks like they are aerating soon but I would definitely come back and play.

I played today as a solo walker, without a reservation. After a brief warm up chipping and putting on one of the three practice greens, I went to the pro shop, where I was greeted with the usual court... Continue »

I played today as a solo walker, without a reservation. After a brief warm up chipping and putting on one of the three practice greens, I went to the pro shop, where I was greeted with the usual courtesy, paid my green fee, and was sent on my way to the first tee, alone. As usual, I played from the blue tees (6568 yards/124 slope rating/71.3 course rating); teeing off at high noon, I completed my round in 3 hours 35 minutes. Though I was told the drink cart was making rounds on the course, I never saw it during my round. Weather was partly cloudy, temps topping out ~70 degrees, with minimal wind, and rain showers that began just as I was finishing the final hole.

The course seemed relatively well maintained, with mowing of some rough and some tee boxes occurring as I played. Though I did not have to play from any bunkers, those I saw appeared to be maintained, with decent sand.

Tee boxes were all in quite good condition, even on par 3 holes. Level and lush, with little if any divot damage noted.

Rough was the usual mixed bag. Close to fairways, it was lush, and a couple to 3 inches deep. Farther from the fairways, it varied from lush to thin to bare dirt. I played from all conditions of the rough, but never had any problem advancing my shots.

Fairways were in reasonably good shape, thin in some areas, but generally lush. All shots that I played from the fairways sat up nicely, making it easy to strike balls cleanly. Divot damage was not obvious from any of the areas that I observed.

Greens were mostly in good condition, with the exception of discolored patches on many. Surfaces were generally smooth, with few unrepaired ballmarks. Green textures were on the softer side of firm, such that well struck full shots held, and left impressive ballmarks. Putts rolled true at medium speeds, quicker on some downhill putts. According to this site, aeration will occur within a week.

As always, I recommend this course, with the caveat that you don't have expectations above what the course can deliver. Great value and a decent challenge for the dollars paid.

Played Monday, 4/4. Teed off at 10 finishing in 4hrs 30min. Butterfield Stage has an enjoyable layout. The course is flat with some rolling terrain and water comes into play a few times. The greens we... Continue »

Played Monday, 4/4. Teed off at 10 finishing in 4hrs 30min. Butterfield Stage has an enjoyable layout. The course is flat with some rolling terrain and water comes into play a few times. The greens were in good condition rolling fairly smooth at the high end of medium speed and held shots. The fairways were in good condition with some thin spots but I did not have a bad fairway lie. The rough is fair to good. The rough is a mix of bare to thick and everything in between which can create some interesting lies. The tee boxes are fair to good with some mild unlevelness. The bunkers are poor to fair. They are a sand and dirt mix that was wet and compacted. The grass margins are simply growing wild (they are not trimmed). When considering the green fees the course is definitely worth playing. There are a couple of practice putting greens and a large grass driving range. The staff was very friendly.

I played as a solo walker on Monday 2/1. Arriving at the courses without a reservation, and finding the parking lot relatively empty, I was given my choice whether to play Butterfield or the Chino Cre... Continue »

I played as a solo walker on Monday 2/1. Arriving at the courses without a reservation, and finding the parking lot relatively empty, I was given my choice whether to play Butterfield or the Chino Creek Course. I chose the former for its walkability. The starter greeted me nicely, and charged only $10, informing me that on this Monday, I could play as many holes as I liked. With cool temperatures, clouds against the surrounding mountains and hills, and breezy conditions, I began my round at 12:20pm playing from the blue tees (6568 yards/71.3 cr/124 sr). The ground was moist from the previous days rain, and debris from trees and tumbleweeds was still scattered about the course. Maintenance workers were actively pumping water from flooded bunkers.

Tee boxes were level, with patchy turf in winter condition. Some looked to have been overseeded, but those seeds have yet to sprout. Par-3 tees showed some divot damage. It was easy enough to find a good place to tee the ball on every hole.

Fairways were variable, with lush turf in most of the critical landing areas, but also dormant winter thin and bare dirt in a few areas. The rough exhibited similar conditions, except it was a little shaggier/thicker in some spots.

Bunkers were hardpacked, moist sand, and several still had wet muddy bottoms where rain had puddled from the previous day. Each of the four bunkers that I played from required a "pick it" type of shot, rather than a blast. Nice to see that the bunker margins have been sculpted such that the margin is well defined - good work by the grounds crew.

Greens were in pretty good shape, except for the usual plethora of unrepaired ball marks. Other than those ballmarks, surfaces were smooth and firmer than expected considering the rainfall from the previous day. Well struck shots held - I hit a hybrid from over 200 yards on the eighteenth hole that stopped within 3 feet of where it landed, with a deep crater. Putts rolled on their intended lines at medium speed.

I was able to get around the course in 3 hours 30 minutes. A group of two in carts played through on hole 9 as I searched for a lost ball (returned to the tee to play my third shot), and I had to wait on a group of three in carts on holes 10 - 12. The single playing behind me in a cart was on my heels but didn't press. The views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains were impressive.

A fun day on a value course.

One of my favorite things about playing the two El Prado courses is I know what to expect. The staff is ALWAYS accommodating, never have a problem getting out early and the cost is reasonable. The co... Continue »

One of my favorite things about playing the two El Prado courses is I know what to expect. The staff is ALWAYS accommodating, never have a problem getting out early and the cost is reasonable. The course was about as I anticipated. Winter conditions, which make things look worse than they play. I was a little disappointed in the greens, which are generally the best part of these courses. They were not cut very low and were far too slow for my taste. Bunkers were great ( I was in several) Fairways and rough are about what you'd expect in December, but not all that terrible. I enjoy playing here because I get what I pay for - decent golf at a fair price.

Played Tuesday 12/8, teeing off just after noon as a single walker - played alone from the blue tees (6568 yards/124 slope rating/71.3 course rating). Pro shop attendants were great, gave me a "junio... Continue »

Played Tuesday 12/8, teeing off just after noon as a single walker - played alone from the blue tees (6568 yards/124 slope rating/71.3 course rating). Pro shop attendants were great, gave me a "junior" rate of $10. Awesome early December weather, with temps a little above 80, and no wind. Course was busy, but everything ran smooth. Saw drink cart service once, and marshal was around. Great POP, finishing 5 minutes shy of 3 hours.

Tee boxes were level, with good coverage, and only minor divot damage noted on par 3 tees.

Fairways and rough were in winter conditions, with the rough mowed to about the same height as fairways; rough was longer and deeper around the greens. Conditons were variable, ranging from good green lush grass in middle of fairways, to thin dormant grass, with the occasional bare spot. An abundance of fresh, unrepaired divots was evident.

Bunkers showed a marked improvement in appearance and in quality of sand. I only had to play from one bunker, but those that I passed appeared in good condition. The sand that I played from was clean, maintained, and fluffy enough that I was able to play a full blast shot from a greenside bunker. Bunker margins have been shaved for definition - kudos to grounds crew.

The greens were a bit furry, bumpy and covered with unrepaired ball marks. Some were firm, others on the softer side of firm, but held well hit shots. They rolled much slower than usual, even on downhill putts.

I found a sand wedge on the left side of the 18th green, and gave it to the marshal. He tried to find the owner, but couldn't, so turned in the club to the pro shop. I hope the owner can be reunited with his sand wedge.

Another fun day on this value course - always a great place to walk and enjoy the views of the surrounding mountains.

Course was pretty crowded for a Tuesday morning. Starter was great and check in was smooth. Tee boxes were flat and good coverage. Fairways and rough are definitely in winter condition. Greens were a ... Continue »

Course was pretty crowded for a Tuesday morning. Starter was great and check in was smooth. Tee boxes were flat and good coverage. Fairways and rough are definitely in winter condition. Greens were a little fuzzy and were also in winter condition. POP was four hours. What is not to like about 80 degree weather in December and playing golf.

After posting this and seeing the rating number, I feel obliged to say that, in my opinion, I rated the course a little higher than it deserved. Maybe it was the less penal rough, or maybe the fairwa... Continue »

After posting this and seeing the rating number, I feel obliged to say that, in my opinion, I rated the course a little higher than it deserved. Maybe it was the less penal rough, or maybe the fairways were worse than I rated? Anyway, take it with a grain of salt. I played with a friend on Saturday 11/28. My friend secured our reservation through GN for $18 per player, plus booking fees, for the walking rate. We were paired with a twosome of nice young men who rode a cart, teeing off about 6 minutes ahead of our reserved 11:06 tee time. Check in was efficient and quite friendly, as the pro shop attendant sincerely thanked us for choosing to play there and wished us all the best of days. Playing from the blue tees (6568 yards/71.3 course rating/124 slope rating), under scattered clouds and an unusual ENE wind direction with temperatures in the high 50's, we finished in 4 hours and 30 minutes. The course was busy, but we never felt rushed, with open holes ahead of us. We allowed a faster group to play through on the 10th hole. Drink cart service came around a few times on front nine, and once again on the back. Course conditions were a little rough, but still acceptable considering the drought and recent cool weather. Given the time of day and the fact that it was a busy holiday weekend certainly impact the course condition, especially the greens and par-3 tee boxes. Tee boxes were generally level and well covered, with a few exceptions. Each of the four par-3 tee boxes had unfixed divots and some minor uneven ground, but a good tee position could always be found. Fairways were generally good in the central parts, with mostly good coverage, though thin in spots, with plenty of roll out on all but the highest hit shots. Turf color varied from green to brown. Tight lies for the most part. Out of the prime playing areas, there was some bare dirt. On the 7th fairway, just inside 100 yards from the green, there was a soaked and muddy area that should have been marked GUR, but wasn't. There were many divots left unrepaired - I had to play from a couple of those spots. Rough had been mowed down and seemed dormant, so played much less penal than earlier in the year when it had been deep and lush. In some spots coverage was good, other spots had bare dirt. Leaves fallen from deciduous trees made locating wayward shots difficult in those areas. Bunkers showed improvement from recent rounds - rims have been better defined, sand a little deeper, though not hardpan, still not as good as it could be. I played from greenside bunkers twice, and from a fairway bunker once, and each allowed for "normal" shallow blast shots. Greens were in acceptable condition considering the holiday weekend. Most appeared to look good, with a few minor exceptions. There seemed to be a few random spots of dead grass or fungus on some of the greens, and far too many ball marks left without repair. There were lots of footprints late in the day. However, the greens accepted well hit approaches, rolled mostly true at medium to fast speeds. There are a few holes on this course where a putt from above the hole is very difficult to stop close to the cup, such as holes #5, #8, #10 and #18. Collars and aprons seemed a little drier and thinner than usual, allowing for some different types of shots around the greens. As always, this course offers a nice walk (or ride), a moderate level of challenge, and a great value for your money.

After reading some of the recent ok reviews, played El Prado-Butterfield again only to find it in marginal shape at best. The greens were good for the most part, the sand traps (or mud traps) are unpl... Continue »

After reading some of the recent ok reviews, played El Prado-Butterfield again only to find it in marginal shape at best. The greens were good for the most part, the sand traps (or mud traps) are unplayable along with the remainder of the course not being worth the money or effort to play there, additionally, they find it completely acceptable to send 5 somes out at anytime (8:00 am). You ask why people don't play golf, blame the golf courses. I'm sorry but this is as positive as I can be. Unless you don't care about your golfing experience there are plenty of other golf courses that are better.