Played Tecolote Canyon yesterday in a small tournament. The course is a semi-executive type (4 par-4 holes and the rest par-3) that really doesn't play well for any sort of tournament, but that's neit... Continue »

Played Tecolote Canyon yesterday in a small tournament. The course is a semi-executive type (4 par-4 holes and the rest par-3) that really doesn't play well for any sort of tournament, but that's neither here nor there.

Course conditions:
Tee-boxes: Overall they were not in good shape. Now this may have been because we were one of the last groups out but there were few level areas to hit from throughout the course. Moreover, the tee-boxes were pretty chewed up (this is almost always the case as 95% of golfers use the blue tees on this course).

Fairways: Since most of the course is par-3 holes, fairways don't really come into play. However, on the 4 holes that are par-4, the fairways are pretty bad. The combination of the natural habitat/course location and lackluster maintenance result in fairways that are burnt-out, lack grass at times, and are generally bad to hit from. Don't expect to hit out of lush grass for your second shots, simple as that.

Rough: The rough throughout the course can vary from somewhat decent to outright dirt. I remember specific instances of both conditions and it really depends on the hole as to the condition of the rough, so it's pretty key to try and get on the green on those par-3 holes.

Greens: Certainly the highlight of the course. The greens were vibrant and very receptive to spin. They rolled fair and true with speeds constantly in the "medium" range. There were a few that had slashes on them but the greenskeeper made sure to place the pin as far away from them as possible. I've seen worse greens at more expensive courses.

Pace: SLOW but what can you expect from a semi-executive course. You have to wait for groups to finish on every hole, even the par-4 holes as great shots tends to carry the natural landscape and end up near or on the greens. Don't expect a 3 hour round on a weekend.

Overall: This course plays like a muni in almost every aspect. I certainly wouldn't recommend it to a tourist visiting SD for golf or anyone on a limited time schedule, however if you need to practice your short iron shots, this is a great place to do that. Look online for discount green fees and with that, Tecolote may certainly be worth the price.