Played here today with a 2:06 tee time using a free round included in my JC Golf Anytime Players Club membership. Booked late in the day in hopes of allowing the marine layer to lift and the course to... Continue »

Played here today with a 2:06 tee time using a free round included in my JC Golf Anytime Players Club membership. Booked late in the day in hopes of allowing the marine layer to lift and the course to provide great ocean views, but the cloud cover over the ocean remained pretty strong all day. Looking inland was all blue sky, but not over the ocean. Perfect temps for golf and a really nice day otherwise. Paired with three other singles and I brought my daughter as a spectator for a $15 fee. Started pretty much right on time and we had to wait on nearly every shot, but overall POP wasn't too bad at around 4:45.

Conditions are decent and seem improved since Jay's May 10 review. The biggest problem today was an abundance of ball marks on nearly every green. I had at least one putt knocked offline by an imperfection on the green, and many other greens required repair and/or tapping down spots on my path to the hole. Overall, greens are semi-bumpy, medium speed, and accepting of full shots. They were also a bit inconsistent. Some seemed in better shape than others, and at least one had some visual evidence of recent aeration. The fairways were pretty good; no complaints. Rough was good except for some bare spots here and there – not very deep nor penal, just a little fluffier than the fairways. Blue tee boxes were good. Bunkers were inconsistent; one I was in was thin and another was fantastic.

This was my first time here. It was the lone JC Golf course (other than the short ones and Cathedral Canyon) that I hadn't ever played. Without a JC membership, tee times can be tough to come by. I enjoyed the course but wasn't wowed by it. One cool feature is a free miniature golf course adjacent to the practice putting green. My daughter and I played a quick round (I think it's six holes) before I started warming up for my round. All staff we encountered were friendly.

Played Wednesday, May 8, twilight, 4:30pm, $40 to walk. Front nine took over 2.5hrs and then the back nine was really quick. I left after hole 11, but one member of our group kept going and he finis... Continue »

Played Wednesday, May 8, twilight, 4:30pm, $40 to walk. Front nine took over 2.5hrs and then the back nine was really quick. I left after hole 11, but one member of our group kept going and he finished in the dark.

I could not recommend this course right now. Something is going on with the overseed? or the bermuda vs. rye situation? or??? I'm not a horticulturist by any means, but things just seem a bit off with the fairways, greens and fringes.

The greens were bumpy and didn't hold a shot very well. Very hard and lots of small unrepaired ball marks.

Rough wasn't very penal, easy to get a club on the ball. It was only about an inch or so longer than the fairways.

Fairways had some white "bloom" going on and a mixture of grasses. Quite a bit of thin areas and they're using green dye/spray to make it look presentable.

The fringes were super wierd. Veriable patches of different grasses and bare spots. Once again painted/dyed green for appearance.

Bunkers were a mixed bag, some hardpan and wet while others were in ok shape with fluffier sand.

We played the green tees (alternating mix of white and blue tees) and they were fine, not a big problem.

Saw the beverage cart once, but didn't partake, I brought my own bottle of water.

Practice putting green was aerated and sanded, the little fake grass putting green is a joke, no help with real practice, so that was kind of a bummer.

I forgot my Golfbuddy voice GPS which was a huge mistake when you're walking. There is no yardage signs anywhere in the fairways. No sprinklers are marked whatsoever, no yardage discs whatsoever. Carts have GPS, so if you're walking make sure you bring some GPS device or a laser range finder.

I just can't recommend this course right now, especially for any rack rate. Even the $40 twilight rate was tough to swallow. Hope they get some maintenance done on the course soon.

Played on Oct 11,2022. Hole #10 is closed. Hole 11 is split into a 105yard par 3 and a 420 yard par 4. Total par is 70. Many greens have a fungus that they are cutting out so more holes will be cl... Continue »

Played on Oct 11,2022. Hole #10 is closed. Hole 11 is split into a 105yard par 3 and a 420 yard par 4. Total par is 70. Many greens have a fungus that they are cutting out so more holes will be closed in the near future. This a very short easy course as is. Now it's even shorter. White tees are less than 5500yards. Working staff are nice and polite but in general, the management always wants to promote what a great course Encinitas Ranch is. It's an above average muni course at its absolute prime. It is always very busy and that's good for them. If you shoot in the 88-100 range, this is a course that will boost your confidence. If you shoot below 88, you will not find this course very challenging. There are a few interesting holes, but overall it earns the nickname Easy Ranch. With the current conditions and the shortening of the course, it will be quite awhile before I come back. The green fees are way too high for what you get. Much better value and enjoyment to be found at most other North County courses.

This was my first time playing here. I’d been wanting to for years, but not having a JC card does make it considerably harder to get an early time. After my previous plans for the day changed last mi... Continue »

This was my first time playing here. I’d been wanting to for years, but not having a JC card does make it considerably harder to get an early time. After my previous plans for the day changed last minute, I was very lucky and found a 6:45am tee time.

Check in was easy and I then spent a few minutes on the range. There is a large putting green and also a little putting course. The starter got me paired with a local twosome and we headed out right on time, beginning on hole #10.

I really enjoyed the layout. With only a couple of exceptions, the fairways are wide with very little trouble. The front nine has a couple of good sized hills and one hole (#7, I think) has a blind tee shot. That one was really fun and I was thrilled with a par. The back was pretty straight forward with no surprises.

Conditions were very good. The fairways were mostly green with no bare spots that I recall. The rough was short-ish and easy to chip from. The sand in the bunkers was clean, soft and well groomed. The tee boxes were level and in good shape. Other than the awful number of new and old ball marks, the greens were beautiful and rolled a fast medium speed.

The staff was friendly and POP was good at 4:15. Recommended.

Played yesterday, 6/11 at 12:30pm Got the JC rate from my buddy, $71 to ride was worth it, they took a few bucks off due to recent aeration of the greens.

POP right at 4.5 hrs, so not too bad.... Continue »

Played yesterday, 6/11 at 12:30pm Got the JC rate from my buddy, $71 to ride was worth it, they took a few bucks off due to recent aeration of the greens.

POP right at 4.5 hrs, so not too bad. Everything was in good to very good condition except the greens. Tees level and good coverage. Fairways were pretty good, nice green and good roll, didn't find any bad lies, although a couple of my playing partners found some divot lies. Greens were very slow and bumpy due to aeration last week. But they were playable and better than I thought they would be. They did hold shots very well!! Rough wasn't very penal, only a couple inches long. I didn't find any bunkers, but they looked good. Saw the beverage cart two times and customer service all around was good. It's not one of my favorite courses, but it's fun. Wouldn't pay the rack rate $105 i think, but $71 to ride on a weekend is worth it.

I finally got around to playing here. The course conditions were excellent. The putting green was very tricky. If you putt well here, you will have no problem on the course. You will need lag skills o... Continue »

I finally got around to playing here. The course conditions were excellent. The putting green was very tricky. If you putt well here, you will have no problem on the course. You will need lag skills on these greens. Unless you are a suburb ball striker or short game wizard, you will face very long putts. These greens are enormous. The fairways are very generous as well. With the exception of holes 7, 8,12 you can try for extra distance without worrying too much about finding trouble. Just keep your balance...
The course is walkable for those who want more exercise. What stood out most to me, was the friendliness of the staff. I am looking forward to making the long drive to play here again in a SCGA tournament.

Played the Ranch on Monday and the greens are as fast and pure as I have ever played out here. Normally they are filled with unfixed ball marks and poorly fixed ones, today was not the case and they ... Continue »

Played the Ranch on Monday and the greens are as fast and pure as I have ever played out here. Normally they are filled with unfixed ball marks and poorly fixed ones, today was not the case and they had to be over 12 or 13 and pure. You could actually tap a put and it stayed on line and would not bounce around. Great time today and everything else was in fairly good shape with a few areas that were bare, at least were marked GUR. Would play out here a lot more if the greens were always like this, maybe a little slower, but they were pure.

Avoid this place. I swear these greens look like the moon with marks and hole everywhere and on every green. 8 am tee time and a 5 hour round. No help from marshals, just excuses. But but but, you can... Continue »

Avoid this place. I swear these greens look like the moon with marks and hole everywhere and on every green. 8 am tee time and a 5 hour round. No help from marshals, just excuses. But but but, you can see the ocean.

Tee boxes good. Fairways mostly green and firm. Greens awesome and rolled true if hit the line. Surprised by good pace of play 4:15 on busy course. Local told me to lay up on blind #1 handicap hole bu... Continue »

Tee boxes good. Fairways mostly green and firm. Greens awesome and rolled true if hit the line. Surprised by good pace of play 4:15 on busy course. Local told me to lay up on blind #1 handicap hole but should have hit driver as easily reachable.