Played one of my favorite courses Sandpiper for the 3rd time ever this morning 5/15/2017 at 11am in the first GK Guru group out joined by JohnnyGK, Pedro7170 and Jerry64--fun group of guys and we had ... Continue »

Played one of my favorite courses Sandpiper for the 3rd time ever this morning 5/15/2017 at 11am in the first GK Guru group out joined by JohnnyGK, Pedro7170 and Jerry64--fun group of guys and we had a great round and time out there despite very blustery conditions--how can you not in Santa Barbara at Piper. The weather was unusual for Santa Barbara as we had a pretty steady 25mph+ at times wind that strengthened as the round went on. Our POP letting a 2 some play through on 9 was 4 hrs 30 minutes. I rode the Black Tees(7159/75.1/136). The course is just flat out a must play. I am biased in saying that--its one of my favorite layouts with very quick greens which I enjoy putting on, length, a fun and challenging layout and always great conditions. The staff I met today were very courteous, cool and had a nice pleasant caring attitude. I always am treated well here. They have a very sloped and quick putting green which is just a tad quicker than the regular greens here. The driving range is huge with Taylormade balls. The restaurant has a great ocean view overlooking most of the course and facility. The greens were once again the highlight of the course. Running quick, true and holding irons and chips with spin which is the perfect combo. If I had to stimp it today they were close to a 11 on the stimp. Downhillers even quicker than that. The staff and cart barn guys do a great job of letting players know that the green complexes are designed from back to front and to stay below the pin locations. Greens rated an 8.5/10. The fairways were green, lush and provided a nice cushion for lies. Very nice shape for early summer/late spring. Rated 8/10. The tees were level, lush and in good shape. Rated 8/10. The rough bordering the fairways was in very good shape. Couple inches thick at least and very green and healthy. Rated 8.5/10. The bunkers that I were in(greenside #1 and greenside #3) looked to be damp and crusty on the surface but as you splashed your shot out no problem with enough sand underneath the top surface. Rated 7.5/10. You get some awesome ocean views on #5,#6, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14 and in the background on most of the back nine holes. I have not played Pebble but I can see why they call this the mini Pebble Beach. Holes #2, #4, #11 and #17 from the tips will test the best of players. If I had more money and lived in SB or close to it I would be playing this course at least once a week. Highly recommended!

Played 36 on 10/13 thanks to an SCGA unlimited deal for $129. For that, it's pretty good. For the full rate though... no, not worth the drive from LA.

I think your opinion of this place will depend... Continue »

Played 36 on 10/13 thanks to an SCGA unlimited deal for $129. For that, it's pretty good. For the full rate though... no, not worth the drive from LA.

I think your opinion of this place will depend on how well you play. If you play well, you'll overlook the fact that it's in pretty mediocre condition. Turf is usually good enough, but lots of brown, lots of dead areas, lots of bumpy dirt patches not marked GUR. Some bunkers are great with fluffy sand, but more are hard and impossible to control your shot out of. The greens aren't always pretty, but they rolled true and quick for the most part. Service was mostly good, although when we came in after our round they told us we couldn't get food because the kitchen closed at 5. Except... it was 4:50. Also come on, isn't that like the busiest time of day when people are finishing their rounds around sunset?

You're paying for the view here, and if you're having a good round (or can shake off a bad one) then you'll be happy. The stretch from 10-14 is among the most fun I know of. Hole 10, an extreme dogleg left with infinity green that falls off on three sides, is on my short list of favorites I've played. Ocean views mean ocean breezes that challenge you any time of day.

If you get a deal, keep a good attitude, and overlook the sub-par conditions, it's worth a play. Especially late in the day as the sun sets over the Pacific.

Played the Golds (6646/72.6/130) in clear sunny & breezy conditions around 80. Started @ 1:45 and easily got in 27 before dark as a single, rarely waiting on a fast 4some that was usually several hole... Continue »

Played the Golds (6646/72.6/130) in clear sunny & breezy conditions around 80. Started @ 1:45 and easily got in 27 before dark as a single, rarely waiting on a fast 4some that was usually several holes ahead. POP was about 1.7 H per 9. The tees were decent, good coverage with only the par 3's needing divot repair. The Bermuda fairways were okay, mostly lush with a few thin areas. The rough was hit and miss. Thicker closer to the fairways, with everything from hardpan to lush Bermuda all the way to thick kikuyu. The fairway bunkers were firm brown dirt and okay to play from. The green side bunkers were part thick, medium brown dirt (not sand) that was raked, well maintained and generally good to play from. However other green side traps had thick, white beach sand that was very deep and thick, difficult to play from. The greens were recently punched with small tines. They were fast, firm and fairly bumpy to putt on. Alot of slope on these green complexes, not only back to front but also from side to side. The customer service was excellent from everyone encountered. The Pro Shop/Starter got me out 15 minutes early, and the cart gal was out making the rounds several times. Always enjoy this layout. Recommended if you can get a deal.

Played the Golds (6646/72.6/130) in WINDY bright sunny conditions in the 80's. POP a little over 3H as a single. I like the course layout and the ocean breeze always makes club selection a challeng... Continue »

Played the Golds (6646/72.6/130) in WINDY bright sunny conditions in the 80's. POP a little over 3H as a single. I like the course layout and the ocean breeze always makes club selection a challenge here even on a fairly calm day. However, I probably misjudged more irons today by 20+ yards than any round I can remember. 30-40 mph wind gusts made for some laughable shots. I was playing about 15 yards of "break" to compensate for the wind on 30-40 yard crosswind pitch shots and several times +3 clubs into the wind was still not enough. The tees were good overall, adequate coverage but several could use more divot repair. The Bermuda fairways were okay, mostly lush with a few thin areas. The rough was thinner than when I played here a month ago. Combination of hardpan to lush Bermuda all the way to thick kikuyu. I was in multiple traps and found them to be as puzzling a collection as I have ever played on the same course. Perhaps they are doing a bunker makeover, but if they are it is being done in a haphazard manner. There were multiple greens with 1 or more bunkers than had thick, medium brown dirt (not sand) that was raked, well maintained and generally good to play from. The next trap over was thick, white beach sand that was so thick you could leave 6" deep shoe prints and most balls were fried eggs, even if they bounced or rolled into the trap? VERY challenging to play out of overall. The greens were disappointing today. Recently punched with small tines. They were fast, firm and fairly bumpy, a terrible combination to try and putt on in severe wind gusts. Twice I was standing over a putt getting ready to play and my ball was blown 10' or more. There is alot of slope on these greens, and downhill putts were practically impossible if also downwind today. The customer service was excellent from everyone. In spite of the wind & bumpy greens, enjoyed the layout. Recommended if you are willing to pay the higher fees this courses location dictates.

Played a trifecta last weekend with S_Smith: Sandpiper, TPC Valencia and La Purisima, a fabulous weekend. The first leg was Sandpiper in the afternoon and it set the tone. The weather had been overcas... Continue »

Played a trifecta last weekend with S_Smith: Sandpiper, TPC Valencia and La Purisima, a fabulous weekend. The first leg was Sandpiper in the afternoon and it set the tone. The weather had been overcast, but blue skies by the time we teed off. There was a bit of wind.

This is one of my favorite courses. The ocean holes starting with 10 thru 14 are as good as any. You start the back 9 with a short par 4 heading down to the ocean and then 11 is a downhill par 3 that drops down to beach level. No. 13 is a par 5 with a forced carry to an island green, is a great test. The course was in excellent shape with quick but true greens. Service and amenities were excellent. Twilight golf is a great value.

Played with 3 of my buddies on Tuesday the 6th on the SCGA $140.00 coupon that included a replay round. Right now the course is in pretty darn good shape. The coupon made it a great deal. The weath... Continue »

Played with 3 of my buddies on Tuesday the 6th on the SCGA $140.00 coupon that included a replay round. Right now the course is in pretty darn good shape. The coupon made it a great deal. The weather was perfect but standard with the breeze coming up in the afternoon round.
Not much roll on the fairways because I don't think they had been mowed for the week. Greens were soft but, Id say rolled at about 10.5. The sand was a little different I thought from fairway bunkers to green side bunkers. More of a dirt in the fairway bunkers. You don't want to be above the hole here. The views are always fantastic and I would suggest this course to anyone who wants to escape the heat and doesn't mind about a two hour drive from the valley.
My only negative is that this course seems to have my number. I love playing it but can't seem to score to my handicap.

Played the Golds (72.8/131/6646) in windy, sunny conditions in the 80's. POP was great, rarely waited and played in less than 3.5 hours. I like the course layout and the ocean breeze always makes cl... Continue »

Played the Golds (72.8/131/6646) in windy, sunny conditions in the 80's. POP was great, rarely waited and played in less than 3.5 hours. I like the course layout and the ocean breeze always makes club selection challenging. Because of the wind and the greens, par's are hard for me to string together on this course. Before I know it, I have a string of bogeys going. The tees were decent, mostly level with adequate coverage. Several could use more divot repair. The Bermuda fairways were mostly lush with a few thin areas. The rough was usually penal even if not overly tall. Get off the beaten path and it was the usual combination of hardpan, thin or native weeds with occasional high patches that were lost ball deep. However, barely missing the fairway meant that the ball usually sat down in thick Bermuda. Literally the difference in using enough club to try and reach the green or being restricted to a shorter iron and advancing the ball maybe 100 yards. I found the traps to be both well maintained and challenging to play out of. The sand was thick and many of the lips near the greens large. I find the greens here to be deceptively difficult. I never seem to get the speed down on this course. There is alot of slope on these greens, and it's easy for downhill putts to leave 6' to 10' coming back. The greens were relatively smooth, firm and quick bordering on fast. The greens are still a week away from being pristine again as they recently were punched with small tines about 2" apart and should be yellow on GK. This layout is fun and deceptively demanding. The greens are quick and have alot of slope, I 3 putt here more often than any course I can think of. Many holes with at least partial ocean views. Holes 6,10,11,12,13 & 14 in particular either play right along side or right into the ocean. On a cloudless day, the scenery is about as good as it gets. The customer service was excellent from everyone encountered. Recommended as a great change of pace, it's more the location you are paying for. Enjoyed the experience, it's a treat to play here.

Played the Golds (72.8/131/6646) with Robert in breezy, sunny conditions in the 80's. POP was great, we rarely waited and played a 3 1/2 hour round. I am impressed more with this fun and demanding la... Continue »

Played the Golds (72.8/131/6646) with Robert in breezy, sunny conditions in the 80's. POP was great, we rarely waited and played a 3 1/2 hour round. I am impressed more with this fun and demanding layout on each visit. The course had many holes with at least partial ocean views. Holes 6,10,11,13 & 14 in particular either play right along side or right into the ocean. On a bright, cloudless day, the backdrop is about as good as it gets. The tees were decent, I had no issues finding level lies with adequate coverage. Several could use more divot repair. The Bermuda fairways were good overall, mostly lush with a few thin areas. The rough was usually penal even if not overly tall. Missing the fairway by a foot was the difference in using enough club to try and reach the green or being restricted to a short iron and advancing the ball maybe 100 yards out of thick Bermuda that the ball usually sat down in. Get off the beaten path and it was more a combination of hardpan, thin or native weeds with occasional high patches that were lost ball deep. I was in multiple traps and found them to be challenging to play out of because the sand was so thick. Well maintained. The greens were recently punched with small tines but were still relatively smooth, firm and quick. I find the greens here to be deceptively difficult. I never did get the speed down. There is alot of slope on these greens, and downhill putts just creep, and creep and creep, until pretty soon the putt you thought you had lagged up by the hole is 6' to 10' past. I suspect that being near the ocean (less landmarks to compare with) creates the optical illusion of making you think the slopes are gentler than they actually are? I like the course layout and the ocean breeze always makes club selection a challenge. It's more the location you are paying for, because while everything has been above average on every visit, it has not been excellent. The customer service was excellent from the cart gal to the attendant who cleaned and took care of your clubs after the round. Enjoyed the experience, it's a treat to play here. Recommended as a great change of pace if you are willing to pay the high fees the courses location dictates.

Played twilight round at Sandpiper on 7/7/16 at $80 from the gold tees. Got out before a league group and finished a little slower than we could have when a group of teenagers cut in front of us at th... Continue »

Played twilight round at Sandpiper on 7/7/16 at $80 from the gold tees. Got out before a league group and finished a little slower than we could have when a group of teenagers cut in front of us at the third hole and took their time until we went past them at 11.

Sandpiper will always be fun because of the setting, but in the two times I've played here I have not necessarily been blown away by the course conditions. Of course it's good - never would pass up the chance to play here, but always have better expectations as the fairways do have some thin areas and quite a few GUR areas, but also the sand is okay, but not pristine, and the tee boxes are okay to good, and this particular time the greens, while still running fast and true, were sanded pretty good and finally the rough is quite penal and thick and therefore does its job nicely.

Not much can beat the view though when you're teeing off on #10 and #11 and sorting out the right trajectory up the hill on #12. For that kind of serenity and happiness most of the other little complaints just drift away from your consciousness like that putt you missed last week at Rancho. Sandpiper will always deliver that kind of feeling.

So, in summary, everything is really good, but you really want great when the visuals are so exceptional.