Played 12/18/23 @ 0705 paired with a couple of locals that play the course twice a week. Weather cooperated and we only got sprinkled on a couple of times throughout the round. Tee boxes were mostly... Continue »

Played 12/18/23 @ 0705 paired with a couple of locals that play the course twice a week. Weather cooperated and we only got sprinkled on a couple of times throughout the round. Tee boxes were mostly level with a couple of non-level spots from the blue tees. Fairways had good coverage with brown spots everywhere. Brown spots did not affect play (it just wasn't aesthetically pleasing). Fairway bunkers looked like they had good sand, the one greenside bunker I was in had nice sand in it and was easy to hit out of. Greens were pretty awesome! They were very smooth and rolled true. Local knowledge helps a lot with putting here- breaks can be very subtle and can easily be read wrong. Out of town rate was a little steep- $63 walking. With Sandpiper, Glen Annie and Olivas Links so close, I would rather play near the ocean for a few bucks more. Resident rate is really reasonable.

Only time for a quick review, I got out 12:18 Saturday 11/19 as single joining a twosome and a single female. Hadn't played here in a good while so enjoyed the chance to play it again. Overall conditi... Continue »

Only time for a quick review, I got out 12:18 Saturday 11/19 as single joining a twosome and a single female. Hadn't played here in a good while so enjoyed the chance to play it again. Overall conditions were solid. Exceptions that come to mind were some scruffy areas being reseeded on the sixth fairway and the back half of the 18th green was roped off, not sure why. Otherwise the fairways had nice coverage and good roll out. The one bunker I was in had good sand. The greens were clean, on the quick side and minimum of ball marks. The company was good and the timing was perfect, finishing as the last sunlight was leaving the mountain tops. Mountain views from the middle of Santa Barbara, paid thirty-something to walk — what's not to like? Recommended.

Our Saturday Golf Friends group played Santa Barbara Golf Club this past Saturday 9/28/21. I have played this course many times in the past but this was the first time playing for our Saturday Group.... Continue »

Our Saturday Golf Friends group played Santa Barbara Golf Club this past Saturday 9/28/21. I have played this course many times in the past but this was the first time playing for our Saturday Group. The course was in excellent condition. Greens were nice and smooth and fairly fast. The golf staff were all very friendly and accommodating as well was the grill staff and their food is exceptional!! We all had a great time and will be putting SBGC on our regular rotation!!

Played here today with an 11:42 TeeOff.com “Deal” time. Got it for a great price after 20% promo code. (I think it came to $42 after the code, including cart, can’t remember for sure.) Arrived around ... Continue »

Played here today with an 11:42 TeeOff.com “Deal” time. Got it for a great price after 20% promo code. (I think it came to $42 after the code, including cart, can’t remember for sure.) Arrived around 11:20, place was pretty busy. Checked in and they said come back in 10 more minutes and they’d assign me a cart. Did so, started pretty much on time, was paired with another single and a twosome, and POP was pretty slow, especially the back nine. I didn’t realize it until about the 13th hole, but it was totally the fault of the group directly in front of us. They were at least a hole behind at that point. Total POP was just under 5 hours on an absolutely beautiful Santa Barbara day.

Conditions are very nice! The whole course is very green, which looks gorgeous against the mountain backdrop. Greens are medium fast, more firm than soft, and mostly smooth. I say mostly because almost all putts rolled well, but our group did have two or three putts that inexplicably took big bounces that killed their speed. Pretty sure the greens were poa and some were splotchier than others. Mostly all good, though. Fairways too were mostly great. Some of them had perfectly manicured kikuyu that looked like Riviera or something. Then a couple others had a mix of grasses and lower quality maintenance, especially 17 comes to mind – with a giant gully and tall trees, I’m guessing that fairway doesn’t get enough sunlight to grow well. Rough was good, a little spottier than the fairways in terms of cover and consistency. Tee boxes were mostly decent, but a couple are heavily sanded (like all sand, no grass) and one or two more had a mix of lots of sand and some grass. The rest were decent. Some of the back boxes were closed for maintenance. I think I was in three bunkers. The first two were great and the third was wet and compacted, but still not too bad.

This was my first time ever playing here. Fun, beautiful course! I loved all the elevation changes, and the setting is gorgeous with great views of the mountains. A couple holes even have views of the Channel Islands (Santa Cruz Island, I believe) but not the ocean… just the top of the island sticking up over the nearby hills. The greens can be really tricky and challenging, especially the par-4 7th. Overall, highly recommended at the rate I got.

Played Saturday morning, 10/26, grouped with two other singles, and teeing off a little before 9:30 at $64 to walk. I hadn't been out here in a few years and was looking forward to revisiting. On a ca... Continue »

Played Saturday morning, 10/26, grouped with two other singles, and teeing off a little before 9:30 at $64 to walk. I hadn't been out here in a few years and was looking forward to revisiting. On a calm, sunny day, overall conditions were pretty good. Tees were generally flat and green and no particular issues come to mind. Fairways had good coverage overall that was on the tight side, so good surface with a good amount of roll. There were occasional, scattered, tight, browned-out patches, but I would not characterize them as hardpan and I think in most cases they provided a decent — if perhaps discolored — hitting surface. Again, I don't recall any problems playing in the fairways. The rough mostly had green coverage and usually it was not especially punitive off the fairway unless you got blocked. Bunkers had a thinner, soft, top layer of sand on a firmer base that resisted footprints. I found them generally clean and playable — interestingly, just like Hansen Dam the previous week. The maintenance alert should be removed. The greens were clean and pretty quick. No sign of aeration. I left a lot of first putts too far past the hole, underestimating the speed more often than not, and many of the greens had undulations to make it more interesting. The exception is the 9th green complex which is getting a complete rebuild, so there was a temporary green short of it. While not an a particularly long course, I think the yardage on this course is misleading and it plays longer and a bit more challenging than the numbers would suggest. Partially because two very short par 3's are offset by a number of good length par 4's, and partially because some of the medium and shorter par 4's are made more interesting and challenging due to hills and altitude changes. A bit pricey as a muni, but about 1/3 the cost of Sandpiper. And while it doesn't have the ocean views, it is in SB and the view of the mountains coming up the 18th makes it a pretty nice finish. I scored like crap, but had a good time and recommend it.

I played here last Thursday, May 31. The course was in very good shape having hosted a recent city championship there. The greens were a little on the slow side, but rolled true and accepted most any ... Continue »

I played here last Thursday, May 31. The course was in very good shape having hosted a recent city championship there. The greens were a little on the slow side, but rolled true and accepted most any shot into it as they were somewhat soft. Fairways, rough, and tees all were in a lush green condition. No real issues finding a level place on the tees (I played the blue tees). I did see one green that had some recent patch work done to it, but I cannot remember which one. It was done very well and the green was healing in very nicely. I think I found one bunker; it was thin, but playable with medium, brown sand with maybe two inches of cover over hard pan. Pace of play was on the slow side (twilight on a Thursday afternoon) at about 5+ hours. The course was crowded but everything moved along, albeit slow for my taste. Lots of walkers despite the very hilly terrain. Nice tap beer selection at the turn. I'd play here again.

Played this course on a perfect 75-80 degree Saturday before the Super Bowl as part of a two day golf/grub/SBowl roadie vacation (Day 1 was Hunter Ranch). Today with a de facto fivesome (which they r... Continue »

Played this course on a perfect 75-80 degree Saturday before the Super Bowl as part of a two day golf/grub/SBowl roadie vacation (Day 1 was Hunter Ranch). Today with a de facto fivesome (which they rightly don't allow. We had two riders, three walkers in the next tee time) started at ten and finished a little after 2:30. Busy morning at this muni which had a great buzz and vibe going. Didn't hit balls, but one of us said range was adequate and sort of half grass half not. Nice putting area, food service, pro shop.

Walked and carried (thewalkinggolfer.com has this as very walkable, I would say it is a bit tougher than that) and felt every year of my 57 by the uphill 18th green this day. Starts out flat and kind of easy, leading you to think, "we're going to tear this place up", but gets hilly and more difficult as the canyons swoop up and down. There are a few houses near the course but nothing intrusive. The views are basically SoCal trees and mountains to the east. Really nice.

Shortish on the card, but you have to place tee shots on the proper side to score well as big and old trees are the best defense the course has. Greens were real nice, fairly speedy and rolled true. Bunkers good or better and the fairway grass was consistent and hardy enough to perch your approach up giving confidence for the second shot. Wish we could grow this grass in NorCal. Some really short and long par 3's (that basically ruined a great scorecard for me this day) that are fun and perfect for degenerate gambling.

Pace was decent, we let one twosome through us all on the backside. Frankly the walk/carry was a bit more than expected and the sunny day made a slower pace acceptable and even appreciated. I'd play this great muni again any day. Bring your best wedge game and you'll have a blast.

In town while my wife attended a conference, I hit SBGC yesterday just before midday and got out as a single behind another single and a two-some ahead of him. A good day for golf, warm with a light b... Continue »

In town while my wife attended a conference, I hit SBGC yesterday just before midday and got out as a single behind another single and a two-some ahead of him. A good day for golf, warm with a light breeze, not a cloud in the sky. Rather than run through the particulars at length, I'll simply say that the course is in good, green (but firm) playable conditions, with a few nicks and imperfections here and there that you'd expect on a muni course that's well maintained. Greens in particular were firm, medium quick, not without blemishes but performed nicely. The fairways could be described similarly and provided a fair amount of rollout. It's a shorter course with the blue tees totaling a little over 6,000 yards, but has a lot of contour and slope through the lower half of the course to provide challenge and visual interest. I hoofed it and carried my bag, but being familiar with the course knew I was in for a serious workout. My legs were beat at the end. It doesn't compete directly with the high end courses in the area, but it really is an enjoyable and much less expensive alternative. The single ahead of me disappeared somewhere on the ninth hole, I passed the duo at the turn, and the rest of the round was open course to myself. The girl in the pro shop was nice enough to give me the local rate of $40. I'll be back in SB later in the month and SBGC will be again be included in my itinerary.

First time here in many years, surprisingly (or not I guess?) the trees have really filled in and grown and the course is much tighter than I recall.

A late, late afternoon Saturday round, indicate... Continue »

First time here in many years, surprisingly (or not I guess?) the trees have really filled in and grown and the course is much tighter than I recall.

A late, late afternoon Saturday round, indicates the course gets lots of play, greens heel marked, spike marked and ball marked badly, although the underlying condition of the greens was quite good. They must have reclaimed water as the course was bright green and very lush which was a treat compared to what everywhere else looks like right now. The fairways were mostly cut tight and good, rough as well and the bunkers were in surprisingly good shape and green side bunkers are the real dal and come into play.

Small greens, super short muni feel but the nice views and the price make it worthwhile if in town. Certainly not on par with Sandpiper or Glen Annie, but I would say that if Sandpiper is Disneyland (and the price reflects) ...Glen Annie might be Magic Mountain and SB Golf Club might be the County fair...

As long as you expectations are on par you will enjoy it.